Vehicle (or license) plates are a metal plate attached to a vehicle or trailer for official identification purposes. You will receive plates when you register your vehicle for the first time. 

Excelsior license plates are now available [1]

Get plates for the first time

• Register your vehicle and get plates  [2]

Transfer plates

You cannot transfer your plates to another person. You can only transfer ownership (title or transferrable registration). See information on how to transfer ownership [3]. 

After you sell or give away a vehicle, you can transfer the registration and vehicle plates to another vehicle you own. See the registration page [4] for more information.

I already have New York plates

• Replace plates [5]
• Renew plates (registration) [6]
• Lost, stolen or destroyed plates [7]
• Peeling plates [8]
• Damaged plates [9]
• Check custom or personalized plate order mailing status [10] 
• Check your vehicle registration (plate) information and status [11]

Return plates

• Surrender (turn in) your plates to the New York DMV [12]

Temporary plates

If you are moving a vehicle that does not have plates yet, you will need

• In-transit plates [13] 

People with disabilities

• Vehicle plates or parking permits for people with disabilities [14]

Picture and Professional Custom Plates

A picture or professional plate is a vehicle plate that has the words "New York" contained in a blue banner, and a picture or logo next to the plate number. 

• Learn about picture and professional plates [15]
• Order picture and professional plates [16] 

Browse plates by category

• I Love NY Adventure Plates [17]
• Sports [18]
• Military and Veterans [19]
• Counties and Regions of NY State [20]
• Colleges, Fraternities, Sororities [21]
• Causes [22]
• Professions [23]
• Organizations [24]
• Motorcycle Plates [25]

Personalized Plates

Personalized plates are standard series plates that have a combination of numbers and letters that you select, for an additional fee in addition to your regular vehicle registration fee.

• Learn about personalized plates [26]
• Order personalized plates [27]