How to get a Personalized or Vanity License Plate in All Fifty States

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Every state offers vehicle owners the option to have a personalized or vanity license plate instead of the standard issue plate. It once was a simple matter of checking whether the license plate configuration you wanted was already in use and, if not, paying the fee and having your personalized plate printed. The decision is not so simple anymore, as states now offer plates specific to conservation efforts, sports teams, universities and others.

Instructions

1. Obtain an application for a personalized or vanity license plate from the state's department that handles motor vehicle licensing. In some states, such as Florida, it is the Department of Highway Safety. In other states, such as Missouri and Colorado, it is the Department of Revenue. In other states still, like New York, it would be the Department of Motor Vehicles.

2. Create your custom license plate number based upon the rules specified in the application. Colorado, Missouri and Florida all allow up to seven characters, but there are exceptions. In Florida, for instance, if the selected plate contains a logo, only five characters are allowed. Colorado, according to its application, has fourteen configurations that are not allowed, such as seven characters arranged so that the first four figures alternate letters and numbers, while the last four figures are numbers, as in "A1A1234;" or five characters arranged with two numbers followed by a letter, then two more numbers, as in "12A12."

3. Check with the state to ensure that your desired license plate customization is available. Some states, like Florida, have a Personalized License Plate Inquiry web site that you can use to check availability. You can determine availability in other states, like Missouri, at a local licensing center or by email. On the other hand, most applications, like the ones for Colorado and Missouri, allow you to submit a list of desired customized plates in order of preference, reducing the need to check availability beforehand, although there always exists the possibility that all of your preferences are unavailable.

4. Choose which type of customized plate you want. In Colorado, examples of your options include Group Special, such Adopt a Pet and Support the Troops, and alumni plates, such as Air Force Academy and Mesa State. Florida has plates for environmental causes, universities and sports. Among the plates available from Missouri are firefighter, realtor and I'm Pet Friendly plates. In all states, some types of plates require proof of eligibility, such as the firefighter plate.

5. Submit the application with your desired custom plate information and the appropriate fee. In Missouri, there is a $15 initial fee an additional $15 due each year the plate is renewed. In Colorado, you will be billed following plate approval. For a designer plate, the fee in 2011 is $50, with a $25 per year renewal fee.

References

• CO, Dept. of Revenue, Dept. of Motor Vehicles: Personalized Plate
• Missouri Department of Revenue: Personalized and Specialty License Plates
• Florida Dept. of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles: Motor Vehicle & Vessel Registrations, Tags and Titles