DMV unveils new license plates

The Department of Motor Vehicles unveiled its recently redesigned license plate which drivers will be forced to purchase beginning in April 2010.

The “Empire Gold” license plate, which may remind some drivers of the plates from the early seventies to mid eighties, has a gold background with dark-blue lettering and numbers that are make up the central part of the plate. Similar to the current license plates, the new ones sport a dark-blue state symbol that separates the letters and the numbers. The top of the plate is bordered by a thick, dark-blue banner which contains boldfaced, gold letters boasting our state’s name. The bottom depicts dark-blue letters reading “Empire State.”

“The bold colors of the new license plate reflect New York’s force and its resilience,” said DMV Commissioner David J. Swarts. “These new plates, in the official colors of the state of New York, will help maintain highway safety, reduce the number of unregistered and uninsured vehicles on our roads and generate $129 million in general fund revenue over two years, which will help address the state’s financial crisis.”

Raising funds for the state budget by issuing new license plates have some residents concerned. On top of a renewal fee, the new plates will cost an extra $25 per set. Additionally, if individuals wish to keep their current plate number, an extra payment of $20 will be required.

Some county clerks are encouraging New Yorkers to sign an online petition to protest the new fees.

“License plates are a fundamental tool of law enforcement that has been enhanced in recent years through a variety of technologies that improve their readability, especially under low light conditions,” said State Police Superintendent Harry J. Corbitt in a statement. “The State Police has worked cooperatively with DMV to ensure that the new plates will continue to serve the law enforcement community effectively.”

Reissuing license plates every so often is important for overall safety, law enforcement and the general integrity of the plate, according to a statement from DMV. License plate visibility tends to decrease as license plates lose their reflectivity and become marred and damaged from use. The current plate’s legibility and reflectivity are only guaranteed for up to five years, but they have been in use for more than 10 years.

“This project will benefit law enforcement efforts, and therefore enhance public safety, in several ways,” Denise E. O’Donnell, deputy secretary for Public Safety and commissioner of the state Division of Criminal Justice Services said. “For instance, nearly 300 police agencies in New York state are currently deploying approximately 500 computerized license plate readers that enable authorities to quickly identify vehicles that have been stolen or used in a crime. These new plates will ensure that the license plate readers are as effective as possible.”

“By helping to reduce the number of uninsured motorists, the new Empire Gold plates will help keep auto insurance costs down for all New Yorkers during these difficult economic times,” said Superintendent of Insurance James J. Wrynn.

DMV will start issuing new plates for registration renewals that expire in May 2010. Customers renewing their vehicle registrations at a DMV office, through the phone, by mail or online will receive their new plates by mail. Customers completing an original over-the-counter registration transaction will receive their plates at that time.

Additional information on the new license plates can be found here.