Create a Plate | Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles

DMV VA custom license plate offer an economical and tailored way to personalize your vehicle and make it stand out when driving in Virginia. If you want to express yourself, support a cause or make your car easily recognizable in crowded parking lots, then consider the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles as offering you a limitless choice.

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Nonetheless, before everything else, one should determine if the desired combination of VA DMV personalized plates availability. This comprehensive guide will take you through the process of designing, acquiring and displaying your own custom number plate in the state of Old Dominion.

DMV VA Custom License Plate: Why Choose One?

DMV VA Custom License Plate: Why Choose One?

But why would you want to do that? Well let’s consider some reasons:

  1. Personal expression: Your vanity plate could reflect who you are, what interests you or just be amusing.
  2. Support a cause: Many specialty plates support various organizations and causes; this allows you to give back while doing what matters most to you.
  3. Stand out: The individual plate can make your car more visually identifiable in parking lots and busy streets.
  4. Conversation starter: They say sometimes actions speak louder than words; well this works even better with these plates.
  5. Collectible value: Certain customized registration numbers become highly collectable over time.

Having captured your attention already, let us look at varied types of custom plates that are available via Virginia DMV.

Types of DMV VA Custom License Plates

Virginia DMV has numerous classes for custom license plates which include:

1. Personalized Plates

DMV VA custom license plate are those where one selects unique combinations of letters and numbers they wish to appear on their cars’ number plates. These are very flexible styles as they allow customization that best suits someone’s interest.

2. Specialty Plates

Some categories feature specific designs that represent particular organizations, causes or interests on the plates. Here we have:

  • Military and veterans
  • Colleges and universities
  • Sports teams
  • Environmental causes
  • Professions and organizations

3. Combination Plates

Can’t decide between a personalized message and a specialty design? The combo plates are there for you! You can choose to go with the special plate design and at the same time include your own personal message thus making it a custom beyond all others.

DMV VA Custom License Plate

DMV VA Custom License Plate

License Plate
License PlatesSearch/View Specialized License Plates
Create a Plate
What to Do with Your License Plates
Personalized License Plate Guidelines and Restrictions
Personalized Message Information
Clean Special Fuel Vehicles/Plates
How to Qualify for Clean Special Fuel Plates
Develop a New License Plate Design
College Plate Promotion
Revenue-Sharing Plates: Charitable Tax Deductions
Business Logo Special Plates

Ready to Proceed?

You can review DMV’s special plates or you can make your purchase now. Just click the option below that you prefer.

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How to Check VA DMV Personalized Plates Availability

However, before you get too attached to this fancy idea of yours, please check whether such vanity plates are available because an interested person must make sure their registration is not taken already. Virginia DMV has made provision for this by creating an online tool where one can confirm if their chosen combination is still free.

  1. Go to the official Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles’ website.
  2. Open “Vehicle Services” section
  3. Click “Plates & Placards”
  4. Click on “Personalized Plates”
  5. Use the VA DMV personalized plates availability checker to see if your desired combination is free.

Remember that VA DMV personalized plates availability changes frequently; therefore have some alternatives in mind just in case your first option is already taken!

Step-by-Step Guide to Creating Your DMV VA Custom License Plate

Having known about the options available and how to check them, let us now go through the process of making a custom plate;

Step 1: Choose Your Plate Type

Should you want a plate of your choice, or that is made for a certain group, or even both? On the Virginia DMV website, peruse through the choices available until you find what suits you best.

Step 2: Design Your Plate

  • Personalized Plates should:
    • Be a combination of letters and numbers (up to seven or eight characters depending on number plate type)
    • Avoid prohibited combinations and offensive language
  • Specialty Plates should:
    • Choose a design that represents your interest or cause you’re supporting

Step 3: Check VA DMV personalized plates availability

Use VA DMV personalized plates availability checker to check if your desired combination is free. If it isn’t try some variations or opt for another one.

Step 4: Submit Your Application

The submission of your application for DMV VA custom license plate can be done in three ways listed below:

  1. By online process from Virginia’s DMV website.
  2. Using respective forms which are sent via mail,
  3. In person at local DMV office.

Step 5: Pay the Required Fees

Custom plates cost more than regular registration fees. These costs differ depending on the kind of plate chosen with regard to the requirement for payment being;

  • One-time charge for custom plates,
  • Annual renewal fee (few specialty plates),
  • Regular registration fees.

Step 6: Wait for Approval and Manufacturing

Once you submit an application, it must undergo an approval process before being passed over to DMV which will manufacture custom plate for you within a period estimated between four and six weeks.

Step 7: Receive and Install Your New Plate

Your new DMW VA custom license plate will be sent to you by mail. Upon receipt, remove your old plates and attach the new ones on your automobile.

Virginia DMV License Plate Designs

These are some of the most popular speciality plates you can find in Virginia to help inspire your own creative designs.

  1. Mountains Are Loved In Virginia
  2. For Lovers, It’s Virginia
  3. Believing In God
  4. The Beauty Of Scenic Virginia
  5. Wildlife Defender
  6. VT Hokies License Plates
  7. UVA Cavaliers License Plates
  8. Washington Capitals License Plate Design VA
  9. Friends of Chesapeake Bay License Plates VA DMV
  10. Shenandoah National Park Speciality Plate VA DMV

Keep in mind that these are just a few examples, there are over 200 custom plate designs available through the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles.

Tips for Creating the Perfect DMV VA Custom License Plate

Would you like your favorite plate to stand out? There are a few things to consider for this purpose:

  1. Keep it simple: Shorter messages have more impact and are easier to read than longer ones.
  2. Legibility matters: Avoid making use of confusing combinations such as letters and numbers that may be difficult to read clearly.
  3. Be innovative and think outside the box: come up with an unusual and memorable one.
  4. Watch out for unintended meanings: ensure your number plate does not spell out something inappropriate unknowingly.
  5. Study up on forbidden content restrictions by the DMV department so that you do not infringe them unknowing.
  6. Choose something you will still be comfortable with years down the line, this is life time decision!
  7. Consider how well different colors or styles will complement some plates better than others on various vehicles when looking at a range of designs for cars’ licenses based upon their similarities:

FAQs about DMV VA Custom License Plate

This list will help address some of the common questions asked about custom plates in Virginia.

How much does it cost to get a DMV VA custom license plate?

The cost depends on the type of plate; personalized plates usually have a one-time fee of $10 while speciality plates range from $10 to $25 per year in addition to normal registration fees.

How long does it take for me to get my custom-made license plate?

From the time it is approved, your license plate will take approximately 4-6 weeks before it gets to you.

Can I transfer my personalized license plate to another car?

You can transfer personal license number plate from one vehicle to another as long as it is registered under your name.

Can I put whatever I want on a specialty plate, or are there limitations?

Yes, there are specific combinations for offensive language and obscenities that cannot be put on these types of plates; they are detailed in their guidelines.

Can a customer have both personalization and specialty designs on one specialty vanity tag?

Yes, many specialty plates come with customization options allowing for combined features.

Impact of DMV VA Custom License Plate

DMV VA custom license plate aren’t only for personal expression, but have a broader impact as well. The following are some of the benefits of DMV VA custom license plate:

Impact AreaDescription
FundraisingA large number of specialty plates contribute to many causes and organizations
AwarenessCustomized plates can create consciousness on major issues and conditions
Community PridePlates that symbolize local institutions increase communal feeling
Economic BoostState gains extra revenue from this special vehicle license program
Road SafetySome specialized plates like those used by emergency responders assist in identification.

Conclusion

Customizing your own vehicle with a DMV VA custom license plate is about more than just an idiosyncratic approach – it is meant as an outlet for supporting the causes you believe in or even making your presence felt on the roads of Old Dominion state. You can select either a witty personalized message or an exclusive specialty plate design corresponding to your interests, which makes it a simple process that brings satisfaction.

Hence why have just a regular issued car number while behind the wheel on highways and rural areas in Virginia when you can choose to have your very own specific identity? Today, go the website of DMV VA and checkout what they have in store for you regarding custom license plates. Perhaps, all you need is a few clicks away!

A Letter from Emily Carter

Hi there! I'm Emily Carter, your VA DMV guide for the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles. Looking for a simple way to handle your DMV needs? You've come to the right place!

This website is your go-to resource for using VA DMV services. We provide straightforward instructions to help you understand the DMV's offerings, renew your driver's license, register your vehicle, and more with ease.

In this space. I'll be your friendly companion as we navigate the VA DMV together. We'll cover scheduling appointments, taking care of renewals, and using other DMV services to make your life easier.

So, relax and let's get started with the VA DMV! Simplify your DMV experience with the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles by your side.

Regards,
Emily Carter