Does Alaska require a front license plate?

No. Most vehicles need one plate on the rear. Commercial vehicles over 10,001 pounds display it on the front.

What does an Alaska plate number look like?

Three letters and three numbers, like ABC 123.

How long is an Alaska dealer temporary permit good for?

Sixty days, while the dealer transfers the title to you.

Can I move my Alaska plates to another car?

Standard plates can’t be transferred. Personalized and specialty plates come off when you sell, can be moved to another vehicle you own, and the buyer gets a new set at no extra charge.

Can I get a VIN from an Alaska license plate?

Yes. Enter the license plate number with Alaska selected and the lookup returns the VIN of the vehicle it is registered to, with the year, make, model and trim.

Can I find the owner of an Alaska license plate?

Not through a public lookup. Owner details in Alaska vehicle records are protected by the federal Driver’s Privacy Protection Act and released only for purposes the law allows, such as by court order or to an insurer handling a claim.

Alaska License Plate Lookup

Enter an Alaska plate number to get the vehicle’s VIN, year, make, model and trim.

Alaska needs only one plate on most vehicles, on the back, under a 2022 law. Large commercial vehicles over 10,001 pounds carry it on the front instead. The standard gold plate and the Grizzly Bear plate both come at no extra charge.

Alaska plate to VIN

An Alaska platenumber points to one current registration, and the registration records the vehicle’s 17-character VIN. Enter the plate above to get the VIN with the year, make, model, trim, body and engine. It is the quickest way to get the VIN of a car you are not standing next to: one in a listing, one you are quoting a repair for, or your own when the title is in a drawer somewhere.

Alaska license plate formats

Standard passenger plates use these formats. Personalized, specialty, commercial and motorcycle plates follow their own rules, and every format works in the lookup.

Format	What it is
ABC 123	Three letters and three numbers. The same pattern is used on the standard gold plate, the Grizzly Bear plate and the artistic plate.

Alaska issues one plate, for the rear of the vehicle.

Who issues plates in Alaska

Plates and registrations in Alaska come from the Alaska Division of Motor Vehicles, and people go in person to state DMV offices and DMV business partner offices. Plate Decoder is an independent service and is not affiliated with the DMV or any other government agency.

Temporary tags in Alaska

Alaska dealers can give buyers a 60-day temporary permit while the dealer transfers the title, which the dealer must apply for within 30 days of the sale.

Personalized and specialty plates

Personalized plates can be ordered online for $30. A combination becomes free for someone else only after the plate has been off a vehicle or expired for more than 60 days.

Slashed zeros

Alaska plates made since 2023 use a slashed zero (Ø), and the personalized plate form lists Ø as the only zero, so a zero is not mistaken for the letter O.

What an Alaskaplate lookup can and can’t show

You get the vehicle: VIN, year, make, model, trim, body and engine. You do not get the person. See what a plate lookup shows for the full list.

What we don’t show, and why

No owner names, addresses, phone numbers or photos. Owner details in DMV records are protected by the federal Driver’s Privacy Protection Act, and looking someone up out of curiosity is not a purpose it allows. Any site that promises the owner of a plate for a few dollars is either breaking that law or not going to deliver.

Who can get owner records, and what to do instead

FAQ

Alaska plate lookup questions

Does Alaska require a front license plate?: No. Most vehicles need one plate on the rear. Commercial vehicles over 10,001 pounds display it on the front.
What does an Alaska plate number look like?: Three letters and three numbers, like ABC 123.
How long is an Alaska dealer temporary permit good for?: Sixty days, while the dealer transfers the title to you.
Can I move my Alaska plates to another car?: Standard plates can’t be transferred. Personalized and specialty plates come off when you sell, can be moved to another vehicle you own, and the buyer gets a new set at no extra charge.
Can I get a VIN from an Alaska license plate?: Yes. Enter the license plate number with Alaska selected and the lookup returns the VIN of the vehicle it is registered to, with the year, make, model and trim.
Can I find the owner of an Alaska license plate?: Not through a public lookup. Owner details in Alaska vehicle records are protected by the federal Driver’s Privacy Protection Act and released only for purposes the law allows, such as by court order or to an insurer handling a claim.