Registration & Plates

Flying Our Colors Plate

The special fees collected for this plate will be credited to a flood mitigation fund administered by the Iowa Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management.

Please note there are different requirements depending upon plate choice. Be sure to review the specific information for each plate (motorcycle or small plates cannot have more than six letters/characters).

Eligible vehicles

  • Automobiles
  • Multipurpose vehicles
  • Sport utility vehicles
  • Vans
  • Motorcycles
  • Trucks
  • Motor homes
  • Trailers and travel trailers


Numbered plates

  • $35 initial fee to the Flood Mitigation Fund
  • $10 annual renewal fee for the Flood Mitigation Fund at time of renewal
  • Annual registration renewal fee

Personalized plates

  • $60 initial fee ($25 plate fee + $35 for the Flood Mitigation Fund)
  • $15 annual renewal fee ($5 validation fee + $10 for the Flood Mitigation Fund) 
  • Annual registration renewal fee
Personalized license plates may consist of up to seven characters and numbers. All personalized plate choices must have at least two characters.
  • No punctuation marks are allowed
  • No denoting a government agency (i.e., DOT)
  • No display of characters that are sexual in connotation
  • No characters suggesting profane, obscene or inflammatory words or phrases, or those contrary to public policy
  • No characters or words defined in dictionaries as a term of vulgarity, contempt, prejudice, hostility, insult, or racial or ethnic degradation
  • No characters considered to be offensive
  • No characters that conflict with the regular license numbering system
  • Recognized as a swear word
  • Reference to an illegal substance or criminal act
  • Any foreign word falling in any of these categories
  • Cannot be all numbers

How to apply

Random-numbered plates

Random-numbered plates are available at your local county treasurer's office.

Personalized plates

Order personalized plates online (You will need an Iowa Driver's license or ID and a credit card to complete the transaction.)

Your plates will be sent to your county treasurer's office and staff will notify you when your plates are available. Typical processing time is 3-6 weeks. Check the status of your plate order. Plates must be assigned to a vehicle within 90 days or the plates will be voided and no refund issued. Your current plates must be exchanged for your new plates.


For questions

Department of Transportation

Iowa Department of Transportation

800 Lincoln Way
Ames, IA 50010

Phone

515-239-1101

How can we help?

Contact the Iowa DOT or report an issue