HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES STAFF ANALYSIS
BILL #: CS/CS/HB 403 Specialty License Plates
SPONSOR(S): Infrastructure Strategies Committee, Transportation & Modals Subcommittee, Chaney and
others
TIED BILLS: IDEN./SIM. BILLS: CS/SB 434
REFERENCE ACTION ANALYST STAFF DIRECTOR or
BUDGET/POLICY CHIEF
1) Transportation & Modals Subcommittee 16 Y, 0 N, As CS Walker Hinshelwood
2) Infrastructure Strategies Committee 25 Y, 0 N, As CS Walker Harrington
SUMMARY ANALYSIS
Currently, there are 113 specialty license plates available for sale and an additional 30 in presale. Specialty
license plates are available to the owner or lessee of any motor vehicle who is willing to pay an annual use fee,
in addition to the required license tax and fees. The collected fees are distributed by the Department of
Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (DHSMV) to statutorily designated organizations in support of a particular
cause or charity.
The bill:
Exempts Florida collegiate license plates from the presale voucher requirement and the annual
discontinuation process for specialty license plates;
Allows discontinued collegiate license plates to be reauthorized by DHSMV;
Replaces the phrase “In God We Trust” with “Protect the Eagle” on the bottom of the American Eagle
License Plate design; and
Renames the Give Kids The World License Plate to establish the Universal Orlando Resort License
Plate.
The bill also creates the following new specialty license plates with an annual use fee of $25:
Margaritaville
Clearwater Marine Aquarium
General Aviation
The Villages: May All Your Dreams Come True
Cure Diabetes
Recycle Florida
Boating Capital of the World
Project Addiction: Reversing the Stigma
United Service Organizations (USO)
The bill will have a negative, but insignificant, fiscal impact to state expenditures associated with DHSMV’s
programming costs for the specialty license plates.
The bill has an effective date of October 1, 2024.
This docum ent does not reflect the intent or official position of the bill sponsor or House of Representatives .
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DATE: 2/15/2024
FULL ANALYSIS
I. SUBSTANTIVE ANALYSIS
A. EFFECT OF PROPOSED CHANGES:
Background: Specialty License Plates Generally
Currently, there are 113 specialty license plates available for sale and an additional 30 in presale.1
Specialty license plates are available to the owner or lessee of any motor vehicle who is willing to pay
an annual use fee, in addition to the required license tax and fees.2 The annual use fees range from
$15-$25,3 and are distributed directly to the sponsoring organization or other entity as designated in
statute.4
In order to establish a specialty license plate, an organization must first receive approval by law. Once
this approval has been granted, the organization has 60 days to submit the proposed art design for the
specialty license plate to DHSMV.5 Within 120 days of the specialty license plate becoming law,
DHSMV must establish a method to issue presale vouchers for the specialty license plate. The
applicant for a specialty license plate pays a $5 processing fee6, a $2.50 service charge, a $.50 branch
fee7, and the annual use fee.8 All other applicable fees are paid at the time of issuance of the specialty
license plate.9
After the presale vouchers are established, the organization has 24 months to obtain a minimum of
3,000 voucher sales before manufacturing of the plate can begin. 10 If the minimum sales requirement
has not been met by the end of the 24-month presale period, the specialty license plate is deauthorized
and DHSMV must discontinue the development of the plate and issuance of the presale vouchers.
Upon deauthorization of the license plate or if the plate has met the presale requirement but has not
been issued, a purchaser of the license plate voucher may use the annual use fee paid as a credit
towards any other specialty license plate or may apply for a refund. 11
New specialty license plates that have been approved by law but are awaiting issuance will be issued
in the order they appear in s. 320.08058, F.S., provided that they have met all statutory requirements,
including the presale requirement. If the next listed specialty license plate has not met the presale
requirement, DHSMV will proceed in the order provided in s. 320.08058, F.S., to identify the next
qualified specialty license plate that has met the presale requirement. DHSMV must cycle through the
list in statutory order.12
The number of specialty license plates issued cannot exceed 135. If the Legislature approves more
than 135 specialty license plates, DHSMV cannot issue any new specialty license plates until a
sufficient number of plates are discontinued in order to not exceed the limit. 13
1 Email from Jonas Marquez, Director of Legislative Affairs, Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, Specialty
License Plates Questions, (Feb. 9, 2024).
2 S. 320.08056(2)(a), F.S.
3 S. 320.08056(3)(d), F.S., states that the annual use fee for any specialty license plate is $25, except if otherwise
specified in s. 320.08056(4), F.S.
4 S. 320.08058, F.S.
5 S. 320.08053(1), F.S.
6 The processing fee is prescribed in s. 320.08056, F.S.
7 The service charge and branch fee are prescribed in s. 320.04, F.S.
8 The annual use fee us prescribed in s. 320.08056, F.S.
9 S. 320.08053(2)(a), F.S.
10 Chapter 2022-189, Laws of Fla., extended the presale requirement by an additional 24 months for an approved
specialty license plate organization that, as of June 15, 2022, is in the presale period but had not recorded at least 3,000
voucher sales.
11 S. 320.08053(2)(b), F.S.
12 S. 320.08053(3)(a), F.S.
13 S. 320.08053(3)(b), F.S.
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DHSMV must discontinue the issuance of an approved specialty license plate if the number of valid
specialty license plate registrants falls below 3,000 plates for 12 consecutive months. A warning letter
is mailed to the sponsoring organization following the first month in which the total number of valid
specialty plate registrations falls below 3,000. For out-of-state college or university plates, this number
is 4,000.14 This requirement does not apply to in-state collegiate license plates established under
s. 320.08058(3), F.S., license plates of institutions in and entities of the State University System,
specialty license plates that have statutory eligibility limitations for purchase, specialty license plates for
which annual use fees are distributed by a foundation for student and teacher leadership programs and
teacher recruitment and retention, or Florida professional sports team license plates established under
s. 320.08058(9), F.S.15
DHSMV may discontinue the issuance of a specialty license plate and distribution of associated annual
use fee proceeds if the organization no longer exists, stops providing services that are authorized to be
funded from the annual use fee proceeds, or pursuant to an organizational recipient’s request. 16
On January 1 of each year, DHSMV must discontinue the specialty license plate with the fewest
number of plates in circulation, including specialty license plates exempt from the sales requirement. A
warning letter is mailed to the organizations in the lowest ten percent of valid, active specialty license
plate registrations as of December 1 of each year.17
The annual use fees collected by an organization and any interest earned from those fees may not be
used for commercial or for-profit activities, or general or administrative expenses, unless authorized by
s. 320.08058, F.S.18 Further, the annual use fees and interest earned from those fees may not be used
for the purpose of marketing to, or lobbying, entertaining, or rewarding an employee of a governmental
agency that is responsible for the sale and distribution of specialty license plates, or any elected
member or employee of the Legislature.19
Annual use fees collected by an organization and any interest earned from those fees may be
expended only in Florida, unless the annual use fees are derived from the sale of United States Armed
Forces or veterans-related specialty license plates.20 Additionally, organizations receiving annual use
fees must submit an annual audit or attestation document to DHSMV that proceeds were used in
compliance with the applicable specialty license plate statutes.21
Collegiate License Plates
Current Situation
Each state and independent university in Florida has the ability to develop a collegiate license plate if
authorized by an act of the Legislature. The specialty license plate fees collected must be used by the
respective foundation for academic enhancement, including scholarships and private fundraising
activities, in a plan approved by the Board of Governors of the State University System. 22 Currently,
there are 41 specialty collegiate license plates in circulation.23
Effect of the Bill
The bill:
Exempts a collegiate license plate from being discontinued based on having the fewest number
of plates in circulation.
14 S. 320.08056(8)(a), F.S.
15 Id.
16 S. 320.08056(8)(b), F.S.
17 S. 320.08056(8)(f), F.S.
18 S. 320.08056(10)(a), F.S.
19 S. 320.08056(11), F.S.
20 S. 320.08056 (10)(a), F.S.
21 S. 320.08062, F.S. Annual use fees may be used to pay for the cost of this required audit or report. See
s. 320.08056(10)(a), F.S.
22 S. 320.08058(3), F.S.
23 DHSMV, Supra note 1.
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Exempts collegiate license plates from presale voucher requirements.
Allows a previously discontinued collegiate license plate to be reauthorized by DHSMV if the
university resubmits the collegiate license plate for authorization.
American Eagle License Plate
Current Situation
Florida law currently authorizes the development of an American Eagle License Plate. 24 The specialty
plate is required to:
Bear the colors and design approved by DHSMV; and
Have the word “Florida” appear at the top of the plate and the words “In God We Trust” appear
at the bottom of the plate.25
The annual use fees from the sale of the plate must be distributed to the American Eagle Foundation
for deposit in the foundation’s national endowment fund. Up to 10 percent of the funds received may be
used for administrative costs and marketing of the plate. The remainder of the proceeds may be used
by the American Eagle Foundation to fund public education programs, rescue and care programs, and
other conservation efforts in Florida that benefit bald eagles.26
The plate has sold 145 presale vouchers and must sell an additional 2,855 presale vouchers in order to
be placed in production.27
Effect of the Bill
The bill replaces the phrase “In God We Trust” with “Protect the Eagle” on the bottom of the American
Eagle license plate design.
Universal Orlando Resort License Plate
Current Situation
Give Kids the World License Plate
Florida law currently authorizes the development of a Give Kids The World license plate. 28 The
specialty plate is required to:
Bear the colors and design approved by DHSMV; and
Have the word “Florida” appear at the top of the plate and the words “Give Kids The World”
appear at the bottom of the plate.29
The annual use fees from the sale of the plate must be distributed to Give Kids The World, Inc., a
nonprofit organization under s. 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Up to 10 percent of the
proceeds may be used for the promotion and marketing of the plate. The remainder of the proceeds
may be used by Give Kids The World, Inc., to support their mission of providing week-long, cost-free
vacations to children with critical illnesses and their families. 30
24 S. 320.08058(95), F.S.
25 Id.
26 Id.
27 This data is as of January 29, 2024, which is the most recently available data on the DHSMV website. FLHSMV,
SPECIALTY LICENSE PLATES: Pre-Sale Data, https://www.flhsmv.gov/motor-vehicles-tags -titles/personalized-specialty-
license-plates/specialty-license-plates/pre-sale-data/ (last visited Feb. 8, 2024).
28 S. 320.08058(107), F.S.
29 Id.
30 Id.
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The plate has sold 116 presale vouchers and must sell an additional 2,884 presale vouchers in order to
be placed in production.31
Give Kids The World and Universal Orlando Resort Partnership
Give Kids The World provides week-long, cost-free vacations to children with critical illnesses and their
families. Since 1990, Universal Orlando Resort has assisted Give Kids The World, Inc. by:
Providing free tickets, guest assistance passes, souvenirs, and costume characters;
Creating and funding the Give Kids the World’s Dinosaur-themed and fully interactive miniature
golf course; and
Providing their employees as volunteers.32
Effect of the Bill
The bill renames the Give Kids The World license plate in order to establish the Universal Orlando
Resort license plate and revises the design of such plate to replace the words “Give Kids The World”
with the words “Universal Orlando Resort” at the bottom of the plate.
Margaritaville License Plate
Current Situation
SFC Charitable Foundation, Inc, also known as Singing for Change, was founded by Jimmy Buffett in
1995 and is a Florida not-for-profit corporation registered with the Florida Department of State (DOS).33
According to the organization’s website, Singing for Change supports small nonprofits by providing
such entities with grants that aim to create positive social change within communities and help
individuals become more self-sufficient. The organization focuses on low-income communities or
people living in poverty.34
Effect of the Bill
The bill creates the Margaritaville license plate, with an annual use fee of $2535. The plate must bear
DHSMV-approved colors and designs, with “Florida” appearing at the top of the plate and
“Margaritaville” appearing at the bottom of the plate.
The annual use fees from the sale of the plate must be distributed to the SFC Charitable Foundation,
Inc, also known as Singing for Change, which may use up to 10 percent of such fees for administrative
costs and marketing of the plate. The balance of the fees must be used by SFC Charitable Foundation,
Inc., and must be distributed with the approval of, and accountability to, the board of directors of the
SFC Charitable Foundation, Inc. to:
Provide grants to nonprofit organizations in communities impacted by natural and manmade
disasters for recovery, rebuilding, and future sustainability; and
Promote and inspire grassroots leadership that will work to improve the quality of life in those
communities and others in this state.
31 This data is as of January 29, 2024, which is the most recently available data on the DHSMV website. FLHSMV,
SPECIALTY LICENSE PLATES: Pre-Sale Data, https://www.flhsmv.gov/motor-vehicles-tags -titles/personalized-specialty-
license-plates/specialty-license-plates/pre-sale-data/ (last visited Feb. 8, 2024).
32 Give Kids The World Village, Universal Orlando Resort, https://www.gktw.org/help/bio/universal.php (last visited Feb. 8,
2024).
33 SFC Charitable Foundation, Inc., Articles of Incorporation,
https://search.sunbiz.org/Inquiry/CorporationS earch/Convert TiffToP DF?storagePath= COR%5C1407% 5C0118%5CAR014
708.tif&documentNumber= N94000005329 (last visited Feb. 8, 2024).
34 Singing For Change, Mission Statement, https://www.singingforchange.org/mission -statement (last visited Feb. 8,
2024).
35 S. 320.08056(3)(d), F.S.
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Clearwater Marine Aquarium License Plate
Current Situation
The Clearwater Marine Aquarium, Inc., a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation, is dedicated to marine
mammal research and environmental conservation; marine life rescue, rehabilitation, and release;
animal care; and environmental education.36
The aquarium is located in Clearwater, Florida; and, according to the DOS, the Clearwater Aquarium,
Inc. is an active Florida not-for-profit corporation that has been active since March 23, 1972. 37
Effect of the Bill
The bill creates the Clearwater Marine Aquarium license plate, with an annual use fee of $25 38. The
plate must bear DHSMV-approved colors and designs, with “Florida” appearing at the top of the plate
and “Clearwater Marine Aquarium” appearing at the bottom of the plate.
The annual use fees from the sale of the plate must be distributed to the Clearwater Marine Aquarium,
Inc. Up to 10 percent of the fees f