License Plate FAQs

If you can't find what you're looking for in our License Plates & Placards section, check out these frequently asked questions.

When I stepped outside for the Boston Globe this morning I noticed the license plates on my car were missing. What now?

Grab a pen and complete an Application for Replacement Plates and/or Decals. Drop it off at any registration substation along with $4 if you need one plate, or $8 for two plates.

If you only need one plate you'll be issued a temporary paper plate and a permit granting you permission to drive with one plate until your replacement plate arrives in the mail. If you need both plates you'll be immediately issued replacement plates.

If I want new plates can I order them at any time?

No. You can only order new license plates at registration renewal time.

While off-road driving I swerved to miss a raccoon and collided with a fallen sugar maple. My front license plate is now bent like a catcher's mitt. Do I have to replace it?

Indeed you do. Complete an Application for Replacement Plates and/or Decals and send it along with a check for $4 to any registration substation.

You'll be issued a temporary paper plate (not the picnic kind) and a permit granting you permission to drive with one plate until your replacement plate arrives in the mail.

Can I get a refund on unused license plates?

You have a 90-day window, beginning on the day of purchase, to return the plates. An affidavit stating that the plates were never used must be submitted along with the plates to any registration substation office.

There are no guarantees, however. Your affidavit will be examined before the Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) decides on whether or not to grant you a refund.

Where does the money go for New Hampshire's popular moose/conservation plate?

The funds for this plate benefit New Hampshire's wildlife, conservation, and historic preservation programs. You can check out a list of funded projects that this plate has aided over the last five years.

Can I combine a vanity plate number with the moose plate?

Yes you can. Keep in mind, however, that unlike a standard-number moose plate, which allows up to seven characters, the vanity moose plate only allows for six. And a vanity moose plate will not contain the "CH" (conservation and heritage) designation found on standard-number moose plates.

How do I go about securing an antique license plate?

Before applying, make sure your vehicle is more than 25 years old and used only for parades, exhibitions, car club activities, and other public events.

To apply, you must first visit your town clerk. After filing the proper forms, you can then complete the transaction at the main DMV office in Concord.

If I move out of state, do I need to surrender my plates to the DMV?

Nope.