How to get dealer plates in Arizona
What Arizona dealer plates cost, the types you can get, how to apply, and the rules on using them. Verified as of July 2026.
AZ dealer plates at a glance:
- Issued by
- Arizona MVD
- Cost per plate
- $30 per plate (A.R.S. 28-4533)
- Requirement
- Active AZ Used Motor Vehicle Dealer license
- Use them for
- Demos, inventory moves, dealership business
- Term
- Annual (with the dealer license)
Informational only — confirm current fees and rules with the Arizona MVD (Dealer Licensing) before you apply.
DealerVLO tracks your inventory, deals, and paperwork so the plates are the only thing left on your list. $99/month, free to try — no credit card.
What Arizona dealer plates are
Arizona dealer plates are set by statute — A.R.S. 28-4533 puts them at $30 per plate (or pair) for vehicle dealers, $10 for motorcycle dealers — and issued by the MVD alongside your Used Motor Vehicle Dealer license. Cheap plates, expensive license: remember the $100,000 retail bond is the real Arizona cost.
The plates ride on your dealer's certificate: they're valid only while the license and bond behind them are current, and they belong on dealership-owned inventory being demonstrated or moved for dealership business.
Types of AZ dealer plates
For MVD-licensed vehicle dealers, $30 per plate or pair — used on dealership-owned vehicles for demonstration, transport, and dealership business.
The motorcycle-dealer equivalent at $10 per plate under the same statute.
Arizona's $15 drive-out permit for buyers registering the vehicle in another state — what an out-of-state customer leaves on, not your dealer plate.
How to get dealer plates in Arizona
- 1
Get your Arizona dealer license first
Plates require an active MVD Used Motor Vehicle Dealer license — the established location, the $100,000 retail bond (or $25,000 wholesale), the TPT license, and fingerprints come first.
- 2
Order plates with the license
Request the number of dealer plates your operation needs at $30 each when the license issues, or later through MVD dealer services.
- 3
Keep them on inventory
Plates go on dealership-owned vehicles for demos, auction runs, and transport. Sold vehicles leave on the buyer's registration or, for out-of-state buyers, the 90-day nonresident permit.
- 4
Renew annually with the license
Plates follow the dealer license cycle. Keep the license, bond, and TPT current — the plates are only as valid as the credentials behind them.
Rules on using AZ dealer plates
- Plates go on dealership-owned vehicles for dealership business — demos, transport, auction runs
- Out-of-state buyers drive out on Arizona's 90-day nonresident permit, not your dealer plate
- Keep the dealer license and $100,000 bond current; the plates ride on both
- Track plate-to-vehicle assignments — the MVD can ask
- Misuse (personal use, lending plates) risks the plates and the dealer license behind them
Common questions
How much are dealer plates in Arizona?+
$30 per plate or pair for vehicle dealers, set by statute (A.R.S. 28-4533); motorcycle dealer plates are $10. The plates are among the cheapest parts of dealing in Arizona — the $100,000 retail bond is where the money goes.
Who can get Arizona dealer plates?+
Dealers holding an active MVD Used Motor Vehicle Dealer license. The license process — location, bond, TPT license, fingerprints — comes first; plates are ordered with or after the license.
How many dealer plates can an Arizona dealer get?+
You order what the operation needs at $30 each — Arizona doesn't publish a volume-tier table like Ohio or Georgia. Keep the count defensible against your inventory and sales activity.
Can my customer drive home on my Arizona dealer plate?+
No. In-state buyers leave on their own registration handled in the title work; out-of-state buyers use Arizona's $15 90-day nonresident permit. Dealer plates stay with your inventory.
When do Arizona dealer plates renew?+
Annually, with the dealer license. An expired license or lapsed bond invalidates the plates immediately, so renew everything together.
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