What Louisiana custom plates cost and how long they take

Louisiana custom license plates run $75 for a standard personalized plate, plus your regular registration fee. The personalized plate itself is a one-time charge; your annual registration renewal after that costs the standard amount for your vehicle class. If you want a specialty plate — one that supports a particular organization, university, or cause — the base cost is the same $75, but some specialty plates add an extra donation or surcharge that goes to that organization.

Processing takes roughly two to four weeks from the time the Louisiana Office of Motor Vehicles receives your order. You can drive on your current plates during that wait. The new plate arrives by mail to the address on your registration.

Key Takeaways

  • Louisiana charges $75 for a personalized custom plate, paid once, separate from your annual registration renewal.
  • You can order through the Louisiana Office of Motor Vehicles website, by mail, or in person at any OMV office.
  • Your chosen plate text must be between 2 and 7 characters and cannot include spaces, punctuation, or offensive language.
  • Specialty plates that support universities, military service, or charitable causes cost the same $75 base fee but may include an additional donation.
  • Processing takes two to four weeks; you keep your current plates until the new one arrives.

How to choose and reserve your plate text

Your custom text can be 2 to 7 characters long and can include letters, numbers, or both. You cannot use spaces, hyphens, punctuation marks, or special characters. Louisiana's system will reject text that is offensive, obscene, or that mimics official government plates.

Before you pay, you need to check whether your chosen text is available. The Louisiana OMV website has a search tool where you type in what you want and it tells you when ready whether that combination is taken. If it is, you can try variations — swapping numbers for letters, shortening it, or adding a number at the end. Once you find something available, you reserve it by completing your order.

Keep in mind that availability can change. If someone else orders the same text while your order is processing, the OMV will contact you and ask you to choose a different combination before they issue the plate.

Ordering through the Louisiana OMV website

The fastest route is the Louisiana Office of Motor Vehicles website. You will need your vehicle's VIN, current registration number, and the plate text you want. The site walks you through checking availability, selecting your plate type (standard personalized or a specialty plate), and paying the $75 fee by credit or debit card.

After you submit your order online, you receive a confirmation number. Save this — you may need it if you have questions about your order status. The OMV will mail your new plate to the address on file with your registration.

Ordering by mail or in person

If you prefer not to order online, you can mail an process to the Louisiana Office of Motor Vehicles. You will need to fill out Form OMV 14 (process for Personalized License Plate), include a copy of your current registration, and mail it with a check or money order for $75 to the address listed on the form. Processing by mail takes longer — typically three to four weeks — because the OMV has to receive your envelope, process it, and mail your plate back.

You can also walk into any OMV office in Louisiana with your registration and driver's license, fill out the form in person, and pay the fee. Staff will check availability on the spot and submit your order when ready. This method gives you a receipt and confirmation right away, though your plate still takes two to four weeks to arrive by mail.

Specialty plates and what they support

Louisiana offers specialty personalized plates tied to universities (LSU, Tulane, Southern, Grambling, and others), military service branches, first responders, and charitable causes. The $75 base fee applies to all of them. Some specialty plates add an extra donation — for example, a plate supporting a particular charity might include a $10 or $25 additional contribution that goes to that organization.

When you order, you choose both your custom text and which specialty design you want. The availability check works the same way — your text has to be unique across all plate types, so if someone already has "NOLA" on a standard plate, you cannot order "NOLA" on a university plate.

What happens if your desired text is already taken

If the text you want is unavailable, the OMV website will tell you when ready. You then have two choices: try a different combination, or put your name on a waiting list if the OMV offers that option for that particular text.

Waiting lists are not may provide. The OMV does not hold plates for future release, so a waiting list only helps if the current holder does not renew their registration. This can take years. Most people find it faster to choose a variation — adding a number, using a different spelling, or shortening the text — rather than wait.

Renewing or replacing your custom plate

Your custom plate stays yours as long as you renew your vehicle registration every year. When you renew your registration, you do not pay the $75 custom plate fee again — you only pay the standard registration renewal fee for your vehicle class. The plate itself does not expire; you keep using the same one year after year.

If your plate is damaged, lost, or stolen, contact the Louisiana OMV to request a replacement. There is usually a small replacement fee (typically $10 to $15), and the OMV will mail you a new plate with the same text. If you want to change your custom text, you would need to order a new personalized plate and pay the full $75 fee again.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I transfer my custom plate to a different vehicle?

Yes. You can move a personalized plate from one vehicle to another as long as both vehicles are registered to you. Contact the OMV with your old and new vehicle information, and they will update your registration to show the plate on the new vehicle. You do not pay the $75 fee again.

What if I want to cancel my custom plate order?

If you cancel before the plate is issued, the OMV will refund your $75 fee. Once the plate has been mailed, most OMV offices do not refund the fee, though you can contact them to ask about your specific situation. If you want to stop using a custom plate in the future, you can straightforward not renew it and request a standard plate at your next registration renewal.

Can I use numbers that look like letters, like 0 for O or 1 for I?

Yes. Louisiana allows you to mix numbers and letters, so "N0LA" or "LSU1" are valid. The system treats them as the characters you enter, so "N0LA" (with a zero) is different from "NOLA" (with the letter O) and both can exist as separate plates.

How do I check if a plate is available before I go to the OMV office?

Use the availability search tool on the Louisiana OMV website. Type in your desired text and it will tell you when ready whether it is taken. You do not need to create an account or provide any personal information — the search is free and open to anyone.

Do I have to keep my old license plate after I get my custom plate?

No. Once your new custom plate arrives, you can dispose of your old plate. Many people keep them as a memento, but you are not required to. The OMV does not ask for the old plate back.