FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, January 3, 2005

AUSTIN – If you’re looking for a way to display a one-of-a-kind, personal message on your vehicle, you might consider a personalized plate. To increase awareness of this fun alternative to general issue plates, TxDOT is featuring the personalized license plate as the specialty plate for January.

Since 1965, when TxDOT began issuing personalized plates to Texas drivers, vehicles have displayed these "vanity" plates with names, initials, greetings or clever phrases. There are more than 94,000 personalized plates on the road in Texas today, making personalized plates the state’s most visible specialty license plate. "Personalized plates allow Texas drivers to express themselves by displaying unique messages on their vehicles," said Mike Behrens, TxDOT executive director. "Their popularity continues to grow."

The plate design features a state silhouette at the top and the slogan "The Lone Star State" across the bottom. These plates accommodate up to six alpha or numeric characters and are produced using a digital manufacturing process.

Personalized plates are available through TxDOT or county tax offices for $40 per year, in addition to regular registration fees. Other specialty, organizational and collegiate plates can also be personalized for an additional specialty plate fee, plus the $40 personalized plate fee and regular registration fees. Motorists can purchase a set of personalized plates at anytime, regardless of when vehicle registration expires.

Money raised from the sale of these plates goes to the state’s General Revenue Fund, where it is used for various state services and programs. In a one-year period ending on August 31, 2004, personalized plates accounted for approximately $3.8 million of that fund.

Applications for personalized plates are available at county tax offices, on TxDOT’s web site (www.dot.state.tx.us), by calling the TxDOT Help Desk at (512) 465-7611, or by calling TxDOT’s Fax-On-Demand forms line at (888) 232-7033.

For more information, call Darah Waldrip in TxDOT Vehicle Titles and Registration Division, (512) 302-2076. For a view of the plate and ordering information go to www.dot.state.tx.us/vtr/spplates/allplates.htm.