A department of motor vehicles (DMV) is a government agency that administers motor vehicle registration and driver licensing. In countries with federal states such as in North America, these agencies are generally administered by subnational governments, while in unitary states such as many of those in Europe, DMVs are organized nationally by the central government.
A vanity plate or personalized plate ; prestige plate, private number plate, cherished plate or personalised registration ; personalised plate or custom plate is a special type of vehicle registration plate on an automobile or other vehicle. The owner of the vehicle pays extra money to have their own choice of numbers or letters, usually portraying a recognizable phrase, slogan, or abbreviation, on their plate. Sales of vanity plates are often a significant source of revenue for North American provincial and state licensing agencies. In some jurisdictions, such as British Columbia, vanity plates have a different color scheme and design.
The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) oversees transportation issues in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The administrator of PennDOT is the Pennsylvania Secretary of Transportation, currently Michael Carroll. PennDOT supports over 40,500 miles (65,200 km) of state roads and highways, about 25,000 bridges, and new roadway construction with the exception of the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission.
The American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators (AAMVA) is a non-governmental, voluntary, tax-exempt, nonprofit educational association. AAMVA is a private corporation which strives to develop model programs in motor vehicle administration, police traffic services, and highway safety.
In the United States, vehicle registration plates, known as license plates, are issued by a department of motor vehicles, an agency of the state or territorial government, or in the case of the District of Columbia, the district government. Some Native American tribes also issue plates. The U.S. federal government issues plates only for its own vehicle fleet and for vehicles owned by foreign diplomats. Until the 1980s, diplomatic plates were issued by the state in which the consulate or embassy was located.
Motor vehicle registration is the registration of a motor vehicle with a government authority, either compulsory or otherwise. The purpose of motor vehicle registration is to establish a link between a vehicle and an owner or user of the vehicle. This link might be used for taxation or crime detection purposes. While almost all motor vehicles are uniquely identified by a vehicle identification number, only registered vehicles display a vehicle registration plate and carry a vehicle registration certificate. Motor vehicle registration is different from motor vehicle licensing and roadworthiness certification.
Mandated by the Commercial Motor Vehicle Safety Act 1986 (CMVSA) and revised in accordance with various other federal laws subsequent to CMVSA, CDLIS helps document the issuance of a Commercial driver's license (CDL) and the withdrawal of a commercial driver by the State Driver Licensing Agencies (SDLAs) of the CDLIS jurisdictions. The purpose of CDLIS is to keep a record of each driver nationwide and help ensure only one driver license and one record for each driver and to enable authorized users nationwide, such as local law enforcement officials, to check whether a driver is withdrawn, through the cooperative exchange of commercial driver information between the CDLIS jurisdictions.
The New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission is a governmental agency of the U.S. state of New Jersey. The equivalent of the department of motor vehicles in other states, it is responsible for titling, registering and inspecting automobiles, and issuing driver's licenses.
The California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) is the state agency that registers motor vehicles and boats and issues driver licenses in the U.S. state of California. It regulates new car dealers, commercial cargo carriers, private driving schools, and private traffic schools. The DMV works with the superior courts of California to promptly record convictions against driver licenses and subsequently suspends or revokes licenses when a driver accumulates excessive convictions. It issues California license plates and driver's licenses. The DMV also issues identification cards to people who request one.
In the United States, driver's licenses are issued by each individual state, territory, and the District of Columbia rather than by the federal government due to federalism. Drivers are normally required to obtain a license from their state of residence. All states of the United States and provinces and territories of Canada recognize each other's licenses for non-resident age requirements. There are also licenses for motorcycle use. Generally, a minimum age of 16 is required to obtain a driver's or motorcycle license, and 18 for a commercial driver's license which is required for operating large and heavy vehicles or any vehicle, regardless of size, with more than 15 passengers or hazardous materials. A state may also suspend an individual's driving privilege within its borders for traffic violations. Many states share a common system of license classes, with some exceptions, e.g. commercial license classes are standardized by federal regulation at 49 CFR 383. Many driving permits and ID cards display small digits next to each data field. This is required by the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators' design standard and has been adopted by many US states. According to the United States Department of Transportation, as of 2018, there are approximately 227 million licensed drivers in the United States.
The New York State Department of Motor Vehicles is the department of the New York state government responsible for vehicle registration, vehicle inspections, driver's licenses, learner’s permits, photo ID cards, and adjudicating traffic violations. Its regulations are compiled in title 15 of the New York Codes, Rules and Regulations.
The U.S. state of Texas first required its residents to register their motor vehicles in 1907. Registrants provided their own license plates for display, with serial numbers assigned by their county of residence, until the state began to issue plates in 1917.
The U.S. state of Wisconsin first required its residents to register their motor vehicles and display license plates in 1905. Plates are currently issued by the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) through its Division of Motor Vehicles. Front and rear plates are required for most classes of vehicles, while only rear plates are required for motorcycles and trailers.
The U.S. federal district of Washington, D.C., first required its residents to register their motor vehicles in 1903. Registrants provided their own license plates for display until 1907, when the district began to issue plates.
The District of Columbia has a mayor–council government that operates under Article One of the United States Constitution and the District of Columbia Home Rule Act. The Home Rule Act devolves certain powers of the United States Congress to the local government, which consists of a mayor and a 13-member council. However, Congress retains the right to review and overturn laws created by the council and intervene in local affairs.
The Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles is the governmental agency responsible for registering and titling automobiles and other motor vehicles as well as licensing drivers in the Commonwealth of Virginia.
The Vermont Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) is the governmental agency responsible for registering and inspecting automobiles and other motor vehicles as well as licensing drivers in the U.S. state of Vermont.
The Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles(DMV) is a Nevada state agency responsible for issuing driver licenses and vehicle registration. The DMV operates a total of 20 offices across the state, with five in Las Vegas, two in Reno, and one each in Henderson, Sparks, Carson City, Elko, Ely, Fallon, Hawthorne, Laughlin, Mesquite, Pahrump, Tonopah, Winnemucca, and Yerington. The DMV is headed by a director, and the position is currently occupied by Julie Butler. It is based in Carson City, Nevada's capital.
A driver's license is a legal authorization, or the official document confirming such an authorization, for a specific individual to operate one or more types of motorized vehicles—such as motorcycles, cars, trucks, or buses—on a public road. Such licenses are often plastic and the size of a credit card.
The Rhode Island Department of Revenue (RIDOR) is a state agency of Rhode Island responsible for collection of taxes and distribution of state revenue, as well as administration of state laws governing driver licensing, and motor vehicle sale and registration. The current Director of the Department of Revenue is Guillermo Tello, appointed by Governor Dan McKee on May 4, 2021.
