Can I transfer my passenger plates to my pickup truck? | Ask the DMV
Q: I am thinking about buying a pickup truck as a personal vehicle. Can I transfer my personal vehicle plates, or do I have to get combination plates that I see on pickup trucks?
— Justin M.
A: When you say “personal vehicle plates,” I think you mean the plate type “passenger.”
Passenger plates cannot go on trucks. A truck, which is defined at the DMV as a vehicle with an outside cargo area or a flatbed and commonly referred to as a "pickup truck," can only have commercial or combination plates.
Combination plates are available for trucks that weigh less than 8,800 pounds.
Commercial plates are available for any weight trucks. Also, combination and commercial plates have annual registration renewals and always have a March renewal month.
Passenger plates are two-year renewals and are generally based upon the first letter of your last name or a specific plate type (i.e. motorcycle, trailer, antique).
Maybe you can put your passenger plate on another vehicle you own? Or you can gift the plate to a family member or friend.
Q: I have an old motorcycle, 1979, that I don’t ride anymore, though the bike and the plate have sentimental value. I would like to convert its registration to an antique plate, but the DMV website is vague on what exactly needs to be done.
— Steven C.
A: This is from our website (dmv.ri.gov) and it can be found under the “Registration, Plates & Titles” tab, then "License Plates," and then "Antique Plates":
“Motor Vehicles or Motorcycles must be at least 25 years old. Unless fully inspected and meeting inspection requirements, the vehicle may be maintained solely for use in exhibitions, club activities, parades and other functions of public interest. The vehicle may also be used for limited enjoyment and purposes other than the previously mentioned activities, but may not be used primarily for the transportation of passengers or goods over any public highway."
You need to complete and sign the Application for Registration and Antique Affidavit.
Refer to the third page of the Application for Registration for a list of documents needed to perform this transaction.
Costs are listed in the DMV Plate Fee Table RIGL 31-1-3
Antique motorcycle plates are handled the same way that antique vehicle plates are done. Fill out the TR-1 form, "Antique Affidavit," and have your current registration with you. (You’ll need it for the motorcycle information.) You can switch your current motorcycle plate for an antique motorcycle plate or you can chose to have a dual registration (keeping your current plate and also having an antique plate to be used for special events that are listed in the law.)
This transaction can be done in person with a reservation (instructions on how to make a reservation are found on the front page of the DMV’s website), it can be done through the mail (600 New London Ave., Cranston, RI 02920), or it can be done by using one of the DMV drop boxes located in the lobby of all the DMV branches in Cranston, Woonsocket, Middletown, and Wakefield. Drop box hours are the same as the branch hours of operation.
Chuck Hollis is assistant administrator of the Rhode Island Division of Motor Vehicles. Please email your questions to cars@providencejournal.com with “Ask the DMV” in the subject field.
This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Ask the RI DMV: Can I transfer my passenger plates to my pickup truck?
