Illegible Means Ineligible!

By state law, Massachusetts license plates must be readable from 60 feet away. Any green or red passenger plate, which has lost its reflective coating or paint, must be replaced. You can be cited by law enforcement for this violation. Also, your vehicle will be ineligible to pass the yearly required state safety inspection.

The RMV encourages vehicle owners to swap illegible plates for a set of red plates at no fee. Faded and illegible plates can be swapped at any of the RMV's 35 branch locations.

A red plate that is lost or damaged can also be ordered at any branch or by calling the RMV Telephone Center at 617-351-4500. The cost of replacing these plates is $10 a plate and will be mailed to the registered owner.

• Chapter 90: Section 6. Display of number plates; temporary number plates
• 540 CMR 4.04