Does Kansas require a front license plate?

No. Kansas plates go on the rear, and the law generally does not allow a plate on the front. A personalized plate may go on the front.

What does a Kansas plate number look like?

Four numbers and three letters with no space, like 1234ABC. Older plates look like 123 ABC.

Do Kansas tags stay with the car when it’s sold?

No. When ownership changes, the registration ends and the owner must remove the plate. The original owner can register another vehicle under the same number for a small transfer fee.

How long is a Kansas temporary tag good for?

A dealer’s temporary registration permit is good for 60 days from the date it is issued, and only one can be issued per buyer.

Can I get a VIN from a Kansas tag?

Yes. Enter the tag number with Kansas 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 Kansas tag?

Not through a public lookup. Owner details in Kansas 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.

Kansas License Plate & Tag Lookup

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

Kansas calls them tags: KDOR’s own page is titled “Vehicle Tags, Titles and Registration,” and county treasurers run the tag offices where people register cars. The standard plate is the To the Stars design, chosen by public vote in December 2023, and it goes on the rear only.

Kansas tag to VIN

A Kansas tagnumber points to one current registration, and the registration records the vehicle’s 17-character VIN. Enter the tag 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.

Kansas 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
1234ABC	Four numbers and three letters with no space. The To the Stars design has been issued since August 2024.
123 ABC	Three numbers and three letters, on plates issued from 2007 to 2023 and still on the road.

Kansas issues one plate, for the rear, and the law generally does not allow a plate on the front.

Who issues plates in Kansas

Plates and registrations in Kansas come from the Kansas Department of Revenue, Division of Vehicles, and people go in person to county treasurer motor vehicle offices, often called tag offices. Plate Decoder is an independent service and is not affiliated with the KDOR or any other government agency.

Temporary tags in Kansas

Dealers issue 60-day temporary registration permits, valid for 60 days from issue. Only one 60-day permit can be issued per buyer of a vehicle.

Personalized and specialty plates

Personalized plates allow up to seven letters, numbers and spaces on cars and trucks, with no symbols. They are issued in five-year cycles, and KDOR has an online personalized plate availability check.

Front plates are not allowed

Kansas law says a Kansas-registered vehicle shall not have a license plate on the front, with a few exceptions. One is that a personalized plate may be mounted on the front of a car or truck.

What a Kansasplate 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

Kansas plate lookup questions

Does Kansas require a front license plate?: No. Kansas plates go on the rear, and the law generally does not allow a plate on the front. A personalized plate may go on the front.
What does a Kansas plate number look like?: Four numbers and three letters with no space, like 1234ABC. Older plates look like 123 ABC.
Do Kansas tags stay with the car when it’s sold?: No. When ownership changes, the registration ends and the owner must remove the plate. The original owner can register another vehicle under the same number for a small transfer fee.
How long is a Kansas temporary tag good for?: A dealer’s temporary registration permit is good for 60 days from the date it is issued, and only one can be issued per buyer.
Can I get a VIN from a Kansas tag?: Yes. Enter the tag number with Kansas 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 Kansas tag?: Not through a public lookup. Owner details in Kansas 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.