Personalized plates are standard series plates with a combination of numbers and letters that you select. You can use them on passenger vehicles, commercial vehicles, motorcycles and trailers. The plates are manufactured flat and have no embossed characters. For personalized plates, you must pay an additional annual fee and your regular vehicle registration fee.

You can personalize some picture plates for an extra fee that you must pay in addition to the picture plate fee and regular registration fee. For personalized plate availability and pricing for the picture plate you want, browse the collection of picture plates and professional plates.

You cannot order personalized plates before you register your vehicle, when you renew your registration or before you transfer a registration. You must have a registration windshield sticker, a receipt and regular series plates from DMV before you order personalized plates. After you order personalized plates, DMV will send you a new registration document with your new license plate number.

If you have personalized plates, you can learn how to replace the plates or transfer the plates to another vehicle.

Your requested plate combination is subject to review. The DMV is not required to issue the plate you request. 

The maximum number of characters you can use depends on the plate type you want to register. You can have

• 2 to 8 characters on a standard plate
• 2 to 6 characters on a motorcycle plate
• up to 6 characters on a picture plate

If you order a standard passenger or commercial personalized plate, you have the option to include the state image as one of your 8 characters. However, your plate combination cannot begin or end with the state image. It must have at least one character on each side of it. Use the "@" symbol to enter the state image.

Note: A character is a letter (A to Z), number (0 to 9), the state image, or a space. Each space counts as one character. DMV does not accept plate combinations with special characters.

Restrictions

Your personalized plate combination cannot

• give the appearance of an official plate or the configuration of special registration classes. "NYS" and "POLICE" are not acceptable.
• be considered obscene, derogatory, or offensive
• have only 1 letter
• consist of 6 numbers followed by 1 letter
• use the letter "O" between two numbers to make what appears to be a number (i.e., "2OO3")
• use the letter "I" as the first or last characters on a plate when the other characters are all numbers (i.e., "I45678")
• use the number zero (0) between two letters to form a word (i.e., "P00L")
• use the number zero (0) and/or the letter "O" to form a word or number (i.e., "PO0L")
• use the number one (1) between two letters to form a word (i.e., "P1ECE")
• use the number one (1) and/or letter “I” to form a word or number (i.e., "PI1E")

You can also check if the personalized plate combination you want is available.

Passenger and Commercial Plates:

• Initial Cost = $60.00
• Annual Fee = $31.25

Motorcycle Plates:

• Initial Cost = $35.00
• Annual Fee = $18.75

You must pay the additional annual fee when you renew your vehicle registration. A registration renewal that is valid for 2 years will include 2 annual fees.

Online

You can order personalized plates online unless you want personalized plates with the Universal Symbol of Access for people with disabilities. (To order personalized plates with the Universal Symbol of Access for people with disabilities, call the Custom Plates Unit at the phone number below.)

To order personalized plates online:

• You must have a valid New York State vehicle registration in the passenger, commercial, or motorcycle registration class that does not expire within 60 days. If your registration expires within the next 60 days, you must renew your registration before you order personalized plates.
• The mailing address on your vehicle registration record must show your current mailing address. If your registration record is not current, you must change your address online before you order personalized plates.
• Your vehicle registration record must match your current name. Visit a DMV office to change your name on all DMV records and documents.
• You must provide your current plate number, the 3-letter registration class code, and the first three letters of your last name. See a sample registration document.
• You must pay by an American Express, Discover, MasterCard or VISA credit card and have a valid email address.

Order personalized plates online

By Mail

To order personalized or custom picture plates by mail, complete the Application for Custom Plates (PDF) (CP-30). Mail the completed form and your payment to the Custom Plates Unit at the address listed on the form.

You cannot purchase some picture or professional plates by mail.

By Phone

Some plates are not available by phone. Professional, emergency services, veterans and some organization plates are limited to membership. You must order these plates through the organization or directly from the Custom Plates Unit with the required documentation.

To order by phone, call the Custom Plates Unit at the phone number below.

At a DMV Office

You can order personalized plates in person at your local DMV office.

Approximately 10 days after DMV processes your order, you will receive new a registration document that shows your current plate number and your new plate combination. Please allow at least 6 weeks for the new plates to arrive. DMV mails new registration documents and new custom plates separately.

If you do not receive your registration documents within 2 weeks or your personalized or custom picture plates within 6 weeks, contact the Custom Plates Unit.

Do not return your old plates to DMV when you receive your new plates.

When you receive your new plates, you must destroy your old plates to protect against fraudulent use. Mark each plate with a permanent marker or cut each plate into pieces. When you dispose of your old plates in the recycle bin, follow the recycling guidelines for the area where you live. Do not put both plates in the recycle bin at the same time. Put only one plate in the recycle bin for one collection and put the second plate in the bin for a later collection.

To avoid an inaccurate cancellation of plates, do not return your old plates to DMV.