| License Plates |
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| Overview |
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This page provides information about the various license plates issued by the Oregon DMV.
Use the links below to go directly to any section:
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| Available License Plates |
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Use the links below to access information about the license plates most frequently issued by DMV:
Important: This page provides information about the most common license plates, however, there are additional license plates (for house campers, trucks, etc.) that are not included here. Information about these plates may be found in our Oregon License Plate Manual. It is intended primarily for use by law enforcement and other agencies that must frequently deal with questions concerning vehicle registration.
Note: License plates for commercial vehicles are issued primarily by the Oregon Motor Carrier Transportation Division, not DMV.
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| License Plate Fees |
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In most cases, license plate fees are covered by the vehicle registration fee. However, some license plates require an additional surcharge. Information on a plate’s surcharge (if any) is found in the section above. Additional fees charged for specialty and group license plates go to various funds:
- The $100 additional charge per two-year period for Custom Plates supports Oregon passenger rail programs.
- The additional $15 a plate fee per two-year period for Salmon plates is divided equally between the Governor's Watershed Enhancement Board, designed to restore salmon habitats and improve the health of streams that support the salmon population, and State Parks and Recreation Department Fund.
- The additional $10 per plate fee for Crater Lake plates goes to the Oregon Community Foundation for use on Crater Lake National Park projects.
- The additional $15 per plate fee for Cultural plates goes to the Trust for Cultural Development to fund specific arts, heritage and humanities programs.
- The additional fees for group plates go to the various organizations.
Refer to the section above for more information on specific license plates.
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| License Plate Display |
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A single license plate is issued to mopeds, motorcycles, trailers, campers, antique vehicles, and special interest vehicles, while two license plates are issued to all other types of vehicles registered by DMV, including passenger vehicles and trucks (See ORS 803.525).
If only one license plate is issued, it must be displayed on the rear of the vehicle. If two plates are issued, one must be displayed on the front of the vehicle and the other on the rear of the vehicle. Plates must be in plain view so as to be easily read by the public and law enforcement (See ORS 803.540).
License plates may not be altered and must not be covered by any material that alters their appearance. Furthermore, plate frames or holders must not prevent the numbers, letters, or stickers from being readable (See ORS 803.550 for more information).
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| Stickers |
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When you get new Oregon license plates, you will receive both month and year validation stickers for each plate issued.
Note: Permanently registered license plates do not receive stickers and some license plates require a combination month & year sticker.
Month stickers contain a single number (1 through 12) denoting the month of expiration. Year stickers contain a two-digit number 06, 07, 08, etc. denoting the year of expiration. Combination stickers contain both a single number (1 through 12) denoting the month of expiration and a two-digit number 06, 07, 08, etc. denoting the year of expiration.
When you renew the registration for most vehicles, you will only receive new year stickers, as the registration month does not change. Contact DMV for a replacement sticker if your month sticker is damaged, missing, or was applied to the plate in the wrong place.
Sticker Placement
Apply stickers only in designated areas on license plates (see examples below). Stickers must be readable on license plates and plate frames must not cover stickers.
To apply stickers:
- Affix the year sticker on the bottom right side of the license plate.
- Affix the month sticker on the bottom left side of the license plate.
- Affix combination month & year sticker on the bottom center of the license plate.
- Apply stickers to both front and rear license plates when a set of two plates is issued.
- You may affix new stickers directly on top of old stickers (remove dirt and grease on old sticker before applying new sticker).
Examples
Tree, Salmon, Crater Lake, Cultural Trust & Veteran Group Plates all have the "Month" and "Year" sticker areas clearly identified: 
Yellow background plates have indentations on bottom left and right for the stickers:
A few types of yellow background plates, like the heavy truck plate shown below, receive a combined month and year sticker that is placed on the bottom middle of each plate:
For other examples of sticker placement, refer to the Oregon License Plate Manual.
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| Applying for a New Type of Group Plate |
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If your non-profit or veterans-related group is interested in applying for group plates, please complete and submit the Veteran Group Plate Application or the Non-Profit and Higher Education Group Plate Application to DMV, or you may call (503) 945-5130.
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| Disposal of Old License Plates |
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After you replace your license plates, your old plates are no longer valid. License plates are made of aluminum so they may be recycled. You can securely recycle or dispose of license plates in any of the following ways:
- Deface or remove and destroy the month and year stickers. You may also bend or cut the plates so they are no longer usable, then recycle the plates. Take care with the edges of the pieces as they may be sharp. Check with your local recycling contact for aluminum recycling information.
- Mail the plates to DMV at:
DMV
1905 Lana Avenue NE
Salem OR 97314
- Deface or remove and destroy the month and year stickers. You may also bend or cut the plates so they are no longer usable, then place the plates in your garbage for disposal. Take care with the edges of the pieces as they may be sharp.
If none of the above options work for you, you may take the plates to your local DMV Office. However, this may involve a wait time to see a DMV representative.
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| History of Oregon License Plates |
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If you’re interested in seeing how Oregon license plates have evolved over the years, please visit the History Center Web site that shows images of selected plates dating back to 1911.
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| License Plate Manual |
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DMV provides a hardcopy Oregon Vehicle License Plate Manual in English only. It provides information about the various license plates issued in Oregon. It is intended for use by law enforcement and other agencies that frequently deal with questions concerning vehicle registration. Some previously-issued license plates do not appear in the manual, but may be legally used. For questions concerning the legality of plates not listed in the manual, call DMV’s Customer Assistance Unit at (503) 945-5000.
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| Related Information |
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Additional information that may be relevant includes:
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