Personalized Plates
- General Information
- Guidelines and Standards
- Utah Personalized & Special Group Plates – Online Service
General Information
You can apply for personalized plates online at our Motor Vehicle Portal, or you can complete and sign Form TC-817, Application For Personalized Plates and submit with the required payment. The form allows you to submit up to three requested combinations of letters and numbers. You must also have a currently registered vehicle in the state of Utah on which to display the personalized plate and identify this vehicle on the application.
The type of plate requested limits the number of characters that may be used on the plate, as follows:
| Up to seven characters | Standard Life Elevated Skier and Life Elevated Arches plates |
|---|---|
| Up to five characters | Special group plates & In God We Trust |
| Up to five characters | Motorcycle plates |
A character is a letter (A through Z) or a number (0 through 9). Please note: The letter “O” will be displayed as the number zero.
No special punctuation signs – comma, period, hyphen, exclamation point, question mark, etc. – or other symbols are permitted.
Applications will be compared against the motor vehicle file to determine if the requested combinations are already in use and to ensure they comply with state standards (see below). If the requested combination meets these conditions the plate will be issued. If the application is not approved and the plate is not issued, the amount paid with the application will be refunded.
The personalized plate cost is determined by each plate type (refer to the application for current plates and fees). Please also note that an additional $10 annual fee is due each year at the time the registration is renewed.
Mail the completed and signed Form TC-817 and a check or money order for the amount due to:
Division of Motor Vehicles
Vehicle Compliance Services (VCS)
P.O. Box 30412
Salt Lake City, UT 84130
The DMV will mail the license plates to the designated mailing address on the motor vehicle database upon receipt from the manufacturer.
Guidelines and Standards
What are the rules or guidelines regarding the combination and numbers of characters on a plate, or the content of the message on the plate?
In general, the statute forbids any combination of letters or numbers that “may carry connotations offensive to good taste and decency or that would be misleading.” In general, this law prohibits combinations that:
- Are vulgar, derogatory, profane, or obscene;
- Make reference to drugs or drug paraphernalia;
- Make reference to sexual acts, genitalia, or bodily functions;
- Express contempt, ridicule, disparagement or superiority of a: race, color, national origin, religion, deity, ethnic heritage, age, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, citizenship status, political affiliation or physical or mental disability;
- Express or suggest endangerment to the public welfare.
Also, the combination of letters and numbers requested cannot duplicate a currently registered license plate, or conflict with a series or the letter/number combinations used on regular issue license plates. In addition, the DMV cannot deny a personalized license plate request if the requested combination of letters, numbers, or both refer to an official state symbol under 63G-1-601.
Failure to keep the personalized plate in a current valid registered vehicle within six months of expiration will result in the loss of your right to the combination of letters/numbers on your personalized plates.