New Jersey § 39:3-32

§ 39:3-32.

If one or both license plates or one or both inserts are lost, destroyed, or so defaced that the numbers thereon are illegible,

the owner of the motor vehicle for which the same were issued shall apply to the director

or his representative for new plates or inserts within 24 hours of the discovery of

such loss, destruction, or defacement. The application shall be made upon a form furnished by the division, on which the

loss, defacement or destruction of the plate or plates, insert or inserts shall be

set forth. The application, except as hereinafter provided, shall be accompanied by a fee fixed

by the director, the amount of which fee shall equal, as nearly as possible, the cost

to the division of replacing the plates or inserts. Thereupon the division may cancel the original registration and shall issue to the

applicant new plates or new inserts, as the case may be, and a new registration certificate,

if necessary. Every replacement by reason of defacement shall be by a license plate or plates of the

same identifying characters as those on the plate or plates replaced. When a person has surrendered license plates to the director pursuant to any law or

regulation, the director may charge a fee under this section for the reissuance of

the plates surrendered or the issuance of new plates, as determined by the director,

in an amount set by regulation but equal, as nearly as possible, to the cost incurred

by the division in reissuing or replacing the plates.