Historical license plates are new plates issued by DMV to a vehicle that was manufactured more than 25 years before the current calendar year. (The manufacture date is based on the model year of the vehicle.) You can use a vehicle with historical license places only as a collector’s item or exhibition piece. You cannot use the vehicle for daily transportation. 

Note: Some vehicles with unique characteristics that are less than 25 years old may qualify for a historical registration. DMV will determine if the vehicle has historical, classic or exhibit value.

Standard historical license plates begin or end with the letters “HX” for cars and trucks or “HM” for motorcycles. However, you can personalize both types of historical plates for an additional fee. All standard and personalized historical plates have the word “HISTORICAL” printed at the bottom of the plate.

Historical plates are optional and have registrations that are valid for 1 year. Vehicles with historical plates require special insurance. The insurance ID card must display the word "HISTORICAL" to indicate the type of insurance coverage on the vehicle. "Antique" and "classic" are not acceptable words. Contact your insurance company for more information about historical registration insurance requirements.

If a historical registration expires, DMV can reissue the vintage plates or transfer them as original vintage plates.

Requirements

You can apply for standard historical plates by mail or at your county's DMV office. However, you must apply for personalized historical plates by mail.

Submit the following documents:

• completed Historical License Plates form (PDF) (MV-440H)
• completed Application for Registration/Title (PDF) (MV-82)
• photocopy of your driver license
• proof of ownership. If the vehicle is registered to you, provide a photocopy of the current registration. If the vehicle is not registered to you, send the original transferable registration or title, signed over to you. (If you cannot send the transferable registration or title, send a Statement of Ownership (PDF) (MV-51B) with a Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) tracing or a VIN verification signed by police.)
• a valid Insurance ID Card (form FS-20 or form FS-21) issued and dated within 180 days of the date you register the vehicle. The ID card must include a scannable barcode and the computer-printed word "HISTORICAL".
• Sales Tax Receipt (form FS-6T) if you do not have the vehicle registered in your name in New York State. To get a Sales Tax Receipt, bring your bill of sale and proof of ownership to a DMV office. You must complete one of the following forms:
  • Statement of Transaction - Sale or Gift of Motor Vehicle, Trailer, All-Terrain Vehicle (ATV), Vessel (Boat) or Snowmobile (PDF) (DTF-802)
  • Claim for Sales and Use Tax Exemption - Title/Registration for Motor Vehicle, Trailer, All-Terrain Vehicle (ATV), Vessel (Boat) or Snowmobile (PDF) (DTF-803)
  • Statement of Transaction - Claim for Credit of Sales Tax Paid to Another State for Motor Vehicle, Trailer, All-Terrain Vehicle (ATV), Vessel (Boat), or Snowmobile (PDF) (DTF-804)
• payment by credit card, check, or money order. Complete the payment section on form MV-440H to pay by credit card, or make your check or money order payable to "Commissioner of Motor Vehicles".

Mail these items to the Custom Plates Unit at the address below.

Fees

Passenger Vehicles:

• If you have a valid New York State registration for the vehicle in your name, the fee is $28.75 for standard historical plates or $60 for personalized historical plates.
• If you do not have the vehicle registered in your name, the fee is $53.75 for standard historical plates or $113.75 for personalized historical plates. (Note: If you live in New York, Bronx, Kings, Queens, Richmond, Rockland, Nassau, Suffolk, Orange, Putnam, Dutchess, or Westchester County, you must pay an annual $25 Metropolitan Commuter Transportation District supplemental registration fee. This brings your fee to $78.75 for standard historical plates or $138.75 for personalized historical plates.)
• If the vehicle is a 1973 or newer model year and you do not have a New York State title for the vehicle issued in your name, there is an additional fee of $50.00 for the title.
• The standard yearly renewal fee for passenger vehicles is $28.75 for standard historical plates or $60.00 for personalized historical plates.

Motorcycles:

• If you have a valid New York State registration for the motorcycle in your name, the fee is $23.75 for standard historical plates or $42.50 for personalized historical plates.
• If you do not have the motorcycle registered in your name, the fee is $37.50 for standard historical plates or $56.25 for personalized historical plates. (Note: If you live in New York, Bronx, Kings, Queens, Richmond, Rockland, Nassau, Suffolk, Orange, Putnam, Dutchess, or Westchester County, you must pay an annual $25 Metropolitan Commuter Transportation District supplemental registration fee. This brings your fee to $62.50 for standard historical plates or $81.25 for personalized historical plates.)
• If your motorcycle is a 1973 or newer model and you do not have a New York State title for the motorcycle issued in your name, there is an additional fee of $50.00 for the title.
• The standard yearly renewal fee for motorcycles is $25.00 for standard historical plates or $43.75 for personalized historical plates. All motorcycles have a fixed expiration date of April 30.

Vintage plates are the actual plates issued to the vehicle owner, or other original plates issued by New York State, in the year the vehicle was manufactured. The manufacture date is based on the model year of the vehicle.

You can use a vehicle with vintage license places only as a collector’s item or exhibition piece. You cannot use the vehicle for daily transportation. Vintage plates are optional and have registrations that are valid for 1 year.

Purchase Vintage Plates

You can buy vintage plates from an automobile collector, an antique dealer, or a flea market. Make sure that the vintage plates are original. Before you purchase a vintage plate, contact the Custom Plates Unit to verify that the plate number is available for your vintage plate registration.

Requirements

To register your vehicle or motorcycle with vintage plates, you must

• have the actual plates that were valid in New York State in the year the vehicle was manufactured. If it was a metal tab year, you must have the metal tab. (Vintage plates issued in the model year of 1972 and earlier must display the embossed year or have the original metal tab for that year attached and legible.)
• have original vintage plates. DMV does not accept reproductions. 
• have the correct number of plates. If New York State issued only one plate in the year of manufacture, you must mount that plate on the rear of the vehicle. If New York State originally issued two plates that year, you must use both matching plates.
• use a motorcycle plate on a motorcycle. Otherwise, you can use any plate issued the year the vehicle was manufactured on any type of vehicle. (For instance, you can put a plate that was originally issued to a truck on a car.)

To apply for vintage plates, provide the following documents:

• completed Vintage License Plates Form (PDF) (MV-440V)
• completed Vehicle Registration/Title Application (PDF) (MV-82)
• a clear, color photograph of the vintage plate(s). If the vehicle year required 2 plates, both plates must appear in the same photo.
• photocopy of your driver license
• proof of ownership. If the vehicle is registered to you, provide a photocopy of the current registration. If the vehicle is not registered to you, send the original transferable registration or title, signed over to you. (If you cannot send the transferable registration or title, send a Statement of Ownership (PDF) (MV-51B) with a Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) tracing or a VIN verification signed by police.)
• a valid Insurance ID Card (form FS-20 or form FS-21) issued and dated within 180 days of the date you register the vehicle. The ID card must include a scannable barcode and the computer-printed word "HISTORICAL".
• Sales Tax Receipt (form FS-6T) if you do not have the vehicle registered in your name in New York State. To get a Sales Tax Receipt, bring your bill of sale and proof of ownership to a DMV office. You must complete one of the following forms:
  • Statement of Transaction - Sale or Gift of Motor Vehicle, Trailer, All-Terrain Vehicle (ATV), Vessel (Boat) or Snowmobile (PDF) (DTF-802)
  • Claim for Sales and Use Tax Exemption - Title/Registration for Motor Vehicle, Trailer, All-Terrain Vehicle (ATV), Vessel (Boat) or Snowmobile (PDF) (DTF-803)
  • Statement of Transaction - Claim for Credit of Sales Tax Paid to Another State for Motor Vehicle, Trailer, All-Terrain Vehicle (ATV), Vessel (Boat), or Snowmobile (PDF) (DTF-804)
• payment by credit card, check, or money order. Complete the payment section on form MV-440V to pay by credit card, or make your check or money order payable to "Commissioner of Motor Vehicles".

Mail these items to the Custom Plates Unit at the address below.

Fees

Passenger Vehicles:

• If you have a valid New York State registration for the vehicle in your name, the fee is $3.75 for the new document.
• If you do not have a vehicle registered in your name, the fee is $28.75. (Note: If you live in New York, Bronx, Kings, Queens, Richmond, Rockland, Nassau, Suffolk, Orange, Putnam, Dutchess or Westchester County, you must pay an annual $25 Metropolitan Commuter Transportation District supplemental registration fee. This brings your fee to $53.75.)
• If the vehicle is a 1973 or newer model year and you do not have a New York State title for the vehicle issued in your name, there is an additional fee of $50.00 for the title.
• The standard yearly renewal fee for passenger vehicles is $28.75.

Motorcycles:

• If you have a valid New York State registration with historical plates, the fee is $3.75 for the new document.
• If you have a valid standard motorcycle registration, the fee is $11.25 ($3.75 document fee plus a registration fee of $7.50).
• If you do not have the motorcycle registered in your name, the fee is $25.00. (Note: If you live in New York, Bronx, Kings, Queens, Richmond, Rockland, Nassau, Suffolk, Orange, Putnam, Dutchess or Westchester County, you must pay an annual $25 Metropolitan Commuter Transportation District supplemental registration fee. This brings your fee to $50.00.)
• If your motorcycle is a 1973 or newer model and you do not have a New York State title for the motorcycle issued in your name, there is an additional fee of $50.00 for the title.
• The standard yearly renewal fee for motorcycles is $25.00. All motorcycles have a fixed expiration date of April 30.

If your vehicle has historical plates and you take the vehicle off the road, you can store the historical plates at most DMV offices. The policy to store historical plates differs by office. Ask your local DMV office about its storage policy.

When you surrender your plates, you will receive a receipt (form FS-6T) that displays "Stored at Local Office". Verify the information on the receipt and keep it in a safe space. DMV will indicate on the registration record that the vehicle plates are stored. To register the vehicle again or to use your stored historical plates to register another vehicle, visit the office that has your vehicle plates. Make sure that you bring the receipt (form FS-6T) and the other documents you need to register your vehicle.

DMV offices do not store vintage plates.