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Surrender of License Plates

Surrendering License Plates

Sold your vehicle? Cancelled your vehicle liability insurance?

If so, Virginia Code section 46.2-707 requires you to immediately surrender your license plates and/or vehicle registration to the nearest DMV customer service center. If you have cancelled your vehicle liability insurance coverage but wish to keep your license plates, contact DMV to deactivate your vehicle registration. Remember, it's illegal to drive your vehicle when the vehicle registration is deactivated. Once you have re-insured your vehicle, contact DMV to reactivate your vehicle registration.

Not complying with this law may result in severe penalties. If you are found uninsured and have not paid the Uninsured Motor Vehicle fee, your driving and vehicle registration privileges will be suspended. To have these privileges reinstated you will need to:

  • pay a $500 statutory fee;
  • file a Financial Responsibility Insurance Certificate (SR-22) with DMV for three years;
  • pay a $145 reinstatement fee if the order of suspension goes into effect.

If your registration has a full six months or more remaining before it expires, you may qualify for a partial refund. Simply complete an Application for Vehicle Registration Refund form (form FMS-210) and return it to DMV. Refunds generally take 30 days to process.