vehicle registration

• $50 ($25 for plate + $25 to the university)
• $5 annual validation fee at the time of renewal
• Annual registration fee

• $50 ($25 for personalized plate + $25 to the university)
• $5 annual validation fee at the time of renewal
• Annual registration fee

Personalized license plates may consist of up to seven 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.
• No duplicate combination of characters
• No zeros.
• Cannot be all numbers.

Order online (You will need an Iowa Driver's license or ID and a credit card to complete the transaction.)

-OR-

Complete the Special Plate Application form, print and mail with the fees that are due.

Completed applications may be returned to your county treasurer's office or the following address.

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

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

Your plates will be sent to your county treasurer's office and staff will notify you when your plates are available. 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.