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License Plates in Vermont

Updated on Thu, 4/28/2011

LOST OR STOLEN LICENSE PLATES

As soon as license plates are lost, stolen or illegible they must be replaced. If BOTH plates are stolen/lost they must be replaced with a new plate - duplicates will not be made.

In order to replace your plates you must fill in an Replacement Plate Application and

mail your application together with the replacement fee of $10 per plate, to:

Vermont Department of Motor Vehicles
120 State Street
Montpelier, Vermont 05603-0001

CUSTOM AND PERSONALIZED PLATES

Standard license plates in Vermont feature white letters surrounded by a white rectangle on a green background, a maple tree in the top left corner and the words "Green Mountain State" across the bottom.

However, there are a number of customized or personalized plates you can order for your vehicle. The options available are: Vanity Plates (annual fee is $35), Building Bright Future (annual fee is $20), Conservation Plates (annual fee is $20), Safety Organization Plates (annual fee is $35), POW, Pearl Harbor or Purple Heart Plates (you must supply verification from the Veterans' Affairs Office before you can obtain these plates, they have no fee), Veterans' Plates (it must be verified by the Office of Veterans' Affairs, one time fee of $10), Veteran of Foreign Wars (one time fee of $10), Vermont Freemasons Plate (one time fee of $10), Vermont Lions Club International Plate (one time fee of $10), Vermont Rotary International Plates (one time fee of $10), Vermont Vietnam Veterans' Plate (one time fee of $10).

FEES

The fees for replacing a license plate or getting new plates vary depending on the type of plate you need. For more information on these fees, please follow the links for the plates above or call your local DMV office.

Note: For disabled drivers, please see the disability plates web page.

WHAT TO DO WITH PLATES WHEN BUYING/SELLING A VEHICLE

Under Vermont Law it is NOT mandatory to retain standard license plates from a vehicle when selling. The plates will remain with the buyer once the ownership of the vehicle has been transferred; however, if the plates are special interest or personalized then there are two options for the seller. You can either keep the plates for another vehicle or release them to the buyer.

If you move out of Vermont, you must surrender your plates to the Vermont DMV. After you have moved, send your plates to:

Vermont Department of Motor Vehicles
120 State Street
Montpelier, Vermont 05603-0001

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION