NJ Specialty Plates

NJ Specialty Plates

Overview

In New Jersey, you must have front and rear license plates to be able to operate a car legally. The registration, as well as placard issuance, is handled by the Motor Vehicle Commission.

Mainly, the MVC classifies the following types to choose from: standard, special, vanity, and disability. Specialty placards, on their part, are divided into organizational and dedicated options. To acquire more information, make sure to read the whole article.

NJ Specialty Plates

If you want to drive your vehicle legally in New Jersey, you should register it through the Motor Vehicle Commission. There are lots of plate options the state provides but here we’ll focus on the varieties of NJ specialty license plates.

Categories

The state requires having front and rear license plates for your car. You will get this when you register and title your vehicle. Primarily, the NJ MVC identifies the following categories:

  • Standard
  • Specialty
  • Dedicated
  • Vanity
  • Disabled

The regular placard in NJ has a yellow background and the “Garden State” writing with black letters and numbers. Coming up, we shall discuss the process of personalization.

Personalized

You can customize the placard by choosing unique characters. You just need to make sure to follow the rules and regulations of the authority:

  • Include at least 3 and up to 7 characters.
  • Do not use punctuation marks.
  • Avoid connotations or marks that are offensive or vulgar (visit this page to find out more).

In New Jersey, personalization costs $50. So, in order to obtain it, you should complete this form. Keep in mind that in case you have been convicted of a felony within the last 10 years, your application will be rejected.

Organizational

Specialty plates in New Jersey are given to non-profit organizations. They are designed to raise public awareness about their group as well as encourage future involvement. The agency identifies three kinds of organizational tags:

  • Service: Approved placards of this type include American Legion, Purple Hearts, VFW of the US, and more.
  • Community: Qualifying community organizations can apply for specific placards. For instance, Choose Life is among the authorized ones that support the Children First Foundation.
  • Alumni: Institutions, staff members, or students are eligible for this program. Many universities such as the University of Michigan or Delaware already have their special tags.

The application for non-profit organizations can’t be done online or by mail. However, you can call at 292-6500, ext. 5061 and assign a coordinator to handle the process. If the MVC approves your request, you may visit this address to get them:

New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission
Special Plate Unit
PO Box 015
225 East State Street
Trenton, NJ 08666-0015

Dedicated

Under this category fall several tags that you may buy and support their causes. Below, you will find some examples of them:

  • Organ Donor
  • Conserve Wildlife
  • Law Enforcement Memorial
  • Conquer Cancer
  • United We Stand and more

For instance, when you receive the “Animal Friendly” label on your car, you show your care for animal support. As a result, half of your payment funds the animal population control program initiated by the Department of Health.

To obtain these, you should fill out the online application or send the form through the email address along with payment. It costs $50 (some of them may be cheaper, e.g. the “Agriculture” sign is $20 and without renewal fee).

Disability

Residents that have a medical paper from an authorized physician are able to receive disabled tags. This allows an individual to have parking privileges where there is that specific sign. The medical conditions that permit to obtain this include:

  • Mobility issues that limit his/her ability to walk
  • Respiratory diseases or cardiac condition
  • A permanent sight impairment

There are no charges applicable for disabled residents. You may get the wheelchair symbol by submitting the form online, in person, or by mail. Moreover, remember that the card should always be in your car and the sign must be always visible.