What a Pennsylvania personalized plate costs and how long it takes
A personalized license plate in Pennsylvania costs $61 for the initial plate, plus your regular registration fee. Renewal costs $36 every two years when you renew your registration. The plate itself takes about two to three weeks to arrive by mail after PennDOT approves your request.
You can order through PennDOT's online system or by mail. The online route is faster — you'll know within hours whether your chosen text is available. By mail, the process takes longer because PennDOT has to manually check availability and process your payment.
Pennsylvania allows up to seven characters on a personalized plate, including letters, numbers, and spaces. You cannot use special characters like hyphens, asterisks, or ampersands. The state also blocks combinations that are offensive, sexually explicit, or that spell out profanity when read aloud or in sequence.
Key Takeaways
- Personalized plates cost $61 upfront plus your regular registration fee, then $36 every two years at renewal.
- You can order online through PennDOT's website and learn about your text is available within hours.
- Pennsylvania allows up to seven characters — letters, numbers, and spaces only — and rejects combinations that are offensive or spell profanity.
- Your plate arrives by mail in two to three weeks after approval; you cannot use it until it arrives.
- If someone else already has your chosen text, you must pick a different combination — there is no waitlist.
Ordering online through PennDOT
Go to the PennDOT website and select "Personalized Plate" under the registration services menu. You will need your current vehicle registration number and your driver's license number. Enter your desired text and the system will tell you when ready whether it is available.
If your text is available, you proceed to payment. PennDOT accepts credit and debit cards online. You will receive a confirmation number by email. At this point, your order is submitted to PennDOT for final review — they do a second check to make sure the combination meets their standards.
Approval usually happens within 24 to 48 hours. PennDOT will send you an email confirming approval or rejection. If rejected, you can log back in and try a different combination without paying again. Once approved, your plate is manufactured and shipped to your address.
Ordering by mail if you prefer not to go online
read the MV-44 form from PennDOT's website or request one by phone at 717-787-2937. Fill in your vehicle information, your desired personalized text, and your payment information. Mail the form to PennDOT along with a check or money order for $61.
Processing by mail takes three to four weeks because staff must manually check availability, verify your information, and process your payment. You will not know whether your text is available until PennDOT responds by mail. If your choice is taken, they will reject your request and return your payment — you then have to resubmit with a different text.
This route is slower and less convenient than ordering online, but it is an option if you do not have internet access or prefer to pay by check.
What happens if your desired text is already taken
Pennsylvania does not hold personalized plates or maintain a waitlist. If someone else already has the text you want, that combination is not available to you. You must choose something different.
When ordering online, the system shows you when ready that your text is taken. You can try variations — adding a number, using a different spelling, or shortening the phrase. Many people find success by thinking of alternative words or abbreviations that convey the same meaning.
There is no way to reserve a plate or be notified if someone else's personalized plate is returned. If you see a plate you want on the road, there is no mechanism to request it when that person's registration expires.
Rules about what text PennDOT will reject
PennDOT's guidelines block text that is vulgar, sexually explicit, or that spells profanity when read aloud or in sequence. They also reject combinations that could be mistaken for official government plates or that impersonate law enforcement.
The state does not publish a complete list of rejected words, so you may not know exactly why a combination was denied until you submit it. If your request is rejected, you can try again with different text. Common rejections include obvious profanity, slurs, and drug references.
Borderline cases — text that is crude but not explicitly profane — are reviewed by staff and decisions can vary. If you believe your rejection was unfair, you can contact PennDOT's registration section at 717-787-2937 to ask for clarification, though the decision is final.
Transferring a personalized plate to a new vehicle
If you buy a new vehicle and want to keep your personalized plate, you can transfer it without paying the $61 fee again. You pay only the regular registration fee for the new vehicle.
When you register your new vehicle, tell PennDOT that you want to transfer your existing personalized plate. If you are registering online, there is usually an option to select an existing plate. If you are registering by mail or in person, include a note with your old plate number and request the transfer.
Your old plate will be deactivated and your new plate will be manufactured with the same text. The process takes the same two to three weeks as a new order. You cannot drive with the personalized plate on your new vehicle until the new plate arrives in the mail.
Renewing a personalized plate at registration time
When your vehicle registration expires, you renew your personalized plate at the same time. The renewal fee is $36 for two years — less than the initial $61 because you are not paying for a new plate to be manufactured, only for the registration itself.
If you renew online through PennDOT, the personalized plate renews automatically unless you choose to remove it. If you renew by mail, your renewal notice will show your personalized plate; you do not need to do anything special to keep it.
If you decide you no longer want the personalized plate, you can switch back to a standard plate at renewal time. You will not get a refund for the remaining time on your personalized plate, but your renewal cost will drop to the standard registration fee.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use numbers and letters together on a personalized plate?
Yes. Pennsylvania allows any combination of letters, numbers, and spaces up to seven characters total. Many people use numbers to replace letters — for example, "4EVER" instead of "FOREVER" — to fit longer phrases or to make the plate more visually distinctive.
What if I want to remove my personalized plate and go back to a standard plate?
You can switch back at any time, but the easiest time is at registration renewal. Contact PennDOT or select the option to remove the personalized plate when you renew. You will not receive a refund for the unused portion of your personalized plate fee, but your next registration will cost the standard amount.
Do I have to use my personalized plate right away, or can I keep it in storage?
You must display your personalized plate on your vehicle once it arrives. Pennsylvania law requires you to display a valid license plate at all times while the vehicle is registered. You cannot store a personalized plate and use a standard plate instead — the plate on your vehicle must match your registration.
Can I order a personalized plate for a vehicle that is not yet registered?
No. You need an active vehicle registration to order a personalized plate. If you just bought a vehicle, register it first with a standard plate, then request the personalized plate upgrade. Some people do this when ready after registration to minimize the time they drive with a standard plate.
How do I know if my personalized plate text might be rejected before I pay?
The online system will not tell you in advance whether text is offensive — it only checks availability. If you are unsure, you can call PennDOT at 717-787-2937 and describe your desired text to a staff member. They can give you feedback on whether it is likely to be approved, though the final decision happens after you submit your order.