license plate features black lettering embossed on a red, white, and blue background with mountains and trees. However, the license plate design can also be customized with different emblems to support a cause, show your military involvement, or flaunt your style.

Most states offer a variety of specialty plates to reflect your interests or personality. You can also get personalized plates with your selected characters.

To help you decide on which license plate to pick, we've gathered all the information you need. Learn about the options that are available and how you can apply for an Idaho license plate:

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What are Idaho license plates and why do I need them?

License plates are important for vehicle identification—they’re used to verify if a vehicle is registered and determine its owner. A license plate alone can provide enough information for many different purposes:

Helping insurance providers determine fault in an accident

Keeping a record of outstanding fines to ensure they are paid before the vehicle registration can be renewed

Helping police officers track down stolen vehicles and return them to their owners

Identifying vehicles on speed and red light cameras

Idaho is a

two-plate state

, meaning cars need license plates on the front and back. Below are the different license plate options you have in Idaho.

MORE:

Idaho car insurance laws—all you need to know

What license plates does Idaho have?

There are three main categories of Idaho license plates:

Standard plates: Regular plates with black lettering on a reflective white background with a rainbow graphic.

Military/veteran specialty plates: Eligible veterans can apply for specific plates that represent their branch and conflict period.

Organization plates: Support an organization and fund its programs by purchasing its special license plate. A portion of the proceeds from the registration fees is given to the organization you’ve chosen to help maintain their programs.

The available plates can differ from county to county, so it is best to check with your local DMV for the options you can get.

Standard license plates

Red, white, and blue plates: the current plate design with black lettering on a red, white, and blue background with mountains and trees was introduced in 1991. There have been small adjustments to the design over the years but the overall look remains the same. The serial format of the plate is a two-character county code followed by a space and five characters.

Discontinued plate designs are not street-legal in Idaho and can not be used as regular license plates. This includes the green-on-white plates.

Military/veteran license plates

Veteran plates: Available for veterans to include different tags to show the branch and conflict period they served in

Special veteran plates: Available to veterans who have received awards including the Purple Heart award and Congressional Medal of Honor

Disabled veteran plates: Available for veterans who were wounded in combat during their military service

Gold star family plates: Available for family members of soldiers killed on duty to honor their bravery and service to the country

MORE:

Idaho minimum car insurance laws

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Organization license plates

Organization license plates support nonprofit organizations. Some of the proceeds from registration fees are given to these organizations to help support their programs and cause. You can choose an organization’s emblem to display on your license plate for an initial fee of $35 and $25 in addition to the annual renewal fee. You can find the full list of organizations on the

Idaho Transportation Department site

. Below are a few of the currently available plate programs, the fund name, and responsible organization:

4H: Friends of 4-H Division, University of Idaho Foundation

Aviation: Idaho Aviation Foundation, Idaho Aviation Association

Biking: Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation

Choose Life: Choose Life Idaho Inc.

Collegiate: Individual accounts at participating colleges or universities, State Board of Education

Famous Potatoes: Idaho Potato Commission

Firefighters: Idaho Fire Chief’s Association

Pet Friendly: Idaho Humane Society Pet Lovers Fund

Support Our Troops: Idaho Support Our Troops Inc.

Wildlife: Non-game Trust Fund and Wildlife Disease Laboratory, Department of Fish and Game

Youth: Youth Program Fund, Sheriff Department in the county where the transaction takes place

Special/vanity license plates

Vanity plates: You can get a vanity plate to personalize the text on your license plate. The plate choice must contain at least one character and can have a maximum of seven characters including spacing. Crude or offensive words or phrases aren’t allowed.

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How do I get an Idaho license plate?

Getting a new license plate in Idaho is straightforward and can be done online. To purchase a personalized plate for your vehicle, your vehicle registration and title must be current. You can register your vehicle online or in person.

, you need:

An Idaho issued driver’s license or identification card

The vehicle plate number

The last 6 digits/characters of the VIN

A credit/debit card and the associated billing address

A physical address in Idaho

The cost of renewal will be calculated at checkout. Additional service fees apply to online orders, charged by the third-party vendor. You can also mail your renewal with a check to your

local DMV

with no extra fees—the mailing address can also be found on your renewal notice.

To order personalized plates,

follow the instructions from the Idaho Transportation Department

MORE:

Car loans in Idaho 2023

How to customize your car insurance for savings in Idaho

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