ALBANY, NEW YORK (NEWS10) — The New York State Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) commissioner Mark J.F. Schroeder is reminding New York drivers that they can replace their license plate if it is peeling, free of charge. No charge will be made to customers who replace their peeling plate with a new number, however, there is a $20 charge for replacement plates with their current number. Customers interested in changing their plates can email the DMV at dmv.sm.peelingplates@dmv.ny.gov, and should include their current plate number in the subject line, as well as the following in the body of the email:
- name as it appears on the registration
- address (Please update your address, if not current, prior to e-mailing your request)
- city, state, ZIP code
- daytime telephone number
- peeling plate number
- a photograph of the peeling plates
A new registration/windshield sticker will be mailed along with the new license plates.
“We are encouraging New Yorkers who have peeling license plates to get new ones, without any charge, to avoid the risk of being ticketed and having to pay a fine,” said Schroeder. “We do not want that to happen to our customers, so we made the process to replace peeling plates as easy as possible.”
Anyone who wishes to replace their current license plate but keep their current plate number is asked to fill out an application to do so, and include a picture of their peeling plate, with a $20 check or money order payable to ‘Commissioner of Motor Vehicles.’ All of this can be emailed to:
NYS DMV
6 Empire State Plaza
Room 414A
Albany, NY 12228
A new registration and windshield sticker will be mailed separately from the new plates. License plates that show natural aging, chips, or cracks are not eligible for this free exchange. Any customers wishing to exchange their plates with natural aging must pay a $28.75 replacement fee.
Customers are asked to destroy their peeling plates and not to return them to the DMV, so they cannot be reused. When disposing of peeling plates, DMV recommends using a permanent ink marker to cross out the plate number or otherwise deface the plates.