Plate Surrender in Delaware

Delaware’s Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) requires you to surrender your license plates for certain situations, including moving out of the state and when cancelling car insurance coverage. Read on for more details.

Moving to Delaware

After settling in to your new address, you have 60 days to register your vehicle with the DMV and obtain Delaware license plates. Turning in your old plates will depend on the policies of your former state’s DMV.

For how-to help with your move, visit our relocation guide.

Moving from DE

After obtaining license plates in your new state, you must cancel your registration with the Delaware DMV. This requires mailing your Delaware license plates along with a letter stating that your vehicle is now registered in another state, to the following address:

• Division of Motor Vehicles

• Attn: Uninsured Motorist Section

• P.O. Box 698

• Dover, DE 19903

For more help, visit our Moving Out of Delaware page.

Selling a Used Car in Delaware

License plates generally stay with the vehicle provided the new owner is a Delaware resident. If you sell to someone from outside of Delaware, the plates must then be surrendered to the DE DMV.

NOTE: If you sell a vehicle with antique plates, you must remove the plates and turn them in to the DMV.

For more selling insight, visit our Title Transfers page.

Buying a Used Car in DE

In most instances the plates stay with the vehicle. But this does not mean you’re married to them, especially if you want to order vanity plates, for example.

Learn more about buying a used car on our Vehicle Title Transfers page.

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