Driver and Vehicle Services

A Division of the Minnesota Department of Public Safety

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License Plates - Standard Plates

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Information

Passenger plates are displayed on motor vehicles designed and used for carrying not more than 15 people including the driver. Includes pickup trucks and vans with a manufacturers gross vehicle weight rating of 3/4 ton or less, and 1 ton passenger vans.

Expiration: The month of expiration is shown on the sticker affixed to the lower left corner of the plate and the year of expiration is shown on the sticker affixed to the lower right corner of the plate.

Registration must be purchased by the last day of the expiration month and must be affixed and displayed on the license plate within 10 days following the last day of the registration month.

License plates issued to passenger automobiles and dealer license plates are replaced at seven (7) year intervals; all other license plates are issued for the life of the vehicle.

Policies and Procedures

Since 2008, Minnesota has been issuing Minnesota License Plates using digital license plate (DLP) technology. In 2008, Minnesota began to transition passenger plates to DLP. Eventually, all license plates in Minnesota will be manufactured using the DLP system. DLP are flat plates. The license plate number on plates produced by the DLP system is black. If you have questions about the DLP system, please contact DVS at (651) 284-3896.

It will take several years to transition all Minnesota plates to DLP.

Plate Display

Effective August 1, 2008, all license plates are required to be displayed horizontally and in an upright position with the identifying numbers and letters facing outward from the vehicle.

License plates issued after July 1, 2008, requiring validation must display the month of expiration in the lower left corner of each plate and the year of expiration in the lower right corner of the plate.

Plate Combinations

Combinations of two or three letter characters with two, three or four number characters

ABC123 or 123ABC; AA12 or 12AA; AA1234 or 1234AA

On combinations with all number characters, plate must include one letter character

We cannot duplicate any plate or plate series used by the department. Examples: "Y" or "T" class truck series, CT class trailer series, CH or C# class Critical Habitat series 1AA001 through 6ZZ999.

Standard License Plate Image:

Standard License Plate Image

Single Plate Issue

Back display - A single license plate is issued to the following vehicles for display on the back of the vehicle:

Trailers

Motorcycles

Mopeds

Dealer and Dealer In-transit vehicles

The owner of the vehicle may elect to display only one plate on the back of the vehicle in the following situations (Minnesota Statute 169.79, subd.4):

The vehicle model year is 1972 or earlier, and the vehicle is used for general transportation

The vehicle is used for general transportation and meets the definition of a pioneer, classic or street rod vehicle (Minnesota Statute 168.10).
The vehicle is registered in one of the Collector Classes (pioneer, classic car, collector, street rod)

Front display - A single license plate is issued to the following vehicles for display on the front of the vehicle:

Tractors and truck-tractors, used in tractor-trailer combinations

Farm class vehicles, 20 model years or older

Double Plate Issue

All other vehicles are issued double plates to display on the front and back of the vehicle. This includes cars, vans, pickups, trucks and buses.

Contact

Mail:

Driver and Vehicle Services – Central Office
Town Square Building
445 Minnesota Street, Suite 190
Saint Paul, MN 55101-5190

Email:

Visit our contact page to send a message.

Phone:

Motor Vehicles: (651) 297-2126
Office Locations: (651) 297-2005
Assistance for Hearing Impaired Callers (TDD/TTY): (651) 282-6555

CONTACT DPS

Driver and Vehicle Services

License Plates - Standard Plates

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