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Florida Has HOW MANY Different License Plates?

Florida has 4 separate categories for license plates when you go to their Speciality Plates web page.

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The catagories and total plates are:

ENVIRONMENTAL ~ 18
MISCELLANEOUS ~ 40
PROFESSIONAL SPORTS ~ 9
UNIVERSITIES ~ 36

Including our standard Florida State license plate seen above this brings us to a grand total of 104 license plates for the state!

That's a lot of different plates!

Specialty plates vary in price depending on which plate you choose. Some have a $15.00 yearly fee while others can go as high as a $25.00 yearly fee. This is on top of your "once a year" vehicle registration fee. The money collected from each speciality plate goes into a fund that plate was speciality designed for.

My favorite plates fall under Environmental and Miscellaneous. You're not surprised are you? However, in case you are wondering, I have the standard issue on my car, for now...

The newest plate under Environmental is ...

Animal Friend

Proceeds from this plate go to Florida Animal Friend Inc. which are then used in spay and neuter programs across the state.

Then we have plates for the Protect The Whales, Protect The Dolphins, Help The Sea Turtles, Save Our Florida Reefs, Save the Manatee, Conserve Wildlife just to give you a sample of our Environmental plates.

Clicking on each license plate will take you to where the proceeds of each plate go. For instance, The "Conserve Wildlife" plate proceeds benefit the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission along with 3 other plates I have shown you.

I've just given you a sampling of the plates listed under Environmental. There are 11 others on the website to view.

The Miscellaneous license plates touch all sorts of different aspects of the Florida Lifestyle.

You will find plates going towards Ending Breast Cancer, Family Values, Hospice: Everyday is a Gift, Police Benevolent Association, Salutes Firefighters, one dedicated to the Space Shuttle Challenger, Florida Sheriff's Youth Ranch, along with one for EACH Branch of our Military and here are just 3 of my favorites from this group..

Once again, clicking on each license plate will take you to where the proceeds of each plate go.

Next the Professional Sports.. Ok Florida has 3 Pro football teams, 2 pro baseball, basketball and hockey teams. 45% of the proceeds go to the Florida Sports Foundation and other portions of the proceeds go to foundations of each teams choice.

Where are the NASCAR plates? I could have sworn I saw a Mark Martin and another driver plate? Was I dreaming?

Finally the University Group. 36 Universities have license plates in this group. I see more Florida Gator plates and Florida State University plates around Daytona then any other college plates, but there is the occasional Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University plate that drives by. You would think I would see some Stetson University plates, since it is right down the road, but I've not seen one!

Well I hope this was as much of a education for you as at it was for me. I've always wondered just how many different kind of plates there were running around our great state and now I know.

(Images of license plates courtesy of Myflorida.com Licenses, Permits & Vital Records page)

Posted by Lysa Napolitano, Call Coordinator ~ Century 21 Sundance on 08/23/2007 11:38 AM

Comments (49)

florida state license plate, florida speciality plates, florida environmental license plates, century 21 sundance, lysa napolitano

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49 Comments on Florida Has HOW MANY Different License Plates?

AUG

2007

I lived in Jacksonville for 5 years and heard rumors about why there are so many... who knows.

David, I have no clue why, just know there are!

Lysa,

I used to love those vanity plates when I was a youngster....now I do not want anyone to know it is me...although I might have to go see if the Real Deal is avilable.:)

Where do I find it?

Neal, yeah I hear that. You should see if that is available, I think you can do it online now. I had vanity plates in CA, they didn't have specialty plates there. That was also an extra 20 a year.

I seem to recall that Florida has a pro-life plate too. They certainly have a large selection!

Lysa, Great post. I used to have Salute the Arts but now I have John Lennon Imagine. The extra money goes toward the homeless

Lysa~

What an interesting post! It reminds me of Florida itself!..varied...colorful and engaging.

There has been such a growing amount of plates for Florida over the years- I also remember when I lived in Melbourne that there was also a plate for children's education and so on.

Many states are opening their ideas to a variety of plates- of course there is an additional charge for them- that's the point so there can be more money generated for the state plus there are some plates such as the children's education where a portion of the funds goes to the education system.

Lysa - Wow thats a lot of plates! I also use to love vanity plates when I was younger. I used to have a red Z28 convertible with plates that said MKN TRBL. Not a smart move! I did find trouble with those! LOL

Now that was incredible!! How long did that take you?

The visitor one I seem to see the most here is one with an Orange!

AUG

2007

Morning Jeff, Yes we do have a pro life plate, I belive it's this one Choose Life.

Hi Matt! I love the Imagine plate too. There are so many I just couldn't put them all in the post!

Morning janeAnn! Florida is pretty colorful isn't it? I love a lot of the license plates we have, but there are just so many to choose from, so I just stick with the good old fashioned oranges for now. I'm sure I'll go with an environmental one when I finally do decide to go with one though.

Maureen, Morning! Yes there is a education plate, Florida Educational. I have noticed a couple states going to specialty plates now. I believe Maine is one of them.

Hi Kim! Yes it sure is a lot of plates! LOL Cute, MKN TRBL, Love it! My Mom wanted to get DNGR ZNE on her Z4. I thought about it too, we're two of a kind.

Morning Joan! LOL It didn't take me that long. They have them broken down so I just counted each group then added them up. Putting the post together? That's a different story!

Hi Bright! I love dolphins, I have various dolphin figurines around the house, but I love the Right Whales even more so I would be torn between the two plates. You're welcome for the link! Welcome to the Rain!

Too many choices!!

LOL Sarah! HI!

Yep! Too many good choices!!

AUG

2007

Lysa...

If I remember correctly ...

Are there not also special plates for the rental car industry? I seem to recall a stink about how easy the rental cares could be spotted.

Something about car jacking?

There's your homework. LOL.

TLW...ROAR!

AUG

2007

Lysa-I love it....just how many different plates do we need? I like the animal one myself. Didn't realize there are so many types.

Morning TLW! Interesting, I will look at that. When I worked for Alamo Rent A Car in Hawaii, we told the folks renting the cars to take the bumper stickers off so they wouldn't be targeted to be stolen or broken into.

Morning Midori! As long as the money is going to the right place I guess as many as people want? There are so many good ones tho, and so many choices!

We have so many down here that it boarders on being a joke.....

AUG

2007

Morning Barbara Jo and Bill, Steve thought he remembered that they were going to try to cut down on the plates, but they haven't. As long as the money is going to help good causes I think its ok. One thing we do need is license plates.

AUG

2007

Lysa, what a fascinating post...and the pictures are lovely !! I had no idea that there are such a myriad of license plate styles available.....and I'm thrilled to see the proceeds from the sales of these plates going to such excellent causes.

You've spurred me to investigate the styles of license plates available here in Ontario....if there is a conservation oriented one, I'm going to buy it.

thanks !

Jo! Hi! Please let me know what you find out, you have me curious! Thanks for visiting!

We have boring plates here in Nova Scotia. It's nice at this time of the year because every second plate is from somewhere else.

Hi Paul, I wish one of those plates were mine! I would love to visit your beautiful area some day! Thanks for coming by!

SEP

2007

Proceeds from the sale of specialty plates benefit the sponsoring agency/company. However, a minimum number have to be sold each year to continue to produce them.

Every Florida Realtor's new favorite specialty plate should be the "Support Homeownership for All". Sponsored by the Florida Association of Realtors, all proceeds benefit Affordable/Workforce Housing Initiatives within the state.

SEP

2007

Hi Nina, You know I forgot all about that plate, I remember the contest they had for its design. I was unaware of the minimum number of plates, that's interesting. Thanks!

Hi Lysa, Very informative - but you left out the MOST attractive and of course my personal favorite - the Save the Everglades tag which features a picture of the colorful Roseate Spoonbill!

Eva, Thanks! I know of the plate, but have never taken a real good look at it!

I agree with Eva that the Everglades specialty plate is definitely the prettiest. Proceeds from that plate are collected by the South Florida Water Management District.

Hi Nina, That plate is very pretty! We don't see many of them in the Daytona Area tho, it's mostly the dolphin plate that is big here. Thanks for the link!

It's no wonder the Dolphin Plate is so popular there. It's sponsored by the Harbor Beach Oceanographic Institute out of Ft Pierce. It funds oceanographic research and you get a free admission to the Florida Aquarium when you purchase one.

Hi Nina, I'm not exactly sure where you want to go with your last comment? I'm in Daytona Beach on the other side of the state from where the Florida Aquarium is located and I had to look up Ft Pierce, which is a good 4 hour drive from here. I think the dolphin plate is so popular in the Daytona Area because the dolphin is seen quite often in our rivers and the ocean. When I was at my beachside office I would see quite a few a week.

It just makes sense that the dolphin plate is so popular in your part of the state. Having been introduced and sponsored by an oceanographic research institute that's nearby. I guess they just give away the admission to the aquarium because it is a good tie-in to their cause.

The Everglades plate can be seen everywhere in South Florida and I'm sure the University plates are much more prevalent in the areas around each of those universities.

I think it's great that we have a venue for people to support their own cause or interest when renewing their license tags. Or do you think that people buy them for their looks and maybe aren't aware that they are supporting an outside cause or organization?

Nina, I apologize if I sounded a bit rough in my last comment. Thanks for coming back. I Hope that the people that purchase the plates do understand each one goes to a specific organization and that they are helping to sponsor it. If the dolphin or whale plate proceeds went to Marineland in Flagler County I wonder if there would more? The proceeds go to the same place from both plates, I noticed that when I first started looking into the specialty plates here. I had never heard of the Aquarium until you mentioned it! (No big surprise though)

We have a lot of Florida Gator plates in our area too..

NOV

2007

These would be called Vanity plates....all they have to do is hit a cord with the client...US, whats your passion? If it was on a plate I'd own it....why not, part of my personality, of course I want one that reads "Phoenex Scorpio" Think they will come out with Horoscope plates? The person who buys these does't care where the cash goes as long as they feel like they have labled themselves..

Keep them coming!

Robin

DEC

2007

Sadly Florida's specialty plates do not include a plate for Veterans. They have a plate for disable Vets and that is important. They have plates that say Army, Navy, Marines etc. but anyone can get those. But they do not have a plate for your regular Honorably Discharged Vet.

Same holds true for South Carolina but in New Hampshire if there is a plate for any Vet that has an Honorable Discharge. I have always felt that this was just an oversight but my emails have fallen on deft ears. And I think having an Honorably Discharge plate should not cost any extra. I'm not saying it should be free but just states could wave the additional fee.

Thanks for reading.

Lysa, we've got you beat here in Virginia with more than 200 unique license plate designs. According to the DMV, there are plates that represent the military, emergency personnel, fraternal orders and civic or community organizations as well as a variety of other groups such as colleges and universities, conservationists, hobbyists and amateur radio enthusiasts. There's a "Realtor" plate which you see quite often. Personally, I have a Masonic license plate.

Randy, I have never thought of it this way, you really do have a great point. Anyone fighting and/or serving our country should not have to pay additonal fees for an Honorable Discharge Plate. By the way, there is nothing regular about anyone that is honorably discharged from our Armed Forces.

I'm wondering who can help you on this quest?

Brian, You got us beat for sure, we also have a Realtor plate now, I believe it came out in 06. Thanks for stopping by!

DEC

2007

Continuing with Brian's post, we have a lot more schools represented in Virginia and my own school has 2 different plates. There commonwealth rakes in extra income as well as the various groups that have these plates so it's a win-win. I believe Frank Llosa's post on plates indicated VA also has the highest percentage of vanity plates. Oddly, I have the generic Virginia plates......never selected a specialty.

Tchaka, I believe each college is represented in FL too. I have yet to get my plate... I thought about it in Sept as I was getting my car registered, and just didn't go through with it.. yet... thanks for stopping by!

Lysa, I believe most FL colleges are represented. What I meant is that many non-VA schools have specialty plates as well. ECU, Penn State, etc, etc.

Tchaka! I so misunderstood! How interesting, out of state colleges being represented on VA plates... now I like that!

FEB

2008

Ok, your post made me laugh! It's true there are just so many vanity plates in Florida that I don't always recognize a Florida plate!

Personally, while some of the plates are cool looking, I'm not giving the State any more money that I have to in order to register my car in the State!

MAR

2008

Dee, Since I wrote this we are up to 107 The extra money doesn't go to the state, it goes to the various groups the plates are made for. (just in case you ever decide to get one) :)

Lysa, are you sure the additional revenue isn't shared between the state and the group(s)?

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