Lost a Vehicle License Plate in Thailand? What to Do, Where to Apply and What to Bring

If you lose a vehicle license plate in Thailand, apply for a replacement at a Department of Land Transport office. Bring the original vehicle registration book and your ID card. You do not necessarily need to visit a police station first: you can make a statement to the registrar instead of submitting a police report. The application fee is 5 baht, plus 100 baht per plate. Talata is an online marketplace with a used car category. This guide covers common questions, from financed vehicles to applications made outside the province where a vehicle is registered.

What should you do first if a license plate is lost?

Apply for a replacement plate at a transport office. You cannot have a shop make one or display a handwritten registration number in its place. Before leaving, photograph the vehicle where the plate is missing, note when you noticed the loss and where it may have happened, and bring the original registration book and your ID card. If the plate came off while the vehicle was driving through or sitting in floodwater, the replacement process is the same, but check the rest of the car for water damage too. See what to do with a flooded car.

Check the vehicle tax status, too. The public service guide says the vehicle must have no outstanding tax and must not be subject to a registration hold. If tax is overdue, renew it before applying for the plate.

If by “lost registration” you mean the registration book rather than the metal plate, the process is different. See the article on the vehicle registration book.

What if one plate is missing, or both plates are missing?

Cars have a front and a rear plate. Sometimes only one comes loose, such as after driving through water or when a plate frame becomes loose. The plate fee is calculated according to the number of plates requested. Tell the officer which plate is missing. Keep any remaining plate attached to the vehicle while waiting for the replacement.

Is the process the same for a damaged or faded plate?

Yes. The Department of Land Transport uses the same application process for plates that are lost, destroyed, damaged or faded to the point that essential details are unclear. For a damaged plate, you must hand in the original plate. If its numbers are no longer legible or it has been bent in an accident, apply for a replacement so the registration number can be read clearly.

Do you need to file a police report for a lost license plate?

If a plate simply came loose and was lost, a police report is not required. The transport office accepts either a police report or a statement made to the registrar at the office as part of the application.

If you suspect theft, consider filing a police report. Signs might include missing mounting bolts, marks suggesting the frame was pried open, or both plates disappearing while the vehicle was parked. A stolen plate might be attached to another vehicle. A report recording when you discovered the loss can help document the incident.

Report it to a police station in the area where you believe the plate went missing, then take the report to the transport office. After receiving the new plate, check Thai traffic fines online by licence plate to see whether any tickets were issued under your registration number. If a ticket was issued during the period when the plate was missing, the police report can support a dispute.

What documents do you need for a replacement plate?

The main documents are the original vehicle registration book and the applicant’s ID card. Additional documents depend on who owns the vehicle and who submits the application.

Applying as the vehicle owner

Bring the original vehicle registration book and your original ID card. If you do not have a police report, make a statement to the registrar at the transport office. For a damaged plate, bring the old plate as well.

Asking someone else to apply

Prepare the Department of Land Transport’s power of attorney form, available from its website, together with signed, certified copies of the ID cards of the person granting authority and the representative. The representative must also bring their original ID card and the original vehicle registration book.

A vehicle under finance

For a vehicle still being paid off, the finance company holds ownership recorded in the registration book, while the person making payments possesses the vehicle under the hire purchase agreement. The finance company therefore keeps the original book. Call it first: some companies submit the application, while others lend the book and provide a letter to the registrar and a power of attorney.

Terms for borrowing the book, including any deposit or processing charge, vary by company. Check them before arranging a visit to the transport office.

A company owned vehicle

Bring the company registration certificate. Have the authorized signatory certify copies of the documents and affix the company seal. If an employee applies on the company’s behalf, also include a power of attorney, the representative’s ID card and the original vehicle registration book.

How to apply for a replacement plate at a transport office

The public service guide gives an approximate application review time of 45 minutes. The steps are:

1. Go to vehicle registration, take a queue number and say you are applying for a replacement for a lost plate.
2. Submit the registration book, ID card and supporting documents. If you do not have a police report, make a statement to the registrar at this stage.
3. Have the officer check the registration book, tax status and any registration hold.
4. Pay the application and plate fees, then collect the receipt.
5. Return for the plate on the date given by the officer, bringing the receipt.
6. Secure the new plate with firm bolts and keep the receipt as proof of the application.

When you apply, ask the officer whether that office offers a way to check the status of your replacement plate, so you do not need to make an extra trip.

Can you apply in a different province?

Yes. Since 18 February 2025, eligible owners have been able to apply for replacement plates and replacement vehicle tax stickers at transport offices nationwide, without returning to the province where the vehicle was registered. The service covers private passenger cars with up to seven seats, private passenger cars with more than seven seats, private pickup trucks and private motorcycles.

You must collect the plate from the same office where you applied, within one year of the application date. Choose an office you can return to after the plate is ready.

What if an auction plate or special letter category plate is lost?

The nationwide application option covers standard and graphic plates but excludes special letter category plates. For an excluded plate, contact the transport office where the vehicle is registered. Its replacement fee may differ from the standard fee, so call the office before visiting.

Can you report a lost license plate online?

Not yet. As of September 2026, the public service guide for this procedure lists applications at transport offices only, with no online channel. The owner can apply in person or authorize someone else to do so.

You can prepare some things online, such as downloading a power of attorney form from the Department of Land Transport website and checking the vehicle’s tax status. For questions about your case, the department’s hotline is 1584 and is listed as available 24 hours a day.

Fees and how long a replacement plate takes

Fees under the public service guide for replacing a lost license plate and Department of Land Transport rates, as of September 2026, are:

Plate fees are charged per plate requested: the total is 105 baht for one car plate, 205 baht for both car plates, and 105 baht for a motorcycle’s single plate. If the vehicle tax sticker was also lost, the replacement sticker adds 20 baht.

The public service guide lists five days to produce a plate. The Department of Land Transport has previously given approximate collection times of five working days in Bangkok and ten working days in other provinces. Follow the collection date given by the officer when you apply.

Can you drive while waiting for the new plate?

After applying, the Department of Land Transport allows the plate fee receipt to serve temporarily in place of the plate while you wait. Keep it in the vehicle to show an officer if asked, and apply as soon as you discover the plate is missing.

Under Section 11 of the Motor Vehicle Act B.E. 2522 (1979), a registered vehicle must display its license plates; Section 60 provides for a fine of up to 2,000 baht for a violation. Section 7 of the Road Traffic Act B.E. 2522 (1979) prohibits using a vehicle without its plates on a road; Section 152 provides for a fine of up to 1,000 baht.

While waiting, do not:

• Display a handwritten registration number in place of the plate.
• Order a lookalike plate from a shop or use a graphic cover not issued by the transport office.
• Obscure numbers or letters on a remaining plate.
• Temporarily attach a plate from another vehicle.

How is a lost motorcycle plate different from a lost car plate?

The replacement process is much the same, but a motorcycle has only one plate at the rear. If it falls off, no plate remains on the vehicle, unlike a car that may still have its other plate.

Bring the motorcycle registration book, often called the “green book.” The nationwide application option also covers private motorcycles. The total cost for one plate is 105 baht.

Vibration can loosen the bolts on a motorcycle’s rear plate, especially if the bike has a modified short tail or plate bracket. Consider spring washers or locking nuts, and check whether the plate moves whenever you wash the bike.

What should buyers and sellers check if a used vehicle’s plate is missing or newly replaced?

Buyers should ask why a vehicle that has been used for years has a new plate, then compare the plate number with the registration book. If the replacement has not arrived, ask to see the plate fee receipt issued by the transport office. If the seller cannot provide documents, pause before deciding. The article on the used car buying process explains document checks in more detail.

Sellers whose plate goes missing while a vehicle is listed should apply for a replacement and state in the listing that it is pending. If you add a photo of the receipt, conceal personal details first. Before arranging a transfer, ask the transport office whether it can proceed while the plate is pending or must wait until the new plate arrives. Prepare the vehicle transfer documents as well.

Both sides should compare the vehicle, plate and registration book before deciding. If you are browsing or listing a vehicle, you can view used cars for sale on Talata, compare options and ask the person who posted a listing about the book and plate before arranging a viewing.

Frequently asked questions

How much does it cost to replace a lost license plate?

One replacement plate costs 105 baht in total: a 5 baht application fee and a 100 baht plate fee. Two missing car plates cost 205 baht. If you also need a replacement tax sticker, its fee adds 20 baht.

Will a replacement plate have the same registration number?

Yes. This process replaces a plate bearing the vehicle’s existing registration number. Changing to a different number is a separate process with different fees. See the article on how to reserve a car plate number online.

Can a graphic plate be replaced at any transport office?

Yes. The nationwide option introduced in February 2025 covers standard and graphic plates. Special letter category plates are excluded and require contacting the office where the vehicle is registered.

What if the vehicle tax sticker is lost?

Apply for a replacement tax sticker at a transport office. The sticker fee is 20 baht, plus a 5 baht application fee. Bring the original registration book and your ID card. The tax sticker is separate from the metal license plate; if both are lost, you can apply for them during the same visit.

Can a shop make a temporary plate while you wait?

No. License plates must be issued by the Department of Land Transport. A plate made by a shop is an imitation. Use the transport office receipt as your temporary supporting document while waiting.

How can you prevent a license plate from falling off?

Check the mounting bolts regularly and replace a brittle or cracked frame. After driving through water, inspect the front plate, which can be dislodged by water pressure. Avoid directing a high pressure water jet at the plate when washing the vehicle.

How can you check that a plate belongs to the vehicle?

Compare the chassis number on the vehicle with the number in its registration book, then compare the plate number with the registration number in the book. If you cannot find the chassis number, ask a mechanic or service centre to help.

What photos should you use if the plate goes missing while your car is listed for sale?

You can still photograph the car for the listing. Include a photo clearly showing the empty plate position so buyers can see its current condition. Update the listing photos after receiving the replacement.