What a personalized Georgia plate is and how to order one
A personalized Georgia license plate lets you choose the letters and numbers that appear on your plate instead of using the random combination the state assigns. You order through the Georgia Department of Revenue, pay a one-time personalization fee on top of your regular registration fee, and the plate arrives by mail in about two to three weeks. The state checks your request against a list of words and phrases it will not allow — mostly profanity and slurs — and approves or denies it within a few business days.
You can order a personalized plate when you first register a vehicle in Georgia, or you can add personalization to a vehicle you already own. The process is the same either way: you submit your requested characters online or by mail, wait for approval, pay the fee, and receive your plate. You keep the same plate for as long as you own the vehicle unless you choose to change it.
Key Takeaways
- Personalized plates cost a one-time fee of $25 in addition to your regular registration renewal fee, and you pay this fee every time you renew your registration.
- You can request up to seven characters — letters, numbers, or a mix — and the state will reject requests that contain profanity, slurs, or phrases it deems offensive.
- Order through the Georgia Department of Revenue website, by mail, or in person at a county tag office, and the state will tell you within a few business days whether your request was approved.
- If your first choice is taken or rejected, you can submit a new request at no extra charge, but you will need to wait again for approval.
Where to submit your personalized plate request
The fastest way to order is through the Georgia Department of Revenue's online system at dor.georgia.gov. You create an account, enter your vehicle information and driver's license number, type in your requested characters, and submit. The system tells you when ready whether your choice is available and acceptable, and you can pay the $25 personalization fee right there. You will receive a confirmation email, and your plate ships within two to three weeks.
If you prefer not to order online, you can visit a county tag office in person or mail a request form to the Department of Revenue. The mailed route takes longer — typically four to six weeks total — because the state processes mail requests in batches. A county tag office can process your request the same day you visit, though you will still wait for the plate to arrive by mail after you pay.
What characters you can use and what the state will reject
Georgia allows up to seven characters on a personalized plate. You can use uppercase letters (A through Z), numbers (0 through 9), and spaces. You cannot use lowercase letters, punctuation, or special symbols. The state does not allow you to create a plate that looks identical to a standard plate — so you cannot order something like "ABC1234" that mimics the format of a regular Georgia tag.
The state maintains a list of words and phrases it will not approve. This includes profanity, slurs, and phrases the Department of Revenue judges to be offensive. The exact list is not published, so you will not know whether a borderline request will be rejected until you submit it. If your request is denied, you can submit a different one at no extra charge. Some people find that slightly misspelling a word or using numbers in place of letters (like "3" for "E") can get around the filter, but the state may still reject these if a reviewer determines the intent is to circumvent the policy.
The cost and what happens during renewal
The personalization fee is $25, paid once when you first order the plate. However, you will pay this $25 fee again every time you renew your vehicle registration — typically every year or every two years, depending on your vehicle type. This means a personalized plate costs more to maintain than a standard plate over time.
When your registration is about to expire, Georgia will send you a renewal notice. If you have a personalized plate, you can renew it online, by mail, or at a tag office just like a standard plate. You do not need to resubmit your character request — the state keeps your personalization on file. You straightforward pay the regular registration fee plus the $25 personalization fee, and your renewed plate arrives by mail.
How long approval takes and what to do if your request is denied
If you order online, the system checks your request against the state's filter when ready and tells you whether it passed. If it did, you can pay and finish. If it failed, you see the rejection right away and can try a different combination. Requests submitted by mail or in person at a tag office go to the Department of Revenue for manual review, which typically takes three to five business days.
If your request is denied, you will receive a letter or email explaining why. Common reasons include profanity, offensive content, or a request that is too similar to an existing plate. You can submit a new request at no cost. There is no limit to how many times you can resubmit, but each new request goes through the approval process again. If you believe your request was rejected in error, you can contact the Department of Revenue to ask for reconsideration, though the decision is final once the department has reviewed it.
Transferring or changing your personalized plate
Once you have a personalized plate, it stays with your vehicle as long as you own it. If you sell the car, the new owner can keep the plate or request a standard plate instead. If you want to change your personalization to something different, you submit a new request through the same process — online, by mail, or at a tag office — and pay another $25 fee. The old plate is returned to the state, and your new one arrives by mail.
You cannot transfer a personalized plate from one vehicle to another. Each vehicle has its own registration, and personalization is tied to that registration. If you own multiple vehicles and want personalized plates on more than one, you will need to order and pay for each one separately.
Special personalized plate programs in Georgia
Beyond standard personalized plates, Georgia offers specialty plates that combine personalization with a cause or organization. These include military-themed plates, collegiate plates (featuring your alma mater's logo), and plates supporting specific charities or causes. Some of these specialty plates have their own fees in addition to the personalization fee, and some of the proceeds go to the organization or cause listed on the plate.
To see what specialty plates are available, visit the Department of Revenue website and look for the specialty plate section. The process for ordering is similar to a standard personalized plate — you choose your characters, submit your request, and wait for approval — but you will select the specialty design when you place your order. Not all specialty plates allow full personalization; some have a fixed design with only a few characters you can customize.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I reserve a personalized plate before I buy a car?
No. You must have a vehicle registered in Georgia before you can order a personalized plate. The plate is tied to your vehicle's registration number, so the state needs that information to process your request. Once you register your new vehicle, you can order personalization right away.
What if someone else already has the plate I want?
The state will not issue two identical personalized plates. If your requested characters are already in use, the system will tell you the plate is unavailable, and you will need to choose something different. You can try adding a number or changing a letter to create a variation.
Do I have to renew my personalized plate every year?
You renew your vehicle registration every year or every two years depending on your vehicle type, and your personalized plate renews with it. You do not need to do anything special — just renew your registration as you normally would and pay the $25 personalization fee along with your regular registration fee.
Can I use a personalized plate on a commercial or government vehicle?
Georgia allows personalized plates on most passenger vehicles, but restrictions explore to commercial vehicles, government vehicles, and vehicles registered under a business name. Check with your county tag office or the Department of Revenue website to confirm whether your vehicle type is may be able to access.
What if I want to go back to a standard plate?
You can request a standard plate at any time by contacting your county tag office or the Department of Revenue. You will not receive a refund of the personalization fees you have already paid, but you will not pay the $25 personalization fee on future renewals once you switch back to a standard plate.