Whether you’re an amateur radio enthusiast, a lover of the great outdoors or an avid sports fan, there’s probably a license plate design available in Wisconsin that fits your passion.
Decking out your car with a specialty plate has become more common in the last year or two, said Monica Worzala, Special Plate Unit Supervisor at the Division of Motor Vehicles. There were about 6.7 million valid specialty license plates in Wisconsin in 2024.
“It’s becoming more popular — personalized plates — for whatever reason that may be. There’s been an increase in the number of plates we’ve been issuing for (specialty) groups and generic, personalized plates,” she said.
Specialty license plates in Wisconsin typically cost $15, in addition to regular registration fees. Many plates also require an annual $25, tax-deductible donation to the group associated with the plate, such as the MACC Fund, the Wisconsin Lions Foundation or the Wisconsin Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation.
Revenue from Green Bay Packers, Milwaukee Brewers and Milwaukee Bucks plates also support maintenance and operating costs at Lambeau Field, American Family Field and Fiserv Forum.
If you want to personalize the characters on your plate, that’s an extra $15 fee each year. These fees are an important source of revenue for the state’s transportation fund, according to the Wisconsin Department of Transportation.
Three new plates debuted in 2024 and are now on several hundred vehicles in Wisconsin. Donations from those plates benefit the International Crane Foundation in Baraboo, the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, and The Fix Is In, which provides support for spaying and neutering cats and dogs in Wisconsin.
If you’re curious, Wisconsin doesn’t even rank close to the most license plate designs offered by a state, according to Jon Keegan, a data journalist who has complied every license plate available in the United States. Wisconsin offers approximately 60, compared to a whopping 989 in Maryland and 476 in Texas.
The most popular license plates of 2024 didn’t change much from 2023, when the Journal Sentinel first looked at the data. Collector and hobbyist plates are still favorites, along with plates recognizing military service. Elkhart Lake’s Road America continued its rapid rise in popularity.
These are the most popular specialty license plates on the roads in Wisconsin in 2024. Feel free to fill out our survey at the bottom of this story about what your license plate means to you. Your response may be included in a future story.
Collector and hobbyist license plates
Collector plate.
Not just anyone can get a collector or hobbyist plate in Wisconsin. Your vehicle must meet certain qualifications, like being at least 20 years old. Collector plates are for vehicles that have not been significantly altered from its original form.
Hobbyist plates do allow for modifications, as long as they still look like the original year and make. Hobbyist plates are also available for replica, reconstructed or homemade vehicles — which might need an inspection by the Wisconsin State Patrol.
Collector or hobbyist license plate numbers are assigned to the owner for a lifetime. If the owner registers more than one vehicle, a letter suffix like “A” or “B” is added to the number. Fees are significantly higher than other plates, including $220 for the first automobile, but the registration doesn’t expire.
Disabled license plate
Disabled parking plate.
Disabled parking plates are available to anyone with a permanent disability. That includes people who can’t walk without mobility devices, use portable oxygen or have certain cardiac, lung, arthritic, neurological or orthopedic conditions.
Unlike other specialty plates, the disabled parking plate doesn’t have an additional $15 fee, unless the owner wants to personalize the numbers and letters. A person with a temporary disability can apply for a $6 permit that hangs from the rearview mirror, which is valid for up to six months at a time.
People using disabled parking plates must be certified by a health care specialist every four years. A new law went into effect in 2025 that adds physical therapists to the list of professionals who can provide that certification, along with physicians, advanced practice nurses, podiatrists, chiropractors and more.
More: State park stickers, EV tax, affordable housing: New Wisconsin laws taking effect Jan. 1
Elkhart Lake’s Road America license plate
Elkhart Lake’s Road America specialty license plate debuted in 2021.
Elkhart Lake’s Road America plate debuted in 2021 and has exploded in popularity. The plate features an outline of the four-mile, 14-turn track that hosts high-profile auto racing events. The Road America plate costs $15 but doesn’t have a donation, like many other specialty plates do.
“The plate is pretty iconic. The black with the white lettering, it matches any vehicle,” Road America general manager and president Michael Kertscher said. “Especially for those that are immersed in car culture, the aesthetic of their vehicle is like an expression of who they are.”
More: Road America license plate is even more popular in Wisconsin than Green Bay Packers plate. Why is that?
Black-and-white plate designs have become popular in other states, including Iowa, where the plates have generated millions of dollars in revenue for the state. Lawmakers introduced a bill last year to bring those “blackout” plates to Wisconsin. The bill didn’t reach a vote last session but is being brought back for consideration in 2025.
Military group license plates
Military plate.
Military license plates are available to active or retired veterans, and military academy students or alumni. While a military plate costs $15, the revenue supports state Department of Veterans Affairs programs.
Over 50 decals and logos are available to represent the branches of the military — Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Marine Corps and Navy — service in specific wars, and medal designations, like the Purple Heart. There’s also a design for Pearl Harbor survivors.
Green Bay Packers license plate
Green Bay Packers plate.
The Green Bay Packers license plate features the team’s registered trademark and the classic green-and-gold color scheme. Unless the plate has a personalized message, the letter “G” is always at the end of the assigned number.
The $25 donation associated with the plate goes toward maintenance and operating costs at Lambeau Field.
Endangered resources license plate
Endangered resources eagle plate.
There are two endangered resources plates available in Wisconsin — a new bald eagle design and the original grey wolf design. A design featuring a badger and prairie is no longer available.
The $25 donation for the plate goes toward a state Department of Natural Resources fund that helps protect and restore endangered species and their habitats. Donations to the fund helped bring back trumpeter swans, osprey and bald eagles, according to the DNR.
UW-Madison plate.
UW-Madison license plate
Anyone can show their love for the Wisconsin Badgers with this plate — it’s not just available to alumni. While the UW-Madison plate is the most popular, you can choose a plate logo for any of the other UW System campuses.
The annual donation associated with the plate is $20, less than the typical $25. Proceeds support scholarship programs at the selected campus.
Milwaukee Brewers license plate
Milwaukee Brewers ball-in-glove plate.
There are two Milwaukee Brewers plate designs — the more popular ball-in-glove logo and a design that features Cream City brick in the shape of Wisconsin with the letter “M” in the middle. The license plates debuted in 2020, coinciding with a new logo and color scheme.
Donations from the plate go to the Southeast Wisconsin Professional Baseball Park District, which uses the funds for maintenance at American Family Field.
More: Why Milwaukee is called Cream City
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: What were Wisconsin’s most popular specialty license plates in 2024?