West Virginia also has a variety of specialty and personalized plates to choose from, which cost more. Additional taxes and fees apply to both new and renewal registrations.
Let’s get into the details of license plate costs in the state of West Virginia.
How much is a WV plate?
The Cost of License Plates in West Virginia
West Virginia license plate costs range from $0 to $93.13, depending on which type of plate you choose.
Here are the options West Virginia offers for passenger vehicle plates:
- Standard passenger plates
- Personalized plates
- Specialty plates
- Military plates
- Disability plates
How Much is a Standard License Plate in West Virginia?
In West Virginia, the standard passenger vehicle plate is included in the vehicle registration price.
You’ll receive the classic blue and gold “Wild Wonderful” plates when:
- Registering a vehicle in your name
- Replacing lost, damaged, or stolen license plates
- Trading down from specialty plates for standard plates
For more info on West Virginia’s license plate types, visit the official West Virginia Division Of Motor Vehicles page.
How much is a personalized plate?
How Much is a Personalized License Plate in West Virginia?
Want to make a statement? West Virginia personalized plates cost anywhere from $66.50 to $93.13. They are also referred to as vanity plates, and they let you customize your ride with a unique letter and number combo.
When selecting the lettering for your custom West Virginia plates, there are some restrictions:
- You can choose up to 8 total characters and spaces
- No special characters or punctuation can be used
- Offensive or inappropriate words and phrases are prohibited
How much is a specialty plate?
How Much is a West Virginia Special License Plate?
Show some team spirit or support a cause with specialty plates. You can sport plates that support your favorite West Virginia college, cause, or organization.
A West Virginia specialty license plate costs between $51.50 to $76.50 on top of the registration fee.
Here are the most popular specialty plate designs:
- Friends of coal
- Mountaineer
- Saltwater
- Pets unleashed
- Conserve wildlife
- 150th anniversary
- Breast cancer awareness
- WV Tech
How Much is a West Virginia Military License Plate?
West Virginia offers over 15 different military license plate designs to honor those who served.
West Virginia military plate options include the following:
- Disabled veteran plates: $15 one-time fee
- Ex-prisoner of war: $15 one-time fee
- Purple Heart recipients: No fee if verified
- National Guard: $55.50 annual specialty plate fee
- All other veteran plates: $55.50 annual specialty plate fee
West Virginia provides discounted or free license plates to verified disabled veterans, former POWs, Purple Heart recipients, and other service members. Most specialty military plates cost $55.50 per year.
How much is a handicap car tag?
How Much is a West Virginia Disability License Plate and Placard?
West Virginia offers disability license plates and placards to accommodate disabled residents.
These provide designated parking access and other privileges.
1. Disabled license plate: $51.50 annually
2. Permanent disability placard: $51.50 plus $5 renewal fee every 5 years
3. Temporary disability placard: $5
4. Replacement placard: $5
To apply, complete the disabled plate or placard application and doctor’s certification of disability to your local DMV office.
How much is a commercial vehicle plate?
How Much is a Commercial Vehicle License Plate in West Virginia?
How much is a motorcycle plate?
How Much is a Motorcycle License Plate in West Virginia?
How much is a trailer plate?
How Much is a Trailer Plate In West Virginia?
How much is an RV plate?
How Much is a Motor Home (RV) Plate In West Virginia?
What do I do with old license plates in WV?
What to Do With my Old Plate in West Virginia?
When you sell your used car in West Virginia, you must dispose of your old plate properly.
Here are the options for old West Virginia plates:
1. Return: the DMV will take back the old plate when issuing a new one. This is the safest option.
2. Recycle: remove any stickers and recycle the plate through local recycling.
3. Keep: some choose to save the old plate as memorabilia. Be sure to invalidate any active stickers first.
4. Transfer: West Virginia allows you to put your old plate on another vehicle you own. Make sure to check with your DMV office for the proper paperwork for a plate transfer.
It’s always a good idea to deface your old license plate before returning or recycling it. This prevents someone else from illegally using it. Always remove registration stickers before disposing of your plate.
See our state-by-state guide to license plates to learn which states require removal from the vehicle and which states allow the plates to remain with the vehicle when it’s sold.
License Plate Trivia
Here are some interesting facts about West Virginia license plates:
- Passenger license plates measure 6 by 12 inches and are rectangular—in West Virginia and across the US.
- Motorcycle license plates are a bit smaller, measuring 4 by 7 inches.
- The West Virginia license plate has up to eight characters. (Across the US, license plate formats range from 6 to 8 characters.)
West Virginia vehicle registration
How Much are Registration Fees in West Virginia?
The annual registration fee for passenger vehicles in West Virginia is $51.50.
To register your vehicle with the West Virginia DMV, you will need to submit:
- Proof of ownership
- Completed application for registration
- Proof of insurance
- Driver’s license or ID
- Payment for regular registration fees: $51.50
- Payment for any municipal fees that apply based on location
- Payment for WV sales tax: 6% of vehicle purchase price
How do I transfer a title in West Virginia?
How Much are Title Transfer Fees in West Virginia?
- Proof of identification and West Virginia residency
- Valid certificate of title
- Proof of insurance
- A notarized bill of sale (Form 7-TR)
- Odometer disclosure statement
- Payment for the titling fees: $15
- Payment for the lien fee: $10 (if applicable)
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License Plates FAQ
How much is a WV duplicate license plate?
If you need to replace a lost, damaged, or stolen license plate in West Virginia, you can request a duplicate plate through the DMV.
The fees for a duplicate passenger vehicle plate are:
- $10.50 for a single plate ($10 fee + $0.50 reflectorization fee)
- $10.00 for a replacement license plate decal
So if you just need one replacement plate, it costs $10.50. If you need a whole new set of front and rear plates, the fee is $21 total through the West Virginia DMV.
How much is the West Virginia biennial registration fee?
West Virginia provides passenger vehicle owners a choice between annual and biennial registration renewal. Biennial registration (valid for 2 years) costs $102.
How much is a duplicate registration certificate in West Virginia?
The fee for a duplicate registration is $10. To apply for a duplicate registration card you will need to submit the following to your local DMV office:
– Completed application for a duplicate registration certificate (Form 32-TR)
– Drivers license or other proof of identity
– Payment for the duplicate registration card fee: $10
What is the DMV5TR form used for?
The affidavit of transfer of ownership without consideration (Form DMV5TR), is a form used in West Virginia to transfer the ownership of a vehicle without any consideration.
Here are some of the situations where you may need to use the ownership without consideration form:
– You are giving a vehicle to a family member or friend as a gift.
– You are trading in a vehicle for a new one.
– You are donating a vehicle to a charity.
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Dana Marchlowitz
Contributing Author
Dana is a seasoned executive with a strong background in startups and product management. Currently serving as the Chief Product Officer for PrivateAuto, Dana brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the role….