What is a Massachusetts License Plate?
The Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV), a division of the Massachusetts Department of Transportation, issues all registration plates and manages vehicle titling. Residents handle registration at RMV Service Centers or through licensed insurance agents who process new registrations on behalf of the RMV.
The current general issue plate has a white background with green letters and the slogan “The Spirit of America.” All plates issued by the RMV are reflective according to the Registrar’s specifications under MGL Chapter 90, § 2.
Types of License Plates in Massachusetts
- Standard plates are assigned at registration. A lost or damaged plate can be replaced for $10 through the RMV.
- More than 40 special plates cover causes, sports teams, and organizations (Red Sox, Celtics, Right Whale, Cape and Islands, among others). Most have a $40 special fee in addition to the $60 for a two-year registration, totaling $100 per renewal cycle.
- Vanity plates cost $50 annually as a special fee plus $30 for registration, totaling $80 per year. Orders are processed through the RMV special plate application.
- Massachusetts issues free plates for disabled veterans, Bronze Star, Silver Star, Distinguished Flying Cross, Purple Heart, Medal of Honor, Pearl Harbor Survivor, Former POW, and Gold Star Family.
- Antique plates are available for 50perrik(30 registration plus $20 special fee) for vehicles at least 25 years old.
The full catalog is available in the RMV Passenger Plates Manual.
What Vehicles Require License Plates in Massachusetts?
Every motor vehicle and trailer operated on a public way must be registered according to MGL Chapter 90, § 9. New residents must register immediately; the law provides no grace period. Owners transferring registration to a newly acquired vehicle have 7 days to complete the exchange.
- Passenger vehicles require two plates (front and rear) and pay $60 every two years, as outlined in the RMV fee schedule.
- One rear plate for motorcycles, at $20 per year. Mopeds also have one rear plate at $40 every two years.
- Trailers have one rear plate at $20 per 1,000 pounds of registered gross weight annually, with a minimum of $20. Semi-trailers are registered for $300 on a five-year cycle.
- Commercial trucks up to 5,000 pounds pay $40 per 1,000 pounds every two years. Above 5,000 pounds, the rate drops to $20 per 1,000 pounds but renews annually.
- Massachusetts does not impose a separate fee on electric vehicles. Electric vehicles pay the same $60 every two years passenger fee.
License Plate Rules in Massachusetts
- Two plates are required on every motor vehicle, one front and one rear. Trailers have one rear plate. Where the registrar issues only one plate, it is mounted on the rear. MGL Chapter 90, § 6 establishes these requirements.
- Plates must be clean with legible numbers and cannot be obscured by any device. The rear plate must be illuminated so it can be read from 60 feet during hours when lighting is required. Section 6 considers an obscured or covered plate as improper display, triggering penalty provisions covered in the fines section below.
Is Driving Around with No License Plate in Massachusetts Illegal?
Operating a vehicle without valid registration plates on a public way violates MGL Chapter 90, § 9. The statute covers both the operator and the owner or keeper who allows an unregistered vehicle to be operated.
Attaching a plate assigned to another vehicle, obscuring plate numbers, or failing to display the correct plate with intent to conceal identity is a separate offense under § 23. Massachusetts considers these actions distinct from mere unregistered operation.
What is the Penalty for Driving Without a License Plate in Massachusetts?
Penalties under MGL Chapter 90 start with moderate fines for a first offense but escalate for repeat offenses. The statute clearly distinguishes between ordinary tickets for lack of registration and intentional fraud involving plates.
- Unregistered vehicle (first offense): fine up to $100 according to § 9. Each subsequent offense raises the ceiling to $1,000.
- Attaching plates assigned to another vehicle, obscuring plate numbers, or failing to display the correct plate with intent to conceal identity: fine up to $100 or imprisonment up to 10 days, or both, according to § 23.
- Obtaining registration through fraud or false information (e.g., failing emissions requirements) carries a fine up to $25,000 or imprisonment up to one year, or both, according to § 2.
- Operating on a suspended or revoked registration also falls under § 23. First offense carries a fine from $500 to $1,000 or up to 10 days in jail; subsequent offenses bring from 60 days to one year.