How to Handle License Plates When Selling a Car? (By State)

Published: Jun 11, 2025

Last Updated: Oct 16, 2026

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The bottom line: In most states, you remove your license plates when you sell your car, then transfer them to your next vehicle or return them to the DMV.

Four states (Alaska, California, Hawaii and Minnesota) require standard plates to stay on the car when you sell it. Kentucky did too until January 1, 2024, when it switched to an owner-keeps-plates system.

In a few states, such as Florida and New York, getting the plates and paperwork wrong can get your driver’s license suspended. Compare offers from multiple buyers before you set a price.

Key Takeaways

In most states, you remove your plates and either transfer them to your next car or turn them in to the DMV. Leaving them on is almost never the right move.

Alaska, California, Hawaii and Minnesota require standard plates to stay on the car when sold. You still have a notice of sale to file, and in Alaska it’s due within 10 days of the transfer.

Florida and New York can suspend your driver’s license if you don’t surrender plates and file the required paperwork correctly.

Removing plates is only half the job. Filing a release of liability or notice of sale is what actually protects you from future tickets and violations.

You stay legally connected to the car until the new owner registers it in their name, no matter what you do with the plates.

Handle plate removal and all required paperwork on the same day you hand over the car.

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Automated assistant: general info, not legal advice

Answers come from our state paperwork data and published guides. Confirm anything binding with your state DMV.

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How to Handle License Plates When Selling a Car: 4 Steps

The process is the same in almost every state. Where states differ is in what you do with the plates once they’re off, and what paperwork you file.

Check your state’s rule. Find out whether plates stay on the car, go back to the DMV, or come with you. The quick reference table covers every state.
Remove the plates (if required). Use a Phillips or flathead screwdriver; it takes about two minutes if the screws aren’t rusted. If they are, spray them with penetrating oil and wait 15 to 30 minutes before trying again.
File your notice of sale or release of liability. This is the step most sellers skip, and the one that actually protects you from the new owner’s tickets. Many states let you do this online the same day you sell. Deadlines range from immediately to 30 days depending on your state.
Handle the plates. Transfer them to your next car, return them to the DMV, or destroy them properly. Don’t leave them in your garage or hand them to the buyer.

Quick Reference: What You Need to Do?

State	Where the plates go	What to do with them
Alabama	With you	Transfer your plates to another vehicle you own or surrender them to your county license plate issuing office
Alaska	With the vehicle	Leave the standard plates on the vehicle for the buyer, and remove personalized or specialty plates to keep
Arizona	With you	Remove the plates and keep them; transfer them to another vehicle you own, or file a sold notice and request a registration credit at azmvdnow.gov
Arkansas	With you	Keep the plate or assign it to a replacement vehicle
California	With the vehicle	Leave the standard plates on the vehicle, or remove personalized/specialty plates and transfer them to another vehicle you own
Colorado	With you	Return regular plates to the nearest county motor vehicle office or recycle them with a recycling service that takes metal; personalized plates may be transferred to your next vehicle through your county motor vehicle office
Connecticut	With you	Transfer your plates to another vehicle you own, or cancel your registration and return them to the DMV
Delaware	With you	Come off the car and go back to any Delaware DMV office, or go into retention so the number is held for you
District Of Columbia	With you	You remove the tags and, unless you get another vehicle within five business days, deliver them with the registration card to DC DMV in that time, in person or by certified mail; you can also cancel the registration online, then mark through the tag number with a permanent marker before recycling the tags
Florida	With you	Transfer your plates to another vehicle you own, or surrender them to your county Tax Collector
Georgia	With you	Keep them, transfer them to your next vehicle, or surrender them to the DOR for cancellation
Hawaii	With the vehicle	The plates stay on the vehicle for the buyer
Idaho	With you	Take the plates off the vehicle and keep them; they can be transferred to another vehicle titled to the same owner with credit for any remaining time on the registration, except black and white restricted plates
Illinois	With you	Transfer your plates to another vehicle you own, or destroy them
Indiana	With you	Transfer your plates to another vehicle you own, or destroy them. The Indiana BMV does not require you to return them.
Iowa	With you	Go onto a replacement vehicle bought within 30 days, once the fees on that vehicle are paid, or back to a county treasurer's office
Kansas	With you	Transfer your plates to another vehicle you own (with credit for any remaining registration), or surrender them at your county treasurer's motor vehicle office
Kentucky	With you	Transfer your plates and any unexpired registration to another vehicle you own of the same class, or surrender them at your county clerk's office
Louisiana	With you	Transfer your plates to another vehicle you own, return them to your local OMV office, or destroy them, and the OMV provides an online portal to cancel a plate.
Maine	With you	Assigned to another vehicle the same registrant registers, for an $8 transfer fee, or removed and forwarded with the registration certificate to the Secretary of State
Maryland	With you	Remove the plates before the buyer takes the vehicle, then return them to the MVA or transfer them to another vehicle; keep your insurance active until the tag return receipt arrives
Massachusetts	With you	Transfer your plates to another vehicle you own (within a 7-day grace period), or cancel your registration online and recycle or destroy the plates by cutting them in half
Michigan	With you	Transfer them to another vehicle you own, or destroy them
Minnesota	With the vehicle	Leave your plates on the car for the buyer; personalized or specialty plates can be transferred to another vehicle you own
Mississippi	With you	Remove them and surrender them to your county Tax Collector; the unused registration credit goes toward your next Mississippi tag
Missouri	With you	Transfer your plates to another vehicle you own, or destroy and recycle them
Montana	With you	Ask your County Treasurer about transferring them to another vehicle you own
Nebraska	With you	Hand the plates, the validation decals and the registration to the county treasurer's office in the county where the vehicle is registered, together with an Application for Refund, within sixty days of the sale, to claim back the unused registration fees and motor vehicle taxes
Nevada	With you	Keep the plates and either use them on another vehicle or turn them in, within 18 months for a standard or special plate and within 30 days for a discontinued special plate
New Hampshire	With you	Transfer the plate and its remaining registration credit to another vehicle at the town or city clerk's office
New Jersey	With you	Transfer to another vehicle owned by the same person (same class) at an MVC Agency, or surrender by drop box at any agency
New Mexico	With you	Place the plate on another vehicle of the same class within 30 days, or return it to an MVD field office to be cancelled
New York	With you	Transfer your plates to another vehicle you own at the DMV, or surrender them to the DMV (in person at a county DMV office, or by mail to the DMV Albany address) before canceling your liability insurance
North Carolina	With you	Transfer to another vehicle you own, or surrender to NCDMV (any license plate agency or by mail) before canceling insurance
North Dakota	With you	Transfer them to a replacement vehicle for the credit left on them, or let an immediate family member use the plates and the credit on their purchase; the credit expires on the plates' own expiry date
Ohio	With you	Remove your plates and either transfer them to another vehicle with Form BMV 4809 or destroy them
Oklahoma	With you	Keep the plate and transfer it to another vehicle you own
Oregon	With the vehicle unless you remove them	Leave the plates on the vehicle for the buyer, or remove them before the sale and transfer them to another vehicle you own
Pennsylvania	With you	Transfer your plates to another vehicle you own, or return them to PennDOT Bureau of Motor Vehicles, Return Tag Unit, P.O. Box 68597, Harrisburg, PA 17106-8597
Rhode Island	With you	You take the plates off before the car leaves, then either transfer the registration to another vehicle or cancel the registration online, through the drop box at a DMV branch, or by certified mail to the Plate Office in Cranston
South Carolina	With you	Remove your plates before the car leaves, then transfer them to another vehicle you own or surrender them at any SCDMV branch or by mail
South Dakota	With you	Remove your plates before the buyer drives away, then transfer them to another vehicle you own
Tennessee	With you	Transfer it to another vehicle you own for $1, or hand it in at the county clerk's office if you do not want it
Texas	With you	Transfer them to another vehicle you own, or destroy them
Utah	With you	Within 20 days of the transfer the plates go to the Utah DMV to be destroyed, or onto another vehicle you own, unless the plate was included in the sale
Vermont	With you	Remove the plates from the car at the handover, then either apply within 24 hours to move them to another vehicle you own or mail them back to the Vermont DMV
Virginia	With you	Transfer the plates to a new vehicle, surrender them at any DMV customer service center or DMV Select office, or deactivate them online through your myDMV account
Washington	With you	Transfer them to another vehicle you own of the same kind (car plates to a car, truck plates to a truck), or surrender them at a vehicle licensing office
West Virginia	With you	Transfer your plates to another vehicle you own, or return them to a DMV regional office
Wisconsin	With you	Transfer the plates to another similar type of vehicle titled to you, your spouse or your domestic partner, or destroy them; Wisconsin asks you not to return plates to the DMV, and there is no refund for the remaining registration.
Wyoming	With you	Take them off the car before it leaves, then apply to the county treasurer within sixty days of buying another vehicle to move the registration number to it

The table is built from our state paperwork data and covers all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Rules do change, so confirm anything binding with your own DMV before the car leaves.

States Where You Leave the Plates on the Car

Alaska, California, Hawaii and Minnesota are the states where standard plates must stay with the car when you sell it. In Oregon they stay too, unless you take them off first. In these states, what protects you isn’t the plates but filing the paperwork on time: miss the deadline and you can be held responsible for the new owner’s violations.

California: Plates: leave the standard plates on the vehicle, or remove personalized/specialty plates and transfer them to another vehicle you own. File Form REG 138 (NRL) within 5 days. Miss the deadline and you remain liable for tickets, tolls, and accidents until you file.

Hawaii: Plates: the plates stay on the vehicle for the buyer. File your Notice of Transfer within 10 days. The form is Form CS-L(MVR)53 (Notice of Transfer), and your local office can confirm it before the sale.

Minnesota: Plates: leave your plates on the car for the buyer; personalized or specialty plates can be transferred to another vehicle you own. File your Notice of Sale online within 10 days.

Oregon: Plates: leave the plates on the vehicle for the buyer, or remove them before the sale and transfer them to another vehicle you own. File Form 735-6890 (Notice of Sale or Transfer) within 10 days. In the meantime, the notice only notes on the vehicle record that it is sold; the owner on DMV records does not change until the buyer is issued a title.

Alaska: Plates: leave the standard plates on the vehicle for the buyer, and remove personalized or specialty plates to keep. File Notice of Vehicle Sale for Transfer, attached to the bottom of the title; Notice of Transfer Pending where the tear-off has gone. The deadline is within 10 days of the transfer. This stops the registration from auto-renewing until the new owner takes care of their end.

Where Does Turning In Your Plates End Your Liability?

In these states, turning your plates in, or canceling the registration they carry, is what tells the state the car is no longer yours.

State	What to do with the plates
Connecticut	Transfer your plates to another vehicle you own, or cancel your registration and return them to the DMV
District Of Columbia	You remove the tags and, unless you get another vehicle within five business days, deliver them with the registration card to DC DMV in that time, in person or by certified mail; you can also cancel the registration online, then mark through the tag number with a permanent marker before recycling the tags
Kansas	Transfer your plates to another vehicle you own (with credit for any remaining registration), or surrender them at your county treasurer's motor vehicle office
Maryland	Remove the plates before the buyer takes the vehicle, then return them to the MVA or transfer them to another vehicle; keep your insurance active until the tag return receipt arrives
Mississippi	Remove them and surrender them to your county Tax Collector; the unused registration credit goes toward your next Mississippi tag
New Jersey	Transfer to another vehicle owned by the same person (same class) at an MVC Agency, or surrender by drop box at any agency
New York	Transfer your plates to another vehicle you own at the DMV, or surrender them to the DMV (in person at a county DMV office, or by mail to the DMV Albany address) before canceling your liability insurance
Rhode Island	You take the plates off before the car leaves, then either transfer the registration to another vehicle or cancel the registration online, through the drop box at a DMV branch, or by certified mail to the Plate Office in Cranston

New York: Surrender the plates with Form PD-7 (Plate Surrender Application). The FS-6T receipt the DMV gives you is your proof.

In Delaware and Florida, turning the plates in doesn’t release you. In Florida, a separate filing does, and in Delaware the filing dates the sale on your record.

Delaware: Your plates come off the car and go back to any Delaware DMV office, or go into retention so the number is held for you. File the Seller's Report of Sale (detached from your title) right after the sale, with no grace period in the statute.

Florida: Plates: transfer your plates to another vehicle you own, or surrender them to your county Tax Collector. Then file Form HSMV 82050 (Notice of Sale) within 30 days. Cancel your insurance only after you surrender the plate; Florida can suspend your driver license and registration and charge a reinstatement fee of up to $500.

Pennsylvania: Remove your plates after the title transfer. Plates: transfer your plates to another vehicle you own, or return them to PennDOT Bureau of Motor Vehicles, Return Tag Unit, P.O. Box 68597, Harrisburg, PA 17106-8597. PennDOT names no notice of sale for the seller: the agent who handles the title transfer sends the title application to PennDOT.

States Where You Keep Your Plates

Most states let you keep your plates and transfer them to your next car. Remove them before handing over the vehicle. In nearly all of these states, the plates belong to you, not the car.

Texas: Remove your plates before handover. Plates: transfer them to another vehicle you own, or destroy them. File Form VTR-346 online within 30 days to cut your liability.

Colorado: You must remove your plates, because Colorado changed its law in 2021 so old plates can’t be used by the buyer. Plates: return regular plates to the nearest county motor vehicle office or recycle them with a recycling service that takes metal; personalized plates may be transferred to your next vehicle through your county motor vehicle office. File a release of liability online 5 days.

Illinois: Take your plates off before you hand over the keys. Plates: transfer your plates to another vehicle you own, or destroy them. File Form VSD 703 (Seller's Report of Sale) immediately after the sale.

Kentucky: Since 2024, the owner keeps the plates. Remove your plates before the sale. Plates: transfer your plates and any unexpired registration to another vehicle you own of the same class, or surrender them at your county clerk's office. You can file Form TC 96-3 (Affidavit of Incomplete Transfer) at the County Clerk’s office to protect yourself after 15 days, if the buyer hasn't transferred the title.

Ohio: Remove your plates when you transfer ownership. Plates: remove your plates and either transfer them to another vehicle with Form BMV 4809 or destroy them. Buyers receive a 45-day temporary tag at the time of title transfer, so they can drive while they get their registration sorted. Ohio has no separate notice of sale form. The title transfer handles your liability.

Michigan: Take your plates with you. Never let the buyer drive off with them. Michigan recommends handling the title transfer together at a Secretary of State office. There’s no separate notice of sale form in Michigan, so keep a copy of the signed title and bill of sale for at least 18 months as your proof of sale.

What to Do With Your Plates After Removal?

Once they’re off, you’ve got three options.

Put Them on Your Next Car

This works if you’re buying the same type of vehicle: passenger car to passenger car, truck to truck. You’ll need both vehicle titles, your current registration, proof of insurance, and your driver’s license.

The transfer fee is your state’s to set, from $0 in Texas and $1 in Tennessee to $25 in Illinois and $35 to put the plate into retention with no lien on the car, $55 with one, and $20 to take it back out in Delaware, and most states give you 7 to 60 days to get it done. Visit your DMV and they’ll verify everything and issue new registration stickers.

Return Them to the DMV

Some states require this, others make it optional. If you return them, the DMV cancels the plates and may give you a small refund for unused registration time, typically $10 to $50 depending on timing.

You can usually do this in person, by mail, or sometimes online. Keep whatever receipt they give you as proof.

Dispose of Them Properly

If you’re not buying another car or your state doesn’t allow transfers, get rid of them the right way. Cover all numbers and letters with permanent black marker, then bend or cut them so they can’t be reused.

Don’t give them to friends or throw them in regular trash. Someone could find them and use them illegally.

Timeline and Deadlines That Actually Matter

Here are the filing deadlines for states with the strictest requirements.

State	Deadline to file	What happens if you don't
Alabama	Not required	No penalty; no release of liability filing required
Alaska	Within 10 days of the transfer	No specific penalty, but filing the notice is what releases you from liability
Arizona	10 days	It protects you from liability for tickets, accidents and the like that happen after the sale.
Arkansas	No deadline; the notice is optional	The sale is not on the state's record until the notice is filed
California	5 days	You remain liable for tickets, tolls, and accidents until you file
Colorado	5 days	No specific penalty, but you may remain liable for tickets, tolls, or violations tied to the vehicle until you report the sale
Connecticut	No deadline is published; the DMV lists the cancellation right after removing the plates	The vehicle remains assessed for local property tax until registration is canceled with the DMV
Delaware	Right after the sale, with no grace period in the statute	No fixed dollar penalty, and the filing does not end the exposure by itself: the Division flags the record on the date reported, which is your dated proof the car changed hands
District Of Columbia	Not required	No fixed penalty, but tickets written against the tags stay with you until you surrender them, and canceling the insurance first triggers DC DMV's insurance lapse fee, published as $150.00 a day for days 1 to 30 and then $7.00 for each day after that up to $2,500.00
Florida	30 days	Potential civil liability for the buyer's actions if Notice of Sale isn't filed
Georgia	Before you cancel the insurance; no deadline is published	Insurance-lapse fines under Georgia law if the insurance is cancelled while the registration is still open
Hawaii	10 days	A fine of up to $100
Idaho	5 days	Liability for death or injury, property damage, motor vehicle infractions, towing, storage, repair or service charges involving the vehicle after it is delivered to the purchaser
Illinois	Immediately after the sale	No fixed dollar penalty, but you stay liable for parking tickets, tolls, abandonment, or accidents until you file the sale
Indiana	Not required	No penalty; no release of liability filing required
Iowa	Not set by law; the notice may be filed at any time after the sale	An argument about whether the title was really handed over, with no filed record to settle it
Kansas	No deadline; the filing is optional, except on a sale to an out-of-state buyer, and otherwise transferring or surrendering the plate at the county treasurer's office does the same job	No penalty is published; if you file the form, you can't be held liable for damage caused by the car if the buyer never registers it
Kentucky	After 15 days, if the buyer hasn't transferred the title	Property tax bills on a car you no longer own, because the state's record still shows you as the owner until the transfer is processed
Louisiana	Within 15 days of the transfer.	A fine of not more than one hundred dollars, or imprisonment for not more than thirty days, or both, under R.S. 47:537 as quoted on the form.
Maine	Not required	No penalty since Maine has no release of liability form
Maryland	No deadline (plates must be returned when the vehicle is sold, traded or junked)	You may face insurance violation penalties or other fees
Massachusetts	Once the car is no longer yours; no deadline is published	An excise tax bill, generated annually for every active registration, until the registration is cancelled
Michigan	Not required	A civil fine of $15, and you are presumed to be the last titled owner and liable for towing and daily storage fees if the vehicle is abandoned
Minnesota	10 days	No specific penalty in the law; the vehicle stays in your name on DVS records until the buyer transfers the title
Mississippi	Not required	No penalty, no release of liability filing is required
Missouri	30 days	An infraction with a fine of up to $200; a class C misdemeanor with a fine of up to $300 if the sale went unreported to help the buyer avoid titling, registration fees or other fraud
Montana	Not required	No penalty, Montana has no required release of liability form
Nebraska	Not required	No specific penalty, and keeping a signed bill of sale protects you because liability passes on the date of sale
Nevada	5 days	No specific fine, but the registered owner is presumed responsible for the cost of removal and storage if the vehicle is later abandoned until the sale is reported
New Hampshire	Not required	No set statutory penalty, but keeping your copy of the signed title or bill of sale is what protects you if the buyer delays registration
New Jersey	Not required	No penalty for you, but charges can still be linked to the plates until you surrender them
New Mexico	None; the notice is required but no deadline is set	The MVD's record still shows the car in your name
New York	Before you cancel the liability insurance	Registration suspension and possible driver license suspension if liability insurance is canceled before plates are surrendered, plus continued exposure to liability for tickets, tolls, or other violations involving the vehicle
North Carolina	Immediately, though it is a recommendation	May remain liable for tickets, tolls, accidents, or registration issues
North Dakota	Not required	No specific penalty for you is stated, but you must give the buyer the signed title within 30 days, and breaking that rule is a class B misdemeanor
Ohio	Not required	No required filing; keep a copy of the signed title as proof
Oklahoma	The notice is optional and has no deadline	No penalty; Form 773 is an optional notice that records the sale in Service Oklahoma's files
Oregon	10 days	The notice only notes on the vehicle record that it is sold; the owner on DMV records does not change until the buyer is issued a title
Pennsylvania	Not required	No penalty; no formal release of liability filing required
Rhode Island	Not required	Excise tax keeps running with the city or town, and the insurance duty stays on the registration, so an uncancelled registration can bring excise bills and insurance revocation fines
South Carolina	As soon as the car has gone	You stay listed as the owner on record until the buyer transfers the title, and remain liable for any incidents involving the vehicle
South Dakota	At the time of sale	Failing to file the report is a Class 2 misdemeanor
Tennessee	Not required	No specific penalty; you may remain on record and liable for the vehicle until the buyer titles it in their name
Texas	30 days	No monetary penalty, but liability remains until you file
Utah	As soon as the car changes hands; no deadline is published	You may be liable for any parking or traffic violations that happen while the plate remains on the car
Vermont	Immediately	The registration ends when the car changes hands, and the DMV tells you not to leave the plates on a sold car
Virginia	No deadline is published; notifying DMV is required by law	None is published
Washington	5 business days	You may remain liable for towing charges and civil and criminal liabilities the new owner runs up until you file the Report of Sale
West Virginia	No deadline; the DMV typically asks a customer to wait 60 days after the sale before submitting the form	No penalty; the form changes the vehicle's status to "SOLD" in DMV records
Wisconsin	30 days	You stay on the DMV record as the owner until the buyer titles the car; no fine is set.
Wyoming	Not required	No penalty, no filing exists; keep a copy of the notarized title and signed bill of sale as proof of sale

Until the buyer registers the car, the state can still show you as its owner, and your filing is what protects you in that time. File on the day of sale.

Protecting Yourself During the Sale

Handle Paperwork the Same Day

If your state has a release of liability form, fill it out the day you sell. Take photos of everything and keep copies for at least two years.

Meet at the DMV If You Can

Some buyers will agree to handle the title transfer right at the DMV office. This is ideal because you can watch them register the car and your liability ends right away.

You may need to pay for temporary tags ($10 to $30), but it’s worth it to know everything’s handled correctly.

Handle Insurance Correctly

Keep your car insurance until you’ve removed plates and filed any required forms. Cancel too early and some states will fine you or suspend your license.

But don’t wait too long either. You don’t want to pay for insurance on a car you no longer own.

When Things Go Wrong?

The buyer wants to borrow your plates temporarily

Never agree to this. You’re taking on legal responsibility for everything they do with that car. They need to get temporary tags from the DMV or handle registration before driving off. That’s their responsibility, not yours.

I sold my car but the plates stayed on

Contact the buyer first. They may not realize they need to register quickly. If you can’t reach them or they won’t cooperate, call your DMV and explain the situation. You may need to file additional forms to protect yourself.

I’m selling to a dealer vs. a private party

Dealers usually handle most of the paperwork for you, but ask specifically what they need you to do with plates. Some want you to remove them, others handle everything. If you’re going the private sale route, you’re responsible for all plate and paperwork steps yourself.

I’m selling to someone in another state

Your state’s rules still apply to you. If you normally remove plates, you still remove them. The buyer then needs to figure out how to get the car registered in their state. Some states issue temporary tags for out-of-state buyers.

Special Situations You Might Run Into

Personalized and Specialty Plates

These almost always stay with you, no matter what your state’s regular rule is for standard plates. You’ll usually need to fill out specific forms and pay a fee ($10 to $50) to transfer them to your next car. Military plates, organization plates, and custom designs typically fall into this category.

Moving to Another State

Most states want their plates back when you move away. Return them along with a copy of your new state’s registration to avoid getting renewal notices at your old address.

Antique or Classic Cars

These often have different rules than regular cars. Some antique plates (especially low-number Delaware plates) can be worth serious money, so check their value and any special rules before getting rid of them.

Cars With Liens

If you still owe money on the car, the title process gets more complicated. You’ll usually need a lien release from your lender before you can complete the sale. This doesn’t change the plate rules, but it may affect your timeline.

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Questions People Ask

What happens if I just leave my plates on the sold car?

You stay legally connected to that car until the new owner registers it. Every parking ticket, toll violation, or other issue that happens with your plates can come back to you.

This can drag on for months if the buyer doesn’t handle registration right away.

What happens to the car’s registration when plates stay with the car?

In the four states where plates must stay on the car (Alaska, California, Hawaii and Minnesota), the registration goes to the new owner along with the plates. That transfer is not automatic: the new owner still has to register the car in their own name.

Until they do, you are still connected to the vehicle. Filing a notice of sale or release of liability right after the sale is what actually cuts that connection for you.

Do online car buyers handle the plate and title paperwork for me?

Online buyers typically handle the title transfer on their end, but plates are your responsibility. You’ll need to remove them before the driver picks up the car, unless you live in a state where plates stay with the vehicle.

Have the plates off before pickup day, because drivers won’t wait on site for you to remove them.

Once you’re ready to sell, you can compare offers from multiple services with Sell Car Advisor to see who gives you the best deal before committing.

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Article Update History

Updated March 13, 2026

Each state's plate rules, deadlines and forms now match its DMV records.

Published June 11, 2025

Originally posted and shared with our readers.

Cartoon man holding California and New York license plates and a DMV form

Sources

What to Do With License Plates

"leave the standard plates on the vehicle, or remove personalized/specialty plates and transfer them to another vehicle you own" Accessed Sep. 15, 2026

Release of Liability Form Name

"Form REG 138 (NRL)" Accessed Sep. 15, 2026

Release of Liability Filing Deadline

"5 days" Accessed Sep. 15, 2026

Release of Liability Filing Deadline

"10 days" Accessed Sep. 10, 2026

Release of Liability Form Name

"Form CS-L(MVR)53 (Notice of Transfer)" Accessed Sep. 10, 2026

Release of Liability Filing Deadline

"10 days" Accessed Sep. 10, 2026

What to Do With License Plates

"leave the plates on the vehicle for the buyer, or remove them before the sale and transfer them to another vehicle you own" Accessed Sep. 10, 2026

What to Do With License Plates

"leave the standard plates on the vehicle for the buyer, and remove personalized or specialty plates to keep" Accessed Sep. 10, 2026

Release of Liability Form Name

"Seller's Report of Sale" Accessed Sep. 10, 2026

What to Do With License Plates

"transfer your plates to another vehicle you own, or surrender them to your county Tax Collector" Accessed Sep. 21, 2026

Release of Liability Form Name

"Form HSMV 82050 (Notice of Sale)" Accessed Sep. 21, 2026

Release of Liability Filing Deadline

"30 days" Accessed Sep. 21, 2026

Release of Liability Form Name

"Form PD-7 (Plate Surrender Application)" Accessed Sep. 10, 2026

What to Do With License Plates

"transfer your plates to another vehicle you own, or return them to PennDOT Bureau of Motor Vehicles, Return Tag Unit, P.O. Box 68597, Harrisburg, PA 17106-8597" Accessed Sep. 10, 2026

What to Do With License Plates

"transfer them to another vehicle you own, or destroy them" Accessed Sep. 10, 2026

Release of Liability Form Name

"Form VTR-346" Accessed Sep. 10, 2026

What to Do With License Plates

"return regular plates to the nearest county motor vehicle office or recycle them with a recycling service that takes metal; personalized plates may be transferred to your next vehicle through your county motor vehicle office" Accessed Sep. 10, 2026

What to Do With License Plates

"transfer your plates to another vehicle you own, or destroy them" Accessed Sep. 10, 2026

Release of Liability Form Name

"Form VSD 703 (Seller's Report of Sale)" Accessed Sep. 10, 2026

What to Do With License Plates

"transfer your plates and any unexpired registration to another vehicle you own of the same class, or surrender them at your county clerk's office" Accessed Sep. 10, 2026

Release of Liability Form Name

"Form TC 96-3 (Affidavit of Incomplete Transfer)" Accessed Sep. 10, 2026

What to Do With License Plates

"remove your plates and either transfer them to another vehicle with Form BMV 4809 or destroy them" Accessed Sep. 10, 2026

License Plate Transfer Fee

"$1" Accessed Sep. 10, 2026

What to Do With License Plates

"leave your plates on the car for the buyer; personalized or specialty plates can be transferred to another vehicle you own" Accessed Sep. 10, 2026

Release of Liability Form Name

"Form 735-6890 (Notice of Sale or Transfer)" Accessed Sep. 10, 2026

Release of Liability Filing Deadline

"after 15 days, if the buyer hasn't transferred the title" Accessed Sep. 10, 2026

What to Do With License Plates

"the plates stay on the vehicle for the buyer" Accessed Sep. 10, 2026

Release of Liability Filing Deadline

"within 10 days of the transfer" Accessed Sep. 10, 2026

What to Do With License Plates

"come off the car and go back to any Delaware DMV office, or go into retention so the number is held for you" Accessed Sep. 10, 2026

When to Cancel Insurance

"only after you surrender the plate; Florida can suspend your driver license and registration and charge a reinstatement fee of up to $500" Accessed Sep. 21, 2026

License Plate Transfer Fee

"$25" Accessed Sep. 10, 2026

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