Eligibility for Minnesota License Plates
New residents have 60 days to register a passenger vehicle, motorcycle, utility trailer, or recreational trailer with the Minnesota Driver and Vehicle Services. Commercial vehicles and any vehicles with expired registration must be registered immediately.
- Residency: Applicants must have a valid Minnesota driver’s license (or equivalent ID), proof of insurance, and a current odometer reading. Passenger vehicles must have two license plates; motorcycles and trailers have one (Minn. Stat. § 169.79).
- Vehicle: The application is submitted by the owner or lessee. Vehicles subject to restoration must pass a DVS inspection ($35) before a restored title and plates are issued. Leased vehicles require a signed lessee designation form from the leasing company.
- Applicant: Bring the current out-of-state title (or Manufacturer’s Certificate of Origin for new vehicles), current registration card, and lienholder information. Titles issued as restored, salvage, junk, or flooded by another state carry that brand into Minnesota.
- License Plate Categories: Standard, personalized, and specialized license plates are available to all applicants. Military and veteran plates (Bronze Star, Purple Heart, Disabled Veteran, Former POW, Congressional Medal of Honor, Gold Star Family, and others per Minn. Stat. § 168.123) require proof of qualifying service or disability. Plates for Former POWs, Congressional Medal of Honor, and Gold Star have no plate fee.
How to Get a License Plate in Minnesota?
Minnesota does not require safety or emissions inspections for private passenger vehicles. Fees in the next section are collected at the time of registration.
- To obtain a title and plate for the first time, bring the vehicle title or MCO, proof of insurance (company name, policy number, expiration date), current odometer reading, and valid ID to the deputy registrar office.
- Pay the title fee (8.25), environmentalfee(12), technology surcharge (2.25), publicsafetyfee(3.50), transfer tax ($10), 6.5% motor vehicle sales tax, and registration tax based on MSRP. A late transfer penalty of $2 applies if the title is not submitted within 20 calendar days of the sale.
- You receive a registration card and plates (or a 60-day temporary permit if special plates are ordered). Plates must be replaced at renewal if they are seven years old or older.
- Registration expires annually on the last day of the month shown on your plates (Minn. Stat. § 168.09). DVS sends a renewal notice before expiration. Renew online, in person at a deputy registrar office, or by mail.
How Much Does a License Plate Cost in Minnesota?
The registration tax is based on MSRP and decreases over ten model years, so the vehicle’s sticker price affects the bill more than any fixed fee (Minn. Stat. § 168.013). The county wheelage tax adds a second variable layer.
- Passenger vehicles pay $10 plus 1.575% of the vehicle’s MSRP in the first year, decreasing on a statutory schedule (95%, 90%, 80%, 70%, 60%, 50%, 40%, 25%, 10%) to the tenth year. From the eleventh year onward, the tax is 30(10 base plus $20).
- Motorcycles pay a fixed annual tax of $10. Untitled utility trailers pay a one-time permanent registration fee of $55.
- Additional Electric Vehicle Fee of $150 (or 0.5% of MSRP multiplied by the depreciation percentage, whichever is greater) applies to all electric vehicles. Plug-in hybrids pay $75 (or 0.25% of MSRP multiplied by the depreciation percentage).
- The plate fee is $15.50 for double plates, $13.50 for a single plate or motorcycle. Personalized plates cost $100. The DVS fee schedule lists contribution amounts for special plates by type.
- A wheelage tax of $10 to $20 applies in 55 participating counties and is charged at renewal. Motorcycles, mopeds, and trailers are exempt. A full list is posted on the DVS wheelage tax page.
Can I Get a License Plate Online in Minnesota?
The DVS online renewal portal covers registration renewals for vehicles weighing up to 55,000 pounds. First-time titles and new plate orders require an in-person visit to a deputy registrar or a mail-in application to DVS.
Online renewals accept credit cards and bank payments. Tabs arrive in about 14 days; add five days if new plates are ordered at renewal. Minnesota DVS Now self-service kiosks also process renewals at locations statewide.
For mail renewals, send the completed renewal notice and payment to:
- Driver and Vehicle Renewal Services, P.O. Box 64587, St. Paul, MN 55164-0587. Allow approximately 21 days for processing.
- First-time title applications by mail are sent to DVS at 445 Minnesota St., St. Paul, MN 55101-5187, along with the Application to Title/Register a Vehicle, title, fees, and insurance information.
If DVS can process your renewal online or at a kiosk, use that route; the deputy registrar office is intended for transactions requiring original documents.