Registration Information

It's required

Before you can get on the road with your motor vehicle, motorcycle, tractor truck, trailer or semitrailer, (§46.2-600) you're required to title and register it at one of our customer service centers (CSCs) or a DMV Select office.

You will need additional information to title and register a vehicle if you are a new Virginia resident or lease your vehicle.

Before operating a vehicle in Virginia, it must pass an annual safety inspection and display a valid safety inspection sticker. Be warned: if you drive your vehicle without an inspection sticker, you may be ticketed by law enforcement. A conviction for violating Virginia inspection laws could result in a fine and be posted to your driving record. For information about safety inspections, or to find safety inspection stations near you, contact the Virginia State Police at www.vsp.virginia.gov or (804) 674-6774.

What You Need to Bring with You

Your vehicle must be titled in Virginia prior to registration.

Once titled, complete an Application for Registration (VSA 14) and present:

The completed Application for Registration VSA14.
Your emissions certificate if your vehicle is garaged in the counties of Arlington, Fairfax, Loudoun, Prince William, or Stafford, or in the cities of Alexandria, Fairfax, Falls Church, Manassas, or Manassas Park. Motorcycles are not required to have an emissions inspection.

Note: When you have your vehicle's emissions system inspected, the emissions inspection station will electronically update your DMV vehicle record with the test results immediately. When registering your vehicle, DMV will not ask you for emissions information unless your vehicle failed the test or this information has not been received from the inspection station.
To purchase license plates or decals, you must certify that the vehicle is covered by the minimum insurance requirements or pay the uninsured motor vehicle fee. Your insurance carrier must be authorized to conduct business in Virginia. Virginia requires the following minimum coverage:
- Bodily injury/death of one person: $25,000
- Bodily injury/death of two or more persons: $50,000
- Property damage: $20,000
Note: If liability insurance coverage on a vehicle terminates or cancels during the registration period, either reinsure the vehicle, pay the uninsured motor vehicle fee or surrender the license plates to DMV.

Fees

Your registration fee is determined by the empty weight or gross weight of your vehicle, the type of license plate you purchase and whether you register for more than one year. If you register your vehicle for two years, you will receive a $2 discount. You can save even more when you renew your registration for three years online or by telephone. If you renew your registration for three years, you will receive a $3 discount.

For convenience and fun, register your vehicle for two or three years and purchase one of our special plates.

Two- and three-year registrations are not available if your vehicle has a gross weight of 55,000 pounds or more, is registered under the International Registration Plan, or if you have paid the uninsured motor vehicle fee.

The three year registration is not available when you initially register your vehicle. In addition, the three year registration is not available if your vehicle is garaged in Arlington, Fairfax, Loudoun, Prince William, Stafford, Alexandria, Fairfax, Falls Church, Manassas or Manassas Park, since vehicles in these localities are subject to an every-other-year emissions inspection.

Your License Plates

DMV will issue you two license plates, decals showing the expiration date and a registration card. Place the decals on the plates. Place the plates on the front and rear of your vehicle so that they are securely fastened and clearly visible. If your vehicle is a motorcycle, tractor truck, semitrailer or trailer, DMV will issue you one license plate for the vehicle. It is illegal to mount colored glass, plastic, or any other type of covering on your license plates that alters or obscures the letters, numbers, decals or the state where the vehicle is registered and when the registration expires. (§46.2-716) Keep the registration card with you whenever you operate the vehicle.

Registration Renewal

After your first registration, DMV will mail your renewal notice prior to the expiration date of your registration. You can renew your registration by telephone, mail or renew online or at any DMV Select or customer service center.

A new Virginia law, effective July 1, 2008, encourages customers to save money and time by renewing vehicle registrations (decals) online, by telephone, through the mail or a DMV Select.
If you renew in person at a customer service center, you'll pay an additional $5 fee for each vehicle registration renewal transaction.
If you renew your vehicle registration for two years, you receive a $2 discount.
If you renew your registration by telephone, you can renew for three years and receive a $3 discount. Additionally, if you renew your registration online, you can renew for three years and receive a $4 discount (a $3 discount for a three year renewal and an additional $1 discount for using the internet).
The discounts for Internet and two-year or three-year renewals are not prorated and not refundable if the registration is canceled before it expires.
Here are your registration renewal service options:
- Internet. Renew online at www.dmvNOW.com, receive a $1 discount, and avoid the $5 fee. Renew for two years and receive an additional $2 discount (for a total discount of $3) or renew for three years and receive an additional $3 discount (for a total discount of $4).
- Telephone. Renew by using the DMV automated service (1-888-337-4782) to avoid the $5 fee. Additionally, when you renew for one, two or three years you will receive a discount of $1 for each year.
- Mail. Avoid the $5 fee by mailing in the vehicle renewal notice. Most customers receive their vehicle registration materials within five days, but U.S. mail delivery times vary. Please allow 15 days to receive your decals before contacting DMV.
- DMV Select. Visit one of the 50 DMV Select offices in Virginia to avoid the $5 fee. Visit www.dmvNOW.com for a list of DMV Select locations.
- Customer Service Centers. Customers who renew their vehicle registrations in a CSC beginning July 1, 2008 will pay an additional $5. The fee will not apply if your registration renewal is conducted with another transaction for you, and the second transaction cannot be completed online, by mail, by telephone or at a DMV Select location.
  
  Only a few transactions must be completed at a CSC, such as an application for an original driver's license.

Military Returning From Outside the United States

Active military members who are stationed and own vehicles garaged outside Virginia and return to the Commonwealth have 72 hours to obtain a current vehicle inspection sticker. Also, if you own a vehicle registered in Virginia and are serving, or have served, outside of the United States on active duty military service, the Code of Virginia, §46.2-221.4, grants you a 90-day grace period, from the date you return to the United States, in which to renew your current registration. The grace period applies to qualifying vehicles only. To be eligible for the grace period, the vehicle must:

Be owned or leased by you while you were serving outside of the United States in the armed services of the United States;
Have had valid registration issued by DMV at the time you began service in the armed forces outside of the United States;
Be properly insured;
Display the latest license plates and decals issued by DMV for the vehicle;
AND
Be operated only by you, or another person who qualifies for the grace period, while possessing:
- Orders or other military documentation demonstrating that you, or they, are entitled to the grace period;
  AND
- The latest registration card issued by DMV for the vehicle.

If possible, you may renew your qualifying vehicle registration prior to returning to Virginia. You do not have to wait until you are in the grace period to renew.

Local Vehicle Registration Program

DMV also collects the local vehicle registration fee for localities that participate in the Local Vehicle Registration Program.

State Agencies:

Refer to state-owned vehicles for additional information.