What is a Missouri License Plate?
The Missouri Department of Revenue issues license plates and manages the state’s vehicle registration system. Residents perform registration transactions at any Missouri licensing office, not directly through the central DOR office in Jefferson City.
The current general license plate is the bicentennial design, launched in 2019 under RSMo § 301.130. All plates feature the slogan “SHOW-ME STATE” and are made from fully reflective material.
Types of License Plates in Missouri
- Standard: The bicentennial license plate assigned upon registration. There is no separate fee for the general issue plate design.
- Missouri offers dozens of specialty designs covering universities, causes, and organizations. Each has an annual fee of $15.00 through the DOR, plus any emblem use permissions required by the sponsoring group.
- Personalized license plates cost the same $15.00 annual fee and allow up to six characters. Personalized historic plates cost $43.75. Both can be reserved online through the DOR.
- One free set of disabled veteran plates is available under RSMo § 301.075, with no registration or processing fees. Former prisoner of war plates are also free under RSMo § 301.443.
- $28.00 buys a one-time registration for a historic vehicle for qualifying vehicles under RSMo § 301.131, exempt from the bicentennial reissue fee.
A full catalog of specialty plates is available as a PDF from the DOR.
What Vehicles Require License Plates in Missouri?
Every vehicle and trailer operated on Missouri highways must be registered. Owners have 30 days from purchase to apply for title and registration under RSMo § 301.190, with a late penalty of $25.00 for each 30-day period thereafter (capped at $200.00).
- Passenger vehicles receive two license plates. Fees are horsepower-based: $18.25 per year for vehicles under 12 HP, rising to $51.25 for 72 HP and over, plus $9.00 processing according to the DOR fee schedule. Two-year registration doubles both amounts.
- A two-wheeled motorcycle costs $8.75 per year plus $9.00 processing; three-wheeled models cost $10.25. One rear plate.
- Trailers have one plate for $7.50 per year, $22.50 for three years, or $52.50 for a permanent non-transferable plate.
- Trucks registered by weight up to 12,000 pounds cost from $15.75 (local) to $38.25 (beyond local) per year.
- Electric passenger vehicles must pay a $150.00 annual alternative fuel fee; plug-in hybrids $75.00. A $9.00 processing fee applies to both under RSMo § 142.869.
License Plate Rules in Missouri
- Two plates are required for passenger vehicles, mounted front and rear at a height of 8 to 48 inches above the ground. Motorcycles, trailers, and trucks licensed over 12,000 pounds receive one plate under RSMo § 301.130(3) and (5). Trucks over 12,000 pounds place this single plate at the front.
- Plates must remain clearly visible and clean enough to retain their reflective properties. A clear cover is allowed only if it does not impair visibility or reflectivity. No frame, cover, or obstruction may obscure the plate number, state name, or registration tabs under the same statute.
Is Driving Around with No License Plate in Missouri Illegal?
Yes. No vehicle or trailer may operate on Missouri highways without displaying plates issued by the director of revenue, under RSMo § 301.130(5).
Failure to register at all is separately classified as a class B misdemeanor under RSMo § 301.020(6). Possession of a vehicle with an altered or destroyed identification number is a class E felony under RSMo § 301.390.
What is the Penalty for Driving Without a License Plate in Missouri?
Missouri’s penalty structure under Chapter 301 starts with fines and escalates to imprisonment for repeat or fraudulent offenses.
- Failure to register is a class B misdemeanor: up to 6 months’ imprisonment and a fine up to $1,000.00 under RSMo §§ 558.002 and 558.011.
- Late registration incurs a $25.00 late fee for each 30-day period, capped at $200.00, under RSMo § 301.190(5). A separate $5.00 penalty applies to late renewals under RSMo § 301.050.
- Possession of a vehicle with altered identification numbers is a class E felony, carrying up to 4 years’ imprisonment under RSMo § 301.390(6).
- Operating without a valid alternative fuel decal, where required, is an infraction with a $500.00 fine under RSMo § 142.869(11).