Tesla License Plate: Everything You Should Know
Every vehicle has an identity. The license plate is a public display of the official registration and permission after purchase and vehicle use.
It would be best if you had your license plate on your Tesla car. This license will carry a few details about your car and its registration.
The license plate is a material that bears the identity of your vehicle, either in front or behind. This license is unique to every vehicle.
Tesla vehicles do not come with license plates; you’ll only receive one after purchase. You will receive your registration number via mail from Tesla. In addition to this mail, your state Department of motor vehicle will mail you your title. Once you have the registration number and title, Tesla will mail your license plate to you.
In this article, I will explain in detail all you need to know about Tesla license plates and whether Tesla vehicles come with license plates.
You will also find out how much it costs to have a Tesla license plate. Furthermore, I will answer whether you need a license plate for your Tesla.
Does Tesla Come with a License Plate?
Tesla does not come with a license plate. A license plate is a unique number on your car for identification.
Although this depends on your state, the entire process may be handled by Tesla or in other locations; Tesla will mail you your registration number while you complete the other process.
The other process requires you to get a title from your Department of motor vehicle, which they will also mail to you.
The Department for Motor Vehicles is responsible for issuing a secure identity document for your vehicle. This document includes your license plate for Tesla.
They also deliver essential motor vehicle and driver-related services like administration of motor laws, promotion of safety, and protection of consumers.
The Department of Motor Vehicles issues your driver’s license and license plate number in your state.
The motor vehicle department will decide to mail in your title number or license plate number.
This title and license numbers are mailed to everyone that applies. However, getting a license plate varies from city to city.
The procedure remains the same; Tesla vehicles do not have license plates. You will have to process the license plates after you purchase the vehicle.
A license plate is a unique number carried only by your car. This plate is not only for identification.
It also provides some form of security. Embedded in the license plate is the ownership and location of the registry.
Tesla alone cannot provide all this information, so you need a government agency to keep track of the vehicles from a central source and help identify the owners.
A registered vehicle is unique within a state and varies from one state to another. So also, the process of registering the license plate may vary from state to state.
How Long Can You Use a Temporary License Plate on Your Tesla?
Most states allow only 30 business days to finalize your paperwork before you get a permanent driver’s license and a license plate.
Although this time frame may vary from state to state, the longest you can have been 30 business days.
The Department of Motor Vehicles issues temporary license plates to you when you begin the process of having a valid registration application.
You can use a temporary license plate for your Tesla instead of your permanent license plate as you wait for your complete registration by Tesla and the Department for Motor Vehicle.
This temporary registration provides you all the coverage a complete license plate offers. A significant difference is that you need to pull it down for the permanent license plate.
When you purchase your Tesla, you need time to process the paperwork. The paperwork will enable you to have an official registration and permanent license.
Once your permanent license arrives, all you have to do is to replace the temporary license with the permanent license.
You will also need a temporary license if you travel out of your state of residence. In this case, you may be required to use a temporary license in the new state you have traveled to.
In any of these cases, your temporary license plates can last up to 60 days, after which you should replace them with a permanent license plate.
How Much Does It Cost to Get a Tesla License Plate?
The average cost of getting a Tesla license plate is about 25 dollars. You can get your license plate done with this amount when you register your new Tesla.
This amount may vary depending on your state. Check your state’s Department for motor vehicles to have the exact amount you should pay.
This fee Is paid to the Department of Motor Vehicles, not Tesla. You can only get a license plate when you register your vehicle.
The license plate cost differs from the amount the Department of Motor Vehicles in your state will charge you for titling and the amount Tesla will charge for registering the car.
Although the amount you pay varies from state to state, other factors also make the amount vary from person to person within a state.
The standard license plate issued by the Department of Motor Vehicles to every user costs 25 dollars; this license plate consists of letters and numbers written in black with a white background.
In some states, you may be charged a little lower than the 25 dollars license fee due to some variations in service.
These discounts cover certain types of vehicles like electric vehicles or hybrid vehicles. In states like this, you may have a discount on your Tesla.
You might opt for other forms of license plates. Other forms of license plates include digital license plates and special license plates.
A digital license plate is an identifying device that will transmit signals via radio waves, allowing the authorities to track and monitor your vehicle digitally.
The cost of digital license plates also varies from city to city; the amount ranges from 19.95 dollars to about 24.95 dollars.
Digital license plates are more expensive due to the added cost of installation.
The table below compares the digital license plate with the steel license plate:
| Feature | Digital License Plate | Steel License Plate |
|---|---|---|
| Issuer | Reviver | Department Of Motor Vehicle |
| Cost | Expensive | Cheaper |
| Security and privacy | Less secured, less private | More secured more private |
| Technical issues | More frequent | In-existent |
| Information display | More information | Less information |
Do You Need a Front License Plate for Your Tesla (Highlight States That Require It)?
You do not need a front license plate for your Tesla. In many states in the United States of America, you are allowed to drive your Tesla without a front license plate.
Although some variations exist in other regions, these regions require that you must have a license plate in front and behind.
It would be best to have a rear license plate in the regions where you can drive without a license plate in front.
Most Tesla cars do not come with a pre-installed license plate spot at the front.
This feature may be due to the aesthetic appeal you see when you have a vehicle without license plates.
Most drivers believe that a Tesla without a front license plate is unique. In some regions, you can have your car on the road without a front license plate.
Your dealer can drill the front license plate if you choose to have one after purchase.
In other rare cases, some car dealers have opined that Tesla may not have a front license for other reasons.
This reason could be due to an effort to minimize production processes and costs. Whatever the reason, some states allow you to ride your Tesla without a front license plate.
States that do not require a front license plate include Arizona, Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, New Mexico, and Tennessee.
A few other states permit you to drive around in the city center without a front license plate. This state includes North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, and South Carolina.
States that do not allow cars without front license plates include California, Colorado, Connecticut, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, and Missouri.
Other states consider driving illegal without a front license plate; these include Nevada, Nebraska, New Hampshire, new jersey, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, and Rhode Island.
Many other states will prosecute you if you drive your Tesla without a front license plate.
These states include South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.
Police have cited safety and identification as the significant reasons you should not drive your car without front license plates in these states.
Hey, I’m Michael Davis, a 35-year-old with a degree and a love for cars and tech. Since I was a kid, cars have been my thing—so much that I even thought they ran on magic beans! Fast forward, and I’ve built Vehicle Army, your one-stop-shop for easy-to-understand car facts.
