New Pine Tree License Plates

Published on January 06, 2025

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Beginning May 1, 2025, the Maine Bureau of Motor Vehicles and agents will not issue any more general issue Chickadee Plates.

For new registrations and renewals in the PC class code, registrants can choose:

  • Pine Tree Plate
  • No Tree Plate
  • One of the current specialty plates (normal fees apply)

Want to keep your current Chickadee license plate number? 

People with vanity, low digit and out of rotation plates have the option to reserve their current plate number. This guarantees you will receive your plates two to four weeks prior to their registration's month of expiration at their address.

It is important to remember that if you do not reserve their plate number, you do lose it.

Some people just want to reserve at the time they re-register. If they do, it is important to know that they will have to wait for the Pine Tree Plate to arrive at their residence, likely several weeks later.

Others want to avoid things like the one-time $25 fee, thinking if they wait they will not have to pay. That is untrue, as no matter when you reserve you must pay this fee.

It is important to note this fee comes from Maine law, and is not a policy BMV arbitrarily created as this issuance began.

How to reserve your plate 

  1. Go to maine.gov/online/reservemyplate.
    • This option is only available 30 days prior to a registration's month of expiration from May 2025 - June 2026.
  2. By going through BMV's Rapid Renewal online service.
    • It will prompted you as you re-register.
  3. Walking in or making an appointment at a BMV branch to work directly with their staff.
    1. Make an appointment with BMV
  4. Print and complete the BMV Plate Reservation Form and mail it to 29 State House Station, Augusta ME 04333-0029.

 

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