A Michigan replacement registration tab costs $5 and can be ordered online or at a Secretary of State office using your license plate number and the last four digits of your VIN. The new sticker arrives by mail within about 14 business days. Your registration has to be current — the Department of State will not issue a replacement tab on an expired registration.1Michigan Department of State. Tab or Registration Replacement
How to Order a Replacement Tab
The Michigan Department of State offers two ways to request a replacement: online or in person at a Secretary of State branch. Mail requests and self-service stations are not options for this transaction.1Michigan Department of State. Tab or Registration Replacement
Either way, you need two things: your license plate number and the last four digits of your Vehicle Identification Number. The VIN is on the driver’s side dashboard, the driver’s door jamb, or your vehicle title.1Michigan Department of State. Tab or Registration Replacement
Online
Online is the quickest route. Enter your plate number and the last four VIN digits, then pay the $5 fee with a credit card, debit card, or e-check. Card payments carry a small processing surcharge on top of the $5.1Michigan Department of State. Tab or Registration Replacement
In Person
At a Secretary of State office, bring the same information. In-person visits accept cash, check, money order, or card. You will leave with a confirmation, but the tab itself still comes in the mail.1Michigan Department of State. Tab or Registration Replacement
Cost and How Long It Takes
The fee is a flat $5 whether the tab was lost, stolen, or damaged.1Michigan Department of State. Tab or Registration Replacement After you submit the request, allow up to 14 business days for the replacement to arrive by mail.2Michigan Department of State. Vehicle Tabs and License Plates That works out to roughly three calendar weeks. Order early if you can.
One requirement worth repeating: your registration must be current. If it has lapsed, you need to renew it first, which is a separate transaction with its own fees based on your vehicle type.
If Your Tab Was Stolen
Tab theft happens, particularly in parking lots and apartment complexes. If yours was stolen, the Michigan Department of State recommends contacting law enforcement before requesting a replacement.2Michigan Department of State. Vehicle Tabs and License Plates A police report documents that someone else may be driving with your tab, which can help if you’re stopped while waiting for the replacement.
Once the report is filed, order the tab through the online or in-person process. The fee and timeline are the same.
Driving While You Wait
The 14-business-day wait leaves an awkward gap: your registration is valid, but there’s nothing on the plate to show it. Michigan law requires a registration plate to be clearly visible and legible at all times, and the expiration tab is part of what officers check.3Michigan Legislature. Michigan Compiled Laws 257.225 – Registration Plate; Attachment to Vehicle; Legibility
Keep your replacement request confirmation in the vehicle. A printout of the online receipt or the Secretary of State counter receipt shows an officer you’ve already paid for the fix. No statute guarantees you won’t be cited, but officers have discretion.
Michigan law also gives drivers a 30-day window after a registration is renewed for the new plate or tab to be attached and displayed.4Michigan Legislature. MCL – Section 257.255 That grace period was written for mail delays after a renewal, not for replacement stickers on a plate you already had, but the practical point is the same: proof of a valid registration and a pending replacement is your best cover during the wait.
Penalties for a Missing or Expired Tab
Operating a vehicle without proper registration displayed is a civil infraction under Michigan law.3Michigan Legislature. Michigan Compiled Laws 257.225 – Registration Plate; Attachment to Vehicle; Legibility Fine amounts vary because Michigan district courts set civil infraction penalties, and court costs are added on top of any base fine. For commercial vehicles registered under certain weight schedules, the exposure is heavier: a misdemeanor punishable by up to 90 days in jail, a fine up to $500, or both.4Michigan Legislature. MCL – Section 257.255
A plate without a visible, current tab also gives an officer a legal reason to pull you over, which can lead to further inspection of your vehicle and documents.5Michigan Courts. Michigan Traffic Benchbook – Registration Plate Violations Five dollars and a few minutes online is the cheaper route.