Mississippi License Plate Search: How to Search Mississippi License Plate

In Mississippi, a license plate is referred to as a tag that identifies a vehicle and the county in which it is registered. 

The Mississippi Department of Revenue's (DOR) Licensing Division issues license plates to vehicle owners in the state. 

Since 1912, all automobiles in the state have been required to show a license plate. 

The Mississippi Motor Vehicle Act only requires rear license plates for automobiles registered in the state. 

A license plate is associated with the car owner and the vehicle itself. If the car owner transfers the vehicle, the license plate must be returned to the county tax collector's office. 

The Mississippi Motor Vehicle Act oversees license plate registration and issuance in the state. 

Meanwhile, it is the duty of the Mississippi Department of Revenue (DOR) to supervise the issuing of vehicle license plates through the Mississippi Vehicle Licensing Division. 

However, the state's tax collector's office manages each county's license plate registration and assignment. 

In Mississippi, titles are necessary for vehicles manufactured in 1969 or after. However, registration for models manufactured before 1969 is optional.

How Do I Get a Mississippi License Plate?

All automobiles in Mississippi are regulated and registered by the Mississippi Department of Revenue through the county tax collector's office where the vehicle is domiciled. 

A vehicle with a gross weight of more than 10,000 pounds that travels across state lines must register directly with the Department of Revenue at the address below:

500, Clinton Centre Drive
Clinton, MS 39056

On the other hand, a newly bought vehicle in Mississippi must be registered within a week of purchase, while an out-of-state vehicle should be registered within 30 days of entering the state. 

In addition, a vehicle must be appropriately registered and tilted in Mississippi to have a license plate issued. For vehicle registration, the following documents are required:

* Full details of the vehicle owner
* State Issued Identification
* Odometer testament disclosure
* The Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)
* Vehicle's Bill of Sale
* Payment of required fees includes a $9 title fee, road, and bridge privilege tax, $14 registration fee, and Motor Vehicle Ad Valorem tax. 

After a successful application, issuance of title and license plates to the applicants commence within four weeks. However, an additional fee of $30 is required for an expedited application processing of License plates.

How Do I Get a Mississippi License Plate Renewal?

Mississippi Motor Vehicle Services is in charge of renewing vehicle registration and license plates through the County Tax Collector's office. The DOR mails registration renewal reminders to vehicle owners a month before the license expires. 
 

After receiving the renewal notice, the vehicle owner can renew the registration immediately. Should the owner of a vehicle not receive a renewal notice, they must renew at the office of the county's tax collector. 

From the 16th day following expiration to the 30th day, license plate late renewal attracts a 5% extra as its penalty. 

Then, every 30 days, an additional 5% is applied until the maximum penalty of 25% is achieved, at which point the renewal is no longer allowed, and the application must be put in for a new one. 

For vehicle registration renewal, the owner has to go to the office of the local county treasurer, and it has to be where the vehicle was initially registered. Another alternative renewal system can be found online. 

So far, the county is registered on the system. Here is a list of counties fully registered on the online renewal platform. For a successful renewal in Mississippi, you should provide the following documents:

1. The renewal notice
2. The existing registration
3. State issued identification
4. Evidence of Insurance
5. Payment of renewal fee of $12.75 alongside the privilege and ad valorem tax 

How to Perform a Mississippi License Plate Lookup?

Every bona fide resident of Mississippi can look up a license plate in the state for several reasons. However, there are majorly three alternatives to looking up license plates in Mississippi. These are:

Firstly, you can apply to the Mississippi Department of Revenue. Next, you must fill out the request form for vehicle records using the license plate. After which, you get a reply from the department detailing responses to your request.

Secondly, you can conduct an online Mississippi License Plate Lookup. There are private organizations that have massive databases of vehicle information and records. This method is simple and fast. 

You only need the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) to conduct a plate search on these websites. First, ensure that the VIN is correct. Then enter the VIN and review the information returned from the search.

Finally, you can hire a private investigator to look into the vehicle's details using the License Plate Number. This approach is the most expensive but one of the most accurate as the private Investigators mostly have a connection at the DOR.

Conclusion

The Mississippi license plate is renewed every five years, with a decal provided in the meantime. Within 14 working days, the renewed decal or license plate is mailed. 

In Mississippi, a vehicle tag is associated with the owner and the vehicle. Only a county tax collector can accept a no longer valid tag. A transfer of license plates is not permitted in Mississippi