Arizona has more than 100 specialty license plate options for drivers when picking out their next plates. But why are there so many choices?
The short answer is there are a lot of causes Arizona drivers want to support.
Arizona has many different specialty license plates because each one represents a different cause or charity, and a portion of each purchase goes toward that cause or charity. Some causes include veterans, cancer education, environmental issues, Indigenous tribes and more.
Here’s everything Arizona drivers should know about available license plates, how to purchase one and what they support.
How many specialty license plates are available in Arizona?
There are 113 license plate options including specialty plates for motorcycles.
All available plates for purchase can be viewed at azdot.gov/plates and ordered at azmvdnow.gov/plates.
How are new specialty license plates added in Arizona?
Although each specialty license plate is distributed by the Arizona Department of Transportation, the agency is not responsible for greenlighting designs.
For a new license plate to be made, a state lawmaker has to propose a bill that pitches the plate. Then, it has to get approved by both houses of the Arizona State Legislature before the bill is signed into law by the governor. Once the plate is officially signed into law, ADOT administers them and disburses the funds generated by the sales of the plates.
What is the cost of specialty Arizona license plates?
Most of the license plates can be purchased for $25 in addition to the registration fee, with $17 (68% of the purchase) typically going to a charity or cause that relates to the plate. An additional $25 can be spent to have personalized text on the plate.
What specialty license plates are there?
A lot of these plate designs can be organized into categories. For example, there are many military-related plates that are meant to show the driver is a veteran. They have options for the U.S. Army, Navy, Coast Guard, Air Force, Marines and more.
There are also many plates to show off your team and school spirit. Arizona’s big four sports teams — the Suns, Cardinals, Diamondbacks and Coyotes — all have their own special plates. Sixty-eight percent of the purchase will go toward that team’s charity.
Arizona State University, University of Arizona, Northern Arizona University, University of Phoenix, Midwestern University, Grand Canyon University and the Thunderbird School have their own designs if you want to represent your alma mater.
Many plate options let you support a movement or change you believe in. There are plates representing cancer research, congenital heart disease awareness, child abuse prevention, Alzheimer’s awareness, Arizona education, wildlife conservation, environmental awareness and more.
There are plates representing the Navajo tribe and the Diné College on the Navajo Nation as well as the San Carlos and White Mountains Apache tribes. A portion of the purchase goes toward funds for the tribes to buy traffic control devices.
Eight specialty plates were added in the last year by ADOT. These designs include Alice Cooper’s Solid Rock, Arizona Realtors Home for All, Cancer Support for Families, Diné College Warriors, Empower (veterans), In Loving Memory and State Forty Eight.
In addition to specialty plates offered for purchase, there are specific plates to accommodate qualified individuals or vehicles, such as alternative fuel plates, energy-efficient plates, disability plates and deaf/hard of hearing plates. A physician must sign the application form for these plates to confirm the disability.
What are the rules for license plates in Arizona?
Regarding the purchase of specialty plates, most don’t have special requirements. Military-related designs like the veteran, Pearl Harbor survivor and congressional Medal of Honor plates are ones that require proof. The classic car plate also requires proof as the applicant must show their vehicle is on the list of classic cars filed by the Classic Car Club of America.
If you want to personalize your plate, you can use up to six characters including letters, numbers and spaces to customize it. All personalized plates are reviewed to make sure acceptable content is displayed.
When displaying your Arizona plate, you must have it placed on the rear of the vehicle. It is not required to be displayed on the front. Arizona is rather unique in this rule, as 29 other states require both front and rear plates.
The plate must be displayed so it is clearly legible and secured so it doesn’t swing, and the bottom of the plate must be at least 12 inches above the ground. These same requirements apply to temporarily issued placards.
If your plate gets lost, stolen or damaged, you can pay a $5 fee to replace it online.
Arizona Republic reporter Shelby Slade contributed to this article.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Why does Arizona have so many specialty license plates?