Do you hate the look of your state vehicle license plate? Do you love it? Either way, you can vote for a new design that would start taking effect in April, because the current ones are going away.
The voting opened Monday and runs through Monday, Sept. 2.
Of the five choices, four bear the word “Excelsior,” the state motto meaning “ever upward.” One plate shows the motto “E Pluribus Unum,” or “out of many, one.” The Statue of Liberty or part of it is displayed on four of the five choices. One shows the bridge formerly known as the Tappan Zee but now renamed for Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s late father, Gov. Mario M. Cuomo. The other shows Niagara Falls and New York City, including the Statue of Liberty.
The plates will replace the old Empire blue plates first, most of which are more than 10 years old, the governor’s office said. Once the new plates become available, the Department of Motor Vehicles will also stop issuing the Empire Gold plates and begin fully transitioning to the new design.
The current $25 license plate replacement fee will be added to the cost of the vehicle owner’s registration renewal. Customers may also keep their current license plate number for an additional $20 fee.
The state says the reason plates will change is to make them more visible, which was the same argument made for the switch from the blue-and-white to the gold-and blue.
Updated to include more information about the plate design.
Dix Hills Man Accused of Driving With 49 License Suspensions