PROCEDURES AND INSTRUCTIONS
Provision of Law:
Section 320.0607, Florida Statutes, provides for the replacement of license plates and validation decals when the
original license plate or decal has been lost, stolen, defaced, damaged or lost in transit.
Application Requirements for a Replacement License Plate, Decal or Parking Permit:
Application for a replacement license plate, validation decal or parking permit should be submitted to the local
county tax collector's office or license plate agency for processing. However, if the application is for a "special
license plate" not issued in the tax collector's office or license plate agency, it must be submitted to the
Division of Motor Vehicles, Direct Mail & Title Correction Section, MS# 72, Neil Kirkman Building,
Tallahassee, FL 32399.
1.
Form HSMV 83146, Application for Replacement License Plate, Validation Decal, or Parking Permit,
accurately completed, by the owner/lessee.
2.
Contact your local county tax collector's office or license plate agency for fee information.
3.
A copy of the Florida vehicle registration certificate should be submitted for verification purposes.
Types of Replacement License Plates
Voluntary Replacement at time of Renewal:
An owner may, at any time during the registration period, replace a license plate; decal or parking permit. The
replacement license plate fee is required in addition to the regular registration renewal fee, if the registration has
expired.
Damaged:
A damaged license plate is when the license plate has sustained physical damage.
Example: A boat trailer struck the license plate and dented the letters or numbers, customer has waxed or
pressure-washed the letters off of the license plate, etc.
Replacement fees are required, unless law enforcement has issued a citation to the customer. If a citation has
been issued, the owner must surrender the damaged license plate to a local county tax collector's office or license
plate agency (along with a copy of the citation) to obtain a replacement at no fee.
Defaced:
A defaced license plate is when the license plate has not sustained physical damage, but is unreadable for
some other reason.
Example: The sun has faded the letters or numbers on the license plate.
Replacement fees are required, unless law enforcement has issued a citation for the defaced license plate. The
owner must surrender the defaced license plate to a local county tax collector's office or license plate agency (along
with a copy of the citation) to obtain a replacement at no fee.
Lost (not stolen):
Replacement fees are required.
NOTE: A lost personalized license plate may be issued with the same characters.
Lost in Transit:
License plates, decals or parking permits lost in the mail may be replaced at no fee, if the application is made within
180 days from the date of issuance.
Stolen (not lost):
The applicant must certify in Section 4, on the form HSMV 83146, that the item was reported to law enforcement as
being stolen. The replacement will be issued at no charge.
NOTE: A personalized replacement license plate may be issued with the same characters if the law enforcement
agency provides the applicant with a statement that such license plate has been removed from the FCIC
and NCIC computer files.
Surrendered or Seized:
Applications for replacement of surrendered or seized license plates or parking permits must include a letter of
clearance or a receipt from the Division of Driver License.
HSMV 83146 (Rev. 11/04) S