Under Michigan law, you are obligated to have a valid license plate and registration for your vehicle. Therefore, whenever you are issued a new license plate and tab, you must put them on your vehicle as soon as you receive them. Your old plate is canceled once the new one is assigned to you - no matter when your old plate was set to expire. There is no grace period under Michigan law. If you continue driving with your old plate, the license plate and tab on your vehicle will not match what is on file with the Secretary of State. This may be considered an improper plate violation. It could result in a ticket from law enforcement, a fine and having your vehicle impounded.

In some instances, such as renewing online, at a Self-Service Station, by telephone or mail, a new plate can be assigned to you before you actually receive it. If you are stopped, you should advise the law enforcement officer that you recently renewed your registration and are waiting for the plate and tab to arrive in the mail. The Department of State has asked law enforcement to use discretion and understanding in these instances.

To ensure that your vehicle is properly registered, please keep the following points in mind:

Your vehicle registration expires on your birthday. Most license plates expire on the vehicle owner's birthday. There is no grace period until the end of the month. If you fail to renew your plates on time, you will be charged a late fee. You also risk being ticketed if you are stopped by law enforcement.

Allow at least 14 days when renewing a license plate online, by telephone or mail. If your plate expires in 14 days or less, you should renew at a branch office rather than online, by telephone or mail. A branch office can process your renewal immediately, but at least two weeks is needed when renewing by these alternate systems. All Secretary of State PLUS offices and SUPER!Centers also feature a Self-Service Station - another convenient method for immediately renewing license plates. You must have a special personal identification number on your renewal notice and pay by credit card to use a Self-Service Station. (Note: Please refer to the Frequently Asked Question topic of "New Standard and Spectacular Peninsulas Plates" for information about renewing a standard blue license plate.)

Keep your valid registration and insurance certificate with you when driving. Neglecting to carry your vehicle's registration and insurance certificate are two more violations that can result in tickets, fines and fees. For example, a Driver Responsibility fine of $400 can be charged for having no proof of insurance.

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