Virginia License Plate Lookup

The registration and titling of your vehicle can be done simultaneously in the state of Virginia. You just need to take several steps to receive a registration card, as well as your license plate. Below you can learn what the registration process looks like:

• Complete the Certificate of Title & Registration form (if your vehicle does not have a title)
• Fill out the VSA 14 Vehicle Registration application form 
• Provide your ID
• Purchase auto insurance coverage
• Pass the safety inspection and get a valid safety inspection sticker for your vehicle
• Get an emission certificate if applicable
• Pay all the necessary fees

Once you submit all the required documents, the DMV office will issue a registration card, as well as your license plates. Your vehicle’s license plates will have one or two years expiration dates. After that, you should apply for the renewal. It will be discussed in this article thoroughly.

License Plate lookup in Virginia

The license plate lookup tool will provide you with basic information, such as vehicle history. Nonetheless, you should be careful about the federal law establishment. That is the Drivers Privacy Protection Act (DPPA). The state DMV will require appropriate DPPA reasons to obtain personal information about the owner of the vehicle. However, if you want to find out whether the license plate number is available or not, you can use the online service of the Virginia DMV official website.

Virginia License Plates

There are numerous license plates you can obtain in Virginia. The standard license plate in this state features a white background and above written in blue letters “VIRGINIA”. If you want to obtain a license plate with different background options, Virginia DMV offers more than 250 unique plates. So, here we will categorize each type of Virginia license plate and discuss it separately. Below is the list of Virginia license plates for you to consider:

• Vanity plates
• Military tags
• Specialty license plates
• Plates and placards for residents with a disability
• Antique/vintage tags

Vanity License Plates in Virginia

You can personalize your license plate in Virginia by selecting the characters and designs you want. To customize the standard plates with preferable characters and designs, you should follow these rules:

• Include a unique combination of letters and numbers
• Suggest less than 7 characters
• Avoid characters that contain vulgar language, profanity, or encourage violence

You can check the availability of the personalized characters you want by visiting the online services page on the Virginia DMV website. The cost of each vanity plate is $10. Under those circumstances, you should pay the standard plate fee as well.

The state may reject your vanity plate application for several reasons, check out our banned Virginia license plates page for more details.

Military License Plates

To obtain a military license plate in Virginia, you should indicate your eligibility by providing papers, such as your honorable discharge documents.  Residents of Virginia can apply to the DMV office for the military license plate. Commonly, the costs of military license plates are $10 for each plate. However, it can vary due to many factors. The most popular military tags available at VA DMV are the following:

• Army. The annual cost, as well as the renewal of the Army license plate is $10. The requirements of this license plate include: copy of active duty or retired ID or proof of honorable discharge status.
• Legion of Merit. There is a one-time fee of $10 for this license plate. To obtain the plate, individuals should present a copy of the certificate of award or a copy of the official records.
• Air Force Reserve. This license plate costs $10 annually. To obtain it, individuals should provide certification from the Air Force Reserve commanding officer.

If you need the full list of military license plates in Virginia, you can visit the DMV website and learn more.

Specialty License Plates

There are numerous Virginia specialty license plates that you can select to support a cause, organization, institution, etc. You can also obtain a specialty license plate based on your profession, hobby, or your interest in special causes. Accordingly, here are some of the common specialty license plates:

• Alzheimer’s Association plates. The annual cost of this plate is $25. It is to support the Alzheimer’s Association Fund. Moreover, the net proceeds of $15 will promote lots of programs and operations in Virginia.
• Animal Friendly. This license plate costs $25. To clarify, it is to support cats and dogs sterilization programs.
• Cure Childhood Cancer. The annual cost of this plate is $10.
• Family/Children Fund. To promote children’s programs, the net proceeds of $15 of the $25 will be transferred to the Virginia Department of Health Safe Kids Coalition. Not to forget about the Family and Children’s Trust Fund of Virginia.
• Professional Firefighter-Int’l. The license plate costs $25, which will be transferred to the Virginia Professional Firefighters Charitable Foundation. To obtain this license plate, you should present a copy of a valid membership card from the International Association of Firefighters.
• Virginia Beach City. The cost of the license plate is $25 annually. It will be directed to the City of Virginia Beach to support city programs.
• Virginia Breast Cancer Foundation. The annual cost of $25 supports the Breast Cancer Foundation in Virginia. Likewise, it promotes breast cancer educational programs across the states.

You can acquire the full list of specialty license plates, as well as the requirements by visiting the VA DMV official website.

Disability license plates and placards

Residents of Virginia, who have a permanent or temporary disability, can obtain disability license plates and placards. This license plate, in short, will give parking privileges. In addition, you should present a valid medical certification by an authorized physician or physician’s assistant.

You should complete the application form and pay the placard fee of $5 (or license plate fees). Bring all the materials in person or mail to the following address:

DMV
P.O. Box 85815
Richmond, VA 23285

Once the VA DMV receives all the needed materials, wait for 15 days to obtain your disability parking placards or plates.  When you submit all the documents, you can check DMV online service and learn about your application process.

Antique/vintage license plates

Antique license plates in Virginia are available for vehicles that are over 25 years old. They are operated only for an exhibition or other types of events. To obtain antique tags, you should complete the Antique License Plate Applicant Certification form and pay the fee of $50.

Virginia License Plate Renewal

You can renew your license plate in person, by mail, or online. The renewal should be done every 1/2/3 years based on the expiration date of the registration. Before your registration expires, you will receive a renewal notice by mail from the VA DMV office. The notice will tell basic information, for example, the date of renewal, fees, as well as emissions test status (if applicable). To renew your license plates online, take the following steps:

• Possess the renewal notice
• Visit DMV online service and enter all the necessary information
• Pay all necessary fees
• Completed emission tests (if applicable)

Similarly, the same materials may also be required when renewing your vehicle registration by mail or in person. Mail the presented documents to the following address:

Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles
P.O. Box 27412
Richmond, VA 23269

If for some reason you did not receive the renewal notice, you should contact the VA DMV Customer Service or call at (804) 497-7100.

License Plate Replacement and Surrender in Virginia

In case you lost or damaged your vehicle’s license plate or sticker, you should contact the VA DMV office. It will replace your license plate with a new one as long as you take the following steps:

• Fill out the Vehicle Registration application form
• Pay the replacement fee of $10

It is obligatory to surrender your license plate if you move to a different state. In like manner, if you sell or donate the car and do not transfer the tags.

Auto Insurance Requirements

You must purchase proper insurance coverage prior to applying for license plates. To clarify, here is the minimum of coverage you will need to purchase liability insurance:

• For one accident per person a minimum of $25,000
• For total injuries of one accident a minimum of $50,000
• A minimum of $20,000 for property damage for one accident

Additionally, you should also have uninsured motorist coverage under your insurance coverage. Otherwise, you can face serious violation penalties if you do not have them.