License plate requirements in Puerto Rico
Types of license plates you can get in Puerto Rico
Final word
License plate requirements in Puerto Rico
License plates in Puerto Rico are as easy to get as they are anywhere in the United States. You will need to take a trip to their version of the DMV which is known as the Department of Transportation and Public Works (Departamento de Transportación y Obras Públicas) which is DTOP for short.
Before you get your Puerto Rican license plates, you will need to get your car registered. Once you do, getting your license plates will be one of the last steps in the registration process.
At first, you will get temporary tags while you wait for your new plates to come in the mail. This will take about a week or two. Once you get your plates, you should put them on your car right away. They must be affixed to the appropriate and designated spots on the front and back of your car.
Most importantly, they must be completely visible. So, no tinted visors or anything placed over them or hanging in front of them. Otherwise, you can be ticketed by the police.
Types of license plates you can get in Puerto Rico
There are several different types of license plates that you can get in Puerto Rico:
- Standard plates – The most common plate that you will see in Puerto Rico are the standard ones. These cost the least and do not require any additional approval or verification.
- Government plates – Government plates will only be given to government officials or those working for a Puerto Rican government agency such as the Senate. They will specifically designate the government agency that the driver is a part of. Some different types of Puerto Rican government plates include legislator, assembly, senator, and municipal.
- Handicapped plates – Handicapped plates are obviously for those with a condition that will impair their ability to move from their car to a destination. These plates are clearly marked with a handicapped symbol in Puerto Rico. Handicapped in Puerto Rico spots are always designated by a sign that includes a warning of the price of the fine for parking there without a handicapped pass or plate.
- Personalized – You can also get personalized plates in Puerto Rico. These are most commonly known as “Vanity plates”. With these plates you can get a custom license plate number that resembles a word or phrase. You only have seven letters/numbers, so many plates have something like this one them “PTORICO”
- Antique and historical vehicle plates – There are also special plates for antique and historical vehicles in Puerto Rico. You must have a legitimate antique or historical car along with all the other necessary typical paperwork. These are commemorative and will have a design that pays tribute to these types of cars.
Final word
Getting your new Puerto Rican license plates will not be any more complicated than it is anywhere else. You might have to wait for a while at the DTOP office so plan to spend a few hours getting your car registered and getting your plates. Before you can get your license plates in Puerto Rico, you will need to have your car there. You can always ship your car to Puerto Rico by calling us at (904) 322-7644.
