Temporary Permits for Private or Commercial Vehicles in West Virginia

West Virginia issues temporary credentials through the West Virginia Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV), which administers temporary registration plates for newly purchased vehicles, while the West Virginia Division of Highways (WVDOH) of the Department of Transportation administers hauling permits for oversize and overweight movements. A temporary registration plate authorizes operation of a newly sold vehicle while the annual registration plate is being processed, and a hauling permit authorizes movement of a vehicle or load exceeding legal limits.

What Is a Temporary Vehicle Permit in West Virginia?

Under West Virginia Code §17A-6-15, the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles may deliver temporary registration plates or markers to licensed dealers for issuance to purchasers of vehicles, permitting the vehicle to be operated on streets and highways pending receipt of the annual registration plate. The same authority is extended to automobile auction businesses under §17A-6C-11 and to license services under §17A-6B-10, each of which must apply on a form prescribed by the Commissioner and pay a fee of $3 for each temporary plate or marker.

West Virginia temporary credentials take several forms, each with its own validity period:

Temporary registration plates or markers, issued by dealers, automobile auction businesses, and license services — valid until the annual plate arrives, the sale is rescinded, or 90 days from issuance, whichever occurs first
Nonresident special permits, issued to nonresidents maintaining temporary and recurrent or seasonal residence in the State — valid for 60 consecutive days, renewable
One-time movement permits, issued online for a single movement of a vehicle — valid for 96 hours
Oversize and overweight hauling permits, issued as single-trip or blanket annual permits by the Division of Highways

Who May Need a Temporary Permit

A temporary permit may be required in the following situations:

A vehicle has been sold by a dealer or at auction and must be operated before the annual registration plate is issued
A purchaser requires immediate use of a newly acquired vehicle while the titling and registration application is processed
A nonresident owner accepts temporary and recurrent or seasonal employment in West Virginia and maintains a temporary residence in connection with that work
A vehicle must make a single, one-time movement within the State
A vehicle or load exceeds West Virginia's legal size or weight limits and cannot be moved along highways without special authorization

Private Vehicle Temporary Plates in West Virginia

For private vehicles, the temporary registration plate or marker is the principal credential issued after purchase. The dealer issues the plate to the bona fide purchaser only and may not lend a plate or use one on a vehicle the dealer owns. Only one temporary plate may be issued for the same vehicle, and a plate may not be issued to a person holding an annual registration plate for a vehicle that has been sold or exchanged, except where the purchaser holds a plate of a different class and applies to exchange it. Each plate must clearly show the date of issuance and expiration and the make, model, and serial number of the vehicle, and a plate containing a misstatement of fact is unlawful.

A temporary plate expires and becomes void upon receipt of the annual registration plate, rescission of the purchase contract, or 90 days from issuance, whichever occurs first. The holder must permanently destroy the temporary plate immediately upon receiving the annual registration plate and must do so no later than 90 days after issuance, even if the annual plate has not arrived. House trailers are excluded: no temporary plate may be issued to a dealer in house trailers only, and no temporary plate may be used on a house trailer for any purpose.

License services that issue temporary plates are subject to additional duties. The service must hold the purchaser's application and fees at the time of issuance, submit them to the Division of Motor Vehicles within 48 hours, send a copy of the executed temporary plate certificate to the Division within five working days, and may charge a service fee not to exceed $5. Dealers and auction businesses likewise must forward the executed certificate to the Division within five working days and maintain permanent records of plates received and issued for at least three years.

Commercial Vehicle Temporary Permits in West Virginia

Commercial carriers that operate qualified vehicles in West Virginia must maintain International Registration Plan (IRP) or International Fuel Tax Agreement (IFTA) credentials through the appropriate state agency. The West Virginia State Tax Department licenses IFTA accounts, and carriers without IFTA credentials entering the State may be required to obtain temporary fuel permits before entry. Heavy trucks and combinations subject to IRP that are not apportioned for West Virginia must maintain trip permits or other temporary authority covering travel within the State.

Oversize and overweight movements are administered by the WVDOH Hauling Permits Section, which issues permits online or by walk-in at its Charleston office. A hauling permit is required when a vehicle or load exceeds the legal size and weight limits published by the Division of Highways. Permits fall into two general categories:

Single trip permits, issued for a one-time movement of a specific vehicle along a designated route, subject to a size and weight analysis before issuance
Blanket annual permits, issued for unlimited trips during a one-year period, specific to a particular power unit, with dimensions governed by route type

When a Temporary Permit Is Required

A private vehicle may require a temporary permit in the following circumstances:

Immediately after purchase from a dealer or at auction, when the purchaser must operate the vehicle before the annual registration plate is issued
When the purchaser retains an annual plate of a different class and applies to exchange it
When a nonresident maintains temporary and recurrent or seasonal residence in West Virginia in connection with employment, business, or a profession
When a vehicle requires a single movement within the State and is not otherwise registered

A commercial vehicle may require a temporary permit when:

The vehicle is subject to the IRP or IFTA and is not apportioned or licensed for travel in West Virginia
The vehicle or load exceeds legal size or weight limits, including loads requiring bridge monitoring
The movement involves a superload requiring engineering analysis and special routing

How to Get a Temporary Permit in West Virginia

Where To Apply

Private vehicle temporary credentials may be obtained through several channels:

Licensed motor vehicle dealers, which issue temporary registration plates at the point of sale through the Vehicle Registration System (VRS)
Automobile auction businesses, which issue temporary plates to successful bidders for titling and registration
License services, which issue temporary plates and submit the application and fees to the Division within 48 hours
The AccessWV self-service portal, for one-time movement permits
Division of Motor Vehicles offices, for nonresident special permits

For commercial carriers, hauling permits are obtained online through the WVDOH permitting system or in person at the Permit Section office at 1900 Kanawha Boulevard East, Charleston, West Virginia. IFTA licensing is obtained through the State Tax Department.

Documents Commonly Required

The documentation required to obtain temporary credentials varies with the transaction and may include:

The certificate of title or the manufacturer's certificate of origin for the vehicle
A completed title and registration application, bearing the purchaser's signature
Payment of the $3 fee per temporary registration plate or marker at the time of issuance
Proof of insurance is required to title and register a vehicle in West Virginia
The Vehicle Identification Number and purchase information, entered into the Vehicle Registration System by the issuing dealer
For nonresident special permits, a verified application describing the temporary, recurrent, or seasonal nature of the residence and employment, together with proof that the vehicle is registered in the owner's state of residence
Payment of the $50 fee for each nonresident special permit

Temporary Permit Fees in West Virginia

The following table summarizes the principal permit and credential fees published by the West Virginia Code, the DMV, and the WVDOH Permit Section.

Permit or credential	Official fee
Temporary registration plate or marker (dealer, auction, or license service)	$3.00 per plate
License service issuance fee (in addition to the plate fee)	Not to exceed $5.00
Nonresident special permit (60 days, renewable)	$50.00
One-time movement permit (96 hours)	Per DMV self-service schedule
General single trip hauling permit	$20.00 base, plus $0.04 per ton-mile when overweight
Mobile home single trip permit	$20.00
Blanket annual permit, oversize only	$200.00
Blanket annual permit, overweight and oversize	$500.00
Seagoing containerized cargo blanket permit	$150.00 for first 15 permits; $15.00 each additional
Mobile home blanket permit	$200.00
Bridge monitoring fee (single trip)	$150.00 first bridge; $100.00 second; $50.00 each additional; $750.00 maximum
Superload application not activated within 30 days	$20.00, at the Division's discretion

Blanket permits are valid for one year from the start date and are specific to a particular power unit; the start date may be the application date or any date up to 30 days in the future. Weight and dimension limits vary by route type, with the most generous allowances on interstate and divided highways.

Can a West Virginia Temporary Permit Be Used Across State Lines?

A temporary registration plate expires when the annual plate arrives, upon rescission of the sale, or after 90 days, and authorizes operation pending registration in West Virginia; a purchaser titling the vehicle in another state must comply with that state's registration and temporary permit requirements. Under §17A-5-1, a nonresident owner may operate a vehicle registered in a foreign state within West Virginia for a period of 30 days without registering it in the State, provided the vehicle displays a valid registration card and plates from the owner's state of residence and is not operated for commercial purposes. Nonresidents with temporary and recurrent or seasonal residence may operate with a special permit plate rather than the home-state plate, but must carry the home-state registration certificate in the vehicle during the permitted period.

Oversize and overweight permits authorize movement only over the routes designated on the permit within West Virginia, and a continuation of the movement into another state requires separate permitting by that state. Carriers operating under IRP or IFTA credentials across state lines must hold valid apportioned registration or trip permits for each jurisdiction entered.

Penalties for Driving Without the Proper Temporary Permit

West Virginia imposes penalties for operating a vehicle without valid registration or the required temporary authority.

Under West Virginia Code §17A-6-15, it is unlawful for any dealer to issue a temporary registration plate or marker that knowingly contains a misstatement of fact or false information, and the Division may suspend a dealer's, auction business's, or license service's authority to issue temporary plates upon a finding of noncompliance. (The dealer and license service records and submission requirements above carry the statutory weight of the cited articles.)
A person who fails to destroy an expired temporary plate, or who operates a vehicle on a temporary plate beyond its 90-day life or after the annual plate has been issued, operates without valid registration and is subject to the general registration-offense provisions of Chapter 17A.
Under the registration penalty provision of §17A-3-1, a person violating the registration provisions of that article is guilty of a misdemeanor, subject to a fine of not more than $500, and, in addition, the vehicle may be impounded or immobilized pending compliance.
A dealer, license service, or auction business that fails to account to the Division for plates last delivered, fails to forward the executed certificate within five working days, or issues a plate to a person who is not a bona fide purchaser or applicant may have their authority to issue temporary plates suspended.
A person who operates a vehicle for which a nonresident special permit has been issued without the special plate displayed commits a misdemeanor under §17A-5-1.

Contact Information

West Virginia Division of Motor Vehicles
5707 MacCorkle Avenue SE, Charleston, WV 25304
Phone: (800) 642-9066
Official Website: West Virginia Division of Motor Vehicles