How to Get an Electronic License Plate in California

To get an electronic license plate in California, you order an RPlate from Reviver, the only vendor whose device has been approved by both the DMV and the California Highway Patrol. The hardware costs $899, plus an annual service plan of $35, $75, or $125. You install it on the rear of your vehicle, keep a standard metal plate on the front, and activate the device through the Reviver app so it can sync with your DMV registration record. Participation is voluntary, and you still owe all normal DMV registration fees on top of what you pay Reviver.1California Legislative Information. California Vehicle Code 4854

The program became permanent statewide on January 1, 2023, under Assembly Bill 984, which replaced a decade-long pilot with a permanent framework in Vehicle Code Section 4854.1California Legislative Information. California Vehicle Code 4854 Any California-registered passenger vehicle owner can opt in.

What It Costs

The RPlate itself is a one-time $899 purchase.2Reviver. RPLATE – Digital License Plate After that, you pick one of three annual service plans:

  • Essential, $35 per year. Basic plate functionality. In-app registration renewal costs an extra $39 per transaction.
  • Plus, $75 per year. Includes in-app registration renewal at no additional charge.
  • Premium, $125 per year. Includes in-app renewal plus additional features.

These fees pay for the digital plate service only. Your regular DMV registration fees don’t go away, and the plate doesn’t change any of your underlying registration obligations. Over five years, the minimum outlay for a driver on the Essential plan runs around $1,074 before any DMV fees or per-transaction renewal charges.

What You Need Before You Order

Ordering happens through Reviver’s website. Have three things in front of you:

  • Your current metal license plate number.
  • Your 17-digit Vehicle Identification Number, found on the driver-side dashboard near the windshield or inside the door jamb.
  • Your DMV registration card, showing the registered owner’s name and address.

Every field has to match DMV records exactly. A single wrong character in the VIN or plate number will block the system from syncing, and untangling that may require manual verification through the DMV.

Installing and Activating the Plate

The current RPlate is battery-powered, with a replaceable battery rated for up to five years of life.3Reviver. All Reviver Products Including RPLATE, Battery and Bracket Installation is straightforward enough for most people to do at home with basic tools. The plate mounts on the rear of the vehicle only. California requires plates on both front and rear, so a standard metal plate stays on the front bumper.4Reviver. Reviver Digital License Plate Street Legal and DMV-Approved

Once the hardware is mounted, download the Reviver app to activate the device and link it to your account. The app pulls your registration status from the DMV, and once that handshake completes, the screen displays your plate number and current registration validation. Future renewals processed through the app update the display automatically, so you never handle a physical registration sticker again.4Reviver. Reviver Digital License Plate Street Legal and DMV-Approved

Rules the Plate Has to Follow

Vehicle Code Section 5201 requires all license plates to be securely fastened, clearly visible, and legible at all times. Digital plates get held to that same standard.5California Legislative Information. California Vehicle Code 5201 Section 4854 layers on device-specific requirements: the display has to be readable by automated license plate readers used by CHP and other enforcement systems, and it has to be legible to the human eye in both daylight and darkness at a minimum distance of 75 feet.1California Legislative Information. California Vehicle Code 4854

The plate can only show information and images the DMV has approved.1California Legislative Information. California Vehicle Code 4854 A small banner area at the bottom allows limited personalization, but the license number and registration expiration must stay unobstructed. Offensive content is prohibited, and so is anything mimicking law enforcement markings.

GPS and Privacy Limits

For personal vehicles, this matters: digital plates currently cannot include GPS or any vehicle location technology. That restriction sits in Vehicle Code Section 4854, and the DMV was required to recall any GPS-equipped devices previously issued to non-exempt vehicles under the old pilot program.6California Legislative Information. California Vehicle Code AB-984 Vehicle Identification and Registration Alternative Devices

GPS is currently permitted only on fleet vehicles registered under the fleet program, commercial vehicles, and vehicles operating under an occupational license. Where it is allowed, the location feature has to be capable of being disabled by the user.6California Legislative Information. California Vehicle Code AB-984 Vehicle Identification and Registration Alternative Devices On the data side, information exchanged between the DMV and any electronic plate is limited to what’s needed to display registration compliance; the DMV can’t receive or store information about where or how the vehicle is used.7California Legislative Information. California Vehicle Code 4853 – License Plates

That changes on January 1, 2027. Under amendments to Section 4854, any vehicle becomes eligible for a digital plate with location technology on that date.1California Legislative Information. California Vehicle Code 4854 The law layers in driver-control protections: a permanent, nonreversible kill switch; a manual on/off toggle accessible from inside the vehicle without an app or login; and a rule against any remote re-activation once a driver turns tracking off. Only a manual action inside the car can turn it back on.8California State Assembly. AB 3138 Wilson – Assembly Committee on Privacy and Consumer Protection Analysis

Driving Out of State

As of early 2025, only California and Arizona have authorized digital plates for sale to vehicle owners. A plate legally registered in California still functions as a valid California plate when you cross state lines. Other states recognize the underlying registration, and no state has passed a law prohibiting entry with an out-of-state digital plate. The practical wrinkle is that officers in states unfamiliar with the technology may take a closer look. The plate meets the same legibility standards as metal, so there’s no legal basis for a citation.

If the Screen Goes Dark

Batteries die and electronics break. California’s display rules don’t carve out an exception for digital plate malfunctions. Under Section 5201, your plate has to be clearly legible at all times, and a blank screen is not a legible plate.5California Legislative Information. California Vehicle Code 5201 A driver whose digital plate has gone dark is in the same legal position as one with an obscured or missing metal plate, which can mean a fix-it ticket or a Vehicle Code citation. The Reviver app tracks battery life, and replacing the battery before it fully drains is the practical safeguard. That maintenance step is real, and it’s one metal plates never demanded.