Skip to main content

Plates

Relating to license plates.

Registration, License Plates

DMV will issue you two license plates and a registration card. Place the plates on the front and rear of your vehicle so that they are securely fastened and clearly visible. If your vehicle is a motorcycle, tractor truck, semitrailer, or trailer, the DMV will issue you one license plate for the vehicle.

License plates shall be kept entirely unobscured, and the numerals and the letters thereon shall be plainly legible at all times.

Sample Plates

The Vermont Department of Motor Vehicles has the authority to issue many different types of motor vehicle license plates. Simply write a letter requesting a sample of the type(s) of plate you are ordering and enclose the appropriate fee. Your letter should be addressed to:
Department of Motor Vehicles
120 State Street
Montpelier, Vermont 05603-0001

The following is a list of the types of Vermont license plates that may be ordered in sample format (all zeros) – (fee for sample plates):

Subscribe to Plates

FAQs.

How can I Request Sample Plates?

Go to mydmv.vermont.gov and click the ‘Request Sample Plates’ hyperlink on the Vehicle Inquiry panel. You should review the information in the Getting Started section and will need to acknowledge that you are not a robot before continuing to the next section.  

Enter the Requester’s name. Use the ‘Add a Plate’ hyperlink to add the sample plates you would like to purchase. Select the plate type and enter the number of plates you want to order. Click ‘Next’.  

Enter the mailing address. Click the ‘Verify Address’ button and confirm the verified address. Click ‘Next’ to continue.  

Confirm the number of plates and transaction fees. Click ‘Next’.

Review the name, mailing address, and amount due for the order. Click ‘Submit’.

Review the items in the cart and click ‘Checkout.’

Then, follow the prompts to complete the payment.  

Click Confirm to submit the payment, after which the sample plate order has been completed.  

How can I Check Personalized Plate Availability?

Go to mydmv.vermont.gov and click the ‘Check Personalized Plate Availability’ link under the Vehicle Inquiry section. Enter the Vehicle Type and Plate Type of the plate you would like to check, followed by the text to check in the Plate ID field. Check the checkbox to verify that you are not a robot, then click the ‘Check Availability’ button to run the search.

The check’s results will be displayed in the space beneath the plate image on the right-hand side of the screen.

I no longer need my plates, what do I do with them?

You are not required to return plates to DMV. If you want to return plates, please mail them to us. If you are selling your car, do NOT leave your plates on the car.

I just received plates, where is the sticker?

Date validation stickers are no longer required.

On June 1, 2023, Act 41 was signed into law. Among other things, Act 41 amends multiple sections of codified law to eliminate the annual (or biennial) validation sticker that previously went on license plates.