A Michigan temporary plate comes from one of two places depending on how you bought the vehicle. If you bought from a licensed dealer, the dealer issues a temporary plate good for up to 30 days while your permanent registration is processed. If you bought from a private seller, inherited the vehicle, or acquired it any other way outside a dealership, you go to a Secretary of State branch and choose either a 30-day or a 60-day temporary registration.
Dealer-Issued Temporary Plates
When you buy or lease from a licensed dealer, the dealer hands you the temporary plate at the point of sale. It is valid for up to 30 days.1Michigan Legislature. Michigan Code 257-226a – Temporary Registration Plates or Markers Only one temporary plate is allowed per purchaser or lessee, so if the 30 days runs out before your permanent plate arrives, you cannot simply grab another from the dealer. Ask up front how the dealership handles delays in titling.
On price, the statute is specific: a dealer cannot charge you more for the temporary plate than what the Secretary of State charged the dealer for it.1Michigan Legislature. Michigan Code 257-226a – Temporary Registration Plates or Markers A marked-up temp plate line item on your paperwork is not allowed. Once your permanent plate is on the car, the temporary plate must be destroyed.
Temporary Registration Through the Secretary of State
If no dealer is involved, you handle it yourself at a Secretary of State branch. You pick the duration when the registration is issued: 30 days or 60 days.2Michigan Legislature. Michigan Code 257-226b – Temporary Registration Duration, Form, Fee, Use of Vehicle Bring proof of ownership (title or bill of sale) and valid identification.
The 60-day option is useful when you expect a wait on title work or other paperwork. It costs roughly twice as much as the 30-day, but it also gives you twice as long before you’re driving on an expired registration.
What It Costs
Fees are not flat. They scale with the vehicle’s annual registration tax under Michigan’s weight-based schedule, with a floor and a service fee added on top.3Michigan Legislature. Michigan Code 257-802 – Michigan Vehicle Code (Excerpt)
- 30-day registration: one-tenth of the annual registration tax or $20, whichever is greater, plus a $10 service fee.
- 60-day registration: one-fifth of the annual registration tax or $40, whichever is greater, plus a $10 service fee.
For most passenger vehicles, that works out to a minimum of $30 for 30 days and $50 for 60 days. Heavier vehicles pay more because their annual registration tax is higher.
Insurance and Use Limits Still Apply
A temporary plate does not waive Michigan’s no-fault insurance requirement. Any motor vehicle driven on a Michigan highway must carry personal protection insurance, property protection insurance, and residual liability coverage.4Michigan Legislature. Michigan Code 500-3101 – Security for Payment of Benefits Required Driving uninsured is a misdemeanor: a fine of $200 to $500, up to a year in jail, or both.5Michigan Legislature. Michigan Code 500-3102 – Penalty for Operating Uninsured Vehicle Coverage needs to be in place before you drive off the lot or out of the seller’s driveway.
There is also a use restriction that catches some buyers: a vehicle on a temporary registration cannot be used to transport passengers for hire or to haul goods and merchandise.2Michigan Legislature. Michigan Code 257-226b – Temporary Registration Duration, Form, Fee, Use of Vehicle Personal driving, commuting, and errands are fine. Commercial use has to wait for permanent registration.
What Happens If It Expires
Driving on an expired temporary plate is treated the same as driving any unregistered vehicle. For most passenger cars and light trucks, that is a civil infraction: a ticket and a fine, not a criminal charge.6Michigan Legislature. Michigan Code 257-255 – Operating Vehicle Without Valid Registration For commercial vehicles registered under Michigan’s elected gross vehicle weight schedule, the same conduct becomes a misdemeanor with up to 90 days in jail, a fine of up to $500, or both. Vehicles under the International Registration Plan face a similar misdemeanor charge and can be impounded.
One trap worth flagging. There is a 30-day grace period to physically attach a new permanent plate after you register or renew, but that grace period does not apply to a first-time registration after a transfer of ownership.6Michigan Legislature. Michigan Code 257-255 – Operating Vehicle Without Valid Registration When you buy a car, you need a valid plate or temporary registration from day one.
Do Not Alter the Plate
Changing the expiration date on a temporary plate, forging one, or falsifying vehicle documents is a misdemeanor that triggers a mandatory one-year license suspension on a first offense.7Michigan Department of State. Offense Codes Update No hardship appeal is available during that suspension, so there is no route to restricted driving privileges. If the 30 days is closing in and your permanent plate has not arrived, contact the dealer or the Secretary of State. Do not touch the date on the plate.