In the Vehicle Registration guide
California license plates — types, personalized, veteran & replacement
Reviewed by the DMVCA editorial team · updated June 29, 2026
California issues one standard plate with every registration — and a long catalog of special, personalized, veteran, collector, and disabled-person plates on top of it. The naming trips people up, so this cluster lays out what each type actually is, what it costs (most “it depends on the program”), and how to order, replace, or move one.
A standard plate is free with your registration. Everything else adds an initial fee and, usually, an annual amount to keep it — the exact figures live on the REG 17, not in a single number, because they vary by plate program.
Standard plate
Included
with registration
Personalized (ELP)
Varies by program
Special-interest
Varies
funds a cause
Disabled-person plates
Free
Replacement
REG 156
Order/transfer
REG 17
Annual retention
To hold a plate
Every California plate type
What each is, who it's for, and how the fee works. Most non-standard plates renew with an annual add-on.
Plate typeWho it's for / what it isFee
Standard The default plate, issued with your registrationIncluded
Personalized (ELP) Your own letters/numbers — the Environmental License Plate is the original personalized plateVaries by program
Special-interest A cause design whose fee funds a program (Yosemite, Coastal, Pet Lover, and the 1960s Legacy plate)Varies by program
Veterans' Organizations A donation plate supporting veterans' causes — open to anyoneVaries (donation)
Disabled Veteran (DV) Honorably discharged veterans with a qualifying disabilitySee DMV
Special Recognition Military honors — Purple Heart, Medal of Honor, Gold Star Family, ex-POW, Legion of Valor, Pearl HarborReduced / no fee by program
Disabled Person (DP) A disabled driver's own vehicle — affixed to that carFree
Year of Manufacture (YOM) Genuine period plates on a matching-era vehicle (REG 352) — not a reissued designSee DMV
Decision guide
Which plate are you after?
If you… → you need…
You want your own letters and numbers Personalized (ELP) plate ›
You want a design that supports a cause Special-interest plate ›
You're an honorably discharged veteran Veteran or military plates ›
You're a disabled driver and it's your own car DP plates (or a placard that moves between cars) ›
You're putting real period plates on a classic Year-of-Manufacture plate ›
Your plate was lost, stolen, or damaged Replace it (REG 156) ›
The categories that trip people up
Where the naming is confusing — veteran plates, and personalized vs special-interest vs collector plates.
Veteran & military plates are three different things
- Veterans' Organizations — a special-interest donation plate that anyone can buy to support veterans' causes
- Disabled Veteran (DV) — for honorably discharged veterans with a qualifying service-connected disability
- Special Recognition — military-honor plates such as Purple Heart, Medal of Honor, Gold Star Family, and ex-POW
Personalized, special-interest, and collector plates aren't the same
- Personalized (ELP) is your own characters — you can add personalization on top of many plate designs
- Special-interest is a cause design; the 1960s Legacy plate is one of these (a reissued retro design, not an antique)
- Year of Manufacture (YOM) is the opposite of Legacy — you supply genuine period plates for a matching-era vehicle, authenticated by DMV (REG 352)
Keeping a plate when you sell the car
- Reassign the plate to another vehicle you own, or hold it for later by paying the annual retention fee — both via REG 17
- Or surrender it to the DMV
Plate fees
Cluster-level summary.
Personalized & special-interest plates Varies by program
Duplicate / replacement plates $28
How to
Order, replace, or move a plate
The three things people actually do with plates.
1
Order a personalized or special-interest plate
Apply with a Special Interest/Personalized License Plate (REG 17). Ordering is also available online; you pay the program's initial fee, then an annual renewal add-on to keep it.
2
Replace a lost, stolen, or damaged plate
File a Application for Replacement Plates, Stickers, Documents (REG 156) and surrender any remaining plate. Special plates use their own form (REG 17, 17A, 88, or 230).
3
Move or keep a plate
Use REG 17 to reassign a special/personalized plate to another vehicle, hold it (annual retention fee), or surrender it.
Related sub-topics
Other clusters in the vehicle registration pillar.
The bigger picture
How these connect to the rest of the DMV system
Your plate is part of your registration — a standard plate comes with it at no extra charge, and special or personalized plates add an initial fee plus an annual amount to keep them. Two plate types reach into other clusters: disabled-person plates share the REG 195 application with the placard (and the placard is the better pick if it needs to move between cars), and collector plates split into the reissued 1960s Legacy design versus true Year-of-Manufacture plates for a period-correct classic.
Frequently asked questions
Comparison and definitional — to help you pick the right type.
How much do personalized California license plates cost?
It varies by plate program — there's an initial fee and an annual renewal add-on, and the amounts differ between, say, an Environmental plate and a Collegiate or Coastal plate. The current figures are on the REG 17. Use the fee schedule as your reference, not a single fixed number.
What's the difference between a personalized plate and a special-interest plate?
A personalized (ELP) plate is your own letters and numbers. A special-interest plate is a cause design (its fee funds a program) — and you can personalize many of those too. They're not exclusive.
Is the 1960s Legacy plate the same as a Year-of-Manufacture plate?
No — they're opposites. The 1960s Legacy is a reissued retro design you order new (a special-interest plate). Year of Manufacture (YOM) uses genuine period plates you supply for a matching-era vehicle, authenticated by the DMV on a REG 352.
How do I replace a lost or damaged license plate?
File a Application for Replacement Plates, Stickers, Documents (REG 156) and surrender any plate you still have. Special and personalized plates use their own application (REG 17, 17A, 88, or 230). A fee applies — see the fee schedule.
Can I keep my personalized plate when I sell my car?
Yes. With a REG 17 you can reassign it to another vehicle you own, or hold it for future use by paying the annual retention fee. If you don't want it, you surrender it to the DMV.
Are there special plates for veterans?
Several, and they're distinct: a Veterans' Organizations donation plate (anyone can buy), Disabled Veteran (DV) plates for qualifying veterans, and military Special Recognition plates like the Purple Heart and Medal of Honor.
Should I get disabled-person plates or a placard?
DP plates stay on one vehicle and renew with its registration — good for the disabled driver's own car. A placard moves between vehicles, which suits a caregiver. Both come from the REG 195; see disabled person parking.
Sources. California DMV — License plates, decals & placards · California DMV — Special interest & special license plates · California DMV — Replacement plates & stickers (REG 156) · California DMV — Year of Manufacture (YOM) plates (REG 352)
Last verified June 29, 2026 · reviewed quarterly and after any policy change.