TAMPA -- The Sunshine State may as well be called the License Plate State, for the 123 different options when it comes to specialty tags – with more likely on the way this year.
That extra $20 to $30 you spend each year for that piece of pride generally helps the cause you’re cheerleading – nature, universities, and nonprofits – but the money doesn’t always go where you might expect.
The top-selling plate in the state, the University of Florida, goes to help fund educational programs at the school. And the second-most-popular plate, sea turtles, helps fund the turtle programs through the Marine Resources Conservation Trust Fund through the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. And the state’s No. 3 plate, FSU, also funds programs at the university.
QUIZ YOURSELF: How well do you know your Florida specialty plates?
However, you probably didn’t know the No. 4 plate in the state, Endless Summer, puts most of its money not toward beach preservation, but instead goes to the Surfing Evolution & Preservation Foundation, which is trying to build a new surfing "experience" museum in Cocoa Beach.
10Investigates also exposed in 2012 how the “In God We Trust” plate wasn’t helping out the families of fallen first-responders and members of the military, as it had promised to. After the series aired, the state forced the executives behind the plate to turn the non-profit over to new directors.
Sports teams are also very popular, from the Miami Heat (10th in state) and Tampa Bay Buccaneers (13th) to the Florida Panthers (91st). But those funds don’t go to the teams directly; they go to state funds that help pay for pro stadiums, gold and fishing interests, as well as amateur sporting events.
Florida lawmakers are also currently discussing new plates for the Orlando City Soccer Club, the Florida Caribbean Charitable Foundation, Ducks Unlimited, and even a Ronald Reagan specialty plate. New tags have two years to reach 1,000 plates sold annually, or else the state revokes the design for lack of interest. Colleges are the only exception to the minimum rule.
Some legislators are also pushing for the University of Central Florida tag to read “National Champions” in honor of the team’s undefeated 2017 football season, which resulted in a No. 5 final national ranking.
Most popular specialty plates in Florida:
UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA |
97209 |
HELPING SEA TURTLES SURVIVE 77311 FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY 73265 ENDLESS SUMMER 62181 PROTECT WILD DOLPHINS 53198 |
Most popular pro teams in Florida:
MIAMI HEAT
37361
TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS
31503
MIAMI DOLPHINS
16854
JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS
8918
TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING
7279
TAMPA BAY RAYS
5007
NASCAR
3422
ORLANDO MAGIC
3111
MIAMI MARLINS
2906
FLORIDA PANTHERS
2061
Most popular colleges in Florida:
UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA
97209
FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY
73265
UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI
25664
UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL FLORIDA
18220
FLORIDA A & M UNIVERSITY
16190
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA
14907
FLORIDA ATLANTIC UNIVERSITY
2424
UNIVERSITY OF NORTH FLORIDA
1736
FLORIDA GULF COAST UNIVERSITY
1666
ROLLINS COLLEGE
1579
Where Tampa Bay Rays plates are most popular:
PINELLAS 1527 |
HILLSBOROUGH 1387 PASCO 548 MANATEE 289 POLK 183 SARASOTA 181 HERNANDO 104 Where Tampa Bay Buccaneers plates are most popular: HILLSBOROUGH 9887 PINELLAS 5386 PASCO 2738 POLK 1216 MANATEE 1179 MIAMI-DADE 1125 ORANGE 1081 SARASOTA 927 HERNANDO 643 Where Tampa Bay Lightning plates are most popular: HILLSBOROUGH 2606 PINELLAS 1569 PASCO 928 MANATEE 326 POLK 289 SARASOTA 258 HERNANDO 229 |