Restore Missing New Hampshire Vehicle Registration Credentials

Identify the missing credential before applying

Review the vehicle's records to determine whether the missing item is the registration certificate, one plate, both plates, or a current validation decal. The DMV registration FAQ describes the corresponding replacement services. These items serve different purposes, and one replacement request does not necessarily replace every missing credential. Write down the plate number, VIN, registered owner's name, expiration, and which items remain available.

Also determine whether the registration itself is still valid. A replacement certificate reproduces the existing record; it does not ordinarily renew an expired period or resolve a suspension. If the vehicle was recently sold, transferred, or moved to another registration, explain that event first. Replacing documents for an obsolete record can create confusion without restoring authority to operate the vehicle you now own.

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Use the registration-copy application for a lost certificate

The Application for Copy of Registration is the owner's route for replacing a lost or destroyed current registration record. Complete the identifying information accurately, including the actual vehicle and plate. Follow the current form's signature and submission instructions. A driver-license replacement application or a duplicate-title application will not produce the registration certificate required for this transaction.

The official forms directory distinguishes an owner's duplicate request from a request for motor vehicle records under the applicable access rules. If acting for a business, trust, estate, or another individual, ask what authority must accompany the request. Do not sign as the owner simply because you normally drive the vehicle. Make sure the resulting record will be sent to the appropriate verified address.

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Use the plate and decal form for physical credentials

For a missing, damaged, or destroyed plate or decal, use the Application for Replacement Plates and/or Decals. Identify the plate class and whether one or two plates are affected. Describe the reason truthfully and complete the registrant's certification. An accurate distinction between a misplaced plate, a damaged plate, and one believed stolen helps the department choose the correct replacement procedure.

The registration rules require the application to state whether the loss was reported to police and identify that department when applicable. They permit submission in person to a substation or authorized municipal agent, or in person or by mail to the DMV in Concord. Confirm that the selected office handles the plate class and requested service before sending originals or making a trip.

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Report suspected theft and expect the number treatment to change

If a plate appears to have been stolen, report the circumstances to the appropriate police agency and retain the report information. Under the rules, a replacement for a plate reported stolen receives a different registration number. Where two plates were originally issued, the department issues a different-numbered pair even when only one of the pair was reported stolen. Bring or identify the remaining plate as the office directs.

Explain the theft history when updating the vehicle's associated accounts after replacement. Save the police report reference, application receipt, and old and new plate information in case later notices concern misuse of the missing plate. Do not recover a discarded or stolen plate and reinstall it after the department has changed the registration number. Ask how to surrender any plate that later turns up.

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Discuss matching replacements for ordinary loss or damage

The rules allow a matching replacement to be manufactured in the relevant lost-plate circumstances, while also allowing the registrant to request a different number. The lost or illegible plate statute provides for a department-issued permit to use a temporary plate while the regular replacement is made. Ask which option is available for your plate category and how the temporary display must be handled.

The DMV FAQ describes the ordinary one-plate replacement and an immediate replacement-set option when both plates are missing or damaged. Specialty or personalized manufacture can involve a different delivery sequence. Obtain the actual expected process from the accepting office instead of assuming every number can be reproduced immediately. Preserve the written temporary permission and comply with its terms until the permanent plate arrives.

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Pay the current fee for each requested service

Under the current state registration fee law, a duplicate or certified vehicle registration costs $20, and the replacement registration decal charge is $5. The plate issuance law sets the ordinary plate charge at $4 each. Thus replacing a standard pair ordinarily involves $8 in plate manufacture, with any additional requested registration or decal service assessed separately. These amounts should not be confused with boat credential fees.

The January 2026 fee schedule documents the changes from older registration-copy and decal amounts. Check the current assessment before mailing a payment based on an old form. A municipal agent or delivery method can involve an additional authorized charge. Ask whether a damaged credential must be surrendered and which payment types the receiving office accepts for the combined request.

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Distinguish a defective issuance from ordinary replacement

The plate rules provide a no-charge substitute when a newly received plate or decal is defective and the defective item is returned to the department. Show the actual defect and the issuance information so staff can evaluate the request. That provision is different from a plate later damaged in use or an owner who loses a valid decal. Do not assume every worn or missing item qualifies for free replacement.

Inspect new credentials before installing them. Check the plate's characters, the decal's period, and any manufacturing damage against the registration record. Photograph a visible problem if useful for the office's review, but preserve the physical item because return may be required. Ask for the proper temporary arrangement if correcting the defect leaves the vehicle without the required displayed credential.

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Correct address or record errors before mailing

Use the DMV personal information guidance and applicable record change form when the owner address or other record information needs updating. Confirm whether the municipal record also needs correction. A postal forwarding order may not deliver vehicle credentials to the intended location. Explain a temporary delivery need to the office before mailing an application with an outdated permanent address.

If the plate is being replaced because the registration names the wrong vehicle or owner, request correction of the underlying record as well. A new metal plate cannot fix a VIN error by itself. Bring the existing certificate, relevant title or application, and supporting evidence. Have staff identify whether the correct transaction is a replacement, correction, plate change, or ownership transfer before collecting the finished documents.

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Keep replacement separate from renewal and title work

Ordinary renewal follows the town and state registration process, and the registration expiration law still determines when road authority ends. A replacement requested shortly before expiration does not automatically extend that date. Ask whether renewal and replacement can be processed together when appropriate, and verify the period shown on the issued certificate rather than relying on the payment date.

A missing ownership certificate follows the duplicate-title statute instead. Similarly, moving an existing plate to a newly acquired vehicle requires the registration transfer transaction. Replacing a plate under the old VIN is not a shortcut for that transfer. Describe the full situation to the clerk so the resulting credentials correspond to the vehicle and owner that should currently be registered.

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Install the replacements and update linked records

Secure the assigned plates in the required front and rear locations for the class, and affix the current validation decals according to the instructions. The plate category information can help identify whether the vehicle normally receives one plate or a pair. Remove obsolete credentials as directed, keep the new registration available in the vehicle, and stop using the temporary display once the permanent replacement is installed.

If the number changed, update insurance, toll, parking, workplace, and other legitimate accounts tied to that identifier. Use the DMV office directory or department contact page to follow up on a delayed mailing with the application date and receipt ready. Retain the completed replacement record long enough to address later questions involving the lost or stolen credentials and the date the new number took effect.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Which New Hampshire form replaces a lost current registration certificate?
Use the Application for Copy of Registration, RDMV 110, following the current owner and submission instructions.

Which form handles a missing New Hampshire plate or registration decal?
Use RDMV 125, Application for Replacement Plates and/or Decals, and identify the exact items and circumstances involved.

What does a duplicate New Hampshire vehicle registration cost in 2026?
The state duplicate or certified registration fee is $20. Separate plate, decal, municipal-agent, or delivery charges may apply to additional requested services.

Will a plate reported stolen be replaced with the same number?
The registration rules require a different number for the reported-stolen replacement. For a vehicle originally issued two plates, a different-numbered pair is issued even when one was stolen.

Can I create my own paper plate while waiting for a replacement?
Obtain the department-issued temporary plate and permission applicable to the replacement. An informal homemade substitute does not establish the authorized display.

Does replacing a missing decal renew an expired registration?
A replacement addresses the credential for the existing record. Expiration must be resolved through the appropriate registration renewal or other authorized transaction.

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More New Hampshire DMV guides

The other New Hampshire DMV guides, 52 of them:

Police reports in the largest New Hampshire counties, each with the local court and office that holds the file: Hillsborough, Rockingham, Merrimack, Strafford, Grafton and Cheshire.