Florida License Plates — Courtesy: Shutterstock — Image by: Lutsenko_Oleksandr
TALLAHASSEE, Florida – With almost 150 different specialty license plates available in Florida, drivers may showcase their support for charities, colleges, sports teams, and even Disney World.
A bill that would provide state citizens even more alternatives for license plates was approved by the Florida Senate on Monday with a unanimous vote.
The law, HB 403, is scheduled to be approved by Governor Ron DeSantis after it was overwhelmingly approved by the House last month.
The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles is mandated by the bill to create license plates, with alternatives for designs centered around Margaritaville or Universal Orlando.
Every extra plate adds $15 to $25 to the annual fee. A specific group linked to the plate receives a portion of the sales proceeds from each plate.
The annual plate payments for a number of the plates made available by the law will be donated to nonprofit organizations throughout the state.
The following is the complete list of license plates that the bill offers:
Collegiate (themed around state and independent universities in Florida)
- Funds will go toward corresponding universities as determined by the buyer.
- “Live the Dream”
- Up to 5 percent of funds will go toward the King Center as royalty fees for the use of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s image. The remaining funds will be placed into an account within the Historical Resources Operating Trust Fund to support research for abandoned African-American cemeteries.
- “Protect the Eagle”
- Divine Nine
- Only Divine Nine members or their immediate family members are eligible for this license plate.
- “Universal Orlando Resort”
- Funds will be given to the Give Kids The World nonprofit, which seeks to provide “week-long, cost-free vacations to children with critical illnesses and their families.”
- “Margaritaville”
- Funds will be distributed to Singing for Change, which provides grants to nonprofits to help with recovery efforts in areas impacted by disasters.
- “Clearwater Marine Aquarium”
- Funds will be given to the Clearwater Marine Aquarium to help rescue marine life, perform research and provide environmental education.
- “Support General Aviation”
- Fees will be given to the Aerospace Center for Excellence in Lakeland to fund student scholarships.
- “The Villages: May All Your Dreams Come True”
- Funds will be given to The Villages Charter School to provide support for its K-12 education.
- “Cure Diabetes”
- Funds will be distributed between the Diabetes Research Institute at the University of Miami, the University of Florida Foundation, and the JDRF International Incorporated to research cures for Type 1 diabetes.
- “Recycle Florida”
- Funds will be given to the Recycle Florida Today Foundation to increase public awareness about the importance of recycling.
- “Boating Capital of the World”
- Funds will be given to Captain Sandy Yawn, Inc., to “increase public awareness of employment opportunities in the maritime industry.”
- “Overdose Awareness”
- Funds will be given to Project Addiction: Reversing the Stigma, Inc., to promote awareness about substance-use disorders.
- “USO” (United Service Organizations)
- Funds will be given to United Service Organizations to support members of the U.S. Armed Forces and their families.
If the bill is signed by DeSantis, it will take effect on Oct. 1.
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Melissa’s career in writing started more than 20 years ago. Today, she lives in South Florida with her husband and two boys.
