How to get dealer plates in Virginia
What Virginia dealer plates cost, the types you can get, how to apply, and the rules on using them. Verified as of July 2026.
VA dealer plates at a glance:
- Issued by
- Virginia DMV (license via the MVDB)
- Cost per plate
- $24-$30 first two, less each additional
- Requirement
- Active VA Motor Vehicle Dealer license
- Use them for
- Demos, inventory moves, dealership business
- Term
- Annual (with the dealer registration)
Informational only — confirm current fees and rules with the Virginia DMV (Dealer Services) before you apply.
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What Virginia dealer plates are
Virginia splits the dealer world between two agencies: the Motor Vehicle Dealer Board licenses the dealership, and the DMV issues the plates. Under Va. Code 46.2-1546, the DMV sets the plate fee within statutory bounds: $24-$30 each for the first two plates and $10.40-$30 for each additional (in practice, additional plates run far cheaper than the first two). Either way, the plates are never the budgeting problem.
The compliance side matters more than the cost side here. Virginia expects dealer plates on dealership-owned vehicles for dealership business, with the MVDB's inspectors and the DMV both able to ask why a plate is where it is.
Types of VA dealer plates
For MVDB-licensed dealers, on dealership-owned vehicles — demonstrations, transport, and dealership business. The DMV sets the fee within Va. Code 46.2-1546: $24-$30 each for the first two, $10.40-$30 each additional.
DMV-issued permits for one-off moves that don't fit a dealer plate — useful before the license issues or for vehicles outside your dealer registration.
How to get dealer plates in Virginia
- 1
Get your MVDB dealer license first
Plates require an active Motor Vehicle Dealer Board license — the $50,000 bond, pre-licensing course, and board inspection come first.
- 2
Register with DMV dealer services
With the MVDB license in hand, set up with DMV dealer services, which handles plates, titling, and registration work for your deals.
- 3
Order your plates
The first two dealer plates run $24-$30 each and additional plates are cheaper (statute allows $10.40-$30; confirm the current amount with DMV dealer services). Order what the operation actually needs — demos, auction runs, service moves.
- 4
Renew annually and keep records
Plates renew with your dealer registration. Keep your bond, license, and plate records current — the MVDB inspects dealerships on a cycle.
Rules on using VA dealer plates
- Plates go on dealership-owned vehicles for dealership business — demos, transport, auction runs
- A sold vehicle needs the buyer's own registration — Virginia dealers handle titling through DMV dealer services at closing
- Keep your MVDB license and $50,000 bond current; the plates ride on both
- Be ready to account for every plate's whereabouts — MVDB field reps inspect dealerships
- Misuse (personal use, lending plates) risks the plates and the dealer license behind them
Common questions
How much are dealer plates in Virginia?+
Virginia sets dealer plate fees within statutory bounds (Va. Code 46.2-1546): $24-$30 each for the first two plates and $10.40-$30 for each additional — among the cheaper states either way. Confirm current exact amounts with DMV dealer services; the dealer license behind them (MVDB, $50,000 bond, $225 fee) is where the real cost sits.
Who issues Virginia dealer plates?+
The Virginia DMV issues the plates, but the dealer license itself comes from the Motor Vehicle Dealer Board (MVDB). You need the MVDB license before DMV dealer services will set you up with plates.
How many dealer plates can I get in Virginia?+
Order what your operation needs — the statutory two-tier pricing (first two plates priced higher, additional plates cheaper) assumes dealers carry several. Keep the count defensible against your inventory and sales activity, since the MVDB inspects dealerships.
Can my customer drive home on my Virginia dealer plate?+
No — dealer plates stay with the dealership. Virginia dealers process the buyer's title and registration through DMV dealer services at closing, so the customer leaves with their own registration in motion.
When do Virginia dealer plates renew?+
Annually, alongside your dealer registration. Keep the MVDB license and the $50,000 bond active — expired credentials invalidate the plates.
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