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What to Do with Your License Plates

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  • License Plates
    • Search/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

Sold, traded or no longer operate your vehicle? Moved out of Virginia?

If so, Virginia law requires you to immediately surrender your license plates and/or vehicle registration to DMV.

Permanently Surrender Plates

You have three options:

  • FASTEST: Use DMV's Online Plate Surrender to report the surrender of your plates. You will not be eligible for a refund on the cost of registration fees for this vehicle.
  • Surrender your plates at a customer service center. No appointment is necessary; standard wait lines apply. You may be eligible for a refund on the cost of registration fees for this vehicle.
  • Complete a Vehicle Registration Refund Application (FMS 210) and mail it along with your plates to:

Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles 
2300 West Broad St 
Richmond, VA 23269

If your registration expires in six months or later AND you surrender your plates to DMV, you may qualify for a partial refund.* Complete a Vehicle Registration Refund Application (FMS 210) and return it along with the license plates to DMV. Refunds generally take 30 days to process.

Partial refunds do not include all fees paid at the time of registration. Fees not refunded are Highway Use fees, one-time plate reservation fees, Virginia Road Tax for heavy trucks and any late fees.

Mileage Choice participants removing a vehicle from the program must use plate surrender to permanently surrender plates. This ensures you will not pay the remaining highway use fee balance.

*Refund does not apply if you used Online Plate Surrender.

Online Plate Surrender

Deactivate Plates

You may temporarily deactivate your license plates and registration if you have a need to cancel your liability insurance coverage, but wish to keep your license plates. Do NOT cancel your insurance until you have completed this process.

If you cancel your insurance while your license plates and registration are active, your driving and vehicle registration privileges could be suspended.

Mileage Choice participants removing a vehicle from the program and surrendering license plates should not use plate deactivation. Please use the plate surrender transaction instead. Note: Using this transaction will not eliminate the requirement to pay the remaining balance of the annual highway use fee.

Deactivate Plates & Registration

Reactivate Plates

You can easily reactivate your license plates and registration online, or by phone at (804) 497-7100. 

Requirements to Reactivate

  • Have no outstanding tax obligations on your motor vehicle 
  • Provide insurance policy information
  • Pay a $10 reactivation fee (if the vehicle registration has not expired) 

How to Transfer Plates

Complete a License Plate Application (VSA 10) and visit a customer service center to complete the transfer transaction.

What to Do with Old Plates

Once you receive your new (replacement) plates, you may destroy the old plates.

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