For your protection, please remember that license plates belong to the State of Florida and must be returned if you change your residency to another state or if your insurance is no longer maintained.

You should dispose of Florida license plates using one of the following methods:

Why returning plates should be important to you:

  • Financial responsibility sanctions can occur once insurance is removed from the vehicle if the license plate remains actively registered and associated with your vehicle. Failure to surrender a valid license plate when your insurance is canceled or expires will result in suspension of your driver's license.
  • When you dispose of a plate by turning it in to a tax collector’s office, you will receive a receipt showing that the plate was surrendered. If the initial registration fee was paid for the vehicle associated with the plate, that receipt may be used as credit toward a future vehicle registration, helping you avoid paying the initial registration fee again when purchasing a new vehicle.
  • Returning your plate helps prevent scammers from attaching it to another vehicle to avoid tolls, red light cameras, or use it in crimes. If this occurs, the name and address associated with the plate will be yours.