Picture and Professional License Plates in New York

In 1901, the state of New York became the first in the United States to require residents to register their automobiles. Until the state began issuing license plates in 1910, registrants provided their license plates for display, which featured their initials until 1903 and numbers after that. The New York State Department of Motor Vehicles currently issues license plates (NYSDMV). All vehicles must have front and rear plates except for motorcycles and trailers.

New York License Plates

Beginning in April 2010, New York will issue a new base plate for transactions that require new plates. An additional $25 fee will be added to the renewal fees for the new plates. Beginning in May 2010, new plates will be issued for renewals. By paying an additional $20 fee, registrants can keep their current plate number. The new plates will replace the current blue on a white base for common types such as Passenger, Commercial, Motorcycle, and Trailer, but not for Specials for professions or special groups. Those plates will be replaced with a new design that will be revealed later. Due to public outcry, it now appears possible, if not likely, that the new plates will be issued only for new registrations rather than as a mandatory general reissue. Many people have objected to the high fees associated with the planned reissue, which has a lot more to do with raising money for the state to use in their budget shortfall than simply replacing the current base plates. If the original plan to make the new base a general reissue had been carried out, the state would have received $129 million. Registration and insurance surcharge fees are increasing in addition to the new plates.

New York Picture Plates

License plates with a unique image or plate design are picture license plates. The New York Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) sells a variety of picture plates, including those for:
  • Causes and organizations.
  • New York places and activities.
  • Sports teams and leagues.
  • Colleges and Greek organizations.

Special Cause Plates

Special cause license plates allow you to show your support for a specific issue or a non-profit organization's state chapter. The following are some of the special cause plates that are available:
  • Agriculture in the Classroom.
  • Drive for the Cure.
  • Bluebird Environmental.
  • Erie Canal.
The cost of these license plates varies and is charged when you order or renew them. The costs of the Autism Society of America plate, for example, are typical of those for a cause plate. The following are the initial fees:
  • A non-personalized plate costs $53.75.
  • A personalized plate costs $85.00.
Renewal fees include the standard registration renewal fee plus the following:
  • A non-personalized plate costs $25 per year. This fee is given to the organization as a donation.
  • A personalized plate costs $56.25 per year. The organization receives a donation of $25.

Collegiate Plates

Several New York universities, fraternities, and sororities also have picture plates. Here are some examples:
  • Notre Dame.
  • University at Albany.
  • West Point.
  • Alpha Kappa Alpha.
  • Phi Beta Sigma.
The extra fees you pay for a collegiate plate go toward college scholarship funds or the Greek organization that sponsors the plate. The cost of a collegiate plate varies. The fees for University at Albany plates are an excellent example of what you'll pay for a university plate. The following are the costs of placing an order:
  • A non-personalized plate costs $60.
  • A personalized tag costs $91.25.
Renewal fees are paid ON TOP of the regular registration renewal fees:
  • A non-personalized plate costs $31.25.
  • A personalized tag costs $62.50.
The following are some examples of sorority and fraternity license plate fees:
  • The plate of the Phi Beta Sigma fraternity:
    • Ordering costs $70.
    • $31.25 IN ADDITION TO REGULAR RENEWAL FEES

Sports Plates

Many different sports plates are available in New York to help you show your support for your favorite teams. There are options for the following sports on the plates:
NASCAR:
    • Dale Earnhardt NASCAR Hall of Fame.
    • Jeff Gordon and several other drivers.
NBA teams:
    • Brooklyn Nets.
    • New York Knicks.
MLB:
    • New York Yankees.
    • Brooklyn Dodgers.
NHL:
    • Buffalo Sabers.
    • New York Rangers.
NFL:
    • The Buffalo Bills.
    • Giants Super Bowl Champs 2012.
Minor leagues and other sports:
    • New York Racing Association Horse Racing.
    • Rochester Raging Rhinos.
The cost of a sports plate can vary. The following are the fees for the New York Giants plate, which are typical of the fees you'll see for most sports plates:
  • An assigned plate costs $60.
  • A personalized plate costs $91.25.
  • An assigned plate costs $31.25.
  • A personalized plate costs $62.50.

New York Regional Plates

The NY DMV sells license plates depicting well-known New York State regions and counties; however, most regional plates are only available to area residents. Only a few plates are available throughout the state. There are license plates available for the following locations:
  • The Adirondack Region.
  • The Finger Lakes Region.
  • The New York City Region.
The costs of regional plates in New York vary. For example:
  • The initial fee for the Adirondack Region plate is $60.
  • The initial fee for the I Love NY plate is $43.75.
Fees for customization and renewal are also different.

NY Adventure Plates

You can order a NY adventure license plate IF you have:
  • A valid Sporting or Recreational License from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.
  • A current Empire Passport from the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation.
Adventure plates include:
  • I Love NY Fishing plates in multiple design choices.
  • I Love NY Parks tags in several different styles.
Fees for adventure plates vary based on the license or passport.

Professional & Organization Plates

For members of various special groups, such as labor unions or service organizations, various license plates are available. Plates for professionals, such as plates for:
Professional plates, such as plates for:
    • New York Firefighter.
    • New York Press.
Recreational organization tags, for example:
    • American Motorcyclist Association.
    • Ski Areas of NYS.
Plates for service groups and other organizations, including:
    • Knights of Columbus.
    • Rotary International.
You must be a current member and apply for the license plate through the sponsoring organization for most of these plates.