What is a License Plate Replacement in Florida?
Florida issues one rear license plate for a registered vehicle according to Florida Statutes § 320.06(1)(a). Replacement involves reissuing this plate outside the regular renewal cycle, triggered by a specific set of conditions and carries its own statutory fee of $28.00.
- Trigger conditions: loss, theft, destruction, damage, distortion (fading or blurring), loss in transit, confiscation, or surrender. § 320.0607 governs the full list. Transfers from other states also require a new Florida license plate upon titling.
- Standard plates retain the same alphanumeric number on the replacement. A lost personalized plate may be reissued with the same characters; a stolen personalized plate requires law enforcement confirmation that the number was cleared from FCIC and NCIC files before reuse.
- Most vehicles have one plate. Commercial trucks with a gross vehicle weight of 26,001 pounds or more have two plates according to § 320.0706 and replace both if needed.
- The $28.00 replacement fee differs from the annual registration renewal. Additional service fees are added at the county tax collector’s office.
When Do You Need to Replace Your Florida License Plate?
A plate that is lost, stolen, damaged, distorted, or destroyed must be replaced according to Florida Statutes § 320.0607. Law enforcement may also require replacement of any plate that fails a readability check under § 320.0607(1).
- Stolen plates: submitting a copy of the police report along with form HSMV 83146 fully waives the replacement fee. Without the report, the owner pays the standard $28.00 fee. The police report is not mandatory for processing the replacement, but it removes the cost.
- Damaged or distorted plates (fading letters, pressure washing, dents) have no statutory window for replacement. Exposure is a stop on readability under § 316.605, not a calendar term.
- Plates lost in the mail are eligible for free replacement if the owner applies within 180 days of issuance. After 180 days, the standard fee applies.
- New residents must register and title their vehicle within 10 days of establishing residency in Florida, according to the FLHSMV guide for new residents.
How to Get a Replacement License Plate in Florida
Every replacement begins with form HSMV 83146, Application for Replacement License Plate, Validation Decal, or Parking Permit. The owner completes the form, notes the reason for replacement, and signs the affirmation.
- In person: bring the completed form, a valid photo ID, your plate or decal number, and proof of insurance to any county tax collector’s office or license plate agency. Applicants for stolen plates must add a copy of the police report. The office issues the replacement on-site for standard plates. The FLHSMV office locator lists all county locations.
- Specialty plates not stocked locally must be ordered through the Bureau of Motorist Services, Direct Mail, MS# 72, Neil Kirkman Building, Tallahassee, FL 32399. Include a copy of the registration certificate with the mailed form.
- Online: The MyDMV portal accepts requests for plate and decal replacements. Below are the fees the portal charges; the next section describes the online path.
Can You Replace a Florida License Plate Online?
Yes. Florida accepts online requests for plate and decal replacements through the MyDMV portal. The portal lists “Replace a License Plate and/or Decal” as a service for account holders.
Customers create a MyDMV Portal account by verifying their identity against FLHSMV records. Once logged in, the replacement transaction requires an active registration with no unresolved stops (toll violations, insurance lapses, or unpaid fines block the transaction). Online payment by credit card is accepted. A $2.00 processing fee applies to each online transaction. The replaced plate arrives by mail.
The FLHSMV GoRenew Virtual Office also supports registration replacement. Stops due to toll or insurance violations require visiting a county tax collector’s office in person.
If the portal accepts your replacement, use it; if a stop blocks the transaction, resolve it in person at the county office.
How Much is License Plate Replacement in Florida?
The state replacement fee is a fixed $28.00, but statutory service fees at the county tax collector’s office raise the total amount. The FLHSMV fee schedule publishes the base amount; county offices publish their total amounts.
- Plate replacement at a county tax collector’s office costs $36.90 total (Pinellas, Seminole, and Lee county fee schedules confirm this figure). The base plate fee of $28.00 plus statutory service fees explain the difference.
- Validation decal replacement: $34.10 at the county office. Duplicate registration certificates: $3.00.
- Stolen plates with a police report attached to form HSMV 83146 are replaced free of charge, according to § 320.0607(2). Plates lost in the mail are also free if the application is submitted within 180 days.
- Online replacement through the MyDMV portal adds a $2.00 processing fee to the total transaction amount.
- Florida does not charge a separate county surcharge on the replacement itself. The county figure of $36.90 includes statewide statutory service fees, not a locally variable surcharge. Some county offices apply a credit/debit card surcharge of 2.95% (minimum $2.50).