Whether you want to show some school pride, support a cause or cheer on your favorite team, there’s a good chance you’ll find a specialty license plate to help you do so.
With designs ranging from Amateur Radio to Wildlife Preservation, Arizona drivers currently have 50 different designs to choose from, including:
- Alternative Fuel
- Congressional Medal of Honor
- Military Support/Freedom
- Amateur Radio
- Energy Efficient Plate
- National Guard
- Arizona Agriculture
- Environmental
- Navajo Nation
- Arizona Cardinals
- Families of Fallen Police Officers
- Northern Arizona University
- Arizona Centennial
- Farm Vehicle
- Pearl Harbor Survivor
- Arizona Diamondbacks
- Fire Fighter
- Pet Friendly/Spay & Neuter
- Arizona Highways
- Fraternal Order of Police
- Phoenix Suns
- Arizona Historical Society
- Former Prisoner of War
- Purple Heart
- Arizona Sportsmen for Wildlife Conservation
- Gold Star Family
- San Carlos Apache Tribe
- Arizona State University
- Golden Rule
- Street Rod
- Boy Scouts of Arizona
- Hearing Impaired Plate
- Transplantation Awareness (Organ Donor)
- Channel 8 PBS
- Historic
- University of Arizona
- Character Education
- Honorary Foreign Consul
- University of Phoenix
- Child Abuse Prevention
- Horseless Carriage
- Veteran
- Choose Life
- Hunger Relief
- White Mountain Apache Tribe
- Classic Car
- Legion of Valor
- Wildlife Conservation
- Masonic Fraternity
Have you ever wondered how a specialty license plate is chosen to go into production? Even though ADOT’s Motor Vehicle Division (and third party offices) issue license plates, ADOT and MVD do not decide which plates get the okay. That’s a common misconception. In fact, that’s a function of the legislative process.
More about the process . . .
First, a nonprofit group or cause has to get the attention of state lawmakers. A bill sponsored through the legislature must pass and then be signed into law by the governor before any specialty plate can be manufactured.
Once that step is cleared, the group pays a $32,000 implementation fee, which covers programming costs and production.
Specialty plates don’t cost the state anything.
Next, the group works on a design in conjunction with ADOT/MVD. There are a few guidelines the plates have to follow. First, it has to be readable at 100 yards. It cannot be too busy, and it must have a definite color offset between the numbers and the background design.
Once a design is agreed on, seven prototype plates are created. Then, law enforcement officials, representatives of the nonprofit group and MVD’s director all review and sign off on the plate . . . literally. They put their signature right on the back of the prototype!
When all the approvals are in place, the new plates are rolled out and made available to motorists.
Specialty plates cost drivers a $25 initial application fee and a $25 renewal fee, but $17 of that money goes right to the nonprofit group/cause that put up the $32,000 implementation fee. The remaining $8 is for administrative costs.
Some Specialty Plate Statistics
Did you know that more than 10,500 Arizona drivers have chosen the pink ribbon/cancer awareness plate? The Arizona Diamondbacks plate is a popular one too. Roughly 8,200 cars are sporting the Diamondbacks plate! But the Arizona Cardinals have that beat – more than 20,000 Arizona motorists have shown their team spirit by choosing a Cardinals license plate.
Availability
If you’re now more interested than ever in getting a specialty plate, you can go to any Desert Title location to purchase any of the plates. We keep them all in stock and are familiar with all of the requirements and details – just ask! You don’t need an appointment – just walk right in to any location for fast and friendly service!