New Oregon law to allow plate transfers from totaled, altered vehicles

SALEM, Ore. (KTVZ) -- If Oregon DMV receives notice that your car is totaled or substantially altered after Jan. 1, you will be able to keep the plates and registration on the vehicle or transfer them to another vehicle.

House Bill 2576, passed by the 2019 Legislature, changed requirements to transfer plates and registrations for some vehicles. Here is what the new law does:
* Requires tow companies to allow the registered owner to remove their plates from a vehicle after it has been towed.
* Allows you to transfer your plates and registration when a salvage title has been issued to your totaled or substantially altered vehicle.
* Allows you to keep the plates and registration on, or transfer them from, a vehicle that is totaled or substantially altered, or is recovered after a theft, as long as a salvage title has not been issued.
* Allows an approved customer-provided special interest plate to be transferred from one vehicle to another qualifying vehicle.

For more information on plate transfers, visit OregonDMV.com.

In fact, any time you need to visit DMV, please first check OregonDMV.com to find business hours, locations and wait times for most offices, and to make sure you have everything you need before your visit. You also can do some DMV business from home at OregonDMV.com.