Return and cancel your license plate
As of August 1, 2025, only the DIV (Vehicle Registration Service) can officially cancel license plates.
How does returning your license plate to the DIV work?
The official plate (with DIV logo) is deleted from the register once received by the DIV. If you want to cancel your old license plate, you must return it to the DIV – for example by parcel. This return can also be easily arranged via PostNL, for only €5.90. Our PostNL points often have long opening hours, so you can hand in your plate at a time that suits you. That way, you arrange the cancellation of your license plate quickly, safely, and without hassle.
Use a sturdy envelope or cardboard. You may bend the plate so it fits in the package, but it must remain whole.
Through the Online Shipping Flow on our website, you can easily purchase a shipping label. The address to send your license plate to is: DIV – Rue du Progrès 56, 1210 Brussels. Then print the label and stick it on your parcel.
Check all locations and opening hours via our Location Finder.
The benefits of cancelling your license plate via PostNL
Want to cancel your license plate cheaply and without hassle? Choose PostNL. You can drop off your plate at a PostNL point nearby, often with extended opening hours. For only €5.90, you send your plate securely and quickly to the DIV. Thanks to our reliable service and fast delivery within 48 hours, you can be sure your license plate arrives at the DIV on time. This way, you avoid extra costs such as road tax or insurance premiums.
When dropping it off, you will receive a proof of delivery at the PostNL point, giving you immediate proof of shipment. With our handy Track & Trace, you can follow your shipment every step of the way. As soon as your license plate is delivered to the DIV, you will receive a notification. So you are always certain of correct and timely processing. Returning your license plate via PostNL is therefore not only affordable, but also efficient, transparent and worry-free.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
When you sell your vehicle, stop using it, or switch to a new plate, you must officially cancel your old plate with the DIV. This is important because:
- The plate otherwise remains active in the register
- You keep paying road tax
- Your insurance may remain active
- The plate stays linked to you → risk of misuse
By cancelling your license plate on time, you avoid unnecessary costs and administrative issues. The cancellation only happens once the DIV has received the plate, not when you hand it in at a PostNL point.
Yes, you usually need to inform your insurer yourself as soon as your license plate is officially cancelled by the DIV. Key points:
- Insurance can only be terminated with proof of cancellation (cancellation certificate) showing that the vehicle is no longer in use.
- After receiving the required documents (cancellation certificate, last insurance certificate, proof of sale if applicable), the insurer must end the contract – often within a short period after receipt.
In short: first cancel your plate, then notify your insurer.
Yes, in many cases, or at least a recalculation / exemption from the moment of cancellation. Important details:
- As soon as your vehicle is officially deregistered (plate cancelled), you no longer pay road tax starting from the month of cancellation.
- If you already paid road tax for the whole year or part of it, you will receive an exemption letter from the regional tax authority. This letter specifies whether you get a refund or still owe a balance.
- The exemption letter is usually sent at the end of the month following the cancellation, sometimes later if the cancellation occurred late in the month.
There is no explicit mention that this is always possible, but some indications suggest it can be done in certain cases, under conditions:
- The plate must be official, with DIV logo (rear plate), and clearly recognizable.
- If you send it or have it delivered by someone else, make sure the plate is properly packaged, sufficiently stamped, not damaged, and not cut in pieces.
- In case of theft or loss, a police report/certificate is required as proof towards the DIV/insurer.
In principle, someone else can return or send your plate, but it’s safer to do this in consultation with your insurer.
Yes, you will always receive official proof of cancellation:
- A cancellation certificate from the DIV confirming that your plate has been officially cancelled.
- As of August 1, 2025, this certificate will no longer be sent automatically by post, but can be downloaded via the “My vehicle, my plate” portal of the Federal Mobility Service.
- If you return the plate via a PostNL point, you will receive immediate proof of deposit and can track via Track & Trace when the DIV has processed the cancellation. ️ Note: a proof of deposit from PostNL is not valid as cancellation proof. Only the DIV can issue this certificate.
There is no official “temporary cancellation” procedure, but there are two related options:
- “Deletion” when your vehicle is sold or changes ownership. You then have 4 months to decide whether to reuse the plate on another vehicle.
- Insurance can also be suspended (not always terminated) if the vehicle is no longer used and the plate is cancelled.
You cannot “temporarily cancel” and later simply reactivate the same plate. However, you do retain the right to reuse the plate within 4 months.
In Belgium, speed pedelecs must be registered with the DIV with a specific SP license plate. Without this official plate, they cannot be used on public roads.
Cancelling or returning a speed pedelec plate works the same way as with a car or motorbike, and you can send it to the DIV via a PostNL shipping label.