License Plates & Placards in Nevada

SUMMARY: Nevada License Plates

If you drive your vehicle on Nevada roads, you must apply for license plates by registering your vehicle in person. You must keep your tags valid by renewing your plates either online, by mail, or in person. If your plates are unusable because they're lost, stolen, or damaged, you can order replacement plates. When you no longer have your vehicle or you don't need your plates, you can transfer or surrender your tags in person or by mail.

Read below for more information about license plates and tags in Nevada.

Do you need a disability parking plate? Visit our Disability Placards & Plates page for application information and more details.

Planning to get a personalized plate or a special tag? See our Types of Specialty Plates and Apply for Specialty Plates pages for information.

Types of Nevada License Plates

You must have a license plate issued by the Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) on most vehicles, including:

  • Cars and trucks.
  • Motorcycles
  • Trailers.
  • Recreational vehicles and motorhomes.
  • Commercial vehicle.

Vehicles must have license plates on the front AND back, EXCEPT motorcycles and trailers, which only need a rear license plate.

The NV DMV offers a standard license plate with a sunset design, the state name printed along the top, and “The Silver State" printed along the bottom.

You will also be issued a registration decal, which shows the month and year your registration expires. The decal goes in the upper right corner of your rear license plate.

Other NV License Plates

The NV DMV issues personalized tags and special organization plates in addition to its standard plates ( see below).

For more information, see our pages about special plate options and special plate applications.

If you have a disability, you may quality for a Nevada disability license plate. Visit our disability parking permits page for application information.

Temporary Tags

You may need a temporary tag if you cannot get a permanent license plate right away.

Most commonly, you will get a temporary tag from your car dealer when you buy a vehicle, allowing you to drive it until your permanent plates arrive.

You can apply in person at a NV DMV office for several types of non-commercial movement permits if you need temporary tags for another reason:

  • Specific permit (such as emissions testing): $1.
  • Other permits: $8.25 per day.

Apply for License Plates in NV

To apply for a Nevada license plate, you must register your vehicle with the Nevada DMV.

You have 30 days to register when you move to NV, and 30 days to register when you buy a new vehicle.

Visit our Nevada vehicle registration page for complete details.

Renew Nevada Tags

Most Nevada registrations are valid for 1 year at a time. To renew your vehicle decals, you'll need to renew your registration before it expires.

The NV DMV offers renewal online, by mail, and in person.

When you renew, you'll get a new expiration decal to place over the existing decal.

See our registration renewal page for more information.

Replace Lost, Stolen, or Damaged Plates

If your license plates or expiration decals are lost, stolen, or damaged, you can request a replacement from the NV DMV.

If your plates have been damaged OR lost, you can get EITHER:

  • New license plates with a new number.
  • Duplicate plates with your existing number.

If your plates have been stolen, you MUST get a new license plate number.

Replacement Plates with a New Number

You must get a new license plate number if your plates are stolen.

You can choose to get a new license plate number if your plates are damaged or lost.

For new license plates with a new number, you must go in person to a Nevada DMV office with:

  • The damaged license plates.
  • Payment for the replacement fees:
    • $5 license plate fee AND the $0.50 Prison Industries Fee.
      AND
    • Registration fees if you start your registration period over.

Duplicate Plates with Your Current Number

You can get duplicate plates ONLY if your plates are damaged or lost.

For duplicate plates with your current plate number, submit:

  • Your damaged plates.
  • The Duplicate License Plate Application (Form SP14).
  • The Credit Card Authorization (Form ADM-205) for credit card payments by fax or mail.
  • Payment: Duplicate plate cost: $17
    Contact the Nevada DMV for more information:
    • Las Vegas and vicinity: (702) 486-4368 (486-4DMV).
    • Reno, Sparks, or Carson City: (775) 684-4368 (684-4DMV).
    • Rural areas: (877) 368-7828.
    You can submit your duplicate license plate application:
    • In person at a Nevada DMV office.
    • By fax to (775) 684-4992.
      OR
    • By mail to the address on the form.

Transfer or Surrender License Plates

The NV DMV requires you to transfer your license plates or surrender them to the DMV if you will no longer use them.

Transfer

When you get a new vehicle, you can transfer your license plates when you register the vehicle with the NV DMV.

You CANNOT transfer your plates to the new owner of your car, unless you have antique or classic car plates. Include a License Plate Release (Form SP67) when you transfer ownership of the vehicle.

Surrender

You must surrender your license plates:

  • When selling or trading your vehicle IF you aren't transferring the plates within 30 days.
  • BEFORE canceling the liability insurance on your vehicle for any reason.

You must submit:

  • Your license plates.
  • Your license plate decals.
  • A letter asking the DMV to cancel your registration IF you are mailing your materials.

NOTE: If you have a personalized plate, you can keep it, but you must surrender your decal.

Surrender your plates:

Department of Motor Vehicles
Central Services Division
555 Wright Way
Carson City, NV 89711

You will receive a pro-rated credit of your registration fees, which you can use ONLY to register or renew the registration of another vehicle.

Fees for Nevada License Plates

Nevada license plate fees are included in the cost of registering a vehicle. The fees below DO NOT include other registration fees, such as taxes.

  • Fees for new standard plates and renewals:
    • All passenger cars: $33.
    • Motorcycles: $33 PLUS a $6 motorcycle safety fee.
    • Travel trailers: $27.
  • Replacements:
    • New license plates with a new number: $5 plate fee PLUS a $0.50 Prison Industries Fee.
    • Duplicate plates with the same number:
      • $17 duplicate fee.
      • $3 per plate production fee.
      • $0.50 per plate Prison Industries fee.

The Nevada DMV offers a personalized license plate search that allows you to see if the plate number you want is available.

You CANNOT search license plates to find the registered owner of an abandoned or illegally parked car. However, you can contact your local police department to handle the matter.

To look up information about a vehicle you want to buy, you can order a vehicle history report using the vehicle identification number (VIN), not the license plate number.

Forms

ADM-205
Credit/Debit Card Authorization
You may need to complete this authorization form to submit a credit/debit card payment to the NV Department of Motor Vehicles.
SP67
License Plate Release
Release your license plate to the Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles. Completion of this form allows your old license plate number to be used on another vehicle.
VP-202
Lost Stolen or Mutilated License Plate Affidavit
Notify the NV Department of Motor Vehicles of lost, stolen, damaged, surrendered, OR confiscated license plates.
SP14
Duplicate License Plate Application
Request replacement Nevada license plates from the Department of Motor Vehicles.
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