End of the road for our old MS license plate. Here’s what you’ll be seeing soon
Those ”dirty” brown Mississippi license plates are on the way out after five years, and clean, new white plates are beginning to appear on cars and trucks across the state.
The DOR commissioner’s office confirmed Tuesday that the new plates are being issued when residents renew their registration in January.
People on the Coast loved the plate that featured the Biloxi lighthouse. It was followed by a blue guitar plate that saluted the state’s musical history.
After people complained about the design of the brown plate, a contest was held to choose a design.
From 400 entries, Leah Frances Eaton of Starkville had the winning design with her white plate with a magnolia — the state flower — in a black circle in the center of the plate.
Drivers automatically receive this new plate in the mail when they renew their registration online or are provided when when they renew in person.
Unless, that is, they choose to pay extra for one of the 150 “vanity” plates available in Mississippi.
The most popular is the antique car plate. Vehicles have to be 25 years or older and, once the owner pays the $25 fee, the plate is permanent and doesn’t require an annual renewal.
Many of the vanity plates provide funds for organizations, like the New Orleans Saints plate that benefits Infinity Science Center in Hancock County. There are specialty plates for coastal conservation, for hearses, for colleges and for Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority Supporter, which is blue, yellow and white and looks like the standard Pennsylvania’s plate.
One of the newest is the “blackout” tag with white text on a black plate. A portion of the cost of renewing this tag goes to families of fallen police officers and firefighters.
This story was originally published January 2, 2024 at 4:18 PM.
