What is a Minnesota License Plate?
A Minnesota license plate is a registration document issued by the Driver and Vehicle Services (DVS), a division of the Minnesota Department of Public Safety. The DVS sets registration policy statewide, but most transactions are conducted through local deputy registrar offices, online services, or by mail.
The current general license plate is a flat white design with black serial numbers, in use since 2008. Plates are automatically replaced upon renewal if they are seven years old.
Types of License Plates in Minnesota
- Standard plates are assigned upon registration. A set of two costs $15.50; one plate (for motorcycles or qualifying collector vehicles) costs $13.50.
- Over 120 special designs cover causes, sports teams, universities, and state resources. Most require a minimum annual contribution of $30 in addition to the plate fee, though some (such as State Parks and Trails) start at $60.
- Any category of plates can be personalized for a one-time fee of $100 through the DVS personalized plates page.
- Military and veteran plates cost $15.50, but Ex-POW, Congressional Medal of Honor, and Gold Star plates are issued free of charge.
- Collector class plates (Pioneer, Classic Car, Street Rod) allow for one rear plate at the owner’s discretion according to Minn. Stat. § 169.79, subd. 4.
A full catalog is available on the DVS specialized plates page.
What Vehicles Require License Plates in Minnesota?
Every motor vehicle and trailer on a public road must be registered according to Minn. Stat. § 168.09. New residents have 60 days to register a passenger vehicle, motorcycle, or utility trailer.
- Passenger vehicles have two plates. The annual registration tax is $10 plus 1.575% of the vehicle’s original retail price, depreciated on a statutory schedule that drops to a fixed $20 from year 11 (Minn. Stat. § 168.013, subd. 1a). An $8 filing fee and a $2.25 technology surcharge apply at each renewal.
- Motorcycles: one rear plate, $10 annual registration tax, $13.50 plate fee. Mopeds pay $6.
- Untitled utility trailers weighing up to 3,000 pounds receive a permanent adhesive sticker for a one-time registration tax of $55 plus a $2.50 plate fee. Trailers over 3,000 pounds are taxed annually at 30% of the base rate by weight.
- Electric vehicles add an additional fee of at least $150 per year (or 0.5% of the retail price, depreciated, if higher). Plug-in hybrids pay at least $75, as set by § 168.013, subds. 1m and 1n.
License Plate Rules in Minnesota
- Two plates are required on passenger vehicles, one in front and one in the rear, according to Minn. Stat. § 169.79, subd. 6. Motorcycles, mopeds, semitrailers, and trailers registered over 3,000 pounds have one rear plate (subd. 3). Truck tractors and road tractors mount one plate in front (subd. 5).
- Plates must be fastened to prevent swinging, mounted horizontally, and kept free from grease, dust, or other materials that obscure (§ 169.79, subd. 7). Covering any assigned letters, numbers, or the state name with any material, including clear or colorless covers, is illegal under the same subdivision.
Is Driving Around with No License Plate in Minnesota Illegal?
Yes. Operating, driving, or parking a motor vehicle on any road without valid registration plates is prohibited under Minn. Stat. § 169.79, subd. 1.
Using a plate assigned to another vehicle, displaying expired plates, or altering a plate in any way falls under a separate statute, Minn. Stat. § 168.36, and is classified as a misdemeanor rather than a petty misdemeanor.
What is the Penalty for Driving Without a License Plate in Minnesota?
Penalties in Chapter 169 start with petty misdemeanors, but levels above this involve actual imprisonment. Chapter 168 separately addresses registration fraud.
- Failure to display violations under § 169.79 is a petty misdemeanor with a maximum fine of $300 and no imprisonment (Minn. Stat. § 169.89, subd. 2).
- Two or more petty misdemeanor convictions within 12 months elevate the next offense to a misdemeanor, punishable by up to $1,000 and 90 days imprisonment (§ 169.89, subd. 1).
- Using a plate from another vehicle, displaying expired plates, or manufacturing plates without permission is a misdemeanor under Minn. Stat. § 168.36, subd. 2, punishable by up to $1,000 or 90 days.
- Defacing or altering a plate is a separate misdemeanor under § 168.36, subd. 3, with the same upper limit.
- Operating a vehicle while its registration is suspended or revoked triggers a misdemeanor under § 168.36, subd. 1, and a police officer may seize the plates on the spot (subd. 4).