What is a License Plate Replacement in Alaska?
The replacement issuance of your registration plate outside the biennial renewal cycle. Alaska Statute § 28.10.091 requires an immediate application for a duplicate or replacement if the plate is lost, stolen, damaged, or unreadable. The transaction has its own fixed fee, separate from the registration renewal amount.
- Standard plates receive a new plate number upon replacement, as standard Alaska plates are non-transferable. Personalized plates may be reissued with the original message if the plate was surrendered due to damage.
- Alaska is a single-plate state under AS 28.10.171. Each replacement includes one rear plate (or front plate for commercial vehicles over 10,001 pounds), not a pair.
- The replacement fee for a standard plate is $5, which includes a new annual tab and registration card at no additional charge. The Alaska DMV replacement registration page lists this fee along with a separate $2 option for the registration certificate only.
All vehicle classes use the same Form V1 to request a replacement.
When Do You Need to Replace Your Alaska License Plate?
The statute uses the word “immediately.” AS 28.10.091 obligates the owner to apply for a duplicate as soon as loss, theft, damage, or unreadability is discovered. There is no defined grace period after this trigger.
- The trigger conditions are a closed set: the plate is lost or stolen, physically damaged, or faded to illegibility. The same rule applies to year and month validation tabs.
- Alaska does not require a police report to process a replacement for a lost or stolen plate. The statute and the Alaska DMV plates page contain no reporting requirements.
- Damaged or defaced plates must be surrendered to the DMV. Any parts of the original plate remaining with the applicant are returned to the department upon application.
- New residents must apply for an Alaska title within 30 days of acquiring a vehicle, per AS 28.10.011. Bringing an already-owned vehicle triggers a separate registration requirement under AS 28.10.201.
Fees associated with these triggers are covered in the cost section below.
How to Get a Replacement License Plate in Alaska
Before choosing a channel, locate your current registration receipt or plate number and valid photo ID. If your plate is damaged, bring it for surrender. Complete Form V1 (Vehicle Transaction Application) and sign it in ink.
- In person at any Alaska state DMV office or contract agent location. The Alaska DMV office directory lists locations in Anchorage, Fairbanks, Juneau, Palmer, Soldotna, and smaller communities. Standard plates are issued on-site. A $10 counter fee applies to all in-person transactions.
- Online path goes through the Alaska DMV ServiceNow portal. Complete Form V1 and submit it via DMV Online Services. The DMV sends an electronic invoice you can pay online. The replacement plate is mailed.
- By mail, send the completed Form V1, payment by check or money order, and the damaged plate (if applicable) to Alaska DMV, ATTN: Correspondence, 4001 Ingra Street, Suite 101, Anchorage, AK 99503. There is no published processing time for replacements sent by mail.
An owner unable to appear in person may authorize a representative with a notarized Power of Attorney (Form 847).
Can You Replace Alaska License Plates Online?
Yes. Alaska accepts online plate replacements through the DMV Online Services portal on the ServiceNow platform. The portal handles both standard and personalized plate replacements. Upload the signed Form V1, and the DMV returns an electronic invoice payable by credit or debit card.
The replacement plate and new registration card are mailed via USPS. There is no published processing window, but the DMV notes that personalized plates require additional time as they are custom-made.
For cases the portal cannot handle, or if you need a plate immediately, visit a state DMV office in person. Standard plates are issued at the counter the same day. A $10 counter fee is added to the replacement fee.
- The mail-in package requires Form V1, payment by check or money order, and the damaged plate if applicable. Send everything to Alaska DMV, 4001 Ingra Street, Suite 101, Anchorage, AK 99503.
The online method avoids the $10 counter fee and is the cheapest route; the office is intended for same-day issuance, which the portal cannot provide.
How Much is License Plate Replacement in Alaska?
The replacement fee is fixed for all vehicle classes, but the additional counter fee for in-person visits significantly raises the cost at the counter compared to the online method.
- A replacement plate costs $5 and includes a new annual tab and new registration card at no additional charge, according to the Alaska DMV replacement registration page.
- A replacement annual tab separately (without a new plate) costs $5. A replacement registration certificate separately costs $2. Month tabs are free.
- The replacement fee for special plates varies by type. Standard Gold and Grizzly Bear plates cost $5. The Celebrating the Arts plate costs $8 to replace, as currently published on the Alaska DMV plates page.
- A counter fee of $10 applies to each counter transaction, according to the DMV fee calculator. Online and mail submissions completely avoid this fee.
Alaska imposes no additional surcharges on replacement transactions.