Florida gives green light to UFC specialty license plate under new law signed by Gov. DeSantis
Florida's extensive specialty license plate program expanded after Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a measure into law launching the design process for new plates tied to South Florida high schools and the Ultimate Fighting Championship.
The bill (SB 246), which takes effect Oct. 1, includes new specialty plates for the U.S. Naval Academy, U.S. Military Academy, Miami Dade College, Florida Film Legacy and St. Petersburg College, along with the Miami Northwestern Alumni Association, Christopher Columbus High School and the UFC.
South Florida schools, UFC among new specialty plates
The Miami Northwestern Alumni Association quickly celebrated the announcement on Facebook, saying "Bull Nation is making history AGAIN!"
"We will be among the FIRST high schools in Florida to receive an official specialty license plate!" the association said. "This is more than a plate … it's legacy, pride and 70 years of excellence!"
The measure, signed by DeSantis on April 10, also removes a requirement for a membership verification letter to obtain a Fraternal Order of Police specialty plate.
Created in 2009, the Fraternal Order of Police plate was registered to 4,795 vehicles as of April 1, ranking 94th in specialty plate sales statewide.
How Florida's specialty plate program works
The law directs the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, which oversees the program, to develop an "Endless Summer" motorcycle plate.
The Endless Summer design, featuring a surfer silhouetted against an orange-yellow sunset, is Florida's top-selling specialty plate, with 145,063 registrations. Proceeds support the Surfing's Evolution & Preservation Foundation.
As of April 1, there were 2,369,857 specialty plates on the road across Florida, according to the department.
State officials have authorized 132 specialty license plates, including 14 still in the presale phase. Each new design must reach 3,000 preorders within two years before production begins.
Plates that fail to maintain at least 3,000 sales for 12 consecutive months face a halt in manufacturing. For designs featuring out-of-state universities, the minimum sales threshold is 4,000.
Organizations approved under Friday's measure will have 60 days to submit artwork for their plate. The state will then have three months to establish a presale voucher process for each group.
After Endless Summer, the top-selling plates in Florida include Helping Sea Turtles Survive (113,962), the University of Florida (93,439), the Miami Heat (90,413) and Florida State University (68,926).
Specialty plates typically cost an additional $15 to $25 on top of standard registration taxes and service fees.
The new law also requires each approved organization to submit a five-year revenue projection detailing how funds from plate sales will be used.