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The Department of Transportation accepts applications for specialty and personalized license plates, in addition to the standard Pennsylvania license plates.
Personalized license plates must follow the state’s guidelines and be available for registration.
All residents using vehicles on the roads in Pennsylvania must be registered and have valid decals on their rear plates.
Sample Pennsylvania License Plate
Applying for License Plates in Pennsylvania
You can register your vehicle with the Department of Transportation in your county.
If you have a new vehicle or own an out-of-state vehicle (i.e., you are a new resident in Pennsylvania), your vehicle must be registered promptly.
Depending on the type of Pennsylvania license plate you requested, you may have to wait up to 4 weeks for your plates to be processed and delivered.
Types of License Plates in Pennsylvania
The different types of license plates in Pennsylvania include:
State-issued standard license plate
Specialty license plate
Disability license plate
Personalized license plate
The standard license plate issued in the state of Pennsylvania has a blue, white, and yellow background with blue lettering. The state’s official tourism website visitPA.com is mentioned on the standard issue plate. These license plates are provided when you register your vehicle.
Alternatively, you can apply for the other license plate designs if you meet the eligibility criteria and are willing to pay the additional fees.
Specialty License Plates in Pennsylvania
Specialty PA license plates come in varying designs to represent an organization, occupation, university, hobby, etc. Here are some examples of specialty license plates available in Pennsylvania:
Special Fund License Plates: A portion of the plate fees is contributed to the organization's cause. Examples:
Honoring Veterans Plates
River Otter Wild Resources Conservation Fund Plate
Collegiate License Plates: These are in support of local schools, fraternities, and charities. Examples:
Penn State University Plates
Albright College
Allegheny College
Special Service License Plates: These are supportive plates for local organizations and clubs. Examples:
Shriners Society Plates
Lions Club Plates
Military License Plates: These plates are for military personnel, honoring their service, awards, and experiences. Examples:
Korean War Veterans Plates
Ex-Prisoner of War Plates
Youth Group Plates: These plates support local and national youth organizations. Examples:
Boy Scouts of America Plates
4H Youth Program Plates
Antique License Plates: These license plates are issued to older vehicles. Examples:
Classic Motor Plates (vehicles older than 15 years)
Vintage Motor Plates (vehicles from early 1900s to 1976)
You’ll be required to submit the appropriate documents and proof of eligibility for certain plate types. Additional fees are applicable over and above the standard registration fees. These additional fees vary by specialty plate type.
Personalized License Plates in Pennsylvania
The State of Pennsylvania permits you to personalize your license plate with a custom plate number. Your plates must have:
Up to 7 characters (i.e., letters and numbers)
Appropriate words or phrases (i.e., no foul language)
Unique characters (i.e., available to register)
You can search for available plate numbers online.
There are additional fees for personalized license plates along with the regular plate fees payable at the time of vehicle registration.
Disability License Plates in Pennsylvania
If you have a disability and the required supporting medical documentation, you may be eligible to apply for disability license plates and placards in Pennsylvania.
The State of Pennsylvania offers disability plates for:
People with permanent disabilities
Veterans with disabilities
Alternatively, placards are provided for:
People with permanent disabilities
People with temporary disabilities
Placards must be displayed from the rearview mirror.
Renewing License Plates in Pennsylvania
You’ll be required to renew your vehicle’s registration on the date indicated on the decals on your rear license plate.
Renewals can be done in person, by mail, or online. After you pay the renewal fees for your vehicle, you’ll receive a new decal to place over the old one on your rear license plate.
Transferring License Plates in Pennsylvania
You may be able to transfer your Pennsylvania license plates to a new vehicle if it is registered in your name.
Some of the documents you will need to transfer your vehicle’s license plates include:
Registration of new vehicle
Titling of new vehicle
Proof of insurance
Valid ID
Payment for transfer fee
You cannot give away your license plates when you sell, auction, or donate your car.
Surrendering License Plates in Pennsylvania
You must surrender your license plates to a DMV office in Pennsylvania if you:
Don’t plan to transfer the plates to another vehicle
Cancel your vehicle’s insurance
Move to another state
Damage them and apply for replacements
Upgrade to a specialty or personalized license plate
License plates can be surrendered by mailing them in or dropping them off in person to the nearest DMV office.
Replacement License Plates in Pennsylvania
If your license plates are lost, stolen, or damaged, you can submit an application to the DMV and obtain replacements. You’ll need:
Completed application form for lost, stolen, or damaged license plates
Payment for replacement plates and decals
It is possible to apply for replacement license plates by mail. It will take up to 4 weeks for your new plates to be processed and delivered.
Note: You should notify the police if you believe your plates have been stolen. This is not mandatory, but doing so can help prevent your plates from being misused.
Summary of Fees for License Plates in Pennsylvania
The following fees may be payable when you register or renew your vehicle with the DMV:
Standard Plate Registration:
Passenger Vehicle: $45
Motorcycle: $24
Disability Plates:
E.g., Disabled Veterans Plate: $13
Persons with Disability Placard: No fee
Personalization
Standard issue plate: $97
Specialty plate: $128
Specialty Plates:
Antique, Classic, or Collectible Plate: $96
Street Rod: $65
Gold Star Family: $26
Hearing Impaired: $13
Transfer of Registration Plate: $10
Replacement Plates (standard issue): $13
Replacement Decals: Free
Duplicate Registration Card
At the time of initial vehicle registration, renewal, transfer, or replacement of registration plate): $2
Online through the PennDOT website: No fee
At any other time than mentioned above: $7
Additional taxes or service fees not mentioned above may also be due in addition to the costs listed above.
You should contact your local DMV office in Pennsylvania to get complete details of the fees required to register the specific vehicle you own.
Looking Up Available License Plate Numbers in Pennsylvania
If you’re personalizing your license plate, you can use the search bar above to find available plate numbers in Pennsylvania and other states in the U.S.
If a plate is already registered, you can obtain additional information about the vehicle, such as vehicle history, theft reports, images, and more.
Car Ownership in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania ranks 46th on the list of states with the highest rates of car ownership. Idaho and Wyoming are number one. The District of Columbia and New York are at the bottom of the list with the lowest car ownership rates.
89.40% of households in Pennsylvania have at least one vehicle. In the states with the highest car ownership rates (Idaho and Wyoming), 96.20% of households have at least one vehicle. In the state with the lowest car ownership rate (District of Columbia), only 64.30% of households have at least one vehicle.
Pennsylvania ranks 26th in electric vehicle ownership in the US. Approximately 0.26% of all registered vehicles in Pennsylvania are electric vehicles. California and Hawaii have the maximum percentage of electric vehicles (1.61% and 1.32% respectively). Mississippi and North Dakota have the fewest electric vehicles (0.05%).
The Philadelphia – Camden – Wilmington metropolitan area in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware has the 5th lowest vehicle ownership rate in the US with only 87.54% of households having at least one vehicle.
Pennsylvania is ranked 16th on the list of most expensive states to own a car in the US. California and Nevada are tied for the top rank (most expensive), and Ohio is at the bottom of the table (least expensive).
The average cost of annual full coverage car insurance in Pennsylvania is $3,600.
The average cost of a check engine light-related car repair in Pennsylvania is $384.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Pennsylvania have 2 license plates?
No, vehicles registered in Pennsylvania only need to have one license plate secured to the rear of the vehicle. There is no requirement for a second license plate on the front of the vehicle.
How many characters does a Pennsylvania license plate have?
A Pennsylvania license plate for a passenger vehicle can have up to 7 characters. Motorcycle plates can have up to 5 characters. The characters can be a combination of letters and numbers. One hyphen or dash is allowed but not both. You cannot use any special characters.
How long do you have to register your car in Pennsylvania?
New residents in Pennsylvania must make an application for a Pennsylvania title and register their vehicle in the state within 20 days of establishing residency.
Does Pennsylvania have vehicle inspections?
Yes, Pennsylvania requires vehicle safety inspections to make sure every vehicle can be safely operated on the state’s roads and highways. These vehicle safety inspections are performed at official Inspection Stations authorized by PennDOT. The inspection fee is posted at each station (garage or service station). The fee is for the inspection only and does not include the cost of fixing any defects.