Frequently Asked Questions

In most cases, you should renew your existing registration and wait for the new plates to become available. New license plates are authorized by selling a minimum number of vouchers. For most plates, this means that 3,000 vouchers must be sold prior to a license plate entering production. For out-of-state universities (University of Alabama, Auburn University, University of Georgia), the pre-sale threshold is 4,000 vouchers. Organizations have up to two years to sell these vouchers. If you purchase a voucher, it may be a year or more before the plate meets it's sales goal and is manufactured.  You should not wait to renew your registration during this time. Once a plate has met it's sales goal and is manufactured, you will receive…

Yes. Most specialty plates can be personalized with up to five letters or numbers. To verify if a plate is available click here. Some specialty license plates are configured to allow 7 characters.

Yes. Gift certificates are available for current specialty plates as well as pre-sale vouchers.

The recipient must have a vehicle titled in their name or plan to acquire a Florida registered vehicle once the plate is manufactured. If you purchase a vehicle for someone who does not have a vehicle registered to them, you will not be able to get a refund for this purchase.

No, however, DHMV offers sample plates for many current Florida plates.

Here is a common scenario: (for illustration purposes only) Your current annual registration (your yellow decal renewal) is 46.10. You purchase a pre-sale voucher for $33.00. The plates are manufactured and shipped to your local tag office. Option A: You decide to replace the plate while your registration is still current: Approximate fee to replace: 36.90 (License plate replacement fee plus branch fee) Option B: You decide to wait until your tag is up for renewal: Approximate fee 46.10 + 28.00 (license plate replacement) = $74.10 *If your tag is up for a mandatory replacement (every ten years), the $28.00 would not apply. Once you have made the switch to the specialty plate, your annual fee for future years might be 76.10 (46.10 plus the 30.00). The extra fees go to the sponsoring…

The State of Florida allows anyone to purchase a specialty plate pre-sale voucher for themselves or for another person as long as the recipient is the holder of a Florida driver license or registration. If you are both the purchaser and the recipient, you should enter your information into both sections for the sale to process correctly.

Fees can vary depending on which plate is chosen. Most pre-sale vouchers will cost $33.00. If paying by credit or debit card, a $1.95 fee will apply. There is no additional fee to use an eCheck.

Upon approval by the Florida Legislature, a new specialty plate is required to sell a minimum number of reservations or vouchers. This process ensures that there is sufficient interest to warrant the manufacture of the plate. For many new plates, that pre-sale number is 3,000. Out-of-state colleges and universities must sell 4,000 vouchers. Once a sufficient number of vouchers have been sold, the license plate may then be submitted to the Florida Department of Highway Safety (DHSMV) for production.

Vouchers may be purchased as gifts for specialty license plates that have already been authorized. Please have the recipient’s Florida driver license number, name, and date of birth available before ordering. Click here to order an existing specialty plate voucher. 

For example: You could purchase a license plate voucher for a professional team or college for the sports fan in your family. They would then redeem it by approaching our office to have the plate issued.

No. Any Florida motorist may use this form. The recipient, if different from the purchaser, must have a Florida driver license or vehicle registration.

If the license plate does not meet it’s pre-sale requirement, the fees will be refunded. However, they are not refundable for any other reason.

Pre-sale vouchers are non-transferrable.

No. The voucher will be attached to your driver record in the State of Florida’s registration system. You will be able to redeem it once the plates are produced and you request the plate at time of renewal or as an on-demand plate replacement.

Sales data may be viewed here.

Yes. Vouchers make great gifts. As long as the recipient has a Florida Driver License or Florida registration, they can receive a pre-sale voucher.

In most cases, yes. The voucher will cover the specialty plate for the first year once the plate has been manufactured and is available at your local tax collector’s office. If your license plate is not due for a mandatory replacement (every 10 years), you will likely need to pay a fee between $28.00 -$36.90 to replace it. These fees do not cover the annual registration renewal fees.

The fee collected for a voucher allows the sponsoring organization to begin manufacturing the plate once the pre-sale threshold has been reached.