AZ MVD Now

ADOT unveils three new specialty license plates

ADOT unveils three new specialty license plates

I-17 101 traffic interchange

ADOT unveils three new specialty license plates

ADOT unveils three new specialty license plates

August 14, 2024

Two more plates also now available for motorcycles

PHOENIX – Arizonans have more choices to support their favorite charitable causes as the Arizona Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Division offers three additional specialty license plates.

With the addition of the Hualapai Tribe, Phoenix Rising FC and Rotary International specialty plates, MVD now offers 104 options that can be viewed at azdot.gov/plates and ordered at azmvdnow.gov/plates

In addition to the three new plates, Arizona Highways and the redesigned Keep Arizona Beautiful plates are both now available as motorcycle plates.

“Specialty license plates offer a great way to customize a vehicle and show your proud support for one of these uniquely Arizona organizations,” MVD Director Eric Jorgensen said. “MVD is pleased to offer the various plates that will have an impact for the organizations dedicated to improving Arizona and our communities.”

Most specialty plates cost $25 each year. Of that amount, $17 goes to a designated charity or nonprofit group. During the fiscal year that ended June 30, sales of specialty plates contributed over $12 million for various causes and charities.

Specialty plates are authorized by the Arizona Legislature and have been offered since 1989. Plate designs complete a review by ADOT and law enforcement. Personalization can be added for an additional $25 per year.

Learn more about each of these plates:

Hualapai Tribe

This specialty plate is available to anyone, and $17 goes to the Hualapai Tribe for ongoing human services to Tribal elders, healthy and positive activities for Tribal youth, and support for programs related to health, recreation and education in the community.  

“The Hualapai Tribe is proud to have a specialty license plate now available to citizens across Arizona and is grateful to the many Tribal members who helped make this possible,” said Tribal Chairman Duane Clarke. “Those who purchase the Hualapai Tribe specialty plates will be helping with ongoing support for programs in the community. This is a great opportunity, and we look forward to sharing the many benefits with the Hualapai people.”

Phoenix Rising FC

This specialty plate is available to anyone, and $17 goes to provide soccer programs and services to boys and girls K thru 12 whose families have financial challenges.

"Our fans have been asking for a Phoenix Rising license plate for years, and we’re thrilled to finally make this a reality. We involved our fans every step of the way to select the most popular plate while adhering to the state’s guidelines," said Phoenix Rising President Bobby Dulle. "It’s a fantastic way for our fans to show their Rising pride on the road and, best of all, every plate purchased will support our youth programs, helping to make the game more accessible for young players across our community."

Rotary International 

This specialty plate is available to anyone, with $17 going to support the Rotary Clubs of Arizona and their projects.

“These license plates will not only showcase our commitment to service but also provide an opportunity for individuals to support Rotary's humanitarian efforts such as education, health, and clean water," said Stephen Phair, President and Founder of the Rotary Clubs of Arizona. "This has been a collaborative effort involving Rotarians from every corner of our state, and we are grateful for their contributions. The official license plate will serve as a symbol of Rotary's dedication to making a positive impact in communities locally and globally."

To view and order any specialty plate, please visit azmvdnow.gov

 

Make tax preparations easier with AZ MVD NOW

Make tax preparations easier with AZ MVD NOW

I-17 101 traffic interchange

Make tax preparations easier with AZ MVD NOW

Make tax preparations easier with AZ MVD NOW

March 28, 2024

Check your vehicle taxes paid last year online

PHOENIX – With Tax Day just a few weeks away, the Arizona Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Division is doing its part to take some of the hassle and stress out of filling out those forms. 

MVD’s online portal, azmvdnow.gov, conveniently provides a free summary of vehicle license tax and fees paid during 2023 for every vehicle registered in your name.

“This is the simplest way for customers to get this information for filing their taxes,” said MVD Director Eric Jorgensen. “Getting this report just takes a few seconds and it’s much easier than going into each vehicle to collect all your registration forms and copying them for your tax records. It’s one more convenience that MVD provides to get you out of the line and safely on the road.”

The report is readily available in your secure account. Simply log in and click on the Vehicle Payment Summary (Vehicle License Tax and other Fees) option listed below your driver license and registered vehicle information. 

To activate your account, please visit azmvdnow.gov and follow the prompts. AZ MVD Now accounts are free and protected by several security protocols that are explained on the site and in an accompanying “how to” video.

 

Safe Cars Save Lives - Check your vehicle for recalls as part of road trip preparations

Safe Cars Save Lives - Check your vehicle for recalls as part of road trip preparations

SR24-1

Safe Cars Save Lives - Check your vehicle for recalls as part of road trip preparations

Safe Cars Save Lives - Check your vehicle for recalls as part of road trip preparations

By Bill Lamoreaux / ADOT Communications
March 5, 2024
A person in a red car looking out their window to the road in front of them.

Many Arizonans are getting ready for spring break road trips. Taking that week off from school or work to spend time with family and friends may be a great way to relax and unwind. One way to ensure that week is a relaxing week, especially if you are driving to your destination, is to check for any safety recalls on your vehicle prior to hitting the open road.  

This week is Vehicle Safety Recalls Week, when ADOT joins the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) in urging vehicle owners to check for open recalls. “Safe Cars Save Lives” is this year’s message reminding drivers that it is a quick and free precaution that should be taken twice a year. 

Manufacturers are required to fix the problem by repairing it, replacing it, offering a refund or, in rare cases, repurchasing the vehicle. Checking your vehicle for recalls helps ensure any outstanding issues are properly resolved before unfortunate incidents happen.

There are a few easy ways to check for recalls. The first is through the MVD customer portal AZMVDNOW.gov. After logging into your account, you will see your driver license image and directly below it will be vehicle information for any vehicles registered in your name. Click on each specific vehicle to see title and recall information associated with that vehicle.

The other option is the free Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) Look-Up Tool, located at NHTSA.gov/recalls. This allows vehicle owners to check for open safety recalls on their vehicles or automotive equipment, such as tires and car seats. 

Even with alerts and warnings emailed or mailed by manufacturers, millions of recalled vehicles go unrepaired every year. This puts drivers, passengers and others at risk. By checking for vehicle safety recalls twice a year, you can avoid such unnecessary risks.

So, before you load up the vehicle and hit the road to the beach, mountains, or even just the resort down the street, take a few minutes to check for any manufacturer recalls on your vehicle. After all, a safe vehicle is one step to a safer vacation.

Specialty license plates help provide a voice to more than just the driver

Specialty license plates help provide a voice to more than just the driver

SR24-1

Specialty license plates help provide a voice to more than just the driver

Specialty license plates help provide a voice to more than just the driver

By Bill Lamoreaux / ADOT Communications
July 18, 2023
A collage of the images of many Arizona specialty license plates.

You may have seen vehicles with an Arizona Cardinals plate, Phoenix Suns plate or Veterans plate – maybe one with the Special Olympics Arizona logo on it. Clearly, the vehicles’ owners support the team or organization displayed on the plate. But did you know that the plate supports the organization’s charitable efforts as well? 

There are nearly 100 specialty license plates that can put that special customized touch on your vehicle and show who you support. These plates also have a positive impact across Arizona, with $17 from each going to a designated charity or nonprofit. More than $12 million went to these charitable causes directly from the plates during the fiscal year that ended June 30.

This year, five new and two redesigned plates are available that might speak to your hobbies or interests and help support causes close to your heart.

Alice Cooper’s Solid Rock plate shows you are a big fan of the rock star, while $17 of each plate goes to help fund the art, music and dance programs for the youth at Alice Cooper’s Solid Rock Teen Centers. Giving teens a safe, and free, place to find their voice and expressions.

Arizona Realtors® Homes for All plate may indicate you or your partner are a professional realtor, but $17 from that plate goes towards the Arizona REALTORS® Foundation for Housing and Community Outreach to provide charitable support to Arizona communities in establishing housing projects. 

Cancer Support for Families plate shows a saguaro glowing in front of one of the famous Arizona sunsets. Proceeds go to Cancer Support Community Arizona’s emotional and social support services for people impacted by cancer.

Diné College Warriors plate shows your connection to the Navajo Nation, and $17 from this plate goes to support and aid Diné College students in their educational pursuits and success. 

U.S. Army plate shows you or your family may have served, while $17 goes to the Army Scholarship Foundation, a worldwide non-profit which provides academic scholarships to children of soldiers and spouses of active duty enlisted soldiers who are in pursuit of their educational dreams. 

Additionally, Arizona Coyotes and the Families of Fallen Police Officers plates received a redesign. The Arizona Coyotes Foundation strives to enhance the quality of life throughout Arizona by supporting organizations and programs that promote access to education, health and wellness and economic advancement for underserved and diverse communities. $17 from each plate goes to the Arizona Coyotes Foundation. 

The Families of Fallen Police Officers plate had a name change and will now be identified as Honoring Fallen Police Officers. $17 from each plate provides support and resources to survivors and co-workers affected by line-of-duty deaths in Arizona.

To order any specialty plate, visit azmvdnow.gov/plates. Personalization can be added for an additional $25 per year.

ADOT Motor Vehicle Division ranks near the top in national survey

ADOT Motor Vehicle Division ranks near the top in national survey

SR24-1

ADOT Motor Vehicle Division ranks near the top in national survey

ADOT Motor Vehicle Division ranks near the top in national survey

By Bill Lamoreaux / ADOT Communications
July 11, 2023
A man stands in line at an Arizona Motor Vehicles Division office. A light blue sign next to the queue features a smiling happy face and the message, "all services enter here."

The Arizona Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Division just placed in the top four of MVD or DMV offices, according to a CarInsurance.com survey across all 50 states. The online article highlights some of the changes and technology that have positively impacted motor vehicle services across the country. 

Arizona finished fourth overall, just behind Indiana, Alaska and Wyoming, for overall motor vehicle services. Some of the categories included in the survey were accessibility, wait times, staff courtesy, fee structure and digital experience.

Speaking of digital experience, Arizona ranked second thanks to the many tasks that can be accomplished through azmvdnow.gov, like renewing registration, changing addresses, scheduling appointments, ordering a specialized license plate and more.

The survey asked 2,300 drivers, all over the age of 18, how their respective state agency was doing. The online article goes into details for Arizona’s high ranking:

“Arizona has been an early adopter of online services and now allows drivers to perform such common tasks as renewing driver licenses, taking practice driver exams and obtaining official Travel IDs without having to step foot in an office. Drivers seem to appreciate the convenience and also give it high marks for knowledgeable staff.”

Arizona also finished in the top 10 for low wait times and knowledgeable staff. ADOT MVD is continually working to improve the service, speed and options available here in Arizona to get you out of the line and safely on the roads.

MVD participates in annual Maricopa County StandDown event for veterans

MVD participates in annual Maricopa County StandDown event for veterans

SR24-1

MVD participates in annual Maricopa County StandDown event for veterans

MVD participates in annual Maricopa County StandDown event for veterans

By Bill Lamoreaux / ADOT Communications
May 5, 2023
Arizona MVD staff are assisting people getting a driver license or state ID card.

You may not think much about that license or ID card in your purse or wallet, but a driver license or ID card is an important document to identify you with the government. Just as you would use it to show your age or permission to drive, veterans dealing with instability or homelessness need an ID card to receive services and assistance.

“The veterans events are very important, many of the veterans are needing life changing services, without a valid ID they would not be eligible for the services offered at the events,” said Lezlie Jo Perkins, Northwest Phoenix MVD Office Manager. “Many jobs also require a valid driver license.”

MVD had the pleasure to once again participate in the annual Maricopa County StandDown event Friday, April 28, at the Arizona State Fairgrounds to provide identification assistance for many veterans in Arizona experiencing housing instability.

The MVD team helped 268 people with a number of MVD services to ensure they have a valid ID including driver license duplicates, motor vehicle records, renewals, reinstatements and even road tests. Sanderson Ford provided the vehicle for road tests.

"You hear many say, 'Now that I have my driver license back I can get a job, and with a job I will not be homeless,’” Perkins said.

This yearly event, hosted by the Arizona Veterans StandDown Alliance, provides thousands of Arizona veterans with access to resources that improve their lives and help them achieve stability.

Perkins, who has been working these events since 2013, says her favorite part is simple: “I love hearing the veterans say the event is life-changing for them.”

More information about these events is available at the Arizona Housing Coalition website.

 

The 10 most popular speciality license plates in Arizona for 2022

The 10 most popular speciality license plates in Arizona for 2022

SR24-1

The 10 most popular speciality license plates in Arizona for 2022

The 10 most popular speciality license plates in Arizona for 2022

By Alexis Potter / ADOT Communications
February 2, 2023
image

Almost anywhere you go, you’re bound to see one. Many Arizona drivers put specialty license plates on their cars to show support for their favorite sports teams, causes and more, all while supporting organizations working to better our state.

From education to firefighters to the Phoenix Suns, there are more than 70 specialty plates to choose from and they’re becoming more and more popular each year. More than 770,000 specialty plates were ordered in calendar year 2022 – about 67,000 more than in 2021.

We tallied up the numbers and here are the 10 most popular specialty plates in Arizona for 2022:Top 10 specialty license plates of 2022

  1. Veterans
  2. First Responders
  3. Arizona Highways
  4. Arizona Cardinals
  5. Military/Freedom
  6. Route 66
  7. Arizona State University
  8. University of Arizona
  9. Golden Rule
  10. “In God We Trust”

Veterans plates were once again the most popular in 2022. There are many different plates for Arizona veterans and their immediate family members, including for each branch of the military. The profits from these plates go toward a special fund to benefit veterans in the state.

The rest of the list also stayed pretty consistent from 2021 to 2022, though the Arizona Highways specialty plate moved into the top three. The funds generated from this specialty plate help support Arizona Highway Magazine and its mission of promoting tourism in Arizona, according to its website

Four new specialty plates – Arizona Rodeo, Make-A-Wish Arizona, Veterans of Foreign Wars and Veterans of Foreign Wars Auxiliary Arizona – became available in December of 2021 and four more were introduced during 2022: Arizona Education, Congenital Heart Defect Awareness, Thunderbirds Charities and Arizona 4-H.New specialty license plates

Specialty plates cost $25 for an initial fee and annual renewal, with $17 of the fee going directly to the charitable organization. To order your own specialty plate and support a great cause, visit azmvdnow.gov to view the options and pick a plate!

MORE: Most popular specialty plates of 2021

MORE: How do specialty plates get started? Your elected leaders

Number of AZ MVD Now accounts now exceeds 3 million

Number of AZ MVD Now accounts now exceeds 3 million

I-17 101 traffic interchange

Number of AZ MVD Now accounts now exceeds 3 million

Number of AZ MVD Now accounts now exceeds 3 million

July 14, 2022

PHOENIX – More than 3 million Arizonans have discovered the safest, fastest and most convenient way to complete services with the Arizona Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Division.

Since launching in April 2020, more than 3 million Arizonans have activated their free AZMVDNow.gov account, giving them access to the primary online portal for MVD customers. 

“Advances in technology continue to provide conveniences and AZMVDNow.gov does that and so much more.” MVD Director Eric Jorgensen said. “With the AZ MVD Now portal, MVD offers more web-based services than ever before with more levels of security and that’s a big win for Arizonans.”

Here are some of the things you can do with your AZ MVD Now account:

  • View information related to your vehicle, including title status, registration status, and MVD service history.
  • Complete more than 30 services, like registration renewals, ordering a duplicate license, change of address, update insurance, title transfers, sold notices and more.
  • Schedule your own in-office Travel ID appointment, and beat the May 3, 2023 deadline. 

Every Arizonan with a credential – a driver license or identification card – or a vehicle registered in Arizona has an AZ MVD Now account. To activate the account, go to AZMVDNow.gov and follow the prompts. AZ MVD Now accounts are free and protected by several security protocols that are explained on the site and in an accompanying “how to” video.

The tax deadline is just around the corner

The tax deadline is just around the corner

I-17 101 traffic interchange

The tax deadline is just around the corner

The tax deadline is just around the corner

March 2, 2022

PHOENIX – With tax season in full swing, the Arizona Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Division is doing its part to take some of the hassle out of filling out those forms.

As a reminder, MVD has the “Vehicle Payment Summary” feature available for free at azmvdnow.gov. This service provides vehicle owners a consolidated report on how much was paid in taxes and fees for every registered vehicle, in 2021.

“This is the simplest way for customers to get this information for filing their taxes,” said MVD Stakeholder Relations Manager Jennifer Bowser Richards. “Getting this report just takes a few minutes and it’s much easier than going into your garage, collecting all your registration forms and copying them for your tax files. It’s one more convenience that MVD provides to stay ahead of the curve serving our customers.”

For more information: azdot.gov/mvd, or azmvdnow.gov

Arizona Rodeo debuts new specialty license plate

Arizona Rodeo debuts new specialty license plate

SR24-1

Arizona Rodeo debuts new specialty license plate

Arizona Rodeo debuts new specialty license plate

By Doug Pacey / ADOT Communications
January 31, 2022

Dave Alford has been around rodeo nearly his entire life. Now 68 years old, Alford, the general manager of Rodeo Scottsdale, was instrumental in the creation of the Arizona Rodeo specialty license plate.

While Alford expects many rodeo fans to get the specialty plate, he expects many might order more than one Arizona Rodeo plate.

“From fans to contestants, there are many people that will get this plate and they’ll all be helping a good cause,” he said. “And rodeo people haul a lot of things. I’ve already heard from people who say they’re going to put the rodeo plate on their trailers.”

The Arizona Rodeo specialty plate, which became available in December 2021, costs $25 upon initial application and $17 from each plate goes to promote, educate and preserve the history of rodeo in Arizona. And there’s a lot of rodeo history in Arizona. Alford pointed out that the two oldest rodeos in the world -- Payson’s World’s Oldest Continuous Rodeo and Prescott’s World’s Oldest Rodeo -- are in Arizona, and rodeos in Scottsdale, Tucson and Yuma have occurred for nearly a combined 250 years.

“There’s a lot of history of rodeo in Arizona and we wanted to put it on a license plate and share it,” said Dave Alford, general manager of Rodeo Scottsdale. “From fans to contestants, there are many people that will get this plate and they’ll all be helping a good cause.”

To view and order any specialty plate, visit azmvdnow.gov. Most specialty plates cost $25 upon initial application, of which $17 goes to a designated charitable organization. Personalization can be added for an additional $25 per year.

Specialty plates are authorized by the Arizona legislature and have been offered since 1989. Authorized plate designs complete a review by ADOT and law enforcement. In all, there are more than 80 license plate options for Arizona motorists.