​According to the latest statistics released by the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles,  1,816,588 specialty license plates were sold in 2021 and a total of $39,472,454.00 was raised, the highest amount in the history of the program..
Prior to 2009, specialty license plate sales increased every year, despite the economic recession. On October 1, 2009, the Florida State Legislature significantly increased vehicle registration fees, particularly with respect to purchasing specialty license plates. In 2009, annual sales of Florida Specialty License Plates amounted to 1,623,486. After 2009, there was a 19.78% decline in Specialty Plate sales, reflecting approximately $7 million lost in annual revenue. 
In September, 2013, the Florida Legislature reduced some fees associated with vehicle registrations, however, did not address the significant increase in the cost to purchase a new specialty license plate that was imposed in 2009. Despite the increase in fees, specialty plates have now surpassed thospre-2009 numbers, although the number of Florida residents - and Florida registered vehicles - has also significantly increased.

Clearwater Marine Aquarium on Monday announced it had received more than $17,000 from the Sea Turtle Grants Program.
With the new funding, the aquarium says its veterinary team was able to purchase new medical equipment for sea turtle rehabilitation — including a new surgical exam table, a single head ceiling surgical light, a wound VAC and dressings, and a digital camera. Since receiving the equipment, CMA says more than 75 sea turtles have been treated.

The Sea Turtle Grants Program is partially funded by Florida's 'Helping Sea Turtles Survive' Specialty License Plate, according to the aquarium. The license plate is also the primary source of funding for Florida's Marine Turtle Protection Program. 
According to CMA, the grants program has awarded more than $2.7 million in grants for research, education and conservation programs to benefit sea turtles in Florida. 

If anyone wants to get a personalized license plate from the state of Florida, it's best to be creative and avoid vulgar language — and don't try "WANKRR" because it's already been rejected.
Florida drivers have a lot of leeway when it comes to personalized license plates. They can be used to describe oneself or a vehicle and can sometimes be humorous to other drivers on the road. But in large part, it's a crapshoot for those who don't know the rules.
Over the last three years, Floridians have applied for more than 1,000 personalized license plates, records obtained by the Gainesville Sun show, a vast majority of which were rejected.
​Since 2018, only about 25% of the personalized plates submitted for review have been approved by the state of Florida.

Plates like “SXY GRMA” got the green light from state officials, while “FARTMAN” was left in the virtual dust bin.
Offensive or objectionable plates are often rejected by the state. "DOO DOO" and "UID IOT" didn't make the cut, while more revealing "I GOTA P" and "MO STIKY" requests did, the state's list shows.
Plates with phrases like "GET SOME" or "MCNASTY" made it through. While "OH FARTS" and "MR POOP" got blocked.

​"Personalized license plate requests received by the department with obscene or objectionable words will be rejected," said Jessica Kelleher, the deputy communications director at the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles.
The state rejected 275 personalized plates from 2013 to 2018, The Gainesville Sun reported in 2018. But over the past three years since, the state rejected 790 requested plates, according to data from a public records request.

​The coronavirus pandemic coincided with a large drop in requests, the state's list shows. But the prison was also closed for manufacturing on numerous occasions due to Covid infections and precautions. While more than 1,000 plate requests were received in 2019, only about 250 were submitted in the following two years combined. During that same time, just four personalized plates were approved.
"GETU5UM," "FREEAZ" and "POOBLIX" were first rejected, but after a further review was overturned and approved. "SATN LVS" is the only personalized plate since 2020 to be approved on initial review.
One driver expressed frustration with the pandemic, applying for "FUCOVID," but that plate was rejected. Other submissions got political with "FUBDN" and "FTR UMP," both of which, of course, were rejected.
Personalized plates are first reviewed by staff at local tax collection offices and state motor vehicle offices. Other submissions are screened through the FLHSMV Inventory Control Unit.

"Anyone can contact the FLHSMV or their local tax collector's office to file a complaint should they encounter a plate that is obscene or objectionable," said Kelleher.
If a requested plate has a curse word, like "HELL NAW," it is rejected immediately. A reference to cursing, like "HELYAZ," got through on initial review, but was overturned and recalled.

It's clear from reviewing the list that drivers are getting more aggressive with their requests. "V10L3NT," "KRZYBCH," "KDNAPPR" and "HOMICDL" got the axe. Yet "5ICKO" and "DA BULLY" punched their way through.
Most plates with references to law enforcement got rejected, as state law forbids citizens from impersonating law enforcement. Plates like "CIA BABY," "FBI-19" and "RET FBI" got rejected. One plate, however, with a more vague reference to the police — "WUZFUZ" — got OK'd.
Personalized license plates are different from specialty tags, which show support for a broad range of organizations that include environmental causes or support for military veterans or colleges.
The specialty tags can also be personalized by using four to seven digits or letters, though there is an annual upcharge of about $53 per vehicle.

For full article from The Gainesville Sun with images: click here

In the race to get the final few specialty plates approved before the new 135 maximum cap is in place, Tom Brady has donated the requisite funds to cover the cost of 2,500 presale vouchers. Before the new Best Buddies specialty license plate is manufactured, 3,000 vouchers must be completed within two years of the initial offering date. The free vouchers are courtesy of Tom Brady and Best Buddies, for the right to receive the Best Buddies Tom Brady specialty license plate once the 3000 vouchers have been registered and completed.
While you will receive the $33 voucher credit, the recipient will still need to pay their normal registration fees to the State of Florida.
​You can get the free voucher by clicking here

The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV) has announced that the new Florida State Parks specialty license plate is now available.
Floridians who purchased presale vouchers for the specialty license plate are now able to redeem them and purchase the specialty license plate.

The new specialty license plates were authorized during Florida’s 2021 Legislative Session, and the presale process began in October of 2021. The Florida State Parks specialty plate is the first plate from the 2021 Legislative Session to meet all design, development, manufacturing, and presale requirements that were established to begin the distribution process.
All annual revenue that is collected from the sale of the Florida State Parks specialty license plate will be distributed to the Florida State Parks Foundation, a Florida nonprofit, for their efforts to preserve, protect, sustain, and grow Florida’s state parks.

The New College of Florida (NCF), based in Sarasota, has had their specialty license plate discontinued. Florida law requires the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV) to discontinue the specialty license plate with the lowest number of valid registrations. As of March 01, 2022, NCF had 765 valid registrations. New College has by far the smallest student population in the State University System of Florida with only 675 students as of the Fall 2020 semester.
On March 28, 2022, the NCF specialty license plate was discontinued.

​A vehicle owner or lessee issued a specialty license plate that has been discontinued may keep this discontinued specialty license plate for the remainder of the 10-year license plate replacement cycle. All other applicable registration fees will continue to be collected during the annual renewal period. They will no longer be charged the $25 annual specialty license plate fee that FLHSMV distributes to New College of Florida. No original, replacement or personalized license plate reservation transactions can be performed. If the customer chooses to switch to a different license plate, all applicable fees will be charged.
Additionally, the gift certificate voucher for the New College of Florida specialty license plate is deauthorized and is no longer available to customers. 

​New College of Florida is a public liberal arts college in Sarasota, Florida. It was founded in 1960 as a private institution known simply as New College, spent several years merged into the University of South Florida, and in 2001 became an autonomous college, the eleventh independent school of the State University System of Florida. Upon achieving independence, the school adopted its current name: New College of Florida.
The school is distinguished by its unusual "contract system," in which students are given written evaluations instead of grades and agree to semester-long contracts in which a certain number of classes must be passed. For example, in a "three out of five" contract, a student who failed two classes would face no penalty, although one who failed three classes would risk losing the entire semester's credits. The system was devised to encourage academic experimentation and foster curiosity about disparate topics outside one's usual course of study. New College students are required to complete an undergraduate thesis project and baccalaureate exam, during which the student presents and defends their project to a committee of professors.
Undergraduates complete a step-by-step career education plan that integrates professional development with their academic experience. Students work with their personal career coach and faculty sponsor to undertake professional internships, undergraduate research, community service, and other hands-on learning opportunities that complement their academic coursework.