An Arizona temporary tag lets you drive legally while you finish titling or registering a vehicle, and the Motor Vehicle Division issues several kinds depending on your situation. The two most common permits, the 3-day restricted use and the 30-day general use, can be purchased online at AZMVDNow.gov. The 90-day resident and 90-day non-resident drive-out permits are in-person only. If you bought from a licensed dealer, the dealer issues a 45-day temporary registration plate for you. Fees run from $1 to $15.
Which Permit Fits Your Situation
3-Day Restricted Use Permit ($1)
Covers a single trip for an unregistered vehicle or one with a suspended registration. It is a one-purpose pass, not three days of free driving.1ServiceArizona. ServiceArizona Fees Page If you need to drive to an emissions station, this is the permit to use, and you don’t need a passing emissions test to get it.
30-Day General Use Permit ($15)
Fills the gap when you don’t yet qualify for permanent registration and no other temporary permit fits.2Arizona Department of Transportation. What Is a 30-Day General Use Permit? MVD will only issue one per vehicle in any 12-month period, so you can’t keep renewing it in place of real registration.3Arizona Legislature. Arizona Code 28-2156
90-Day Resident Permit ($15)
For a noncommercial vehicle you own but can’t yet fully title or register because paperwork is missing.4Arizona Department of Transportation. What Is a 90-Day Resident Registration? Watch one detail: when you eventually complete permanent registration, your vehicle license tax is calculated back to the date the 90-day permit was first issued, not the date you finish the paperwork.5Arizona Legislature. Arizona Code 28-2154
Dealer Temporary Registration Plate (45 days)
If you bought from a licensed Arizona dealer, you don’t apply for this one. The dealer issues a TRP good for 45 days and forwards your title and registration applications to MVD.6Arizona Legislature. Arizona Code 28-4547 The TRP expires when your permanent plates arrive or at the 45-day mark, whichever comes first, and if permanent plates don’t arrive in time you’re required to remove and destroy the TRP.7Arizona Legislature. Arizona Code 28-4551
90-Day Non-Resident Drive-Out Permit ($15)
For non-residents who buy a vehicle in Arizona and need to drive it home while registering it in their own state. Available in person only.8Arizona Department of Transportation. Vehicle Permits
What You Need to Apply
Have these ready before you start:
- Identification: Arizona driver license, Arizona ID card, or Social Security number for identity verification.
- The 17-character Vehicle Identification Number from the dashboard or door jamb.
- Proof of ownership: certificate of title, signed bill of sale, manufacturer’s certificate of origin, or dealer invoice. The 30-day general use permit specifically requires evidence of ownership or authorized possession of the vehicle.3Arizona Legislature. Arizona Code 28-2156
- Proof of active Arizona liability insurance: at least $25,000 for bodily injury to one person, $50,000 for bodily injury to two or more people, and $15,000 for property damage. Coverage must be in force the entire time you’re driving on the temporary tag.9Arizona Legislature. Arizona Code 28-4009
One boundary on emissions: vehicles registered in or commuting into the Phoenix or Tucson metro areas need a passing emissions test to complete permanent registration, though not to obtain most temporary permits.10Arizona Department of Transportation. Emissions Testing
Applying Online
Only the 3-day restricted use permit and the 30-day general use permit can be issued through AZ MVD Now at azmvdnow.gov.8Arizona Department of Transportation. Vehicle Permits Create an account if you don’t have one, verify your identity, go to the permits section, enter your vehicle information, and pay the fee. The system generates a printable document that functions as your temporary tag. Print it before you drive.
The 90-day resident permit and the 90-day non-resident drive-out permit are not available online. For those, you have to show up in person.
Applying In Person
Every temporary permit is available at any MVD office or Authorized Third Party location. Bring your documents, complete the application at the counter, pay the fee, and leave with the permit. Authorized Third Party offices are private businesses licensed by MVD; wait times are often shorter, but they add a convenience fee on top of the state fee, so ask what it is before you commit.
How to Display the Tag
Arizona law requires the tag on the rear of the vehicle, fastened securely so it doesn’t swing, with the bottom edge at least 12 inches off the ground, and visible without obstruction.11Arizona Legislature. Arizona Code 28-2354 Taping a printout inside the rear window is a common mistake; if it isn’t clearly legible from outside, you can be cited. Carry the registration card MVD issues along with the tag. For online 3-day and 30-day permits, the printed document serves as both.
What Happens If You Drive on an Expired Tag
Driving on an expired temporary tag or with no registration carries a $300 civil penalty, applied to the driver as well as the owner, though a court has discretion to waive it for a driver who didn’t own the vehicle. If you complete the registration after receiving a citation, the court will dismiss the case.12Arizona Legislature. Arizona Code 28-2532
Dismissal isn’t a reason to run the clock out. Operating without valid registration gives your insurer room to dispute coverage after a collision, and the lapse will come up when you finish permanent registration. Treat the expiration date on the temporary tag as a hard deadline.