RV & Motorhome Registration

Alaska considers RVs and motorhomes to be in the same class as other vehicles including cars, buses, vans, trucks, SUVs, motorcycles, boats and ATVs and snow machines, all of which require registration and title.

Purchasing an RV or Motorhome

Any time you purchase a new vehicle in Alaska, you are required to register and transfer the title into your name within 30 days of purchase. If you are purchasing a new or used RV or motorhome from a dealership, the dealership will handle any paperwork required for the registration of the vehicle and the transfer of ownership.

If you had personalized license plates on your former vehicle and want to transfer them to your new RV or motorhome, let the dealership know and they can take care of that, too. There is a $5 fee to transfer plates, with the exception of disabled plates, disabled veteran plates, prisoner of war plates and Pearl Harbor survivor plates.

Record or Release a Lien

If you need to record lien on your vehicle's title, you will need to do the following:

• Complete an Application For Title & Registration, signed by the registered owner or by Power of Attorney.

• The original title or a or Manufacturer's Certificate of Origin.

• Pay any additional fees or registration requirements, depending on whether or not the vehicle is currently registered

• Fees: $15 lien recording fee, plus $15 title fee. Include a $100 fee for mobile homes

Lien releases will be sent to you, along with a copy of the title, once the loan on the vehicle has been paid off.

Purchasing from a Private Party

In order to register and title an RV or motorhome purchased from a private party, you will need the following documents:

• Current title or Manufacturer Certificate or Origin.

• The application for title & registration form, completed and signed in ink.

• An odometer reading(see below).

• Current I/M certificate.

Renewing Your Registration

Here are three different ways you can renew your registration with the Alaska DMV:

Internet renewals are a great time saver, and are easy to do as long as your address is current with the DMV. If your address is not current, be sure to change your address before you attempt to renew online.

Address Updates

If the DMV does not have your current address and you are not able to update it online, you may e-mail the Alaska DMV and ask for help with your address change at:

dmv_webmaster@admin.state.ak.us

Be sure to provide your current mailing and residence addresses along with the license plate number of the vehicle you need to renew.

Do not e-mail if you have less than 30 days left before your registration will expire. If that's the case, you may need to go n person to your local DMV office.

Renew Online

OK, your address is updated and now you're ready to complete your renewal online. You must have a valid Visa or MasterCard to pay the required fees and taxes. Once you've entered the renewal page, just follow the prompts and it will help you through the process.

Renew At Your I/M Station.

If your RV or motorhome needs an I/M test, you may be able to renew at your I/M station. There may be an additional fee for this service, but you can call ahead to check your station's policy. You may even be able to register at the I/M station even if you don't have a pre-bill; just call ahead to check.

Renew by Mail or In Person

You may also renew by mail; just send in the required fees as noted on your pre-bill and send it to the address indicated.

Or, if you prefer, you may walk in to your local DMV office to renew your RV or motor home registration.

Tab Mailing

Your new tabs will be sent out within two days to the address on file with the DMV. If you do not receive your tags within 14 days, e-mail the Alaska DMV for follow-up.

Registration Period

Vehicle registrations are good for one year from the month they were issued and always expire at the end of the month of registration.

Registration for Military Personnel

If you are active duty military, whether you are an Alaska resident currently serving outside of the state, or the resident of a different state currently serving a tour in Alaska, there are different requirements for your vehicle registration renewals. For more information, see our page on Drivers in the Military.

Out of State Renewal On Line

Please see our section on Titling and Registration for more information on how to renew your RV or motor home's registration if you are currently out of state.

Expired Registration

If your registration is expired but you need to drive to the local I/M station for inspection before you can renew, you must purchase a one-time trip permit to allow you to legally drive the RV or motor home to the I/M station for testing. The fee for a one-time trip permit is $5. Contact your local DMV office.