In Ohio, vehicles are required to have only a rear license plate.
Every state in the US requires a rear license plate. While some states require a rear plate only, other states require a front license plate in addition to the rear plate.
Here are the steps for getting new license plates from the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV).
1. Gather proof of ownership for your vehicle (vehicle's title, registration, or bill of sale).
2. Get a valid Ohio driver's license or ID card.
3. Get the minimum car insurance required by the state of Ohio. (Don’t have insurance? Get a fast, free quote!)
4. Visit a deputy registrar office, or go online to the Ohio BMV website to fill out an application for license plates.
5. Provide the necessary paperwork, such as your driver's license, proof of insurance, and proof of ownership.
6. Pay the required fees, which vary depending on the type of plates you're applying for.
7. If you want a personalized or specialty license plate, you can select the design and any modifications you'd like.
8. Temporary license plates are issued by the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV) and are valid for 45 days while your application is being processed.
9. You can expect to receive your new permanent license plates in the mail within 10 business days.
There are different types of license plates: passenger license plates, commercial vehicle plates, special license plates, trailer plates, and motorcycle plates.
License plates measure 6 by 12 inches and are rectangular (motorcycle license plates are smaller, measuring 4 by 7 inches).
The Ohio license plate has seven characters (across the 50 states, license plates have anywhere from six to eight characters).
A standard Ohio license plate can be put on passenger cars, trucks, vans, and SUVs, as well as trailers and motorcycles that weigh less than 400 pounds.
Standard license plates are issued in any of the following scenarios:
The replacement of special interest license plates with standard plates Purchase of a new vehicle Replacing damaged, stolen or lost license platesA personalized plate, also known as a vanity plate, gives you the freedom to express your unique personality on the road by selecting any combination of letters and numbers that is legal in your state.
If you want to personalize your vehicle, you can apply for a personalized license plate in Ohio. The fee for a personalized plate is $50, and you can apply in person at a deputy registrar agency or online at the Ohio BMV website. You can also mail the special order plate application form to the address listed on the form.
P.O. Box
16520 Columbus
Ohio 43216-6520
Ohio has a few rules and restrictions for vanity plate customization. First off, you're limited to just seven characters (think of it as a mini Instagram bio for your car). And while you can mix and match letters and numbers to your heart's content, you won't be able to add any punctuation or special characters to the mix (sorry, no hashtags here).
Of course, anything offensive or inappropriate is off-limits. Also, your personalized plate can't make any references to illegal activities or substances (we don't want any trouble with the law). Finally, be sure to pick something unique—no copycatting allowed!
The Ohio BMV will review and approve your custom license plate application after you submit it. If your application does not follow the guidelines or if the combination of characters is already in use, the BMV will probably reject it.
