Some Florida Specialty Tags in Danger
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Updated: 8:49 PM Jun 24, 2009
Some Florida Specialty Tags in Danger
A hike in vehicle registration fees could curb cash flowing to some non-profit organizations. This summer the cost of registering your car with the state will go up as much as 12 bucks depending on your car’s size.
Posted: 8:49 PM Jun 24, 2009
Reporter: Whitney Ray

Florida Tag Registrations About To Cost More
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A hike in vehicle registration fees could curb cash flowing to some non-profit organizations. This summer the cost of registering your car with the state will go up as much as 12 bucks depending on your car’s size.

Specialty tags aren’t exempt from the increase. If people stop buying specialty tags many nonprofits will lose an important source of revenue.

Top 3 tags:
University of Florida: 107,068
Protect the Dolphins 71,828
Protect the Panthers 71,107

Bottom 3 Tags: (these tags are exempt from elimination because they are colleges)
Clearwater Christian College: 67
Florida Hospital College 151
Warner Southern College 177

Drivers in Florida can display their school pride on their plates. Sports fans can root for their team with their tags and wildlife lovers can drive with their favorite beast on their bumpers. Florida has 114 specialty plates, but the number could soon fall.

Ann Nucatola is a spokesman for the Florida Department of Motor Vehicles.

“When it comes to the specialty tags, except for the universities and colleges, there must be a mandatory minimum of 1,000 valid registrations associated with that tag.”

Right now only one tag, a corrections plate, is on the probation list. But that could soon change.

The price of renewing all Florida license plates will go up September 1st, some as much as 12 bucks.

But even though drivers will be paying more, organizations that benefit from the sale of specialty plates won’t see an extra dime. Jim Steele, who has an FSU tag on his truck, doesn’t like the math.

“In a way it will discourage me, but it won’t discourage me enough to keep me from buying the tag.”

Natasha Hutton has a wildflowers tag on her truck.

“It will discourage a lot of people from buying the tag, but I’ll probably continue supporting the cause.”

If the fee increase leads to fewer sales, it may do what critics have been unable to do: reduce the number of specialty plates available to drivers.

Anchor tag: If your tags expire before November 30th you can actually avoid paying the fee increase by re-registering your vehicles before September 1st.


Latest Comments

Posted by: Shirley Rodriguez Location: Inverness on Aug 4, 2009 at 01:11 PM

This is so unfair to us seniors,No COLA for three years but everything is going up up up!!
Posted by: Lisa Location: Blountstown on Jun 25, 2009 at 09:36 AM

This story is not giving all of the correct information. Registrations will cost a lot more than this story is reporting. All of the fees that are included with the base price of the registration are increasing by more than 50%. A Registration that cost around $45.00 now will increase to approximately $70.00 on Sept. 1, 2009. This information is located on the Florida DHSMV web site under Hot Topics. You can see the current fees and the new fees. Remember that the base fee for the registration is not the only fee that you are charged for when you pay for your registration.
Posted by: Brendan Location: panama city on Jun 25, 2009 at 08:14 AM

It is going to be large rate in tag theft or illeagle drivers on the road. I learned that my U.F tag is getting out of my price range. I am thinking of going to a cardboard for farm use only,
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