Department of Motor Vehicles

NEW YORK STATE DRIVERS CAN REPLACE

 PEELING LICENSE PLATES FOR FREE 

No Charge to Customers for New Plates with New Number 

$20 Charge for Replacement Plates with Current Number

New York State Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) Commissioner Mark J.F. Schroeder is reminding vehicle owners they can exchange any New York license plate that is peeling free of charge.

“We are encouraging New Yorkers who have peeling license plates to get new ones, without any charge, to avoid the risk of being ticketed and having to pay a fine,” said DMV Commissioner Mark J.F. Schroeder. “We do not want that to happen to our customers, so we made the process to replace peeling plates as easy as possible.”

Customers who want the next available standard plate number free of charge can email DMV at [email protected]. They should include their current plate number in the subject line and the following information in the email:

• name as it appears on the registration
• address (Please update your address, if not current, prior to e-mailing your request)
• city, state, ZIP code
• daytime telephone number
• peeling plate number
• a photograph of the peeling plates

A new registration/windshield sticker will be mailed along with the new license plates.

If a customer wishes to keep the same plate number, they should mail a completed Application for Replacement Plates -Keep Same Plate Number, a photograph of the peeling plates, and a $20 check or money order payable to ‘Commissioner of Motor Vehicles’ to:

NYS DMV
6 Empire State Plaza
Room 414A
Albany, NY 12228

A new registration and windshield sticker will be mailed separately from the plates.

License plates showing natural aging, chips or cracks are not eligible for a free exchange. Customers wishing to exchange plates showing natural aging must pay the $28.75 replacement fee.

Customers should not return peeling plates to DMV and should destroy them so they cannot be reused. When disposing of peeling plates, DMV recommends using a permanent ink marker to cross out the plate number or otherwise deface the plates. 

Old plates can be recycled at a local scrap metal yard or recycling drop-off station. For more information, visit Recycle Right New York.

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