License plates are a popular topic here on the ADOT Blog. We’ve covered how they’re made, the many specialty designs available and the differences between various plates.

But today’s subject is less about the plates themselves and more about what you can and cannot do to them.

Defacing vehicle license plates is illegal

ADOT, in partnership with the Phoenix Police Department, wants to make drivers aware of the laws governing registration and proper display of Arizona-issued license plates.

A vehicle owner who breaks the law could be charged with a misdemeanor, with court fines of at least $300.

What you need to know

Your Arizona-issued license plate must be displayed on the rear of the vehicle with the following requirements:

• Must be displayed in a position so the license plate is clearly legible, securely attached to prevent swinging and at a height at least 12 inches from the ground to the bottom of the plate. The name of the state at the top of the plate cannot be obscured or covered.
• Temporary issued placards must also be displayed per the same requirements.
• Arizona law requires the vehicle owner to replace any issued license plate that has become damaged, deteriorated, illegible or unreadable.

Phoenix Police Department officers, along with other law enforcement agencies around the state, are vigilant in the enforcement of traffic violations, with a focus on issuing citations to motorists for the improper display of a license plate along with violations of vehicle registration and proof of insurance requirements. ADOT Enforcement and Compliance Division officers also conduct statewide enforcement campaigns aimed at vehicle registration compliance.

Arizona law requires, with some exceptions, all motor vehicles that will be operated on a public roadway or highway to be currently registered and displaying the issued license plate and validation tab. A vehicle owner must apply for an Arizona vehicle title and current registration within 15 days of the purchase or transfer of a motor vehicle or trailer.

State law also prohibits the issued registration card from being changed, defaced or altered. A vehicle registration card and proof of insurance must be provided upon request of a police officer conducting a traffic stop.

Find more MVD information on our website.

*** UPDATE (5/6/15) *** The availability of energy-efficient license plates for owners of qualified vehicles has ended as the maximum number of plate applications has been reached. Please see our recent blog post for the latest.

*** UPDATE (5/20/2014) *** The program requirements for qualifying vehicles have changed.

Qualifying vehicles will be limited to include only plug-in hybrid electric vehicles according to the certification list established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The EPA is responsible for issuing the rules that establish the certification and labeling requirements for low emission and energy-efficient vehicles.

Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles may be driven for a longer period of time on solely electric power, reducing both the amount of fuel consumed and tailpipe emissions released compared to normal hybrid vehicles. Reduced vehicle pollution supports the purpose of the “Clean Air – Blue Skies” program by encouraging the use of low-emission vehicles to improve the air quality in the Phoenix metropolitan area. Please see this news release for additional information on qualifying vehicles.

Ever since we blogged about alternative fuel and energy efficient license plates more than a year ago, we have received many questions asking for even more clarification...

And that’s exactly what we aim to deliver to you today with our newest infographic. We’ve taken the most frequently asked questions on this subject and provided all the answers in one convenient spot!

For additional information on alternative fuel and energy efficient license plates (along with all the other plates Arizona has to offer) visit the MVD website for more details.

Q. Are there differences between the Alternative Fuel and Energy Efficient license plates?

A. Yes. While they look very similar to each other, the two plates (and the types of cars that can display them) are different. Alternative Fuel "blue cloud" plates begin with AF and owners pay a reduced Vehicle License Tax. Energy Efficient plates also sport the "blue cloud" design, but they come with a Hybrid logo and contain the letters "L" and "N".

Q. Who can drive in the HOV lane?

A. Per state law, vehicles carrying two or more people have the ability to use the HOV lanes during posted restricted time periods in morning and evening rush hours. In addition thee are other vehicles authorized to utilize HOV lanes, such as buses, motorcycles, emergency response vehicles and vehicles bearing either an Alternative Fuel license plate or an Energy Efficient license plate. Violating the restrictions for HOV lane usage may result in a driver receiving a traffic citation with a fine starting at $350.

Q. Who is eligible to register for an Alternative Fuel license plate?

A. Alternative Fuel license plates are available for vehicles powered ONLY by alternative fuel. For a vehicle to be eligible for an alternative fuel License plate, it must be powered exclusively by liquefied petroleum gas (LPG, propane) natural gas (CNG/LNG), a blend of 70 percent alternative fuel and 30 percent petroleum based fuel, hydrogen, solar or electric (excluding golf carts). There is NO LIMIT to the number of alternative fuel vehicles that can be issued the Alternative Fuel license plate.

Q. If I convert my vehicle to run on an accepted alternative fuel, will I be eligible for an Alternative Fuel license plate?

A. Yes. You would need that vehicle to be inspected by the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality to obtain an alternative fuel certificate. After that, you can register your vehicle for an Alternative Fuel plate.

Q.Who can obtain an Energy Efficient license plate?

A. Energy Efficient license plates were made available as part of a federally approved program that launched in 2007. The plates were limited to three eligible vehicles (Toyota, Prius, Honda Civic and Honda Insight). The Energy Efficient Pilot program has a maximum capacity of 10,000 vehicles - that number was reached in 2008. In 2011, approximately 2,500 vehicles had dropped out of the program. ADOT reopened the program and re-issued the 2,500 plates in less than 15 days. The Energy Efficient Pilot Program is currently at capacity. No more energy efficient plates are being issued at this time.

Q. I heard a rumor that more Energy Efficient license plates will soon be released for hybrid vehicles. Is this true?

A. At this time, ADOT has NOT reopened the Energy Efficient Pilot program and there is no set schedule for another reissue.

Q. If more Energy Efficient license plates are ever released, will I be able to get one?

A. You would be eligible for a plate at the next offering if you have a qualified car that is currently registered. At this time the federal government has included three cars in the program: the Toyota Prius, Honda Civic Hybrid and Honda Insight.

Q. How will I know if more Energy Efficient license plates have been released? Is there a list I can get on so that I can be notified right away?

A. Announcements will be made in the media and we'll certainly let you know about it through our website, blog, Facebook and Twitter. We do not maintain any sort of a waiting list for these plates, but we will make sure the public is made aware if there is a reissue of the Energy Efficient license plates.

Q. Can I transfer my Energy Efficient license plate to someone else?

A. No, you cannot transfer your Energy Efficient license plate to someone else. However, the owner of a vehicle enrolled in the Energy Efficient pilot program can transfer their Energy Efficient plate to another qualifying replacement vehicle that they obtain.

By now, you ought to know plenty about license plates…

We’ve blogged about how they’re made and the awards they’ve won. We’ve even attempted to answer all your questions relating to the “blue cloud” plates (a sequel to that post is coming soon – stay tuned!).

So, for today’s post, we’ll keep things fairly short and just let you know there’s a new specialty plate that’s available for purchase in Arizona.

The new plate is: Keep Arizona Beautiful.

Like other special plates there’s a $25 initial application fee and a $25 annual renewal fee to consider – $17 of the fee goes to the litter prevention and cleanup special plate fund. This plate has no special requirements and is available to everyone. It may be personalized with a maximum of six characters and is also available with a disability symbol.

For more information on special plates, visit the MVD site.

If you’re in the market for a new license plate we’ve got some good news for you – two new options are now available to consider!

Late last month a new specialty license plate benefitting childhood cancer research was released along with a re-design of the specialty plate supporting the University of Arizona.

Like all specialty plates, these will cost drivers a $25 initial application fee and a $25 annual renewal fee – $17 of which goes right to the nonprofit group/cause that supported the plate’s production (more on that later in the post).

The childhood cancer research plate was supported by Ella’s Tea Party, Inc., a nonprofit organization created by friends and family of a young girl fighting cancer.

Money collected from the sale of this plate will go toward a fund supporting research of childhood cancer and rare childhood diseases. Money collected from sales of the newly redesigned U of A plate will go to the university for academic scholarships.

Just a note to anyone driving around with the “old” U of A design: don’t worry – those plates are still valid. However, for a $5 replacement fee you can purchase the new plate design.

More about specialty plates
Check out this blog post from last year for an in-depth look at the process behind the creation of specialty plates … or just keep reading for a condensed version.

ADOT and MVD do not decide which plates get the OK, that’s up to state lawmakers.

First, a nonprofit group or cause has to get the attention of lawmakers. From there, a bill sponsored through the legislature must pass and then be signed into law by the governor.

Once that happens, the group must pay a $32,000 implementation fee – this covers programming costs and production. Next up is design. Once a prototype is approved by law enforcement officials, the nonprofit group and MVD’s director, the new plates are rolled out and made available to motorists.

For even more information on license plates, visit MVD’s Web page on plates and placards, or read some of our previous blog posts.

Next time you’re at a party and really want to impress the crowd, try throwing out this bit of transportation trivia: more than 1.3 million new Arizona license plates were produced last fiscal year.

That’s a lot of plates!

Your friends surely will be impressed by your knowledge, but if you really want to wow them, tell them they’ll never see the letters I, O, Q or U printed on standard plates.

Want to know why? It’s because the letter I could be confused with the numeral one and the letters O, Q and even U could be seen as zeros on a fast-moving vehicle. Since license plates are used to identify vehicles and by law enforcement, it’s pretty important that they are easily readable.

OK … this party’s starting to pick up! Now that you’ve got everyone’s attention, why not tell them how license plates are made in Arizona?

First, fill them in on a little history …

License plates (in one form or another) have been around for quite some time. Shortly before Arizona became a state, some cities required that vehicles be licensed, but it wasn’t until June 1912 that an Arizona state legislative act required all motor vehicles within the state to be registered with the Secretary of State (we got that information from a 1992 news letter of the Automobile License Plate Collectors Association – they really know their stuff!).

In 1914 license plates started to resemble the familiar rectangular shape we know today – before that, drivers were issued a 2-inch aluminum disc once they paid their registration fee, according to the ALPCA.

For a long time, license plates were embossed, meaning the design was “stamped” into the aluminum, giving the letters and numbers a raised look.

MVD’s Division Logistics Administrator Bill Beckett filled us in on how the plate manufacturing process has worked in recent years…

Back when plates were still being embossed (remember the maroon and white Arizona plates?), everything would start off with a large coiled roll of aluminum substrate sheeting…

The coiled maroon aluminum would go through something called a blanking line, where it was cut by machine into the shape of a plate (bolt holes were punched out, too). Next, the blank plate would go to a press that embossed the license plate number onto the plate. Then it was onto a roll coater so paint could be applied to the raised portion of the plate. From there, tiny reflective glass beads would be applied to the paint so the numbers could be seen at night. Finally, the plate would go into the oven to dry.

Recently, new technology has given us a streamlined process that’s a little more environmentally friendly (no paint or ovens) and allows for a lot of creativity when it comes to license plate design.

The new digital plate making technology uses a thermal transfer ribbon process to print the license plate number and design onto a large roll of white reflective vinyl sheeting. Thermal transfer printing is quite common (it’s used regularly to print receipts and postage labels). When it comes to license plates, the process uses heat to print the desired image onto the vinyl surface using multiple color ribbons for the desired color or design effect.

The machine that does this can print about 1,100 plates onto one roll of vinyl, which, by the way, has an adhesive backing.

After the vinyl is printed, it's rolled up again (by the machine). That roll then heads over to the blanking line that feeds the vinyl through a system that simultaneously peels away the backing to the sheeting to reveal the adhesive while pressing it onto a large roll of aluminum substrate sheeting. (Just think of it as a big roll of stickers getting pressed onto some metal.)

From there, the sheeting is cut up into rectangular plates by the blanking line. Then the plates are boxed up and sent off to MVD for distribution to drivers.

One more interesting thing to know about license plates … all of the state’s plates are made by inmates at the Arizona State Prison Complex in Florence.

With any luck, you’ve now won over your fellow party-goers with all this license plate wisdom! No thanks necessary … all we ask is that you tell your friends about the ADOT Blog and maybe invite us to your next party!

As far as license plates go, we haven’t even scratched the surface. Stay tuned in the coming weeks when we’ll write about some more of the measures that are taken during the manufacturing process and what drivers should do if their plate, for whatever reason, becomes unreadable.

License Plate Bingo just got a little more challenging!

That’s because three new Arizona specialty license plates have been released and you can already spot them out on the road.

The “In God We Trust” plate design was made available March 4, along with a plate for the Thunderbird School of Global Management.

Like other specialty license plates, these two cost motorists $25 for the initial application fee and $25 for annual renewal. Of that $25 fee, $17 goes back to the nonprofit group/cause that put up the initial implementation fee to have the plate issued. Money from the “In God We Trust” plate goes toward promoting the national motto and the Thunderbird School of Global Management plate benefits the school’s operations and activities.

Another new plate – this one just released on May 6 – recognizes women veterans and benefits the Arizona Veterans’ Donation Fund.

There’s already a specialty plate that honors veterans, but the new Women Veterans plate is a little different in that you don’t have to be a veteran (or a woman) to order one – anyone can make the purchase. Several of Arizona’s specialty plates do come with requirements. For example, to order a standard veteran plate, one must be a veteran and provide proof of honorable service. However, the Women Veterans plate is available for anyone to purchase and show support.<

Best Sellers
Special Plates Program Manager Michael Meier says of the newest specialty plates that have been made available within the past few months, the Arizona Centennial plate and the new “In God We Trust” plate have both been selling really well.

Meier also says a few new plates are on the way. There’s no release date, yet, but be on the lookout for a redesigned University of Arizona Wildcats plate, a plate recognizing childhood cancer research and one that supports Keep Arizona Beautiful, an organization devoted to litter prevention and cleanup.

To see all the specialty license plates available in Arizona, visit the MVD’s Web page on plates and placards and for a look at the specialty plate approval process, check out our blog post from October.

Who says a license plate can’t be well designed and even beautiful?

Not the Automobile License Plate Collectors Association, that’s for sure. This group is the world’s oldest and largest nonprofit organization devoted to researching, collecting and promoting license plates.

Since 1970, ALPCA has sponsored the annual best license plate award program and this year the group has decided that Arizona’s centennial license plate is the best new plate in the nation!

“I am pleased to announce that the great state of Arizona is this year’s recipient of ALPCA’s Best Plate Award,” said ALPCA President Greg Gibson in a news release. “Arizona’s outstanding Centennial plate topped plates from nine other states. … Congratulations to the residents of the Grand Canyon state, Governor Jan Brewer and to the license plate design team in Phoenix.”

According to the ALPCA, plates are judged on overall attractiveness of the design and the plate’s legibility (it’s got to serve its purpose, after all!).

ADOT’s Special Plates Manager Michael Meier said this is a big honor, one that Arizona received only once before – in 1996 for its general issue plate.

“I think it was a combination of the simplicity of its design and the fact that it recognizes Arizona’s centennial,” Meier said of what made the plate stand out.

According to MVD statistics, 4,533 of the centennial plates have sold as of the end of March … the plate was first made available to motorists in late October 2011.

Find out more about ALPCA by visiting their website. You can also get some additional information on how specialty plates are handled in Arizona by checking out this blog post from last year.