Did you know “Protect the Chesapeake & Coastal Bays” license plates help restore our bays and other natural resources of our region? Simply by purchasing a Bay Plate for only $20, car owners can show their support for the environment. And with the Plate Perks Program, you can make your $20 investment back quickly!
For only $20, you can purchase Bay Plates online and they will be mailed directly to your home. Your contribution is distributed through the non-profit Chesapeake Bay Trust in the form of grants to schools, community groups, and other not-for-profits for K-12 environmental education, restoration and protection of our waterways.
Our impact extends beyond feet of shoreline restored or number of trees planted: it is also measured in lives touched as people gain a new appreciation for the natural resources of our region.
Learn about how to get discounts with your Bay plate
Learn about Bay-friendly car dealerships
Use the links below to order your Bay Plate today!
TWO WAYS TO ORDER YOUR
BAY PLATE TODAY:
Order online, OR download, print, and mail the pdf form.
When mailing the form, please include a check or money order made payable to the MVA. Checks must include name and address, driver’s license number (soundex number), and home and/or work phone number.
Bay Plate: Frequently Asked Questions
Where can I get a Chesapeake & Coastal Bays license plate?
The Chesapeake & Coastal Bays license plate is available online at the MVA website, at MVA branches, your local tag & title service, or you can ask your car dealership when purchasing your car! Click here for MVA online services.
If I order a Bay plate online, how do I return my existing plates?
You would return your plate at any MVA Branch location.
If I already have a personalized “vanity” plate, can I re-order it on the new Chesapeake & Coastal Bays plate background? How much will it cost?
Yes. The standard license plate replacement cost of $20 applies. You will need to apply for substitute plates with stickers online. When ordering, screen two allows you to select a “Chesapeake & Coastal Bays Plate” as your preferred plate. Click here to order substitute plates online.
For Current Bay Plate Owners:
I have a previous Bay Plate with either the heron or “Protect the Chesapeake” on it already. I want a new Bay Plate with the crab, bridge, and Coastal Bays text. How do I get one?
You can order a Bay Plate online! On the second screen of the ordering system, select “Chesapeake & Coastal Bays Plate” as your preferred option. Click here to order your Bay Plate now!
I have a Bay Plate already, and I like my bay plate number. I’d like to keep the same number but have it on the new crab/bridge/Coastal Bays plate background. Can I keep my number?
Unfortunately, you are not able to keep the same number on a new bay plate (unless it’s a vanity plate; i.e., you paid $50 for a specific set of numbers/letters). If you’d like the new bay plate, you will be getting a new number on your plate.
I have the previous Bay Plate with the heron already. Can I keep it or do I have to get the new Bay license plate?
Customers who have a Bay Plate with the heron on it can keep and continue to use those plates, and in most cases can transfer it to any new vehicle you purchase/obtain.
For People Who Do Not Yet Own Bay Plates:
I don’t have a Bay Plate yet, how much is it? Does the new bay plate cost any more than the old bay plate?
Bay plates are $20. $10 goes through the Chesapeake Bay Trust for environment-related grants, and $10 is kept to administer the program by the MVA.
I don’t have a Bay Plate yet, what is the easiest way for me to get one?
You can order a Bay Plate online with MVA Online Services.
- Scroll down to “To Request a Background Scene Plate.”
- Click “Online”
- Click “Vehicle Services” (under the car icon).
- Scroll down to “Order a New License Plate/Tag” on the left-hand side menu.
- On the second page of the ordering system, select “Chesapeake & Coastal Bays Plate” as your preferred option.
I don’t have a Bay Plate yet. I’d like one, but I’d like to keep my current plate number and have it on the new crab/bridge/Coastal Bays plate background. Can I keep my number?
Unfortunately, you are not able to keep the same number on a new bay plate (unless it’s a vanity plate; i.e., you paid $50 for a specific set of numbers/letters). If you’d like the new bay plate, you will be getting a new number on your plate.
