​Jacksonville University students, alumni and supporters who want to show off their Dolphin spirit now have a new way to do so.
The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles has launched a redesign of its Jacksonville University specialty plate.
The previous JU plate had 1,098 valid registrations as of October 1, 2019, according to the state. The plates are now available at local tax collector and tag agency offices and online by clicking here. 
The JU plates cost $25 extra on top of the cost of a standard issue plate. A percentage of the proceeds goes back to the university for academic enhancement, including scholarships. The first Jacksonville University specialty plate in Florida dates back to 2003, when the plate was enacted by the Florida Legislature.

Fans of the Miami Dolphins may not have a ton to cheer for on the field this season. But for those looking to support the team, the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV) announced Friday a redesigned Dolphins license plate is now available for purchase.
Among non-college sports-themed license plates offered by the FLHSMV, the Dolphins specialty plate ranks fourth in popularity. They sit behind the Miami Heat in first and the Tampa Bay Bucs in second. Third place belongs to “Golf Capital of the World.”
The team’s license plate design was last reworked in 2015 when the team changed its logo. That version featured the new logo over a teal background that transitioned into a white background from left-to-right.
The new version of the license plate now features an all-teal background.

​Senator Keith Perry (R-Gainesville/Ocala) has filed SB 860 on 11/12/19 which proposes to restructure the application process for the creation of new specialty plates in Florida. Senator Perry served in the House from 2010 to 2016 and is in his 4th year in the Florida Senate. He was born in Tallahassee and is the founder and CEO of Perry Roofing Contractors.
Currently, in order to create a specialty license p[late in Florida, it requires legislative approval. In fact 28 (and counting) new plates are attempting to be created during the same session through the legislative process, many of which have failed on numerous occasions in the past 5 years.
Senator Perry's bill proposes that the Department of Motor Vehicles would be solely responsible for the creation of a new specialty license plate, with the provision that the new plate must get a minimum of 2,000 voucher sales within 24 months and a maximum cap at 125 specialty plates at any one time.
Currently Florida has 122. The bill also provides that current specialty plates will be de-listed if total plates are less than 1,000 current plates (or 2,000 in a later conflicting section of the bill) for 12 months and collegiate plates are not excluded. This could pave the way for 30 or more new specialty plates.
The full gallery of available Florida specialty license plates can be viewed by clicking here. Florida DMV does not have the facility to order specialty license plates online, however, they can be ordered at MyFloridaSpecialtyPlate.com.

​A state legislator in New Mexico wants to also make it easier for organizations looking to create a New Mexico specialty license plate. State Representative Patricio Ruiloba D-Albuquerque, a former police officer, wants to streamline the process for these groups by requiring them to go through the MVD instead of the state legislature.
He introduced this proposal last week at a transportation subcommittee meeting. ​Right now, there are more than 40 specialty plates available in New Mexico.
Ruiloba says the wide variety is a point of pride for the state. “It’s welcoming in New Mexico because of our diversity to have different kinds of license plates to express our culture and many of the organizations that support New Mexico and I think we just need to find a better way to accommodate those needs,” Ruiloba said.​ 

The latest official research conducted by the National Conference of State Legislators regarding specialty license plates was in June 2016 and the report itemized the number of specialty, organizational and military license plates for each state.
​The Top 15 were:

1. Maryland 708
2. Pennsylvania 408
3. Texas 400
4. Virginia 264
5. Montana 235
6. New York 212
7. Oklahoma 210
8. Georgia 208
9. Missouri 199
10. Louisiana 174
11. South Carolina 163
12. Mississippi 161
13. Ohio 157
14. North Carolina 143
15. Florida 122