PHOENIX -- Arizonans now have more options to show their support for charitable and other worthy causes with five new specialty license plates that debut today.

Specialty plates are available online through ServiceArizona.com. Most cost $25 each year, with an additional $25 per year if the plate is personalized. 

The plates making their first appearance today are: 

Alzheimer’s Awareness -- Available to everyone. $17 of the fee supports research to promote the scientific understanding and early detection of Alzheimer's disease and to educate Arizona residents about disease management.

Distinguished Flying Cross – Must be a recipient of the Distinguished Flying Cross medal (proof required) with $17 of the fee going to a special fund to benefit veterans in Arizona.

Fiesta Bowl -- Available to everyone with $17 of the fee supporting charities and programs across the state of Arizona designed to promote youth, sports and education.  

Habitat for Humanity – Available to everyone with $17 of the fee supporting Arizona families in need of decent, affordable housing.

Share the Road – Available to everyone with $17 of the fee going to both the Rob Dollar Foundation and the Uphill Into The Wind organization to promote road safety and awareness for cyclists and runners.

In addition to these new plates, the Arizona Historical Society, Northern Arizona University and Phoenix International Raceway plates sport new designs that have been available since July. 

In the Fiscal Year that ended June 30, the total statewide sales of specialty plates netted a new record of about $11.4 million for various causes and charities. 

Specialty plates are authorized by the Arizona legislature and have been offered since 1989. Authorized plate designs complete a review by law enforcement and the Arizona Department of Transportation. In all, there are now 71 license plate options for Arizona motorists.

PHOENIX - If you’re used to seeing Arizona license plates issued with sequential letters and numbers, those days are slipping away. The ADOT Motor Vehicle Division now issues plates with random sequencing. The change vastly increases the number and type of plates that can be distributed.

“We’ve had some questions about these new plates because it is a big change and it looks so different from what people are used to,” MVD Stakeholder Relations Manager Jennifer Bowser Richards said.

“One of the benefits of the new computer system now used by the MVD is that we have a lot more capacity to manage how plates are issued,” she said. “That’s a big deal when we have so many different types of plates for trailers, commercial vehicles, motorcycles, the standard plate and all the specialty plates we offer. Random sequencing means we have a virtually unlimited supply of letters and numbers to put on plates and one result will be the ability to add more specialty plates when authorized by the Legislature.”

Most specialty plates help fund charitable causes in Arizona. In addition to making it possible for more causes to be represented, random sequencing will also allow for more plates to be sized for motorcycle usage, which was a limitation of the old MVD computer system. 

This change also affects the temporary plate issued when someone buys a vehicle. The temporary document will display the sequence contained on the permanent plate being sent to the customer. Plates are no longer available at MVD or Authorized Third Party offices; they are sent to the customer by mail.

The new year will usher in a new way for Arizona Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Division customers to get license plates, registration tabs and many documents such as vehicle titles.

Beginning in January, customers will receive these items through the U.S. Mail and will no longer be able to obtain them at an MVD or Authorized Third Party office. Customers should make sure their address is current and complete with the U.S. Postal Service and MVD. 

“The MVD needs to be well-positioned for the growth of e-commerce,” said MVD Stakeholder Relations Manager Jennifer Bowser Richards. “Distributing items such as license plates, tabs, title work and other documents allows us to prepare for the growing demand for fulfilling customer orders through the mail as MVD continues to increase the number of services available online, anytime.”

All registration documents and license plate tabs, including those issued today at MVD self-service kiosks will be mailed. When customers renew, their record is updated instantly and a receipt will be proof of registration.

For customers getting a license plate, the change will also mean the plate number will be entered into the customer’s service file and the temporary plate issued at the office will have the same number as the permanent plate being mailed.

Customers who purchase Off-Highway Vehicle decals the same day they plan to use them at a recreational area will not receive the decal at the office, but will get a receipt that should be kept with them to prove the decals have been purchased. 

In the future, more vehicle titles will transition to an electronic process. Currently, a limited number of title transfers such as one-owner to one-owner transfers of Arizona-registered vehicles can already be done entirely online through AZ MVD Now, which is available through ServiceArizona.com.

For more information: MVD System Changes link at azdot.gov/mvd.

The vision of the Arizona Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Division is to “get Arizona out of line and safely on the road”. Dedicated MVD employees, Authorized Third Party providers and offering more services online help MVD achieve this vision.

PHOENIX – Specialty license plates each have a unique look, but one thing they all have in common is the ability to raise a record amount of money for Arizona charitable causes.

In Fiscal Year 2019, which concluded June 30, a total of just over $11.2 million were raised for endeavors ranging from support of Arizona veterans programs, Special Olympics, organ donation, hunger relief, university scholarships and many other causes.

Monies raised have steadily grown for a number of years. In FY 2015, the total was just over $8.7 million, increasing to nearly $9.4 million in FY 2016. FY 2017 saw more than $9.8 million raised followed by $10.6 million in FY 2018.

“The specialty plate program is a real point of pride for Arizona and is a tremendous success,” said Arizona Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Division Director Eric Jorgensen. “Raising more than $11 million in the last Fiscal Year proves Arizonans are both generous and eager to support great causes and organizations they believe in.”

Customers who wish to select a plate can go to servicearizona.com, and once a selection is made, may click on a link for more information that outlines the cause that's supported by the plate's sale. 

Specialty plates are created by an act of the Arizona legislature, and the program, which began in 1989, is administered by the MVD. 

PHOENIX – Motorists who qualify for a permanent disability placard no longer need to worry about the portable credential expiring.

Qualifying Arizona Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Division customers with a disability are now being issued blue permanent placards that have no expiration date. A new state law eliminated the previous five-year renewal requirement.

The portable blue placard is designed as a convenience for disabled motorists who may use more than one vehicle or for family members, friends or caregivers who drive a disabled person in a vehicle without a disability plate. The red temporary disability placard that’s valid for six months is unchanged.

Blue placards with an expiration date should eventually be exchanged for a permanent placard, which can be done at any time regardless of the expiration date. Customers should go to ServiceArizona.com and click on the “Permanent Placard Replacement” link. There is no charge.

There are no changes to the underlying requirements for qualifying for a permanent or temporary disability placard or license plate.

For more information: azdot.gov/mvd

PHOENIX – Technology buffs have a new Arizona license plate option available to them with the introduction of electronic digital plates.

For over a year, the Arizona Department of Transportation has tested this technology on a limited number of its fleet vehicles throughout the state to determine operational capabilities and endurance under multiple weather conditions.

ADOT also collaborated with the Arizona Department of Public Safety to ensure that the look of the plate and its messaging capabilities conform to legal requirements and law enforcement best practices.

The plates, called Rplate Digital License Plates, are LTE wireless connected devices similar to a tablet. The license plate number is constantly displayed, and the technology allows for added messages such as “invalid,” “stolen” and other notifications if needed.

While use of the Rplate is authorized by the ADOT Motor Vehicle Division and the Arizona Department of Public Safety, it’s not available at MVD or Authorized Third Party offices. Motorists who wish to buy the plate must do so through participating resellers, including vehicle dealerships and professional auto service providers or the plate manufacturer, Reviver. The plate’s cost is determined by the manufacturer, and MVD does not receive any proceeds from sales.

PHOENIX - What could almost fit in a tie box, makes a great stocking stuffer, comes in many colors, and helps worthy causes all in one package? It’s the specialty license plate, of course, and it’s not too late to buy one for yourself or one of your favorite elves.

“Specialty plates are always a great deal and can easily be purchased online, even as a gift,” said MVD Stakeholder Relations Manager Jennifer Bowser-Richards. “Not only that, but the sales raise millions of dollars for worthy causes every year.”

Anyone may purchase a plate for another person. All that’s needed are the last two digits of the vehicle identification number, the customer name and address and the number of the plate being replaced.  The new plate will be mailed to the recipient.

Ordering online is the easiest method and can be done any time at ServiceArizona.com, where customers may browse the many selections available. If your selection requires additional documentation and you are unable to order online you may fill out a special plate application.

There are more than 40 specialized plate styles designed to raise money for worthy causes. Themes include honoring veterans, First Responders, organ donation awareness, Special Olympics, character education, tribal programs, university scholarships and support of charitable organizations for professional sports franchises, among many others.

Specialty plates typically cost $25 with an annual $25 renewal fee. Of that, $17 is directed each year to the charitable cause or service the plate represents. Personalizing a specialty plate carries an additional fee.

The specialty plate program began in 1989, and in the most recent Fiscal Year, sales generated approximately $10.6 million for charitable causes and services in Arizona.

Bowser-Richards added, “Buying a specialty plate as a gift may seem a bit untraditional, but since these plates raise millions for important causes it really is a gift that represents the best parts of the holiday season.”

For more information: www.azdot.gov/mvd