Vanity License Plate Cost by State (2026)
A personalized "vanity" plate is an extra charge on top of your normal registration — the recurring cost runs from about $5/year to $70/year, plus a one-time startup fee. A few states (Pennsylvania, Tennessee) charge only a one-time fee with no annual renewal surcharge.
The figure below is the ongoing annual personalization fee (biennial and multi-year cycle fees are shown as their per-year equivalent), with the one-time startup fee in parentheses. This is on top of your standard registration. Specialty design plates (universities, causes) usually cost more than a plain personalized plate.
The full 50-state ranking
| Rank | State | Annual renewal (+ startup) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pennsylvania | $0 ($79 to start) |
| 2 | Tennessee | $0 ($35 to start) |
| 3 | Iowa | $5 ($25 to start) |
| 4 | Connecticut | $8 ($139 to start) |
| 5 | Kansas | $9 ($45.5 to start) |
| 6 | Montana | $10 ($25 to start) |
| 7 | New Jersey | $10 ($50 to start) |
| 8 | Utah | $10 ($50 to start) |
| 9 | Virginia | $10 ($10 to start) |
| 10 | Illinois | $13 ($94 to start) |
| 11 | Florida | $15 ($15 to start) |
| 12 | Idaho | $15 ($25 to start) |
| 13 | Michigan | $15 ($30 to start) |
| 14 | Minnesota | $15 ($100 to start) |
| 15 | Missouri | $15 ($15 to start) |
| 16 | South Carolina | $15 ($30 to start) |
| 17 | West Virginia | $15 ($15 to start) |
| 18 | Wisconsin | $15 ($15 to start) |
| 19 | New Mexico | $17 ($17 to start) |
| 20 | Nevada | $20 ($36 to start) |
| 21 | Oklahoma | $20 ($23 to start) |
| 22 | Arizona | $25 ($25 to start) |
| 23 | Arkansas | $25 ($25 to start) |
| 24 | Colorado | $25 ($60 to start) |
| 25 | Kentucky | $25 ($25 to start) |
| 26 | Louisiana | $25 ($25 to start) |
| 27 | Maine | $25 ($25 to start) |
| 28 | North Dakota | $25 ($25 to start) |
| 29 | South Dakota | $25 ($25 to start) |
| 30 | Alaska | $30 ($30 to start) |
| 31 | North Carolina | $30 ($30 to start) |
| 32 | Wyoming | $30 ($30 to start) |
| 33 | New York | $31.25 ($60 to start) |
| 34 | Mississippi | $33 ($33 to start) |
| 35 | Georgia | $35 ($35 to start) |
| 36 | Delaware | $40 ($40 to start) |
| 37 | Nebraska | $40 ($40 to start) |
| 38 | California | $43 ($53 to start) |
| 39 | Indiana | $45 ($45 to start) |
| 40 | Alabama | $50 ($50 to start) |
| 41 | Maryland | $50 ($50 to start) |
| 42 | Massachusetts | $50 ($50 to start) |
| 43 | Ohio | $50 ($50 to start) |
| 44 | Oregon | $50 ($50 to start) |
| 45 | Washington | $52 ($52 to start) |
| 46 | Vermont | $58 ($58 to start) |
| 47 | Hawaii | $60 ($25 to start) |
| 48 | New Hampshire | $60 ($68 to start) |
| 49 | Rhode Island | $60 ($69.5 to start) |
| 50 | Texas | $70 ($70 to start) |
Cheapest: Iowa ($5). Most expensive: Texas ($70). That's a 14× difference between the top and bottom of the list. All figures computed from official fee schedules verified July 2026.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a vanity plate cost?
The annual personalization fee runs from about $5 to $70 depending on your state, plus a one-time startup fee — all on top of your normal registration. Pennsylvania and Tennessee charge a one-time fee with no yearly surcharge.
Is a vanity plate a yearly cost or one-time?
In most states it's a recurring fee you pay every registration cycle. A handful charge only once at issuance. Some states bill it biennially (every two years) rather than annually.
What's the difference between a vanity plate and a specialty plate?
A vanity (personalized) plate lets you choose the letters/numbers on a standard plate. A specialty plate has a custom design (a university, military branch, or cause) and often carries its own separate fee, part of which may be a donation.
Cite this data
Free to use with attribution (CC-BY 4.0). Read how we verify every fee. Custom data for journalists: admin@registryfee.com.