If you are looking to surrender license plates no longer in use, or replace license plates that have been lost, stolen, or damaged, read the information in the sections below.  Information on how to transfer license plates when changing vehicles is also located below.  If you want to find out more about standard issue or specialized license plates, please go to Plate Types.

 

How to Surrender New Jersey License Plates (Not in Use)

Option 1 — Surrender in Person
You can bring your NJ plates to any Motor Vehicle Commission (MVC) agency.
You may:

• Hand them to staff inside the agency, or
• Place them in the plate drop box located outside the agency.
  Important notes:
• MVC does not accept out of state plates. Those must be returned to the issuing state.
• Plates cannot be surrendered at inspection stations.
• A receipt will be mailed to you as proof of surrender.
• If you need a receipt immediately (for example, to clear a suspension), tell the staff at the greeter desk.

Option 2 — Surrender by Mail

• You can mail your plates to the following agencies:

  BAYONNE
  RT 440 & 1347 Kennedy Blvd.
  Family Dollar Plaza
  Bayonne, NJ 07002

CARDIFF
6725 Black Horse Pike
Harbor Square
Egg Harbor Twp., NJ 08234-3935

DELANCO
400 Creek Road
Delanco, NJ 08075

EAST ORANGE
183 South 18th Street
East Orange, NJ 07018

EDISON
45 Kilmer Road
Edison, NJ 08817

FREEHOLD
811 Okerson Road
Freehold, NJ 07728

HAZLET
1374 State Route 36
Airport Plaza Mall
Hazlet, NJ 07730

JERSEY CITY
438 Summit Avenue
Jersey City, NJ 07307

LAKEWOOD
Leisure Center
1195 Route 70, Store 9
Lakewood, NJ 08701

NEWTON
51 Sparta Avenue
Newton, NJ 07860

NORTH BERGEN
Park Plaza
8901 Park Plaza
L90th & Bergenline Avenue
North Bergen, NJ 07047

OAKLAND
Copper Tree Mall
350 Ramapo Valley Road
Suite 24
Oakland, NJ 07436

RAHWAY
1140 Woodbridge Road & Hazelwood Ave
Rahway, NJ 07065

RANDOLPH
160 Canfield Avenue
Randolph, NJ 07869

RIO GRANDE
3305 Bay Shore Road
North Cape May, NJ 08204

SALEM
Finlaw Building
199 East Broadway
Salem, NJ 08079

SOMERVILLE
10 Roosevelt Place
Somerville, NJ 08876

SOUTH BRUNSWICK
2236 Route 130 North
Dayton, NJ 08810

VINELAND
9 West Park Avenue
Vineland, NJ 08360

WASHINGTON
Port Colden Mall
404 State Route 57 East
Washington, NJ 07882

You must include:

• The plates
• A self addressed, stamped envelope so the MVC can mail your surrender receipt back to you

Keep the receipt in case any charges are mistakenly linked to those plates later.

Dealer and IRP plates

• International registration plan (IRP) Plates - All IRP plates mailed to PO BOX 133 Trenton NJ 08666
• Dealer Plates - Mailed to the Business Licensing Service via PO BOX 179 Trenton NJ 08666

Reporting lost or stolen plates

For a vehicle currently in use

• If your plates were stolen, a report should be filed with local police and that report should be brought into the agency with you.
• If one or both of your plates were stolen or lost, you must visit a motor vehicle agency to obtain a replacement(s).
• At the agency, you will need to complete a Vehicle Registration/Plate Status (Form BA-1 found only at motor vehicle agencies), to report the plates as lost or stolen. This form marks the verification status.
• Save the verification in a safe place as proof that you notified the MVC.

 For a vehicle no longer owned by you

• Notify the MVC in writing.
• Provide a signed statement describing what happened; include a police report if your plates were stolen.
• Be sure to include your name, mailing address, license plate number, and signature..
• Mail to:

  New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission
  Customer Advocacy Office
  P.O. Box 403
  Trenton, NJ 08666-0403

• You will receive verification of the updated license plate status in the mail. Save the verification in a safe place as proof that you notified the MVC.

 

Replacing lost or stolen plates

To replace lost or stolen plates with new ones containing the next available number:

• Make an official police report to the municipality where the plates were stolen and obtain a copy of the report for your records.
• Visit a motor vehicle agency and present the current registration and required identification.
• Pay the $6 fee for standard plates or the $11 fee for special interest /dedicated replacements.

 

Replacing damaged plates

To replace your damaged plates you must:

• Visit a motor vehicle agency.
• Present the current registration and required identification.
• Pay the $6 fee for standard plates or the $11 fee for special interest or dedicated plates. 
• You will be issued a replacement set.
• You must surrender your old plates (see above).

To obtain duplicate plates with the same plate number, you can do one of the following:

• Visit a motor vehicle agency to obtain the Application for Remaking an Existing Plate (Form SPU-89); or,
• Download the application (Form SPU-89).
• Call the MVC at (609) 633-8857 to request the Application for Remaking an Existing Plate (Form SPU-89) and a return envelope.
• Submit the application with a copy of your registration and a check or money order for $11 to the address on the application, or use return envelope if provided.
• Duplicate plates will be sent to you through the mail in approximately 10 - 12 weeks.

 

Transferring plates

When you change vehicles, you can transfer your plates to the new vehicle so long as the vehicle is registered in the same name as the previous vehicle and the vehicles are the same class, i.e. car to car, truck to truck.

• To complete this transaction, you must visit a motor vehicle agency.
• Present the new title and registration you want to transfer as well as proper identification.

Note:  If you sell a vehicle and do not transfer its plates to another vehicle, you must surrender the old plates (see above).