You may be eligible for a partial refund if you cancel your registration before it expires. Discounts and certain fees are not prorated or refunded. These include the one-time plate fee, Virginia Road Tax for heavy trucks, and any late fees.
Dealers will process your vehicle registration when you purchase a vehicle from them. This process can take up to 30 days for the dealer to process the transaction and for the vehicle to appear in your DMV record. The dealer will provide you with temporary license plates or a temporary registration valid for 30 days so you can legally drive. Rental vehicles will not show up on your DMV record.
You must keep your registration card with you whenever you operate a vehicle. To deter registration sticker theft, remove your previous year’s sticker from your license plate before applying the new one. The sticker will tear if removed from the metal plate but may not tear if removed from the old sticker. After applying the sticker, you may also want to lightly score an “x” across the sticker with a razor blade so it will not come off in one piece if removed. It is illegal to have tinted glass, plastic, or any other type of covering placed on your license plate that alters or obscures the letters, numbers, decal, state of issuance, and expiration date.
