What Texas personalized plates cost and how to order one

A personalized license plate in Texas costs $90 for the initial issuance, plus your regular vehicle registration fee. You renew it every two years for $45 along with your standard registration renewal. The plate itself takes about two to three weeks to arrive by mail after the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles approves your request.

You can order a personalized plate through the Texas DMV website, by mail, or in person at a local county tax assessor's office. The online route is fastest — you design your plate, pay the fee, and receive a confirmation number when ready. If the DMV rejects your design (usually because the combination is already taken or contains prohibited content), you can try again at no extra cost.

Your personalized plate must be between 2 and 8 characters long. You can use letters, numbers, and spaces, but the DMV has a list of words and phrases it will not approve. Anything offensive, sexually explicit, or that mimics an official government plate gets rejected. The system tells you right away whether your choice is available.

Key Takeaways

  • Personalized plates in Texas cost $90 to order initially and $45 to renew every two years, on top of your regular registration fees.
  • You can order online through the Texas DMV website, by mail with a completed form, or at your county tax assessor's office.
  • Your plate design must be 2 to 8 characters and cannot contain words or phrases the DMV has flagged as prohibited.
  • The DMV approves or rejects your design within a few business days, and approved plates arrive by mail in two to three weeks.
  • If your first choice is taken or rejected, you can submit a new design when ready without paying another fee.

Ordering online through the Texas DMV website

Go to the Texas DMV website and select "Order a Personalized License Plate" under the registration section. You will need your vehicle's VIN, current license plate number, and driver's license number. The system will ask you to design your plate by typing in your chosen characters and showing you a preview of how it will look.

Once you submit your design, the DMV checks it against their prohibited list and their database of plates already issued. If it passes, you pay $90 by credit or debit card and receive a confirmation number. If it is rejected, the system tells you why and lets you try a different design when ready. There is no charge for resubmissions.

After approval, the DMV mails your plate to the address on file with your vehicle registration. You should receive it within two to three weeks. Keep your confirmation number in case you need to check the status or contact the DMV about your order.

Ordering by mail or at a county office

If you prefer not to order online, you can complete form VTR-130 (process for Personalized License Plate) and mail it to the Texas DMV with a check or money order for $90. The form is available on the Texas DMV website. Include your vehicle's VIN, current plate number, and the personalized design you want.

Processing by mail takes longer — typically four to six weeks total, including mail delivery time both ways. The DMV will mail you a rejection notice if your design is not approved, and you can resubmit with a different choice.

You can also walk into your county tax assessor's office with the same form and payment. Staff there can submit your process on the spot, though they cannot approve or reject designs themselves — that still happens at the DMV level. This route is useful if you want to handle it in person and get a receipt when ready.

What the DMV will and will not approve

The Texas DMV maintains a list of prohibited words and phrases that will automatically be rejected. These include profanity, slurs, sexually explicit content, and anything that could impersonate a government agency or official plate type. The system checks your design against this list before you even pay.

Designs that are too similar to existing plates also get rejected. If someone already has "TEXAS1" and you request "TEXAS 1" (with a space), the DMV will likely deny it to avoid confusion. The system checks this automatically, so you will know when ready whether your exact choice is available.

You cannot use special characters, symbols, or punctuation marks other than spaces. Numbers and letters only. If you want a plate that reads like a word or phrase but uses numbers in place of letters (like "T3XAS"), that is allowed as long as it does not violate content rules.

Renewing your personalized plate

When your vehicle registration is due for renewal, your personalized plate renews automatically unless you request a change. The renewal fee is $45 every two years, added to your standard registration renewal cost. You do not need to reorder the plate or resubmit your design — the DMV straightforward extends the authorization.

If you want to change your personalized design at renewal time, you can submit a new design through the same online system or by mail. You will pay the full $90 issuance fee again, not just the $45 renewal fee. The old plate becomes invalid once the new one is approved and mailed to you.

If you decide you no longer want a personalized plate and want to return to a standard plate, you can request that during renewal. You will pay only the standard registration fee with no personalized plate surcharge.

What happens if your design is rejected

The DMV sends a rejection notice by mail explaining why your design was not approved. Common reasons include the design being already in use, containing prohibited content, or being too similar to an existing plate. The notice will tell you which rule your design violated.

You can when ready submit a new design at no extra cost. If you ordered online, you can try again right away. If you ordered by mail, you can either mail in a new form or switch to the online system to resubmit faster. There is no limit to how many times you can resubmit different designs.

If you believe the DMV made an error in rejecting your design, you can contact the Texas DMV directly with your confirmation number and ask them to review the decision. Include an explanation of why you think the design should be approved. Response times vary, but the DMV will send you a written decision.

Transferring or replacing a personalized plate

If you sell your vehicle, your personalized plate stays with you — it does not transfer to the new owner. You can request to keep the plate and have it transferred to a different vehicle you own. You will need to submit a form and pay a transfer fee (currently $20) through the Texas DMV.

If your personalized plate is lost, stolen, or damaged, you can request a replacement through the DMV. A replacement plate costs $20. You will need to report the loss or damage and provide your current plate number or confirmation number.

If you want to retire a personalized plate and not use it on any vehicle, you can surrender it to the DMV. Once surrendered, that design becomes available for someone else to order.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use numbers and letters together on a personalized plate?

Yes. Your plate can be any combination of letters, numbers, and spaces, as long as it is between 2 and 8 characters total. For example, "TX2023" or "LONE STAR" are both valid formats. The DMV will check whether your specific combination is already in use.

How long does it take to get my personalized plate after approval?

After the DMV approves your design, the plate is manufactured and mailed to you. This usually takes two to three weeks from the approval date. If you ordered online, you will receive a confirmation number when ready; if you ordered by mail, allow an extra week or two for mail delivery of your process.

What if someone else has the personalized plate I want?

You cannot have it. Texas does not have a waitlist for personalized plates. If your first choice is taken, you will need to design a different plate. You can try variations — for example, if "TEXAS" is taken, you might try "TEXAS1" or "TX PRIDE" — but the DMV will reject any design that is already in use.

Can I order a personalized plate for a vehicle I do not own yet?

No. You must have a registered vehicle in Texas to order a personalized plate. The process requires your vehicle's VIN and current license plate number. Once you purchase a new vehicle and register it, you can then order a personalized plate for it.

Is there a way to check if a design is available before I pay?

Yes, if you order online. The Texas DMV website shows you when ready whether your design is available and approved. If you order by mail, you will not know until the DMV processes your process and sends you a response, which takes several weeks.