Types of Special License Plates in Massachusetts

SUMMARY: Types of Massachusetts Special License Plates

Massachusetts license plates come in several specialty varieties, including vanity plates with personalized plate numbers and tags for charitable organizations. Those who qualify can also order military license plates or historic vehicle tags.

Keep reading to learn more about the types of specialty license plates offered by the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV).

NOTES:

Vanity Plates in Massachusetts

MA vanity plates allow you to create your own custom tag number. To be approved, your chosen tag number must follow the MA RMV's rules:

  • The plate must begin with 2 letters.
  • You CANNOT mix numbers and letters. For example:
    • You CANNOT have “AB12CD".
    • You CAN have “AB1234".
  • It can have up to 6 characters (5 characters on motorcycle plates).
  • The letter/number combination cannot be offensive, profane, or discriminatory.
  • The combination must be unique and not already in use.

To see if your desired combination is available, use the Massachusetts RMV online license plate search.

The fees for a vanity license plate are:

  • $50 to order the plate.
    • If your registration is due, you'll also pay the standard $30 annual registration fee.
  • $80 to renew.

For complete application information, see our Applying for Specialty License Plates page.

MA Organizational Plates

MA offers a number of organizational plates including collegiate, charity, sports, and special interest plates.

You'll pay an additional fee for these plates, a portion of which is donated to the sponsoring organization.

Some of the available special organizational plates and their initial fees are:

  • Sports plates, such as:
    • The Red Sox/Jimmy Fund plate.
    • The Olympic Spirit license plate.
  • A collegiate license plate for UMASS.
  • Special interest/charity plates, for example:
    • MA Animal Coalition plate.
    • Conquer Cancer license plate.
  • Environmental plates:
    • Blackstone Valley tag.
    • Cape & Islands plate.
    • Whale Tail plate.
    • Leaping Trout plate. 

For a complete list of organizational license plates, see the MA RMV license plate guide.

Fees for Organizational Plates

Fees for organizational plates vary and are charged IN ADDITION to standard Massachusetts registration fees and renewal fees.

A portion of the initial plate fee goes to the organization that sponsors the plate. When you renew the plate, the whole fee is donated.

The license plate fee is paid when you order and renew the plate, which may vary depending on the plate type. For example:

  • The Conquer Cancer license plate fee is $100 every 2 years:
    • $40 plate fee.
    • $60 registration fee.
  • The Cape & Islands plate fee is $110 every 2 years:
    • $50 plate fee.
    • $60 registration fee.

Fees for all organizational plates are listed in the license plate guide.

Application information is available on our Applying for Specialty License Plates in MA page.

Military License Plates

Many military license plates that recognize various awards and veteran statuses are available from the MA RMV.

Military tags include:

  • Veteran license plates.
  • Pearl Harbor Survivor tags.
  • ExPOW plates.

The Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles license plate guide has a complete list of available military plates and their fees.

To qualify for military honor plates, your service record must reflect the honor or status displayed on the plate. Proof of eligibility can be:

  • Your military ID.
  • Discharge papers.
  • Certification of an award.

Fees for military license plates vary. For example:

  • The Veteran license plate: $100 every 2 years.
  • The ExPOW plate: Free.

Visit Applying for Specialty License Plates for application details.

Historic Vehicle License Plates

The MA RMV offers multiple license plate options for historic vehicles.

Antique plates are for vehicles:

  • More than 25 years old.
    AND
  • Used only for exhibitions, car club events, and similar activities.

The license plate fee is $20 IN ADDITION to the $30 registration fee. The total $50 fee is due annually. Personalized antique plates are $80 annually.

Year of Manufacture (YOM) plates can be used on vehicles that:

To use YOM plates, you must acquire authentic MA RMV license plates that were issued in the model year of your vehicle. The plates must be:

  • In good condition.
  • Issued no later than 1978.
  • No more than 6 characters long.

The fee for YOM license plates is $50 annually.

See Applying for Specialty License Plates for application details.

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