Order Yours Today!
Why get the Saving Lives Together plate?
Pets come to the Richmond SPCA from all over Virginia (and beyond!). Last year, our Pet Support Services team worked with 66 other Virginia shelters and rescues to transfer pets to our humane center.
These partnerships can relieve crowding at the originating shelter, freeing up space for lost pets needing to enter their facility. Many of the pets we transfer are in need of our veterinary or behavior expertise, which is sought out by transfer partners when a pet at their shelter has complex needs that can be treated at the Richmond SPCA. Your purchase of this license plate will be a driving force behind those lifesaving transfers — $15 from every Saving Lives Together license plate fee will benefit the Richmond SPCA Transfer Support Fund.
How do I order a plate?
Virginia law mandates that the General Assembly authorizes the issuance of any new special interest license plate. To ensure that our proposed license plate is approved during the 2026 Virginia General Assembly Session, we need your support! We must collect 450 completed and paid pre-order applications by January 13, 2026.
You can submit a Saving Lives Together pre-order application by mail or online. Be sure to have your current registration card ready when completing the application.
Please note, transferred license plate numbers are limited to 6 digits. See the FAQ below for more information.
Submit by Mail
Print the VSA 10D form and complete it. Send the completed application and a check written to Richmond SPCA at the following address:
Richmond SPCA
Attn: License Plate
2519 Hermitage Road
Richmond, VA 23220
Submit Online
Step 1: Use this link to complete the VSA 10D form as a fillable pdf or print and email it to give@richmondspca.org. The application must be signed digitally or by hand.
Step 2: Pay your pre-application fee online with a credit card here.
Your application is not finished until both steps are complete.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is the pre-application fee?
Either $25 for a randomly assigned plate number or $35 for a personalized plate number.
Do I have to pay a special plate fee every year?
Yes, moving forward this will be a yearly fee typically collected by the DMV at the time of vehicle registration renewal. After the first 1,000 Saving Lives Together plates have been issued, the Richmond SPCA will receive $15 toward our Transfer Support Fund for every renewal or new plate.
Does the fee include my vehicle registration renewal?
No, your vehicle registration renewal fee is not included in a special license plate fee. Richmond SPCA only collects the special plate fee during the pre-application period, after which the DMV will manage fees and renewals.
Can I transfer my current license plate number to the Saving Lives Together plate?
Yes, as long as your current number is not more than 6-digits. Please note, the $35 plate fee does apply to any current plate number you want to transfer to the new plate, personalized or not. If you transfer your current non-personalized plate number to the Saving Lives Together plate, the $35 fee will only apply for the first year and following renewals should return to the $25 non-personalized fee rate.
My vehicle registration is expiring soon. How do I renew it with the Saving Lives Together plate?
Please proceed with renewing your current registration as-is for 1 year. After the DMV approves our pre-order applications, they will begin plate production and distribute your Saving Lives Together license plate to be placed on your vehicle when it’s received. When your vehicle is ready for renewal next year, you should receive renewal documents for the Saving Lives Together plate.
What happens if the new personalized plate number I requested is not available?
If you requested a new personalized plate number on your pre-order application that the DMV determines is unavailable, you will receive a $10 refund for the personalization fee and the DMV will issue a random plate number. The Richmond SPCA is not responsible for determining the availability of personalized plate numbers and after the DMV is provided with the pre-order applications and associated fees in Spring, 2026, all communications and refunds will be coordinated by the DMV.
What do I need to complete the pre-order application?
Your vehicle registration card with your current plate number, registration expiration date, plate type and either the last 4 digits of your Vehicle Identification Number or your Vehicle Title Number.
Can I request the International Symbol of Access (ISA, aka wheelchair) on this plate?
Yes, the ISA symbol (which indicates disabled parking privileges) can be requested.
Do I need to complete multiple applications if I have multiple vehicles?
Yes, please complete one application per vehicle.
What type of vehicles can use this plate?
Passenger cars, multipurpose vehicles (i.e. Jeeps, Blazers, and motor homes), vans, light duty/pickup trucks, and motorcycles.
Can this plate be used on a leased vehicle?
Yes!
When will I receive this plate?
Likely summer, 2026. In order to have our special interest license plate approved, we are required to collect 450 pre-order applications prior to the start of the general assembly session in January, 2026. Once this is complete our plate sponsor, Delegate Jones, will present the design to be approved and signed by the Governor. The DMV then has 30 days to verify our pre-order applications and begin plate production, after which they’ll deliver the new plates.
What do I do if something on my pre-order application changes (vehicle sold, address change, etc.) before it is processed by the DMV?
Please either submit an updated application with a brief explanation to the Richmond SPCA, or request that we cancel your existing pre-application and refund your fee. If the update is due to an address change, don’t forget to also contact the DMV directly to process a vehicle record address change. Pre-order application change requests can be directed to give@richmondspca.org or 804-521-1320.
Can I order a souvenir plate?
Not yet. Souvenir plates are not included as part of the required prepaid applications; however, souvenir plates will be available after DMV begins issuing the Saving Lives Together plate.
What happens if Richmond SPCA does not collect the required 450 pre-order applications before the 2026 general assembly session?
We hope we will receive enough applications (tell your friends!) but if not, we will keep pre-orders open and try again in the 2027 assembly session. We will contact everyone who has submitted an application if this happens.
