The Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles’ (DMV) 200-plus special plate options now include a Cure Childhood Cancer license plate and a Newport News Shipbuilding license plate. In 2016, DMV will also add a special license plate recognizing Legion of Merit Medal recipients.
Virginia has more than 200 license plate designs, allowing residents to display community spirit, college pride, support for causes, and more. More than one million special plates – plates other than the state’s standard issue design – are active in Virginia. Special plates and personalized plates make up almost 20 percent of the state’s active vehicle registrations.
Virginia’s Cure Childhood Cancer license plate features the cause’s gold ribbon and is available for $10 annually per set at any DMV customer service center or online at dmvNOW.com. Plates can be personalized for an additional $10 per year. The commonwealth also has a special license plate in support of the Virginia Breast Cancer Foundation.
A special license plate for supporters of Newport News Shipbuilding is also now available for the same annual fees as the Cure Childhood Cancer license plate. The company is the sole designer, builder and refueler of U.S. Navy aircraft carriers and one of two providers of U.S. Navy submarines, according to its website.
The Legion of Merit Medal special license plate will be available for purchase in 2016. The plate recognizes recipients of the prestigious military award. According to the U.S. Department of Defense, the medal is awarded to any member of the U.S. Armed Forces or the armed forces of friendly foreign nations who has distinguished himself or herself by exceptionally meritorious conduct in performing outstanding services. Surviving spouses of Legion of Merit Medal recipients are eligible to receive the plate provided they have not remarried, code states.
Virginia has several dozen military-related special license plate designs, including plates recognizing recipients of the Purple Heart and the Silver Star. Legislation approved by the Virginia General Assembly and Governor authorizes the issuance of all special license plates. Most special interest and military plates require a minimum of 450 prepaid applications before the General Assembly will consider them.
In 2015, the General Assembly also expanded access to Virginia’s disabled veterans license plates. Previously, the plates were only available for issue to certain disabled veterans. The law now allows these plates to be issued to veterans who have any service-connected disability as certified by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Veterans who have been certified as permanently and totally disabled, blind, or who have lost a limb, are exempted from paying certain fees. Visit dmvNOW.com for more information.
