How to order personalized plates

You can order personalized plates for passenger vehicles, commercial vehicles and motorcycles. 

Learn more about personalized plate fees, requirements and restrictions.

Many picture plates can also be personalized.  You can browse our collection of picture plates online. The categories are:

Order online

You can order personalized plates online unless you want personalized plates for people with disabilities that have the Universal Symbol of Access.  

To order personalized plates online:

• You must have a valid New York State vehicle registration in the passenger, commercial or motorcycle registration class that does not expire within 60 days.  
• The mailing address on your vehicle registration record must be your current mailing address. 
• Your vehicle registration record must match your current name if your name has changed.  
• You must provide your current plate number, the 3-letter registration class code and the first three letters of your last name.  See a sample registration document.
• You must have a credit card that DMV accepts, and a valid email address for confirmation purposes. 

Order personalized plates online

By mail

To order personalized plates by mail, use the Application for Custom Plates (PDF) (CP-30).  

Mail the completed form and your payment to:

NYS DMV
Custom Plates Unit
P.O. Box 2775
Albany, NY  12220

By phone

It’s faster and easier to do it online. To order by phone, call the Custom Plates Unit at 1-518-402-4838.  Office hours are Monday through Thursday, 8:00 am to 4:00 pm.  

At a DMV office

You can save yourself a trip.  It’s faster and easier to do it online. 

Find a DMV office. 

When to expect your new plates and registration

• In approximately 10 days or less after your order is processed, you will receive new registration documents that show your current plate number and your new plate combination.
• Allow at least six weeks for the custom plates to arrive
• Your new registration documents will be mailed separately from your new custom plates
• If you do not receive your registration documents within two weeks or your custom plates within six weeks, contact the Custom Plates Unit at 1-518-402-4838.

Check my plate order mailing status.

What to do with your current vehicle plates when you receive new plates

To protect against the fraudulent use of your current vehicle plates, mark each vehicle plate with a permanent ink pen.  Do not put both vehicle plates in the recycling/garbage on the same day.