Plate Surrender in Oregon

You don’t have to return your license plates to the Oregon DMV when you move to another state, but there are times when you might want to return or recycle them for your own safety.

Moving to Oregon

The OR DMV doesn’t want your old license plates when you move to Oregon. Just head to a DMV branch, handle your registration, and you’ll get new state license plates.

Keep in mind, though, your former state might require you to return those old plates. To find out your old state’s policy, scroll to the top of this page and choose that state from the drop down menu.

Moving from OR

You can keep your plates when you move to another state, but because keeping them leaves them vulnerable to loss or theft (and you vulnerable to responsibility for them), it’s safest to go ahead and get rid of them.

The OR DMV suggests:

• Defacing or destroying the month and year stickers, bending the plates in half, and recycling them (they’re made of aluminum) or throwing them away.
• Returning them to a DMV office.
• Mailing them to:
  • OR DMV
  • 1905 Lana Ave., NE
  • Salem, OR 97314

Selling a Used Car

You can keep your license plates and transfer them to another vehicle after you sell a used car, or you can dispose of them in one of the ways listed above.

Don’t worry about the buyer leaving with no plates. During the title transfer and registration processes, he can transfer his own plates to the vehicle or apply for new ones.

Buying a Used Car

Similarly, you can transfer your old, valid plates to a used car you purchase. Handle the paperwork with a DMV agent when you complete the title transfer and car registration processes.

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