Vehicle license or registration - Arizona

License plate display

Motor vehicles and trailer or semitrailers display plates on the rear.

Vehicles issued two plates may display plates either:

1. One plate on the rear; or
2. One plate on the front and one plate on the rear.

International Registration Plan

Arizona is a member of the International Registration Plan (IRP). The IRP is a base state system for vehicle registration fees, allowing a carrier to apply for vehicle registration and pay fees to a single jurisdiction.

Arizona law now allows for a facsimile of the registration cab card in lieu of the original registration card being carried in the vehicle at all times.

Arizona law assigns license plates to a vehicle’s owner. When a vehicle is sold, the vehicle owner must remove the license plate and:

• Within 30 days transfer the plate to another vehicle;
• Turn the license plate into the Motor Vehicle Division, Motor Carrier Services or an authorized third party; or
• Submit an affidavit stating the license plate has been destroyed.

Provisions for registration credit:

• If the owner transfers the license plate to another vehicle, the owner may be eligible to receive a credit:
  • Credit can be applied toward the fees and taxes required to register the other vehicle.
  • Credit is allowed on fees and taxes paid for the following: Vehicle License Tax (VLT); Commercial Registration Fee CRF; Weight Fee (WGT), Motor Carrier Fee (MCF) and Special Plate Fee (SPF).
  • Credit may be applied to one vehicle registration only. Credit cannot be divided or split between multiple vehicles.
  • Credit will be based on the number of months left on the registration.
• The license plate cannot be applied to another vehicle until the title and registration have been processed through MVD or an authorized Third Party.

The owner will need to obtain a restricted use three-day permit for private sales or a temporary registration plate (TRP) for vehicles purchased from a licensed motor vehicle dealer.

Temporary Permit: Arizona issues a 90-day temporary permit authorization to carriers with existing fleets registered under IRP. Temporary permits may be issued only if an IRP carrier is adding a vehicle to a new or existing fleet, but cannot complete the title transaction. The fee is in addition to the applicable apportioned registration fee.

Hunter's Permit: This permit is issued to an owner-operator (lessor) who has surrendered his license plate and cab card to the lessee, allowing travel in all jurisdictions for the purpose of finding a new job. The unladen weight permit is valid for vehicles operating at unladen weight only, and is non-transferable. The permit is valid for 30 days.

See Regulatory Agencies.