New Hampshire License Plates [Ultimate Guide]

The new residents of Granite State must have an automobile registration and driving license within sixty days. The license plates are the vehicle’s identification and verify that the automobile is registered and legal.

You can track the car’s data with the help of your license tag if your auto has been stolen. If you hit the accident, it can also help you to suspect your identity. Make sure you have the right license plate while traveling within the state. Otherwise, you have to pay a fine of up to $150.

The daily use design of the number plate was first issued in 1999. It consists of an Old Man Mountain known as Great Stone Face.

It also has a Cannon Mountain with the Blue Sky. The history of the NH authorization plate is kept in the records of different departments like insurance and police.

The concerned department assigns unique vehicle registration numbers after determining various factors. If your vehicle is older, you have an out-of-state title at DVM to contain a new registration.

License Plate Lookup New Hampshire

The lookup process involves getting all the information about the individual associated with a particular identification plate using the registration numbers.

A person can do a lookup process at the office of DVM (Division of Motor Vehicles) to track down a vehicle’s location and other necessary details. Lookup is helpful for someone whose car is stolen and has an accident history.

Secondly, it saves from fraud and crime. The automobile registration lookup discloses many things like traffic records, market value, theft records, accident history, mileage, vehicle registration issues, fuel efficiency, type of fuel, power, etc. If you want to run a lookup process, you can also visit the institutes.

License Plate Types

NH issues different types of plates; the following are some of which we will discuss in detail.

Decal Plate:

They are regular license plates. Division of Motor Vehicles issued them and are available in passenger or veteran plates. It costs $15, including regular town, manufacturing, and state registration fees. If you buy the vehicle in the first year, the manufacturing fee costs you $8.

The Decal Vanity Plates cost an additional $40 for the vanity plate fee. These plates have 3 “x3” square decals placed on the plates from the organization. Interested members of Decal Vanity Plates get from the specific organization or the NH Office of Veterans.

Passenger Plate:

The passenger plates are known as the standard plates. In the background, it has a design of Old Man Mountain with a blue sky, giving a distinctive look. The white plate is specifically for agriculture, handicapped, trailers, and commercial vehicles with green text.

Vanity Plate:

They are personalized registration plates composed of a combination of characters, symbols, and numerals. The Vanity Plate cost depends on the vehicle registration months. But for the twelve months, its price is $40.

Veteran Plate:

It was issued under Section 261:87-b (RSA) revised statutes annotated.

Conservation Parks License Plates:

The regular license plates are issued with the park logo on the right and the moose logo on the left. If you want the combination of the park and moose logo, it will cost you $115 annually.

You only have to pay a fee in the first year of the purchase. The number plate contains only four digits, and Vanity Plates is also available.

Conservative (Moose) License plate:

It is also a regular plate with a moose logo on the left. The per-year cost is $30, including regular town, manufacturing, and state registration fees. It is also available in Vanity Plates. The first time of purchase, it costs $8 fee.

State Parks Plate:

It has a park logo on the left side, allowing you to enter many NH state parks without any ticket. It will cost you $85 annually, including regular registration town, plate, and state fees. It is also available in Vanity Plates and only charges one-time fees at the first year of purchase.

new hampshire license plate

Renewal of New Hampshire’s License Plate

First, you must pay the city’s fees to renew your Granite State registration number. DMV will not renew your tag number without fees. You have to apply for the renewal of the number tag and the automobile documents.

You will receive the message of the expiration before the due date. Alternatively, you can submit your application and fee within four months of the expiration date.

License Plate Process

In NH, the Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) register vehicles and issues new license plate. A person first registers their automobile in the city where they reside. They must visit the city clerk or town office with vehicle titles and proof of residency for vehicle registration.

They have to present a lien holder or dealership form to the city or town clerk if they purchase the automobile from an out-of-state dealer. A Manufacturer’s Statement of Origin (MSO) is also required for a brand-new automobile.

In contrast, a vehicle certificate is necessary to purchase an auto from an NH retail dealer. After providing all the required documents at the town or city level, the next step is to visit the nearest DMV office to register the vehicle and get a license plate.

According to the state law section 261:153, submit vehicle registration fees at the state and city or town levels. It is mandatory to pay an additional fee of $80 when ordering a registration plate for the first time.

Find the Owner of a License Plate

There is a paid or free method to obtain information about the vehicle and person linked to a number plate. A free lookup method does not provide all the required details.

However, you can reveal more information by exploring different public databases. For example, if you get a registered mobile number from the free lookup method, you can find the person’s identity using the phone number.

On the other hand, with a paid plan, you can get the services of a lawyer or private investigator. They will submit the request at any nearest NH DMV office to release vehicle records.

Third-party websites are also a great source to get all the details because they maintain all the data with the help of independent establishments. The separate establishments gather the data from government-run repositories.

VIN Number Lookup

It helps to find all the data with the vehicle identification number (VIN). Manufacturers imprint the unique VIN on auto parts like dashboards, engine blocks, and the driver-side door. It is a 17-character code consisting of both numbers and upper case alphabetic.

A VIN can also provide details about the automobile’s history, such as repair records and accident histories. VIN also helps to track the auto if your car ever gets stolen.

Rules to Follow for New Hampshire License Plates

  • Affix one plate at the vehicle’s back and front sides.
  • It is a two-plate state, and you must strictly follow this rule. Otherwise, you have to pay a fine of up to $150.
  • Motorcycles and trailers need only backside plates because they are exempted from the two-plate rule.
  • Plates must be affixed in their specific place.
  • Make sure that plates are affixed properly and are not swing freely.

What Colors are in the New Hampshire License Plates?

Since 1999, after some years, they only did some variations and made no significant changes in plate design. Now they have been using the same basic template.

The plate background color is white with a Cannon Mountain framed, and a dark green color is used for lettering.

You will also find the words “LIVE FREE OR DIE” on the plate’s top, whereas “NEW HAMPSHIRE” is written on the bottom.

FAQs

Q. Does New Hampshire require a front license plate?

A front and back plate is necessary because it is a two-plate state.

Q. Are license plate frames legal in New Hampshire?

Yes, they are legal if they don’t hide any lettering.

Q. Are license plate covers illegal in NH?

No, they are not illegal. The only requirement is to use clear covers.

Q. How much does an NH license plate cost?

The average cost is from $15 to 20. 

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