Where a plate can legally change hands
Ten US states, plus the United Kingdom, Australia (Victoria and Queensland), New Zealand and the United Arab Emirates. Where a statute, regulation or form was found it is cited next to the entry, so you can check us rather than trust us; entries without one say so.
These pages describe what a transfer involves. They are not instructions and not legal advice. TagsTrader is a match-maker: it introduces a buyer and a seller, holds no funds, and is not a party to the sale.
Ten states, ranked by how much work it is
A form names the buyer
The holder signs a paper naming the person receiving the plate, and the state issues the combination to that person. The cleanest case there is.
Virginia
VAStraightforward — Virginia has a named transfer
VA DMV Vehicle Licensing Guide VLIC-4.420; Va. Code § 46.2-726
Read the Virginia pageNorth Carolina
NCStraightforward — North Carolina has a named transfer
NCDMV form MVR-27N; N.C.G.S. § 20-79.4; 19A NCAC 03C .0427
Read the North Carolina pageGeorgia
GAStraightforward — Georgia has a named transfer
GA DOR form T-237 (rev. 5-2017); O.C.G.A. § 40-2-5 (physical plate misuse)
Read the Georgia pageNebraska
NEStraightforward — Nebraska has a named transfer, and holds it for you
Nebraska DMV Specialty Plate Relinquishment Form; County Treasurer’s Manual ch. 9
Read the Nebraska pageUtah
UTStraightforward — Utah has a named transfer
Utah State Tax Commission form TC-840; Utah Code § 41-1a-401 et seq.
Read the Utah pageFlorida
FLWorkable — Florida needs two signed statements
FLHSMV Procedure RS-27 (rev. 02/2025); form HSMV 83043
Read the Florida pageTennessee
TNWorkable — Tennessee has no dedicated form
TN DOR County Clerk Guide, "Relinquish of Rights"; form RV-F1311001
Read the Tennessee pageOnly some plates qualify
Only some plates qualify. A plate that does not never transfers to another person, at any price.
A vehicle changes hands too
The plate moves only as part of a vehicle changing hands. A real vehicle is bought and sold.
States we do not list, and why
A state is excluded where no lawful route exists for an unrelated buyer, where the state hands a released combination to whoever applies first so a buyer can pay and still not get it, or - Delaware - where a court order blocks the route the law provides. The reason for each, and the source where one is recorded.
Transfer is prohibited
Oklahoma
OKOklahoma bans it in so many words
47 O.S. § 1135.4
Read the Oklahoma pageMassachusetts
MAMassachusetts plates stay the Registrar's property
Massachusetts RMV vanity plate application certification
Read the Massachusetts pageRhode Island
RIRhode Island forbids money changing hands for a plate
280-RICR-30-10-1
Read the Rhode Island pageSelling a plate is a criminal offence
Transfer is limited to family
Pennsylvania
PAPennsylvania: registrant, spouse, parent or child only
75 Pa.C.S. § 1314(a)
Read the Pennsylvania pageOhio
OHOhio: spouse only
No statute or form recorded; rests on the group finding
Read the Ohio pageIllinois
ILIllinois: family only
No statute or form recorded; rests on the group finding
Read the Illinois pageNo way to hold the plate for a named buyer
Michigan
MIMichigan: no way to hold the plate for a named buyer
MCL 257.803b(4)
Read the Michigan pageNevada
NVNevada releases the plate to whoever applies first
NRS 482.2715; Nevada DMV form SP-67
Read the Nevada pageWashington
WAWashington: no way to hold the plate for a named buyer
No statute or form recorded; rests on the group finding
Read the Washington pageColorado
COColorado: no way to hold the plate for a named buyer
No statute or form recorded; rests on the group finding
Read the Colorado pageMinnesota
MNMinnesota: no way to hold the plate for a named buyer
No statute or form recorded; rests on the group finding
Read the Minnesota pageNew York
NYNew York: no way to hold the plate for a named buyer
No statute or form recorded; rests on the group finding
Read the New York pageNew Jersey
NJNew Jersey: no way to hold the plate for a named buyer
No statute or form recorded; rests on the group finding
Read the New Jersey pageOutside the United States
The mechanism that was verified for each market, and where it is written down. Deliberately short: these are the facts we checked, not a guide.
United Kingdom
GBA registration number is held on a V778 retention document (or V750 certificate of entitlement) and assigned to the buyer's vehicle through the DVLA. The document proves who holds the right to assign the number - DVLA calls it a right to use, not ownership - and the holder passes it by naming the buyer as nominee.
gov.uk, "Private (personalised) number plates": V778 retention document; give or sell a private number to someone
Victoria, Australia
AU-VICPersonalised plates are transferred between people through VicRoads on the transfer form.
VicRoads form DTP1142
Queensland, Australia
AU-QLDPersonalised Plates Queensland records the transfer of a plate from one holder to another.
Personalised Plates Queensland transfer
New Zealand
NZThe Act permits a plate to be sold on the open market to any other person.
Land Transport Act 1998, s 260
United Arab Emirates
AEPlates are owned under a plate ownership certificate and transferred through the emirate's traffic authority. Dubai regulates commercial plate trading: dealers may need an RTA licence, and a private sale is registered through the RTA or DMT.
RTA (Dubai) and DMT (Abu Dhabi) plate transfer services