MS license plate lookup · plate to VIN

Mississippi License Plate Lookup

In Mississippi a car tag belongs to both the vehicle and the owner, so it changes whenever either one changes. That makes a plate a useful snapshot of the current registration. A plate lookup turns the tag into the car's VIN in seconds, then gives you one report: odometer readings in miles, police-reported crashes, salvage and auction history with photos, title brands, recalls and factory specs, from records in all states. Mississippi titles can carry four brands, including flood damaged and hail damaged, which matter in a Gulf state that sees storm damage.

Full report $9.99. One payment, no subscription.

Records from all states
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Used car with crash damage: check the VIN before you buy

How a Mississippi plate lookup works

Type the MS plate exactly as it reads on the car and keep Mississippi selected. The plate is only the way in: we match it to the car's VIN, and the VIN carries the history. A Mississippi tag lookup works the same way.

1. Enter the plate
Type the Mississippi plate and pick the state. Spaces and dashes don't matter.
2. We find the car's VIN
The plate turns into the car's 17-character VIN in seconds, and you see the decoded year, make and model before you pay.
3. Open the full history report
One payment of $9.99, no account. The report opens at once, with records from all states.

What the report includes

One report for the VIN behind the plate, searched across all states:

Odometer readings in miles
Dated readings from state safety and emissions inspections and auction sales, with a rollback check.
All states
Police-reported crashes
Crashes involving this VIN, with the year, plus the damage recorded when the car was sold at auction.
All states
Salvage and auction history, with photos
Insurance and salvage auction sales of this VIN: sale date, damage type, title, odometer at sale and the auction photos.
All states
Title brands
Salvage, rebuilt, flood and junk brands, so you know what the title says before the seller tells you.
Recalls and owner complaints
Safety recalls and owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the model and model year.
Model-level
Factory specs
Model year, make, model, trim, engine, transmission, drivetrain and assembly plant, decoded from the VIN.
Every VIN

Mississippi license plate formats

Mississippi had 2,214,249 registered vehicles in 2024. Source: FHWA

Mississippi license plate formats
Plate	Format	Example	Notes
Standard passenger plate (2019 seal design)	`ABC 1234`	`ABC 1234`	Three letters, the state seal, then four numbers. Being replaced by the magnolia design.
Standard passenger plate (magnolia design)	`Issued from January 2024 renewals`	`See DOR available plates`	Chosen by the License Tag Commission in 2023.
Personalized plate	`Owner-chosen characters`	`Custom`	Costs an extra $33 to $53 per DOR.

Mississippi issues one plate, mounted on the rear of the vehicle at least 12 inches off the ground (Miss. Code 27-19-31). No front plate is required. Tags are sold by the county Tax Collector, and the county name appears on the plate. Covering the county name is allowed, but the characters and decals must stay readable. The 2019 bronze plate put three letters on the left, the state seal in the middle and four numbers on the right. A white magnolia design chosen by the License Tag Commission began going out with January 2024 renewals. Personalized plates cost an extra $33 to $53, and a lost tag and decal costs $10 to replace. The key rule for buyers: a Mississippi tag cannot be moved to a new vehicle. When you sell, you remove the tag and surrender it to the Tax Collector. Unused registration can be credited to your next Mississippi registration, but not refunded. A buyer leaves the sale without plates and registers at their own county office.

Front plate rule

Mississippi does not require a front plate on a passenger car: read the plate on the rear.

Mississippi fees at a glance

What DOR and its offices charge for titles, registration and plates, as published. Each row links its source.

Mississippi fees at a glance
Fee	Amount	Details	Source
Certificate of title	$9		DOR
Fast Track title (issued within 72 hours of receipt)	$39	$9 title fee plus $30 expedite fee.	DOR
Replacement title	$9		DOR
Corrected title (applicant error)	$10		DOR
Registration, first time	$14	Plus county ad valorem tax and privilege tax, which vary.	DOR
Registration renewal	$12.75	Plus county ad valorem tax and privilege tax.	DOR
Late renewal penalty	5% first 15 days, then 5% per 30 days, capped at 25%		DOR
New resident not registered within 30 days	$250 penalty plus late penalties		DOR
Lost or stolen tag and decal	$10 (decal only $2.50)		DOR
Personalized plate (additional)	$33 to $53		DOR
Sales tax on vehicles	5% of price	3% for trucks over 10,000 lbs used to carry property.	DOR

Title brands in Mississippi

A brand on a Mississippi title records that the car was a total loss, rebuilt or damaged by water, and it stays on later titles. The report lists the title brands recorded for the VIN.

Title brands in Mississippi
Brand	What it means	Source
Salvage	Vehicle declared a loss, typically by an insurer. Shown on the front of the title.	Source
Rebuilt	A former salvage vehicle that was repaired and retitled. Shown on the front of the title.	Source
Flood damaged	Vehicle recorded as damaged by flood water. Shown on the front of the title.	Source
Hail damaged	Vehicle recorded as damaged by hail. Shown on the front of the title.	Source

Buying a used car in Mississippi

A Mississippi title transfer happens at the county Tax Collector. The seller fills in every assignment section on the title except the buyer's printed name and signature. The buyer field must not be left blank: DOR calls an open title a violation of state law. If buyer and seller are related, you add an Affidavit of Relationship. If the seller has lost the title, the sale needs a surety bond for one and a half times the vehicle's average trade-in value. The buyer pays 5% sales tax, the $9 title fee and the $14 first registration fee, plus county ad valorem tax, which varies by county. A standard title arrives in three to four weeks, or within 72 hours with the $39 Fast Track option. Look hard at the front of the title. Mississippi brands salvage, rebuilt, flood damaged and hail damaged vehicles there. Hurricanes and Gulf Coast flooding make water damage a real risk, and a flood car titled before the damage was reported may look clean. A VIN history shows brands from other states too.

Private sale: The seller completes every title assignment section except the buyer's printed name and signature, and must not leave the buyer field blank (an open title violates Mississippi law). The seller removes the tag at handover. The buyer takes the title to the county Tax Collector, pays 5% sales tax, applies for a title and registers. Related parties also file an Affidavit of Relationship.
Dealer sale: The dealer prepares the title application and collects sales tax. You register at your county Tax Collector, where the first-time registration fee is $14 plus county ad valorem and privilege taxes. A vehicle bought outside your home county must be brought home within 48 hours.
Title transfer deadline: Register within 30 business days of purchase (DOR)

Official Mississippi vehicle tools

These tools are run by state and federal agencies, not by Carlytics. Use them next to the report.

DOR title application status
Whether a submitted Mississippi title application has been processed. It is not a vehicle history.
You enter: Title application details
NMVTIS (National Motor Vehicle Title Information System)
Federal database of title brands, salvage and junk reports and the latest reported odometer reading.
You enter: VIN (through an approved provider)
NHTSA recall lookup
Open safety recalls not yet repaired.
You enter: VIN
NICB VINCheck
Theft and total-loss records reported by participating insurers.
You enter: VIN

Vehicle inspection in Mississippi

Annual inspection stickers ended July 1, 2015 (HB 982)

Mississippi no longer requires an annual safety inspection sticker. The 2015 repeal kept a one-time window tint inspection for vehicles with aftermarket tint. Source

What Mississippi vehicle records show

Mississippi DOR holds title and registration records, but it releases owner information only under the federal Driver's Privacy Protection Act. Members of the public cannot get a name or address from a tag number. DOR's online tool shows only the status of a title application you submitted. For the vehicle itself, you can check NMVTIS for brands and the last reported odometer, NHTSA for open recalls and NICB for insurer theft and total-loss records. Each covers one slice. A plate lookup brings the VIN's records together in one report: odometer readings in miles, crashes, flood and salvage history with auction photos, and recalls, without personal data.

Mississippi license plate privacy law

Mississippi follows the federal Driver's Privacy Protection Act (18 U.S.C. 2721) and adds its own law:

Federal Driver's Privacy Protection Act, 18 U.S.C. 2721-2725 (applied by Mississippi DOR)

The Mississippi Department of Revenue releases motor vehicle record information under the federal DPPA. Personal information such as the owner's name and address is released only for permitted uses (law enforcement, insurers, recalls, legal proceedings) or with the owner's consent. The public cannot get an owner's identity from a tag number.

Source: DOR

What our lookup shows

Vehicle data only: the VIN, odometer readings, crashes, auction history with photos, title brands, recalls and factory specs. Never the owner's name, address or phone number.

See what a report looks like

A real report for a real car, every section included:

Sample report: 2017 Chevrolet Traverse

Latest odometer reading: 104,351 mi at a New York State inspection on Mar 26, 2026
5 dated odometer readings, no decrease
Police-reported crash in New York, 2021
3 safety recalls for the model

Open the full sample report

Look up a Mississippi license plate

Mississippi tag or plate, the result is the same: the car's VIN in seconds, then its full history for $9.99. Checking several cars? $19.99 for three, $29.99 for five.

Mississippi license plate lookup questions

Does Mississippi require a front license plate?

No. Mississippi issues one license tag, and it is mounted on the rear of the vehicle, at least 12 inches above the ground, under Miss. Code 27-19-31. The characters and any legally affixed decals must be readable. Partly covering the county name on the tag is allowed.

Do license plates stay with the car in Mississippi?

No. A Mississippi tag is registered to both the vehicle and the owner. When either changes, the old tag must be removed and surrendered to the county Tax Collector. You cannot move a tag to a new vehicle, but unused registration can be credited toward a new Mississippi registration.

What title brands does Mississippi use?

Mississippi titles can carry salvage, rebuilt, flood damaged and hail damaged brands, printed on the front of the title. DOR advises buyers to look for a brand and ask the seller about it when the title is assigned. A VIN history also shows brands issued by other states.

Does Mississippi still require a vehicle inspection sticker?

No. The annual inspection sticker requirement ended on July 1, 2015, under House Bill 982. Vehicles with aftermarket window tint still need a one-time tint inspection. Because no inspector looks at the car each year, a VIN history is the main way to spot hidden flood or crash damage before you buy.

How much does it cost to title and register a used car in Mississippi?

The title fee is $9 and the first-time registration fee is $14, with renewals at $12.75. You also pay 5% sales tax and county ad valorem and privilege taxes, which vary by county and vehicle value. A Fast Track title costs $39 and is issued within 72 hours.

Can I look up who owns a Mississippi car tag?

No. Mississippi DOR follows the federal Driver's Privacy Protection Act, which limits release of names and addresses to permitted uses such as law enforcement and insurance. A plate lookup returns the VIN and the vehicle's history, never the owner's personal data.

Plate lookup in nearby states

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Sources

The fees, laws and rules on this page were checked against these official sources on Oct 30, 2026.

Show all 11 sources