Dealer License Plates - Overview

• 'Dealer' means new motor vehicle dealer, used motor vehicle dealer or a wholesale motor vehicle dealer
• 'Employee of the dealer' means any of the following:
  • An employee who is paid compensation and who appears on the records of the dealer as an employee for whom social security, withholding taxes and all other deductions required by law for employees are made and for whom all applicable payroll taxes are paid by the dealer
  • An independent contractor who appears on the records of the dealer and who is paid compensation for specific services that are performed for the dealer and that require the operation of dealer owned vehicles
  • An immediate family member of the dealer who appears on the records of the dealer and who is paid compensation for specific services that are performed for the dealer and that require the operation of dealer owned vehicles. For the purposes of this section, “immediate family member” means spouse or a parent, child, brother or sister whether related by adoption or blood
  • “Full time employee of the dealer” means a person who qualified as a employee of the dealer and who works at least 24 hours each week for the dealer

• Dealer (DL) Plate is $30 each, plus postage and handling
• Dealer Trailer Plate (TR) is $30 each, plus postage and handling
• Dealer Motorcycle (MD) Plate is $10 each, plus postage and handling

Motor Vehicle Dealer plates may be used on dealer-owned vehicles as follows:

• A vehicle operated by the dealer or by an employee of the dealer in connection with the dealer’s business. The vehicle may be operated as personal use transportation if it is assigned to a dealer or full time employee of the dealer on a full time basis and if a record of the assignment is made as specified in section 28-4535. The authorized use applies to dealers or employees solely and does not apply to any other person as operator
• When operated by a perspective buyer for demonstration purposes for a period of not more than 48 hours for passenger vehicles and 72 hours for unladen pickups and trucks
• A service vehicle that is owned by a new motor vehicle dealer that has a manufacturer’s service program as defined in A.R.S. 28-4321(8) and the vehicle is used in that program
• A vehicle that is operated by a person contracted with a dealer to perform any of the following at a permanent site or location where the contracted person conducts business:
  • Exterior surface protection
  • Interior surface protection
  • Window sunscreen protection
  • Body repair or maintenance
  • Undercoating, soundproofing or rust proofing
  • Audio equipment installation
  • Other similar work required to prepare a vehicle for sale to the public
• A vehicle operated for a valid demonstration of laden weight. The dealership will use AZ MVD Now or SalesForce to request the 'Laden-Vehicle Demonstration' when a laden vehicle will be used with a dealer plate

Information on 'Laden-Vehicle Demonstration' Application

• Date the vehicle will be driven
• Plate that will be displayed on the vehicle
• Name and address of the person demonstrating the vehicle
• Description of the vehicle – year, make, model and VIN
• Description of the cargo (what is being hauled)
• Dealer name, address and license number

A Dealer plate cannot be used on a vehicle owned by the dealer that:

• Is a work or service vehicle
• Is a leased or rented vehicle owned by the dealer
• Is a laden vehicle designed for the transportation of cargo unless the cargo consists of no more than three vehicles that are owned by the dealer and the laden vehicle and the cargo are being operated or transported by the dealer for resale
• Has been sold

Per ARS §28-4533 dealer plates are limited per dealer type as follows:

• New Motor Vehicle Dealers
  • Not more than 150 plates plus one additional plate for every 50 vehicle sold based on reported sales in the previous license period
• Used Motor Vehicle Dealers
  • Not more than 15 plates plus one additional plate for every 50 vehicles sold based on reported sales in the previous license period
• Wholesale Motor Vehicle Dealers
  • Not more than two plates plus one additional plate for every 50 vehicles sold based on reported sales in the previous license period
  • Prior to their license continuation date must submit evidence to the Division that at least 10 vehicles were sold in the previous license period
  • Satisfactory evidence is not submitted to the Division showing at least 10 vehicles were sold in the previous license period, the Division shall cancel the dealer license plates issued to the wholesale motor vehicle dealer
  • The Division shall not issue more than 10 dealer license plates to a wholesale motor vehicle dealer

Refer to A.R.S. §28-4535.

For additional information, see Dealer Plate Audit topic.

If a dealer license plate is lost or stolen, the dealer will need to submit a police report immediately, which must be on the motor vehicle dealer’s business letterhead and signed by an authorized business contact, to the Dealer Licensing unit by emailing [email protected] identifying the following:

• Plate type and number
• All available data concerning the loss or theft
• A replacement fee for a lost, stolen or mutilated plate and/or tab is $5.00 plus postage and handling. Fees must be uploaded into the Organization account on AZ MVD Now

• A.R.S. §28-4538: The department shall suspend the use of any or all of the dealer license plates issued to a dealer for not more than three months (90 days) if a dealer violates any of the following sections of the Arizona Revised Statutes: 28-4532, 28-4533, 28-4534, 28-4535, or 28-4536 or the rules adopted under section 28-4537

A licensed dealer who receives a notice of suspension may submit a written request for a hearing to the Division. The licensed dealer shall submit the request for a hearing within 30 days from the notification of suspension mail date.

When a suspension is ordered, the dealer must surrender the dealer plate(s) to the Dealer Licensing unit. Once the 90 day suspension has ended, the licensed dealer may submit a written request for the return of the dealer plates(s) to the Dealer Licensing unit.

The request must be received within 30 days after the date on which the dealer plate suspension has ended. Failure to submit a timely request will require the motor vehicle dealer to submit a Special Dealer Plate application and associated fees.

The Manufacturer Test plate is issued to a manufacturer for the purpose of testing:

• An un-laden truck or passenger vehicle
• A laden vehicle designed for the transportation of cargo

The plate is assigned to the manufacturer and may be placed on any test vehicle owned by the manufacturer, during the period for which the plate fee is paid.

It must be displayed on a vehicle that is being tested on the public highways and streets of this state, during the period for which the fee is paid.

Manufacturer Test License Plate Weight Classes

• Lightweight, declared gross vehicle of 12,000 lbs. or less
• Middleweight, declared gross weight of 12,001 to 26,000 lbs.
• Heavyweight, declared gross weight of 26,0001 to 80,000 lbs.
  • A Manufacturer Laden Test plate may be used on a vehicle of a different weight class

If a manufacturer fails, neglects or refuses to file an application for renewal and pay the required fee for the ensuing year on or before midnight of the expiration month the fee is delinquent and the Division shall charge and collect a penalty equal to the fee if the manufacturer files an application for renewal after midnight of the last day of the expiration month.

Questions pertaining to manufacturer licenses and plates may be directed to the Dealer Licensing Unit by email at [email protected].

Manufacturer Test Plate Costs

The following plate fees are required, along with postage and handling fees.

• Manufacturer passenger cars and unladen truck (MT) plate is $30
• Manufacturer Light Weight Laden (12M) plate is $36
• Manufacturer Middle Weight Laden (26M) plate is $253
• Manufacturer Heavy Weight Laden (80M) plate is $1,070
• Trailer (TR) plate is $30
• Motorcycle (MD) plate is $10

Refer to A.R.S. §28-4542.

Manufacturer or dealer licenses and associated license plates will be staggered using the following schedule:

• A.R.S. §28-4538 If the Division finds that a manufacturer or licensed dealer violated A.R.S. §28-4532, 28-4533, 28-4534, 28-4535, 28-4536, the Division shall immediately suspend the use of any or all of the Dealer or Manufacturer plates for a period of 90 days

A dealer or manufacturer who receives a notice of suspension may submit a written request for a hearing to the Division. The dealer or manufacturer shall submit the request for a hearing within 30 days from the notification of suspension mail date.

When a suspension is ordered, the dealer or manufacturer must surrender all plates to the Dealer Licensing unit. Once the 90 day suspension has ended, the dealer or manufacturer may submit a written request to the Dealer Licensing unit for the return of the plates. The request must be received within 30 days after the date on which the plate suspension has ended.

Failure to submit a timely request will require the dealer or manufacturer to submit a new plate application and any associated fees.

The right to use a Dealer or Manufacturer plate terminates at midnight on the last day of the expiration month.

Renewal of a Dealer or Manufacturer Test Plate/License can only be accomplished through the AZ MVD Now Dealer Services. For additional information, see the Dealer License Renewal topic.