and want to add a little pizazz to your car, you should check out all the license plate options available from the state’s Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). You can get plates representing social organizations, non-profit groups, military affiliation, emergency services, and more. You also can personalize your plates with the characters to spell out a nickname or short message.

For drivers who like to keep it simple, Vermont’s standard-issue license plates are just that—green with white characters and minimal design. But if you want something with a little more style, you can opt for personalized or specialty license plates to show off your personality.

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

Vermont’s government has required drivers to display uniform, state-issued plates since 1906—and for good reason. License plates are an important way to provide necessary information very quickly, especially during emergencies.

License plates indicate to law enforcement agencies that your car is properly

registered

, therefore meeting safety and insurance criteria. They also help connect a car’s owner to the vehicle. This can help emergency responders in cases of car accidents, auto thefts, kidnappings, and more.

The bottom line is that license plates are an effective, practical way to share necessary information about your car, and they’re required by law. In Vermont, as in many other states, you must display a front and rear license plate on your car.

MORE:

How to check available custom license plates

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What license plates does Vermont have?

You can do a Vermont license plate lookup on the

state’s DMV website

to see a catalog of all the plates available, including those for agriculture-only use, big trucks, and government vehicles. There are three main categories of

Vermont license plates

Standard issue plates are green with white characters. On the upper left is a white emblem of a sugar maple, the state tree. On the bottom is the state’s nickname, “Green Mountain State.”

Specialty plates are available for drivers who want to show support for a cause or organization, or who want to share their affiliation with a military branch or law enforcement agency. Although they are specialty plates, these are also green with white lettering, but a large space is set aside on the left of the plate for an emblem or logo.

Special plates aren’t available for just any vehicle—these are set aside for special purpose cars, trucks, vans, and buses. Vehicles used for farming, public transportation, or cargo may qualify for Vermont special plates. These plates are usually green, but some, including plates for some law enforcement vehicles and off-road only vehicles, are red or brown.

Standard issue license plates

Cars, trucks, and trailers: Standard green license plates are available for most Vermont vehicles. Some, for big trucks hauling cargo, special purpose trucks, or trailers, will include a small area of text indicating the vehicle’s classification.

Low-number plates: One oddity you’ll find in Vermont—and a few other states, too—is the status symbol allure of low-numbered license plates. You can fill out a

special form

to request a low-number plate, which will have a set of characters between the numbers 101 and 9999. Three-digit plates are the most coveted, and some Vermont families keep these plate numbers in the family through a

separate application process

. The DMV holds rights to dole out low-number plates but actually defers the honor to the governor.

Specialty plates

Military plates: Vermont offers a long list of specialty plate options to honor U.S. Armed Forces veterans and service members. These include Disabled Veteran, Gold Star Family, Ex-Prisoner of War, Pearl Harbor Survivor, Purple Heart, U.S. Veteran, Vermont National Guard, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Vietnam Veterans of America, and several in-theater plates for conflicts from World War II to Afghanistan.

Safety and service organizations: You can identify yourself as a member of one of these organizations on your license plate if you can show licensure or proof of membership for Amateur Radio Operator, Emergency Medical Services, National Ski Patrol, Professional Firefighters of Vermont, and Vermont State Firefighters Association plates.

Other organizations: Plates bearing the logo of service organizations are available for members of the American Legion, Freemasons, Lions Club International, and Rotary International.

Special fund plates: If you want to help generate revenue for the statewide expansion of child care facilities, you can get Building Bright Futures plates. If you want to support Vermont’s conservation efforts through the Non-Game Wildlife Fund and Watershed Grants Program, you can pick one of three available conservation plate designs—featuring a loon, a deer, or a brook trout.

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How do I get a Vermont license plate?

If you already have a registered vehicle with plates and you just want to update them with a new design, you can

download the forms

from the DMV for specialty or personalized plates. You also can renew or

replace

your plates and registration online.

If you’re new to Vermont, or this is your first time registering a car, you’ll want to go to a DMV office with a completed

registration tax and title application

, an

odometer disclosure

, the car’s title or details about the lienholder if there is a lien, the vehicle identification number, and payment for fees and taxes. You can use the state’s

registration fees guide

to calculate what you’ll have to pay.

MORE:

How to get a hybrid or electric tax credit

How to customize your car insurance for savings in Vermont

If you’re looking for the perfect plates to top off your car, you might as well shop for the best car insurance, too. You can do it without the hassle, all from the palm of your hand, by using the

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FAQs

How many license plates does Vermont offer?

You can do a quick Vermont

license plate lookup

with the DMV to see every available plate style and associated fees or requirements. For passenger vehicles, there are 26 variations of specialty plates available, in addition to vanity plates, standard-issue plates, and handicap parking plates.

Can you still buy Vermont Strong license plates?

Vermont Strong license plates are no longer available from the DMV. The Vermont Strong plates were introduced in 2012 following Hurricane Irene’s damage to the state in 2011. Only 42,000 of the plates were made, and all were sold, generating more than $1 million in revenue for the DMV, food banks, and the Vermont Disaster Relief Fund.

How often do I need to complete a Vermont license plate renewal?

You don’t need to renew your Vermont license plates unless they are lost or

faded

to the point of being hard to read. However, you do need to renew your Vermont vehicle registration. Depending on where you purchased your vehicle and what type of registration you complete, your registration will need to be

renewed

every year or every two years.

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