Does Arizona require a front license plate?

No. Arizona requires only a rear plate on passenger vehicles. A front plate is optional.

What does an Arizona plate number look like?

Plates issued since 2021 have seven characters mixing letters and numbers, like ABC 1DE. Older plates with three letters and four numbers are still common.

How long is an Arizona temporary plate good for?

A dealer’s Temporary Registration Plate is valid for 45 days, or until the permanent plate arrives.

What happens to my Arizona plate when I sell my car?

You keep it. Remove it, then transfer it to another vehicle you own or destroy it, and file a Sold Notice with the MVD.

Can I get a VIN from a Arizona license plate?

Yes. Enter the license plate number with Arizona 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 a Arizona license plate?

Not through a public lookup. Owner details in Arizona 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.

Arizona License Plate Lookup

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

Arizona plates come from ADOT’s Motor Vehicle Division, which most people just call the MVD, or from Authorized Third Party offices. Since 2021 standard serials have mixed letters and numbers in many different orders, so an Arizona plate is harder to guess from its shape than most.

Arizona plate to VIN

A Arizona 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.

Arizona 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 1DE	Standard plates since 2021 use seven mixed letters and numbers, in many different orders.
ABC1234	Three letters and four numbers, issued from 2008 to 2020 and still very common.

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

Who issues plates in Arizona

Plates and registrations in Arizona come from the Arizona Department of Transportation, Motor Vehicle Division, and people go in person to MVD offices and Authorized Third Party offices, which are private businesses licensed by ADOT. Plate Decoder is an independent service and is not affiliated with the ADOT MVD or any other government agency.

Temporary tags in Arizona

Arizona dealers issue a Temporary Registration Plate that lasts 45 days, or until the metal plate arrives, whichever comes first. A private sale uses a restricted three-day permit instead.

Personalized and specialty plates

Personalized plates cost an extra $25 a year and can be ordered through AZ MVD Now, the state’s online service.

Digital plates are an option

Arizona lets owners choose a digital license plate. When the registration lapses the plate shows that it is invalid, and it can display a stolen or detached warning if it is removed.

What a Arizona plate 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

Arizona plate lookup questions

Does Arizona require a front license plate?: No. Arizona requires only a rear plate on passenger vehicles. A front plate is optional.
What does an Arizona plate number look like?: Plates issued since 2021 have seven characters mixing letters and numbers, like ABC 1DE. Older plates with three letters and four numbers are still common.
How long is an Arizona temporary plate good for?: A dealer’s Temporary Registration Plate is valid for 45 days, or until the permanent plate arrives.
What happens to my Arizona plate when I sell my car?: You keep it. Remove it, then transfer it to another vehicle you own or destroy it, and file a Sold Notice with the MVD.
Can I get a VIN from a Arizona license plate?: Yes. Enter the license plate number with Arizona 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 a Arizona license plate?: Not through a public lookup. Owner details in Arizona 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.