Identify what needs replacing
FLHSMV's registration explanation distinguishes the metal plate, registration certificate and validation decal. The plate number must match the registration and decal. The certificate is carried by the operator or kept in the vehicle, and the decal goes in the square at the plate's upper right.
If the certificate alone is missing, request a duplicate registration. If the plate or sticker is missing or unreadable, select that item in the replacement application. A duplicate title is a different transaction covered in the Florida vehicle title guide.
Replace a registration certificate online
The department's renewal and replacement instructions list duplicate registration service through MyDMV Portal and MyFlorida. The portal requires personal identifying information to complete a transaction.
MyFlorida also offers duplicate registration service. Its published transaction processing fees are $4 for credit card payments or $3.75 for checking-account payments, checked October 16, 2026. The online portal's listed processing fee is $2. These are processing charges, not a quoted total for every replacement. The cited instructions do not identify a new effective date for the charges.
Check the address before ordering. FLHSMV's registration page says the mobile app does not allow address changes. For a move, follow the Florida address change guide before arranging delivery.
Use HSMV 83146 for a plate or decal
The Application for Replacement License Plate, Validation Decal or Parking Permit directs owners and lessees to submit the completed application to a local county tax collector or plate agency. For mail requests, include a copy of the Florida registration certificate.
The form provides a separate mailing route for special plates not issued by local tax collectors or plate agencies. Follow that instruction if it applies to the particular plate. Ordinary local replacement requests should not automatically be mailed to state headquarters.
The RS-06 replacement procedure also says the form is optional for customer-initiated replacements at a tax collector office or through its convenience method. Its general documentation section still describes the form as required for replacements, except de-authorized plates. Prepare HSMV 83146 for a mail request, and follow the processing office's instructions for its in-person or convenience service.
Lost, damaged and stolen items
HSMV 83146 treats a lost or destroyed item as a paid replacement. It also requires fees for damaged plates and plates made unreadable by fading. Reporting an item lost is different from documenting that it was stolen.
For a stolen plate or decal, the form says replacement is free when the customer supplies a law enforcement report that identifies the stolen item. Attach the report to the application. Without that evidence, the form calls for the replacement fee.
The state fee schedule, checked October 16, 2026, lists $28 for an original or replacement plate. The application directs customers to the processing tax collector or plate agent for the applicable fee calculation. The $28 listing should not be treated as a universal total for a certificate-only or decal-only request. The schedule gives no new effective date for that amount.
A renewal or replacement never arrived
FLHSMV's registration page gives a usual MyDMV Portal mailing period of seven to ten business days. It says that after 20 calendar days without receipt, customers can ask a service center or FLHSMV Customer Service about a lost-in-transit replacement.
The application separately permits no-fee replacement of plates, decals or parking permits lost in the mail when requested within 180 days after issuance. That window concerns an issued item lost during delivery, rather than an item the customer received and later misplaced.
Before applying, identify the original transaction date and which issued item is missing. This helps the office distinguish a mail loss from an ordinary replacement. A new renewal order is not the same request as replacement of a renewal already processed.
Personalized plates need an additional check
The replacement form says a lost personalized plate may be reissued with the same characters. For a stolen personalized plate, it conditions reuse of the characters on a law enforcement statement that the plate has been removed from the FCIC and NCIC computer files.
Give the processing office the theft report and that additional statement when requesting the same stolen configuration. If you instead want a new design or new lettering, see Florida license plate choices and ordering.
Stops and expired registrations
FLHSMV's renewal and replacement page states that, effective July 1, 2022, a toll-related registration stop prevents plate replacement or registration renewal until the toll violations are satisfied. For a stop, it directs customers to an office or Customer Service at (850) 617-2000 for case information.
A replacement also does not extend an expired registration. HSMV 83146 explains that a plate replacement requested when registration has expired adds the replacement charge to the renewal fee. Use the Florida renewal guide for the renewal period, payment and delivery process.
Parking permits have their own medical requirements
Although HSMV 83146 includes parking permits, a permit replacement is not simply a vehicle plate replacement. RS-06 describes separate requirements for permanent and temporary permits, including supporting medical or qualifying veteran documentation in applicable cases.
Use the Florida disabled parking guide for permit replacement and renewal. Selecting the parking permit box does not establish that the applicant has supplied the necessary eligibility evidence.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I replace a lost registration certificate online?
Yes. FLHSMV lists duplicate registration service through MyDMV Portal and MyFlorida.
Which form covers a lost plate or decal?
HSMV 83146 covers plate and validation decal replacement. Follow the receiving tax collector or license plate agent's submission instructions.
Is a stolen plate replaced free?
The form provides free replacement when a law enforcement report identifying the stolen item is attached. Ordinary lost-item requests require fees.
What if my mailed decal never arrived?
FLHSMV says to inquire after 20 calendar days without the registration delivery. The form's no-fee mail-loss provision for a decal requires an application within 180 days of issuance.
Can a toll stop prevent replacement?
Yes. The state says toll-related stops can block license plate replacement until the toll violations are satisfied.
Does a replacement renew an expired registration?
No. An expired registration still requires renewal, with the applicable renewal charges in addition to the replacement transaction.