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PlateRadar

Your vanity license plate companion. Search, track, and get notified when your dream plate becomes available.

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Made with ❤️ for vanity plate enthusiasts

Vanity Plate Checker

See if your custom license plate idea is available — before you pay the DMV for it.

Pick your state, type any combination, and check it against DMV records. 5 free checks a day without an account, 20 with a free one.

302,996

Plates Tracked

36,013

Available Now

43

States Covered

Check plates by state

Rules, fees, and character limits differ by state. Open your state for its costs, how to order, and what is available right now.

AlabamaAlaskaArkansasCaliforniaColoradoConnecticutDistrict of ColumbiaFloridaGeorgiaHawaiiIdahoIndianaIowaKansasKentuckyLouisianaMaineMarylandMassachusettsMichiganMinnesotaMississippiMissouriMontanaNebraskaNevadaNew HampshireNew YorkNorth CarolinaNorth DakotaOhioOklahomaOregonPennsylvaniaSouth DakotaTennesseeTexasVermontVirginiaWashingtonWest VirginiaWisconsinWyoming

How the plate checker works

A personalized plate application costs money whether or not the combination is free, and states reject a lot of them. Checking first is the cheap step. PlateRadar keeps a record of 302,996 plate combinations across 43 states and refreshes them against DMV sources, so you can test an idea in seconds instead of guessing.

If the combination you want is taken, you have two options. Try close variations — swapping a letter for a number, dropping a vowel, or adding a state abbreviation usually turns up something open. Or set a watch on the taken one and get an email if it is ever released, keeping in mind that most taken plates are renewed year after year and never come back.

Browse all states

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check if a custom license plate is available?

Pick your state, type the combination you want, and PlateRadar checks it against that state DMV's personalized-plate records. You get a status back in seconds — available, taken, or unknown — without starting a DMV application.

Is the plate checker free?

Yes. You get 5 checks per day with no account at all, and 20 per day with a free account. Paid plans raise the daily limit and add alerts when a taken plate frees up.

What is the difference between a vanity plate and a personalized plate?

They are the same thing — a plate where you choose the letters and numbers instead of taking the state's next sequential issue. States use different names for it: California calls it an Environmental License Plate, Florida calls it a personalized plate, and many people just say vanity plate.

What happens if the plate I want is already taken?

Taken plates do occasionally come back when someone stops renewing, but most never do, so it is usually faster to try close variations. Each plate page shows available alternatives, and you can set a watch on a taken plate to be emailed if it is ever released.

Does checking here reserve the plate for me?

No. PlateRadar tells you whether a combination looks available so you do not waste a DMV application on one that is not. You still order the plate through your state DMV, and the state makes the final decision — every state can reject a combination it considers offensive or misleading.

Get alerted when a plate opens up

Watch any plate and we will email you if it becomes available — plus more daily checks on a free account.

Create a free account
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