The Mississippi blackout tag is a black-background specialty license plate that costs an extra $38.25 a year on top of your regular registration taxes and fees, available to any owner of a private passenger vehicle or motorcycle at their county tax collector’s office. Almost all of the specialty fee goes to the state’s Law Enforcement Officers and Fire Fighters Death Benefits Trust Fund, which pays families of first responders killed in the line of duty. You do not have to be an officer or firefighter to buy one.
What the Plate Looks Like and What the Fee Supports
The plate has a solid black background with a white pinstripe border, “Mississippi” across the top, the county name at the bottom, and white characters for the tag number. It was authorized under Mississippi Code § 27-19-31(2)(b) and became available January 1, 2024.1Justia. Mississippi Code 27-19-31 – License Tags or Plates and Decals Generally
Of the $38.25 annual fee, $36.25 is deposited into the Law Enforcement Officers and Fire Fighters Death Benefits Trust Fund established under Mississippi Code § 45-2-1. The remaining $2.00 goes to the Department of Revenue License Tag Acquisition Fund.1Justia. Mississippi Code 27-19-31 – License Tags or Plates and Decals Generally The trust fund pays a base death benefit of $150,000 plus up to $25,000 per child (capped at four children) and $15,000 toward funeral expenses.
What You’ll Actually Pay
The $38.25 is charged in addition to the ad valorem tax and registration fees every Mississippi vehicle owner already pays. Ad valorem tax is calculated from the vehicle’s original MSRP, depreciated over ten years, then multiplied by your county’s millage rate.2Mississippi Department of Revenue. Motor Vehicle Ad Valorem Tax
Because the ad valorem piece depends on age, vehicle value, and county, two people buying the same blackout plate can pay very different totals. The one constant is the $38.25 specialty fee. The Department of Revenue offers an online calculator to estimate your bill before you go.3Mississippi Department of Revenue. Motor Vehicle Online Tag Renewal
Who Qualifies
The statute makes the plate available to any owner of a private carrier of passengers or a motorcycle.1Justia. Mississippi Code 27-19-31 – License Tags or Plates and Decals Generally No special affiliation is required. Commercial vehicles are not eligible.
Bring these to the tax collector’s office:
- Your current registration receipt.
- The vehicle’s VIN.
- Proof of active liability insurance.
How to Get One
Go to your county tax collector’s office with the documents above, pay the $38.25 specialty fee along with your standard registration costs, and the clerk processes the swap. If you already have a standard plate on the vehicle, you surrender it at the counter, because Mississippi tags are registered to both the owner and the vehicle.4Mississippi Department of Revenue. Motor Vehicle Frequently Asked Questions
Some offices keep blackout plates in stock and hand you one on the spot. If yours doesn’t, the clerk issues a temporary permit for your rear window while the permanent plate is manufactured and mailed to you. Most owners receive theirs within a couple of weeks.
Renewing Online
Online renewal depends on your county. Mississippi has no single statewide portal. Some counties use the Department of Revenue’s MV e-Services system; others run their own sites. If your county isn’t listed on the DOR’s online renewal page, you’ll renew in person.3Mississippi Department of Revenue. Motor Vehicle Online Tag Renewal
Counties currently offering some form of online renewal include Adams, DeSoto, Forrest, Harrison, Hinds, Jackson, Jones, Lafayette, Lauderdale, Lee, Madison, Rankin, and Warren, among others. The DOR maintains the full list with links to each county’s system.3Mississippi Department of Revenue. Motor Vehicle Online Tag Renewal
Personalizing the Plate
You can personalize a blackout tag with up to seven letters, numbers, or a mix in place of the standard tag number. The personalization fee on this plate is $50 annually, higher than the $30 charged for personalizing a standard plate. Of that $50, $36.25 goes to the same Death Benefits Trust Fund and the remainder goes to the State Highway Fund.5Justia. Mississippi Code 27-19-48 – Personalized License Tag; Additional Fee The county tax collector keeps $2.00 for processing. Your combination has to be approved and can’t duplicate an existing personalized plate.
If You Sell or Change Vehicles
The plate is tied to both the owner and the specific vehicle. If you sell, trade in, or otherwise transfer the vehicle, you have to remove the blackout tag and surrender it to your county tax collector. It cannot follow you to a new vehicle or transfer to a new owner.4Mississippi Department of Revenue. Motor Vehicle Frequently Asked Questions
If you want another blackout tag for a replacement vehicle, you apply again and pay the full specialty fee. Mississippi does not refund or pro-rate the unused portion of a surrendered plate.4Mississippi Department of Revenue. Motor Vehicle Frequently Asked Questions