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License Plate Information

Updated July 2012

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States
 Number of License
Plates Required		 Number of Specialty,
Organizational, and Military License Plates		 Ownership of License Plate after Transfer of Vehicle
Alabama
 1 112 Owner retains ownership of the license plate upon transfer of the vehicle. 
Alaska
 2 24 Plates remain with the vehicle upon transfer unless they are specialty plates. 
Arizona
 1 54 Owner retains ownership of the license plate upon transfer. 
Arkansas
 1 108 Owner may transfer plates from one vehicle to another.2 
California
 21 11  Regular plates remain with vehicle upon transfer or sale.  Transfer of specialized plates to another vehicle is permitted provided proper transfer fees are included. 2
Colorado
 2 108 If vehicle is bought or sold, there is no transfer of plates between the two different owners. 
Connecticut
 2 66 All plates are the property of the state and shall be returned to commissioner within 10 days of sale of the vehicle.  
Delaware
 1 99 Plates remain with the vehicle upon transfer or sale of vehicle. 
District of Columbia
 2 14  License plates may not be transferred from one owner to another.  
Florida
 1 120 Owner retains ownership of license plate after transfer of vehicle and may transfer to another vehicle. 2  
Georgia
 1 89 Owner retains ownership of license plate after transfer unless he assigns it to new owner with the vehicle.  
Guam
 No information Not Available   
Hawaii
 2 22  Owner retains ownership of license plates after transfer of vehicle.2 
Idaho
 21 43 Owner retains ownership of the license plate upon transfer of the vehicle. 
Illinois
 21 51 Owner must return plates to DMV after transferring the vehicle or have them assigned to another vehicle upon payment of fees. 2 
Indiana
 1 101  Owner may transfer plates to new owner after transfer of vehicle.  
Iowa
 21 65 Owner retains ownership of the license plate upon transfer of the vehicle and may transfer it to another of his vehicles.2 
Kansas
 1 26  Owner retains ownership of the license plate upon transfer of the vehicle and may transfer it to another of his vehicles.2 
Kentucky
 1 84  Plates remain with the vehicle upon transfer or sale of vehicle until tags expire. 
Louisiana
 1 152  All regular license plates must be removed or destroyed before transfer of ownership of vehicle.  
Maine
 21 23 The license plate expires when ownership of vehicle has transferred.  The registrant may request that plates and the registration number be assigned to another vehicle in that registrant’s name.
Maryland
 21 More than 700   The license plate expires when ownership of vehicle has transferred. The former owner of a vehicle may transfer the registration plates from the sold vehicle to his new vehicle of the same class.
Massachusetts
 21  18 Owner must remove license plate before vehicle is transferred to new owner.  
Michigan
 1 56 All regular license plates must be removed or destroyed before transfer of ownership of vehicle. Owner may retain to use on another vehicle. 2 
Minnesota
 21 44 Plates remain with the vehicle upon transfer unless they are specialty plates. 
Mississippi
 1 167 Owner must remove license plate before vehicle is transferred to new owner. 
Missouri
 2 189 The license plate expires when ownership of vehicle has transferred. Original owner may register another vehicle in the same category under the same number for a fee. 2
Montana
 2 176 Owner must remove license plate before vehicle is transferred to new owner. 
Nebraska
 2 7  Owner retains ownership of the license plate upon transfer of the vehicle and may transfer it to another of his vehicles.2 
Nevada
 21 42

Owner retains ownership of the license plate upon transfer of the vehicle and may transfer it to another of his vehicles.2  In 2011 the Nevada Legislature limited the number of specialty license plates in circulation to 30 at a given time.
New Hampshire
 2 8 Owner may retain or transfer license plates to new owner. 2 
New Jersey
 2 75 Owner retains ownership of the license plate upon transfer of the vehicle and may transfer it to another of his vehicles.2 
New Mexico
 1 41 Owner retains ownership of the license plate upon transfer of the vehicle and may transfer it to another of his vehicles.2 
New York
 21 207 Owner retains ownership of the license plate upon transfer of the vehicle and may transfer it to another of his vehicles.2 
North Carolina
 1 127 Owner retains ownership of the license plate upon transfer of the vehicle and may transfer it to another one of his vehicles. 2 
North Dakota
 2 1 17  Owner retains ownership of the license plate upon transfer of the vehicle and may transfer it to another of his vehicles.2 
Ohio
 21  148 Owner retains ownership of the license plate upon transfer of the vehicle and may transfer it to another of his vehicles.2 
Oklahoma
 1 182  Owner retains ownership of the license plate upon transfer of the vehicle and may transfer it to another of his vehicles.2 
Oregon
 21 33  Owner retains ownership of the license plate upon transfer of the vehicle and may transfer it to another of his vehicles.2 
Pennsylvania
 1 Over 200  Owner retains ownership of the license plate upon transfer of the vehicle and may transfer it to another of his vehicles.2 
Puerto Rico
 2 6 Owner retains ownership of the license plate upon transfer of the vehicle and may transfer it to another one of his vehicles. 2
Rhode Island
 21 15 Owner retains ownership of the license plate upon transfer of the vehicle and may transfer it to another of his vehicles.2  
South Carolina
 1 136  Owner retains ownership of the license plate upon transfer of the vehicle and may transfer it to another of his vehicles.2 If no transfer desired, owner must send plates to DMV.  
South Dakota
 2 1003  Owner retains ownership of the license plate upon transfer of the vehicle.  
Tennessee
 1 More than 90  Owner retains ownership of the license plate upon transfer of the vehicle and may transfer it to another of his vehicles. 2 
Texas
 2 102   No information.
U.S. Virgin Islands 2 More than 20 Owner retains ownership of the license plate upon transfer of the vehicle and may transfer it to another of his vehicles. 2
Utah
 21 53  Owner retains ownership of the license plate upon transfer of the vehicle and may transfer it to another of his vehicles. 2 If no transfer desired, owner must send plates to DMV.  
Vermont
 2 17 Owner retains ownership of the license plate upon transfer of the vehicle and may transfer it to another of his vehicles. 2 
Virginia
 21 More than 200 Owner retains ownership of the license plate upon transfer of the vehicle and may transfer it to another of his vehicles. 2 
Washington
 21 42 Plates remain with the vehicle and new owner upon transfer or sale of vehicle. 
West Virginia
 1 54 Owner retains ownership of the license plate upon transfer of the vehicle and may transfer it to another of his vehicles.2  If no transfer desired, owner must send plates to DMV.  
Wisconsin
 2 32 Plates remain with the vehicle and new owner upon transfer or sale of vehicle. 
Wyoming
 2 14  Owner retains ownership of the license plate upon transfer of the vehicle and may transfer it to another of his vehicles.2 If no transfer desired, owner must send plates to DMV.  
Total 1 plate 20    
Total 2 plate 34    

* Including military, special organizations, universities, and any other specialty plate that is not considered "standard" or "standard vanity" by the state. Does not include motorcycle, commercial or dealer plates.

1. Only one plate required for truck tractors, trailers, motorcycles and special equipment.
2. Application process to the DMV to transfer license plates from one vehicle to another may apply.
3. Includes organizational decals that are affixed to standard plate.

Source: AAA, Digest of Motor Laws, 2012; state DMV websites, 2012. 

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