Special License Plates in Louisiana

SUMMARY: Special Louisiana License Plates

Several special license plates are available in Louisiana, from personalized tags to special plates for interests and organizations. You can apply for special license plates in person (all plates) or online (personalized plates only).

Continue reading this page to find out how to apply for specialty plates from the Louisiana Office of Motor Vehicles (OMV).

NOTE: Looking for disabled parking plates? See Disability Plates & Placards for information.

Personalized License Plates

If you want a personalized license plate in Louisiana, your preferred number must be approved by the LA OMV before it will be issued.

A LA personalized license plate can have:

  • Up to 7 characters (6 characters for motorcycle plates an disability plates).
  • Letters.
    • MUST have a minimum of 2 letters.
  • Numbers.
  • Spaces and/or half spaces.
  • Periods and/or hyphens.

Visit the Louisiana OMV website for additional guidelines.

Apply for Personalized Plates

You can request a personalized plate online at the LA OMV website.

Be prepared to provide the following information:

  • Vehicle identification number (VIN).
  • Louisiana driver's license number.
  • Current license plate number.
  • Name and address.
  • E-mail address.

You will be billed once your personalized plate is approved. Your payment must be mailed to the address listed on your accepted request notification.

Fees for Personalized Plates

Personalized plates are usually $25 PLUS standard registration fees.

When your plate is initially approved, you will ALSO pay:

  • A $3.50 administration fee.
  • An $8 handling fee.

Fees may vary if you personalize a special plate, have registration credit to apply, or have any other special circumstances.

To renew your personalized plate, you'll pay $25 PLUS renewal fees.

Special License Plates in LA

The LA OMV offers many special license plates in several different categories, including ones available for:

  • Special interests and causes, such as:
    • Camp Woodmen.
    • Louisiana Seafood.
    • New Orleans Saints.
    • Protect Our Forest.
    • Town of Ball.
  • Professions and organizations, for example:
    • Amateur Radio Operators.
    • The Fraternal Order of Police.
    • Grand Lodge.
    • Retired Firefighters.
    • Shriners.
  • Educational institutions and groups, including:
    • High schools, like C.E. Byrd High School and others.
    • Colleges and universities, like Louisiana State University, Tulane University, and more.
    • Sororities and fraternities, like Kappa Alpha Psi and others.
  • Special vehicles, such as:
    • Antique vehicles.
    • Old antique vehicles.
    • Street cruisers.
    • Street rods.

You'll find a complete list of license plates, including images of each plate, on the Louisiana OMV website.

NOTE: Some license plates have applicant and/or vehicle eligibility requirements. See below for more information.

Apply for Special Plates

You must apply for a special plate in person at a Louisiana OMV location that sells special plates.

If the plate you want has eligibility requirements, be sure to bring the required proof of eligibility with you.

NOTE: See below for information about special plate fees.

Contact the Specialized Vehicle Unit at (225) 925-6371 for specific questions on applying for your desired specialty plate.

Fees for Special Plates

The fee for your special plate is based on several factors.

To get a fee estimate before you go to the LA OMV office, you can use the online special plates tool. Be prepared to provide your current license plate number.

You can also view eligibility requirements, if any, for the special plate you want.

NOTE: Your vehicle must have a valid LA certificate of title and registration to use the tool.

Louisiana Military License Plates

The LA OMV offers military license plates for qualifying veterans or their family members.

Military plates are available for:

  • Branches of the U.S. military, including plates for:
    • Retirees.
    • Veterans.
    • Veterans of specific conflicts like Vietnam and Desert Storm.
  • Specific conflicts, including:
    • World War II.
    • Laos War.
  • Military honors, such as:
    • The Purple Heart.
    • The Congressional Medal of Honor.

To be eligible for a military license plate, your service record must reflect the designation on the plate.

Apply for Military Plates

You must apply for a military plate in person at a Louisiana OMV office that sells special plates.

Be sure to bring proof of eligibility with you.

Before you go, you can use the online special license plate tool to:

  • Estimate the cost of your plates.
  • View eligibility requirements and acceptable forms of proof.

Replace, Renew, or Transfer Plates

NOTE: When renewing, replacing, or transferring your special Louisiana license plates, additional fees may apply.

Renew

You'll renew your special license plate when you renew your Louisiana registration. See our Registration Renewal in LA page for more information.

Replace and Transfer

To learn how to replace and transfer your license plate, visit our License Plates and Placards in LA page.

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