Vehicles

Firefighter plate

Who is eligible Current or officially retired members of a paid or volunteer fire department.

"Current member" is a member who is in good standing as a firefighter for a period of one year.

"Officially retired" is a member who has 10 years total service as determined by the fire chief.

Special requirements The fire chief and another fire officer must certify that the applicant is a current or retired member of the fire department. Both signatures are required.
Eligible vehicles Automobiles
Multipurpose vehicles
Sport utility vehicles
Vans
Motorcycles
Trucks
Motor homes
Trailers and travel trailers
Numbered plates
  • $25 initial fee paid to the Iowa Department of Transportation. This payment will then be forwarded to the Iowa Department of Public Safety to benefit the Paul Ryan Memorial Firefighter Safety Training Fund.
  • Annual registration renewal fee

Effective July 17, 2013 an owner of a Firefighter plate may obtain a duplicate of their current numbered Firefighter plate when their plate is due for replacement. A new application must be completed and submitted with a $25 fee.

Duplicate
plates
To obtain a duplicate of your original numbered plate:
  • Submit an application and the $25 fee. 
  • Pay the annual vehicle registration renewal fee if it is due. 
  • No additional validation fee.
Personalized plates
  • $50 initial fee  ($25 plate fee + $25 for personalization)
  • $5 annual renewal fee
  • Annual registration renewal fee (paid to county treasurer)

Personalized license plates may consist of up to five characters and numbers. All personalized plate choices must have at least two characters.

  • No punctuation marks are allowed.
  • No denoting a government agency (i.e., DOT).
  • No display of characters that are sexual in connotation.
  • No characters suggesting profane, obscene or inflammatory words or phrases, or those contrary to public policy.
  • No characters or words defined in dictionaries as a term of vulgarity, contempt, prejudice, hostility, insult, or racial or ethnic degradation.
  • No characters considered to be offensive.
  • No characters that conflict with the regular license numbering system.
  • Recognized as a swear word.
  • Reference to an illegal substance or criminal act.
  • Any foreign word falling in any of these categories.
  • Cannot be all numbers.
How to apply Applications are available from your fire chief. Completed forms, along with the fees, can be mailed to:

Vehicle & Motor Carrier Services
Iowa Department of Transportation
P.O. Box 9278
Des Moines, Iowa  50306-9278

Your plates will be sent to your county treasurer's office and staff will notify you when your plates are available. Typical processing time is 3-6 weeks. Plates must be assigned to a vehicle within 90 days or the plates will be voided and no refund issued. Your current plates must be exchanged for your new plates.

For questions

Telephone: 515-237-3110
E-mail:  dot.plates@iowadot.us

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