Specialty tags offer plenty of options for drivers in Oklahoma

If you are an Oklahoman who is not crazy about the new blue scissor-tailed flycatcher license plate, you have plenty of options ... for a price.

Are you an Oklahoma wildflower lover, a patriot, a Boy Scouts or Ducks Unlimited supporter? A Rotarian, Jaycees or Kiwanis member? A NASCAR fan, Thunder fan or a proud certified public accountant?

If so, the Motor Vehicle Division of the Oklahoma Tax Commission probably has just the right license plate for you.

Buyers beware, however. Choosing a special-interest plate does not get you out of paying for a regular scissor-tailed flycatcher plate, including the special one-time $5 fee in 2017 as part of all vehicle registration renewals. Special interest purchases come over and above that cost.

“They will have both plates and just put their special interest plate on their car,” said Paula Ross, communications director for the Oklahoma Tax Commission.

Specialty plates also come with a higher annual renewal fee.

Call them vanity plates or, as the commission categorizes them, “special interest” or “special interest fundraiser” plates, Oklahoma has a wide variety available.

“Including all of the schools, specialty plates, specialty fundraiser plates, Jaycees, Kiwanis, there are probably about 260,” Ross said.

Some plates are sold to raise money for nonprofits and sell for $35 — plus $3 shipping. With those, generally, $20 goes to the group and $15 goes to the state, Ross said.

Some, such as the Oklahoma City Thunder plate, are available for $15 as an “awareness” or supporter option that pays the state for producing the special plates.

The state sold 88,869 specialty plates in 2015 and raised just over $1.5 million, Ross said.

The special interests and preferences have piled up over the years.

“It used to be that if you got a legislator to introduce a bill for it you could have one made,” Ross said. “The problem was that some of them were made and only sold 10 or 12 copies.”

New rules still allow just about any group or individual to apply to create their own license plate design, but there is a challenging application and approval process, she said.

Even with legislative approval, a group now has to pre-sell 100 copies of the license plate within 180 days of approval before it will be put into production and made available at local tag agencies.

Another way to do it is to fill out an application with the Motor Vehicle Division of the Tax Commission, submit the design for the approval process and then pre-sell 500 copies within 180 days of approval.

Ross said she really has no idea but doubted that Oklahoma’s license plate change will lead to more specialty purchases.