Types of Special License Plates in Maine

SUMMARY: Types of Specialty Maine License Plates

Maine vehicle owners can choose from several types of specialty license plates. You can get personalized license plates with your own custom tag number, or plates to support charities and other groups. If you qualify, you can get a military license plate or a plate for your historic vehicle.

Continue reading this page to learn more about the special license plates available from the Maine Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV).

NOTE:

Personalized Tags in Maine

In Maine, you can personalize a number of different types of license plates, including most specialty plates.

Your custom tag must follow ME BMV guidelines:

  • It CANNOT:
    • Use profanity or obscenities.
    • Promote criminal activity or violence.
    • Suggest association with a public agency.
    • Duplicate an existing license plate number.
  • It CAN:
    • Use letters, numbers, a dash, and/or an ampersand.
      • To use the ampersand, the license plate must have no more than 6 characters.
    • Begin with a number ONLY IF it has:
      • 7 characters.
        AND
      • At least 1 letter.

You can check the availability of a plate number combination using the ME BMV online Vanity Plate Search.

The fee for a personalized plate is $25 IN ADDITION to standard registration fees and renewal fees.

For application details, see our page on Applying for Specialty License Plates.

Special Interest & Organizational Plates

The ME BMV offers several different license plates that help support organizations, causes, and other groups, such as charities and colleges.

Charity License Plates

In Maine, the following charity license plates are available:

  • Conservation license plate
  • Breast Cancer Support tag.
  • Support Animal Welfare plate.
  • Lobster Specialty license plate.
  • Maine Agriculture tag.
  • Support Your Troops plate.
  • Maine Sportsman tag.
  • Wabanaki license plate.
    • Available ONLY to members of the Passamaquoddy, Penobscot, Maliseet, and Micmac Tribes in Maine.

Fees for special plates vary. MOST of these special plates cost:

Visit Applying for Specialty ME License Plates for application information.

Collegiate License Plates

The ME BMV also offers collegiate plates that help fund scholarships in the state.

You'll pay a fee for collegiate plates IN ADDITION to standard Maine registration and renewal fees. Part of this additional fee is a donation that is tax deductible.

Below are the available collegiate plates, their fees, and the tax-deductible portion of the fees:

  • The Maine Black Bear specialty plate (helps support the Maine Black Bears Scholarship Fund):
    • Initial fee: $20.
    • Renewal fee: $15.
    • Tax-deductible donation: $10 when you order and renew.
  • The University of Maine System plate (helps support the University of Maine System Scholarship Fund):
    • Initial fee: $20.
    • Renewal fee: $15.
    • Tax-deductible donation: $14 when you order and renew.

For application details, see our page about Applying for Specialty License Plates.

Military License Plates in ME

If you're a military veteran, you may be eligible for the following military license plates in Maine:

  • Purple Heart license plate.
  • Medal of Honor tag.
  • Former Prisoner of War plate.
  • Pearl Harbor Survivor plate.
  • Special Veteran license plate, which can include a commemorative decal for your branch or service.

Your service record must verify the award or service named on the license plate. You'll need proof of eligibility, such as your discharge papers, to apply for a military plate.

Fees for military license plates vary; for example:

  • Purple Heart license plate: Free for vehicles up to 10,000 lbs.
  • Special Veteran plate: $35 for vehicles up to 6,000 lbs.

Some military plates can be personalized for an additional fee.

For a complete list of fees, please visit the Maine Bureau of Motor Vehicles website.

Military Family Members

The Maine BMV also issues the Gold Star Family Recognition Plate for the families of service members killed while serving in the military. See the ME BMV website for details.

Disabled Veterans

Several disabled veteran plates are also available. See our Disability Placards & Plates page for details.

Historic Vehicle License Plates

The Maine BMV offers special registration and license plates for several types of classic cars and antique vehicles, including:

  • Antique autos, which:
    • Are cars, trucks, or motorcycles made after 1915 AND over 25 years old.
    • Have original or accurate replica of the original engine.
    • Are mostly used for public events and exhibitions.
    • ARE NOT reconstructed or altered.
  • Custom vehicles, which are:
    • A minimum of 25 years old, made after 1948, AND altered or made from non-original material on the body.
      OR
    • Made to look like a vehicle from the time period above.
  • Horseless Carriages which:
    • Were manufactured before 1916.
    • Have original engines or replica engines that meet original specs.
    • Are used for display, education, and events, BUT NOT for regular transportation.
  • Street Rods, which are:
    • Modified vehicles manufactured before 1949.
      OR
    • Replicas of vehicles manufactured before 1949.

The fee for antique auto registration is $30. Renewal is also $30. Personalized antique plates are an additional $25 annually.

NOTE: If you own an antique vehicle, you are also subject to local vehicle taxes when you register the vehicle and renew the registration.

DMV.ORG BBB Business Review