Kansas
Organizations/entities must have legislative sponsorship and authorization before a new distinctive license plate will be issued.

Specialty plates

Kansas Statutes
8-1,141.   Distinctive license plates; procedure for issuance; requirements; fees; deadlines; exceptions.
(e) (1)   Any person or organization sponsoring any distinctive license plate authorized by the legislature on and after July 1, 2004, shall submit to the division of vehicles a nonrefundable amount not to exceed $10,000, to defray the division's cost for developing such distinctive license plate.

Personalized plates

8-132.   License plates or decals to be furnished; time for new license plates; personalized license plates, display and cost; rules and regulations.
   (c)  Two personalized license plates may be issued to any owner or lessee … who makes proper application to the division of vehicles not less than 60 days prior to such owner's or lessee's renewal of registration date … . Unless the letters or numbers designated by the applicant have been assigned to another vehicle of the same type registered in the same county, or unless the letters or numbers designated by the applicant have a profane, vulgar, lewd or indecent meaning or connotation, as determined by the director of vehicles, the division shall assign such letters or numbers to the applicant's vehicle, and the letters or numbers, or combination thereof, so assigned shall be deemed the registration number of such vehicle.

Kentucky

Specialty plates

Kentucky Revised Statutes

Sec. 186.189. Special license plates for special groups or special purposes.
  (1) The Transportation Cabinet shall establish and may issue a special license plate to be used for special groups or special purposes. The cabinet may assign unique identifying letters and numbers to the special license plate authorized by this section.
  (2) An organization or group of persons who want to apply for a special license plate shall comply with the following conditions before being eligible to apply for a special license plate:
   (a) The organization or group shall be nonprofit;
   (b) The organization or group shall be based, headquartered, or have a chapter in Kentucky;
   (c) The organization or group may, but shall not be restricted to, social, civic, or entertainment purposes;
   (d) The name of the organization or group shall not be the name of a special product or a brand name;
   (e) The name of the organization or group shall not be construed as promoting a product or brand name as determined by the cabinet;
   (f) The organization or group shall not be a political party;
   (g) The organization or group shall not have been created primarily to promote a specific political belief; and
   (h) The organization or group shall not have as its primary purpose the promotion of any specific religion, faith, or antireligion.

Personalized plates

Sec. 186.174. Personalized license plates.
   (3) A personalized plate shall not be issued that would conflict with or duplicate the alphabetical-numerical system used for regular license plates or any other license plates issued in the Commonwealth, and shall not contain a combination of more than six (6) letters of the alphabet and Arabic numerals, including spaces. A personalized plate shall not be issued if, in the discretion of the cabinet, it carries a letter or number combinations that carry connotations offensive to good taste and decency …

Louisiana

Specialty plates

Louisiana Revised Statutes

Sec. 47:463. Private passenger vehicles; amputee veterans exempted; church, church school, and religious order vehicles.
 (3) (a) The secretary of the Department of Public Safety and Corrections shall issue license plates for private passenger vehicles …
      (b) No prestige plate shall be established after January 1, 2002, until the department has received a minimum of one thousand applications for such plate. In addition, the secretary shall establish a prestige license plate for an organization, in accordance with the provisions provided by law only when one of the following conditions is met:
         (i) The organization has prepaid to the secretary all the necessary fees required by law for one thousand applications for the license plate.
         (ii) The organization guarantees the secretary that if the license plate is established, at least one thousand license plates will be purchased by the members of the organization or citizens of Louisiana who have signed a list agreeing to purchase the license plate.

Personalized plates

Sec. 47:463.2. Special personalized prestige license plates for passenger vehicles.
   A. The commissioner shall establish and issue special personalized prestige license plates. The commissioner shall establish and promulgate rules and regulations for the procedures for application for and issuance of such special license plates … . The commissioner shall not issue a letter combination which might carry a connotation offensive to good taste and decency.

Case

Henderson v. Richard Stalder, Etc., 407 F.3d 351, 352 (5th Cir. 2005)
“This appeal concerns whether Louisiana's prestige license plate program facially discriminates against pro-choice views in contravention of the First Amendment. The program diverts excess charges over handling and ordinary registration fees for the plates to organizations endorsed by the legislature. Because of this feature of the program, we conclude that we lack jurisdiction over the case because of the Tax Injunction Act, 28 U.S.C. Sec. 1341.” The lower court ruling was vacated and the case was remanded with instructions to dismiss. The lower court had previously ruled: “The State of Louisiana has created a forum-prestige license plates for privately owned vehicles — that is only open to those organizations the viewpoints of which the State approves. There is no neutrality in the scheme as it stands now; by defendants' own description of the scheme, an organization may only obtain a specialty plate if the Louisiana legislature condones the message so as to adopt it. Thus, regardless of the type of forum, it is presumptively unconstitutional.” Henderson v. Stalder, 265 F. Supp. 2d 699, 718 (E.D. La., 2003)

Maine

Specialty plates

Maine Revised Statutes

Sec. 468. Specialty plate
   The Secretary of State may not issue a specialty license plate unless the specialty license plate is authorized by the Legislature. For the purposes of this section, "specialty license plate" means a specially designed registration plate that may be used in place of the regular plate and registration for fundraising purposes.
5. DESIGN APPROVAL. A sponsor must submit a proposed design for a specialty license plate for approval or modification by the Secretary of State. The joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over transportation matters shall review the final design for a specialty license plate prior to manufacture of the plate.

Sec. 468-A. Recognition license plates
   The Secretary of State may not issue a recognition license plate unless the recognition license plate is authorized by the Legislature. The Secretary of State shall administer a recognition license plate in accordance with this section.
    1. DEFINITION. "Recognition license plate" means a specially designed registration plate that may be used in place of the regular plate and registration for recognition purposes only and is not used for fundraising purposes.
    6. DESIGN APPROVAL. A sponsor must submit a proposed design for a recognition license plate for approval or modification by the Secretary of State. The joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over transportation matters shall review the final design for a recognition license plate prior to the manufacture of the plate.

Personalized plates

Sec. 453. Vanity registration plates.
3-A. RESTRICTIONS. The Secretary of State, in the Secretary of State's discretion, may refuse to issue a vanity plate that:
      A. Consists of or comprises language that is obscene, contemptuous,
     profane or prejudicial;
      B. Promotes abusive or unlawful activity;
      C. Falsely suggests an association with public institutions; or
      D. Is duplicative.

Maryland

Specialty plates

Code of Maryland

Sec. 13-619. Special registration plates for members of certain organizations.
 (c) Nonprofit organization. — The Administration may issue and continue a special registration number under this section if:
(2) At least 25 owners of vehicles in a class apply to the Administration for the assignment of special registration numbers, and at least 25 special registration numbers are issued initially;
(d) Regulations. — The Administration shall adopt regulations not inconsistent with the Maryland Vehicle Law to govern the issuance of special registration plates to members of nonprofit organizations under this section.
(g) Contents of special registration plates. —
   (1) The special registration plates or plate issued under this section may consist of:
      (i)  1. Any combination of letters, numerals, or both; and
           2. The name, initials, or abbreviation of the name of the organization; or
      (ii) 1. Any combination of letters, numerals, or both;
           2. The name, initials, or abbreviation of the name of the organization; and
           3. An emblem or logo as authorized by the Administration that depicts the organization.

Personalized plates

Sec. 13-613. Personalized registration plates for Class A (passenger), Class D (motorcycle), Class E (truck), Class G (nonfreight trailer), Class L (historic), Class M (multipurpose) and Class N (street rod) vehicles.
(c) Assignment of special number. —
      (2) In its discretion, the Administration may refuse any combination of letters and numerals.

Massachusetts

Specialty plates

Annotated Laws of Massachusetts

Sec. 2F. Design, Issue and Regulation of Distinctive Registration Plates.
   (a) The registrar shall design, issue and regulate the use of distinctive registration plates, subject to the following conditions … . Upon the completion of the submission of the bond and the 1,500 individual applications, the organization or group requesting the distinctive registration plate shall submit a proposed design for the plate. The registrar shall approve the design within 90 days of its submission. After the registrar grants approval of the design, the registrar shall send the distinctive registration plate into production.

Personalized plates

Sec. 2. Registration of Motor Vehicles and Trailers; Reciprocal Agreements With Other States; Transfer of Vehicles; Special License Plates.

The registrar may also … furnish to owners of private passenger motor vehicles special number plates of distinctive types, to be known as distinctive initial plates, which may contain a register number consisting of a group of letters or a combination of numbers and letters; provided, however, that such group or combination shall not consist of more than six letters or numbers or combination thereof; and provided further, that there shall be no duplication of identification. The registrar may determine such standards and qualifications for the issuance of said plates as he deems proper.

(There is no statute or rule/regulation spelling out what is improper, but the application for distinctive initial plates (“Request for Vanity Plates,” distributed by the state Registry of Motor Vehicles) lists the following standards:)

1. The Registrar will not knowingly issue a requested Vanity registration plate containing a group of letters or combination of numbers and letters if the plate is either offensive or duplicative of an existing registration. Specifically, the Registrar will not issue a requested combination of letters and numbers or letters alone if:

Michigan

Specialty plates

Michigan Statutes

Sec. 257.803m.    Special organization plates.
(2) Special organization plates shall bear letters and numbers as the secretary of state prescribes. Special organization plates may contain the symbol of the organization to the left of the plate number. The secretary of state shall not issue a letter combination or permit the use of a symbol which might carry a connotation offensive to good taste and decency … . Special organization plates shall not be a duplication of another registration plate.
   (3) In order to qualify its members to receive special organization plates, an organization shall meet all of the following criteria:
   (a) Be a nonprofit fraternal or public service organization.
   (c) Have a recognizable state, national, or international symbol or emblem of the organization.
   (e) Not practice or influence others to practice any form of discrimination prohibited by the Elliott-Larsen civil rights act,  1976 PA 453, MCL 37.2101 to 37.2804.

Personalized plates

Sec. 257.803b. amended.   Personalized registration plate; number; use; letters and numbers; offensive connotation; material; duplication prohibited; submission of application; payment, disposition, and use of service fee; expiration date; letters and numbers given to different person in subsequent year; other sequence of letters and numbers; temporary permit.

   Sec. 803b. (1) [Effective Jan. 1, 2006]…Personalized plates shall bear letters and numbers as the secretary of state prescribes. The secretary of state shall not issue a letter combination which might carry a connotation offensive to good taste and decency.

Minnesota

Specialty plates

Minnesota Statutes

168.1293 Special license plates; authorization; discontinuance.
Subdivision 1. Definition. For purposes of this section and section 168.1297, "special license plate" means a license plate that is authorized by law to have wording and graphics that differ from a Minnesota passenger vehicle license plate.
Subd. 3. Design; redesign. (a) If the special license plate sought by the requester is approved by law, the requester shall submit the proposed design for the plate to the department as soon as practicable, but not later than 120 days after the effective date of the law authorizing issuance of the plate. The department is responsible for selecting the final design for the special license plate.

Personalized plates

168.12 License plates.
Subd. 2a. Personalized plates; rules. (a) …In lieu of the numbers assigned as provided in subdivision 1, personalized license plates must have imprinted on them a series of not more than seven numbers and letters in any combination. When an applicant has once obtained personalized plates…The commissioner of public safety shall adopt rules in the manner provided by chapter 14, regulating the issuance and transfer of personalized license plates. No words or combination of letters placed on personalized license plates may be used for commercial advertising, be of an obscene, indecent, or immoral nature, or be of a nature that would offend public morals or decency. The call signals or letters of a radio or television station are not commercial advertising for the purposes of this subdivision.

Mississippi

Specialty plates

Organizations or other entities must have legislative authorization before a new distinctive license plate will be issued in accordance with Mississippi Code Sec. 27-19-44. Special license tags or plates.

Personalized plates

Mississippi Code

Sec. 27-19-48. Personalized license tag; additional fee.

(1) … No combination of letters or numbers which comprise words or expressions that are considered obscene, slandering, insulting or vulgar in ordinary usage shall be permitted, with the Chairman of the State Tax Commission having the responsibility of making this determination.

Missouri

Specialty plates

Missouri Statutes

CHAPTER 301.  REGISTRATION AND LICENSING OF MOTOR VEHICLES. 
ADDITIONAL SPECIAL LICENSE PLATES
Sec. 301.3150. Procedure for approval, exceptions — transfer of moneys collected.
   7. The department of revenue shall submit for approval all applications for the development of specialty plates to the joint committee on transportation oversight during a regular session of the general assembly for approval.
   8. If the specialty license plate requested by an organization is approved by the joint committee on transportation oversight, the organization shall submit the proposed art design for the specialty license plate to the department as soon as practicable, but no later than sixty days after the approval of the specialty license plate. If the specialty license plate requested by the organization is not approved by the joint committee on transportation oversight, ninety-seven percent of the application fee shall be refunded to the requesting organization.

Personalized plates

Sec. 301.144. Personalized license plates, appearance, fees — new plates every three years without charge — obscene or offensive plates prohibited — amateur radio operators, plates, how marked — repossessed vehicles, placards — retired U.S. military plates, how marked.
  3. No personalized license plates shall be issued containing any letters, numbers or combination of letters and numbers which are obscene, profane, patently offensive or contemptuous of a racial or ethnic group, or offensive to good taste or decency, or would present an unreasonable danger to the health or safety of the applicant, of other users of streets and highways, or of the public in any location where the vehicle with such a plate may be found.

Missouri Code of State Regulations

10-23.185 Obscene License Plates
   (1) Language or symbols which are obscene or profane are not protected by the United States or Missouri Constitution. The language or symbols shall not be allowed on any personalized motor vehicle license plate issued under the provisions of section 301.144, RSMo. In determining whether or not requests for personalized motor vehicle license plates contain language or symbols which are obscene or profane, the Department of Revenue will use the standards in section (2).
  (2) The following terms, as used in this rule, shall be defined as follows:
     (A) Obscene — Language or symbols which represent or describe ultimate excretory functions or sexual acts in a patently offensive manner or make lewd reference to the male or female sexual organs and appeal to the prurient interests of the average person applying contemporary community standards (see Miller v. California, 413 U.S. 15, 93 S.Ct. 2607 (1973)). Prurient interests, as used in this definition, shall mean shameful or morbid interest in nudity, sex or excretion that goes substantially beyond customary limits or candor in description or representation of these matters (see Haldeman v. United States, C.A. Kan., 340 F2d 59 (10th Cir., 1965)); and
     (B) Profane — Language or symbols which are irreverent or contemptuous of things regarded as sacred or that imply divine condemnation (see Baker v. State, 16 Ariz. App. 463, 494 P2d, 68 (1972) and Duncan v. United States, 48 F2d 128 (9th Cir., 1931)).
  (3) No motor vehicle license plate will be issued by the Department of Revenue if the language or symbols on the plate are obscene or profane. In order to make this determination, the Department of Revenue will look to the way the average person applying contemporary community standards would view the license plate. Factors which the Department of Revenue may consider in this regard include, but are not limited to:
   (A) An explanation by the registrant as to why s/he chose particular language or symbols to be on his/her personalized motor vehicle license plate;
   (B) Complaints from the public regarding a license plate with the same letters, numbers or symbols as that requested or held by the registrant;
   (C) Complaints from the public regarding a license plate with similar letters, numbers or symbols as that requested or held by the registrant;
   (D) Dictionary definitions of the language or symbols requested by the registrant; and
   (E) Information from other states regarding motor vehicle plates which have not been issued by them because they found them to be obscene or profane.
  (4) The Department of Revenue shall recall any personalized motor vehicle license plate which it has already issued if it determines that a plate is obscene or profane.

AUTHORITY: section 301.144, RSMo (Cum. Supp. 1991).

Montana

Specialty plates

Montana Code

61-3-475  Qualifications and approval of organization as sponsor.
(1)  To qualify as a sponsor of a generic specialty license plate, an organization shall:
   (e)  submit to the department proof that is acceptable to the department that:
      (i)  the organization is a nonprofit organization as demonstrated in its charter or bylaws or by an internal revenue service ruling. The department may request copies of an internal revenue service ruling to verify an organization's nonprofit status.
      (ii)  the primary purpose of the organization, except for an organization of military service veterans, is service to the community through specific programs that promote improving public health, education, or general welfare;
      (iii)  the organization's name, identifying phrase, or graphic that will be placed on the generic specialty license plate does not:
(A)  invoke connotations offensive to good taste and decency;
(B)  promote, advertise, or endorse a product, brand, or service provided for sale;
(C)  infringe or otherwise violate a trademark, trade name, service mark, copyright, or other proprietary or property right; or
(D)  obscure the generic specialty license plate letters or numbers that the department assigns as provided in 61-3-474(1)(c);
      (iv)  the organization's headquarters or base of operations is in this state or, if the organization is a chapter or branch of an international, national, or regional organization, the chapter or branch is in good standing and has authorization in writing from the parent organization to use the name and graphic of the parent organization; and
      (v)  the organization has an active telephone number listed under its name in at least one published Montana directory.

Personalized plates

61-3-405  Application for personalized plates.
   An applicant for personalized license plates or renewal of such plates in subsequent years pursuant to 61-3-401 through 61-3-406 shall file an application therefor in the form and by the date the department requires, indicating thereon the combination of letters or numbers, or both, requested as a registration number. There shall be no duplication of registration numbers, and the department may refuse to issue any combination of letters or numbers, or both, that may carry connotations offensive to good taste and decency or which are misleading or a duplication of license plates provided for elsewhere in this title.

Nebraska
Nebraska does not allow the issuance of specialty plates to organizations. Several bills have come before the Legislature but none has passed.

Personalized plates

Nebraska Statutes

Sec. 60-311.11. Message plates; conditions.
(2) The following conditions apply to all personalized message license plates:
(e) The characters in the order used shall not express, connote, or imply any obscene or objectionable words or abbreviations.
(3) The Department of Motor Vehicles shall have sole authority to determine if the conditions prescribed in subsection (2) of this section have been met.

Nevada
Nevada law does not distinguish between specialty and personalized license plates.

Nevada Statutes

482.367004. Commission on Special License Plates: Creation; membership; terms; vacancies; service without salary or compensation; administrative support; duties.
5. The Commission shall approve or disapprove:
   (a) Applications for the design, preparation and issuance of special license plates that are submitted to the Department pursuant to subsection 1 of NRS 482.367002; and
   (b) The issuance by the Department of special license plates that have been designed and prepared pursuant to NRS 482.367002.

   In determining whether to approve such an application or issuance, the Commission shall consider, without limitation, whether it would be appropriate and feasible for the Department to, as applicable, design, prepare or issue the particular special license plate.

482.3667.  Preparation for issuance; procedures for application and issuance; persons qualified for issuance; period of validity; renewal; priority; powers and duties of Department.
   5. The Department may limit by regulation the number of letters and numbers used and prohibit the use of inappropriate letters or combinations of letters and numbers.

Nevada Administrative Code

482.320 Nomenclature used.
6. No combination of letters, numbers or spaces is allowed if it:
     (a) Creates confusion with any combination on other license plates.
     (b) Expresses contempt, ridicule or superiority of:
         (1) Race;
         (2) Ethnic heritage;
         (3) Religion;
         (4) Gender; or
         (5) Political affiliation.
     (c) Contains any connotation that is sexual, vulgar, derogatory, profane or obscene.
     (d) Contains a direct or indirect reference to a:
         (1) Drug or drug paraphernalia; or
         (2) Gang.
     (e) Makes a defamatory reference to a person or group.
     (f) Is determined by the department to be inappropriate.

New Hampshire
The New Hampshire Special License Plate Program for organizational license plates was repealed in 1996, effective 1999.

Personalized plates

New Hampshire Revised Statutes

Sec. 261:89. Vanity Number Plates
   The director is hereby authorized to design and to issue, under such rules as he shall deem appropriate, vanity number plates to be used on motor vehicles in lieu of other number plates. Such number plates shall be of such design and shall bear such letters or letters and numbers as the director shall prescribe, but there shall be no duplication of identification …

New Hampshire Code of Administrative Rules
 Department of Safety.

Saf-C 514.61 Vanity or Initial Registration Plate.
(c) A vanity or initial registration plate shall:
    (1) Not have the identical or similar combination of characters as any other    classification;
    (2) Not be capable of an obscene interpretation;
    (3) Not be ethnically, racially or which a reasonable person would find offensive to good taste;
    (4) Not have more than 7 characters;
    (5) Not have more than one ampersand, numeral, plus sign, or minus sign in sequence;
    (6) Not have any characters other than ampersands, numerals, plus signs, minus signs, or letters;
    (7) Not have only numerals or only numerals and ampersands, plus signs, or minus signs; and
    (8) Not have characters or combinations of characters which may cause difficulty of distinction or identification.
(d) The director shall recall any vanity or initial registration plate that has been issued which does not conform with the requirements of (c) above.

New Jersey

Specialty plates

New Jersey Statutes

Sec. 39:3-27.36. Conditions for issuance
   Special organization vehicle registration plates shall be issued subject to the following conditions:
  b. The representative shall, upon application on behalf of any member, provide a copy of the charter of the organization to the division which shall indicate the organization's lawful purpose and shall also provide proof of its nonprofit status.
   d. The representative also shall submit to the division the name or initials the organization wishes to be placed at the bottom of the plate and a logotype. The use and arrangement of the name, initials, or logotype of the organization on the registration plates shall be in the sole discretion of the director.

Sec. 39:3-27.37. Director as final authority
   The director shall have the authority to make the final decision as to whether or not an organization is approved for the issuance of special organization vehicle registration plates to its members notwithstanding the organization's compliance with section 2 of P.L.1987, c. 374 (C. 39:3-27.36).

New Jersey Administrative Code

SUBCHAPTER 39. Special Registration Plates for Non-Profit Organizations.
Sec. 13:20-39.3 Qualifications for organization approval; final decision; right to suspend approval
   (a) An organization seeking approval from the Division pursuant to this subchapter to have special motor vehicle registration plates prepared for its members in good standing who wish to apply for them shall:
  3. Be a non-profit organization; and
  4. Receive written approval from the Director as qualifying for special motor vehicle registration plates for its members in good standing who apply for same.
     (b) The Director shall render the final decision as to whether or not an organization is approved for the issuance of special motor vehicle registration plates for its members pursuant to this subchapter in accordance with N.J.S.A. 39:3-27.37.
     (c) The Director, in his or her discretion, may suspend approval of any organization which had previously been granted permission to obtain special motor vehicle registration plates on behalf of its members pursuant to this subchapter in accordance with N.J.S.A. 39:3-27.38.

Sec. 13:20-39.8 Plate design
   (a) An organization, through its designated organization liaison, shall submit to the Division a special motor vehicle registration plate prototype design which indicates the name or initials that the organization wishes to appear at the bottom of the special motor vehicle registration plate and the logotype, if any, that the organization wishes to appear on the special motor vehicle registration plate.
   (b) The Director shall make the final determination pursuant to this subchapter as to:
      1. The use, arrangement and size of an approved organization's name on the special motor vehicle registration plates;
      2. Any initials that are to appear at the bottom of the special motor vehicle registration plates; and
      3. The use, arrangement and size of an approved organization's desired logotype on the special motor vehicle registration plates.
   (c) An approved organization will be notified whether its plate design has been approved through a letter from the Director to the organization liaison.

Personalized plates

New Jersey Statutes

Sec. 39:3-33.3. Special identifying marks; issuance of plates
  The Director of the Division of Motor Vehicles is hereby authorized to issue, upon application, registration plates of a particular identifying mark or marks to be displayed as provided in section 39:3-33 of the Revised Statutes, composed of such combination of letters and figures, in accordance with the identification system as may be requested in such application provided that the particular identifying mark so requested is not then issued to and held by some other person or otherwise reserved by the director.

New Jersey Administrative Code

SUBCHAPTER 34. Identifying Marks.
Sec. 13:20-34.1 Definitions
   The following words and terms, when used in this Subchapter shall have the following meanings unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

"Particular identifying mark or marks" mean motor vehicle license plates having inscribed thereon motor vehicle registration numbers comprised of combinations of letters or numbers, or both, requested by the registrants.

Sec. 13:20-34.3 Registration numbers excluded
   (a) The following registration numbers shall be excluded from issuance as "particular identifying marks" and, where so indicated, shall be used for the purpose specified:
 35. Any combination of alphabetic characters or numbers, or both, that may carry connotations offensive to good taste and decency.

Case

Children First Found., Inc. v. Legreide, Civil Action # 04-2137(D.N.J. 2005)
In December 2003, the nonprofit organization Children First Foundation applied for a New Jersey specialty license plate that included the words “Choose Life.” The chief administrator of the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission at the time, Diane Legreide, denied the application, claiming that the design included an impermissible advocacy statement. CFF resubmitted its application, removed the “Choose Life” message and, in its place, included its legally registered name, NJCHOOSELIFE.ORG. This design was denied for the same reason. CFF filed suit on May 4, 2004, claiming a violation of its First Amendment rights. Legreide and other state officials filed a motion to dismiss the case or stay the action. That motion was denied on March 31, 2005. Legreide requested a reargument claiming the court was incorrect in dismissing its earlier motion. The court granted the motion for a reargument but denied the request for a stay in the action. On Nov. 17, 2005, the U.S. District Court for the state of New Jersey heard the reargument requested by the New Jersey MVC. The court granted a reconsideration of the March 31 decision and again denied a stay of the action initiated by CCF and denied a request to have the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals look at the case. The case is pending.

New Mexico

Specialty plates

Statutes of New Mexico

Sec. 66-3-424.  Standardized special registration plates with logos.
A. Standardized special registration plates with logos may be authorized by statute to show state support for worthy public purposes. The authorizing statute shall provide for collection of fees that, at a minimum, will cover the costs to the division of development, manufacture and issuance of the special registration plates and logos.
C. Special registration logos, except for the standard dimension specified in Paragraph (3) of Subsection B of this section, shall be left to the design discretion of the division, in consultation with the public purpose interest group that requests the special registration plate.

Personalized plates

Sec. 66-3-15.  Special registration plates; procedures; fee
   A. The division shall establish and issue special registration plates, including motorcycle prestige registration plates and shall establish and promulgate procedures for applications for and issuance of special registration plates.

New Mexico Administrative Code

Sec. 18.19.3.62.  PRESTIGE PLATES — CONTENT OF SET — REVIEW OF SET BY DIVISION
   A. Except as otherwise provided in 18.19.3.62 NMAC, a set may be composed of any permissible characters in any order as long as the set is consistent with the requirements of 18.19.3.61 NMAC. Prior to approval for the establishment and issuance of the prestige plate, the division will review the set.
   B. No prestige plate will be established or approved for issuance which displays a set that:
   (1) duplicates that of any existing registration plate or registration plate or set for which an application is in process;
   (2) the division finds to be derogatory or obscene; or
   (3) falsely states or implies that the vehicle or the driver represents the authority of a governmental agency or official.

New York
Currently there is a moratorium on issuing new custom license plates for organizations. The New York Legislature is discussing a new process. Formerly, such plates could be obtained in two ways: the sponsoring organization could seek approval from the Legislature or the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles.

Personalized plates

New York Consolidated Laws

NY CLS Vehicle & Traffic laws.
Sec. 404.  Issuance of special number plates
   1. The commissioner may issue special number plates to applicants therefor in the same manner as other number plates are issued pursuant to this article … . Application for special number plates shall be made in accordance with regulations promulgated by the commissioner with respect to issuance of such number plates.

New York Codes, Rules and Regulations
 
PART 16. Special Number Plates
Sec. 16.5  Restrictions
   No plate shall be issued under this Part which:
     (e) is, in the discretion of the commissioner, obscene, lewd, lascivious, derogatory to a particular ethnic or other group, or patently offensive; or
     (f) would lead one to believe that the owner of a particular vehicle is connected with or operating in an official capacity for a governmental organization or function.

Cases
Children First Foundation v. Martinez, 05-0567-cv, (2nd Cir. 2006)
In August 2004, the Children First Foundation filed a lawsuit against Raymond P. Martinez and other New York state officials claiming violations of its constitutional right based upon the denial of its application for a custom license plate which included the words “Choose Life.” The defendants, Martinez and the other New York state officials, filed a motion to dismiss which was denied in January 2005. They then filed a motion to reconsider which was denied in March 2005. The decisions were appealed to the 2nd Circuit.

The defendants argued that denial of the plate was permissible under the government-speech doctrine, which holds that the government has its own First Amendment rights to advance its ideas and messages. They argued that New York’s custom-plate program (since discontinued) was government speech, and that as such the government could discriminate as to viewpoint. The 2nd Circuit disagreed and held that custom license plates involved some private speech; therefore, the government could not discriminate by viewpoint. The 2nd Circuit denied the motion to dismiss on March 6, 2006.

North Carolina
Special organizations and causes must get approval through the North Carolina Legislature before a special plate can be issued.

Personalized plates

North Carolina General Statutes

Sec. 20-79.4. Special registration plates.

(32) Personalized. — Issuable to the registered owner of a motor vehicle. The plate will bear the letters or letters and numbers requested by the owner. The Division may refuse to issue a plate with a letter combination that is offensive to good taste and decency. The Division may not issue a plate that duplicates another plate.

North Dakota

Specialty plates

North Dakota Century Code

39-04-10.13.  Public or nonprofit organization number plate.
   1. The director shall develop an organization number plate program for distinctive number plates for qualifying public and for nonprofit organizations recognized by the internal revenue service as tax exempt under 26 U.S.C. 501(c)(3) … The organization may submit a design for the distinctive number plate for approval by the director. Upon approval by the director and proper application … the director shall include the number plate in the organization number plate program.
   2. The following organizations do not qualify for an organization number plate: out-of-state colleges and universities; groups within high schools, junior colleges, universities, and technical schools, including individual boosters, athletic boosters, and similar groups; unions; political organizations; religious organizations; groups that promote racial or social disharmony; and public offices.

Personalized plates

39-04-10.3. Personalized plates.
The department may, in its discretion, provide special license plates …

Ohio

Specialty plates

Ohio Code

Sec. 4503.78. Implementation date for new special plates; reestablishment of terminated program
   (A) Except as may otherwise be specifically provided by law, after the effective date of this section, the registrar of motor vehicles shall not be required to implement any legislation that creates a license plate and provides for its issuance until the registrar receives written statements from not less than one thousand persons, indicating that they intend to apply for and obtain such license plates for their motor vehicles. The registrar may require such statements to be made on a form the registrar provides.

(The procedure for issuing a special plate in Ohio is not established by statute. However, according to Ohio BMV officials, there is a set of criteria which must be met:)

Before the Bureau of Motor Vehicles can create a special logo plate, an organization would have to meet the following criterion: 1) The organization must collect 1000 signatures on petitions from Ohio residents stating that they will purchase the plate should one be created. The original petitions with the signatures must be submitted to the BMV. 2) The agent for the organization must contact a State Representative or Senator who is willing to sponsor a bill to be introduced into the General Assembly for your plate. The bill must pass the General Assembly and be signed by the Governor before we can manufacture the plate. 3) The organization must also submit to the BMV an application, letter authorizing the BMV to print the organization's logo, and an electronic file of the artwork for the logo in a specified format.

Personalized plates

(The standards for vanity plates are also not established by statute but rather are the product of a settlement with the ACLU. A Special License Plate Screening Committee meets to review and vote on proposed special license plates using the following guidelines.)

Special License Plate Screening Guidelines. 1) If the requested license plate contains words, combinations and/or phrases (in any language and when read either frontward or backward) that are profane (that is, swearwords or expletives), obscene, sexually explicit, or scatological: or 2) Contains words, combinations, and/or phrases (in any language and when read either frontward or backward) that are so offensive that they could reasonably be expected to provoke a violent response from viewers without additional comment; or 3) Contains words, combinations and/or phrases (in any language and when read either frontward or backward) that advocate immediate lawlessness or advocate lawless activities.

Case

NARAL Pro-Choice Ohio v. Taft, Case No. 1:05 CV 1064 (N.D. Ohio, 2005)
NARAL Pro-Choice Ohio and others filed suit against Ohio Gov. Bob Taft and other state officials challenging an Ohio statute that made available “Choose Life” license plates. The pro-choice group claimed the statute violated the First and 14th amendments. The state officials filed a motion to dismiss the case. “Defendants filed their Motion to Dismiss arguing that the Tax Injunction Act, 28 U.S.C. Sec. 1341 (2000) ("the TIA"), divests this Court of subject matter jurisdiction in this case because the charges for the "Choose Life" plates constitute a tax, rather than a fee. The TIA prohibits a district court from enjoining the assessment, levy or collection of any tax under State law when State courts offer a ‘plain, speedy and efficient remedy.’ 28 U.S.C. Sec. 1341.” The court agreed with the State of Ohio defendants and dismissed the case.

Oklahoma

Specialty plates

Oklahoma Statutes

Sec. 1135.7.  Authorization to design and issue special license plates
    A. Beginning January 1, 2006, the Oklahoma Tax Commission is authorized to design and issue special license plates to any person that applies to the Tax Commission for the creation of a special license plate and meets the minimum standards and qualifications specified in this section.
    B. If the following standards and guidelines are satisfied, the Tax Commission shall issue a special license plate to the person making application for the special license plate:
    1. The license plate is to:
        a. show membership in or affiliation with an organization, or
        b. demonstrate support for an organization, group or cause;
    2. The license plate does not advertise or endorse a product, brand, or service that is provided for sale;
    3. The license plate does not promote any philosophy based on prejudice or that is contrary to state civil rights laws; and
    4. Five hundred prepaid applications for the special license plate are received by the Tax Commission.
H. As used in this section, "person" includes an individual, group, organization or not-for-profit corporation that is recognized as such by the Internal Revenue Service.
Sec. 1135.5.  Special license plates — Demonstration of support and financial assistance to specific causes.
    A. The Oklahoma Tax Commission is hereby authorized to design and issue appropriate official special license plates to persons wishing to demonstrate support and provide financial assistance as provided by this section.

Personalized plates

Sec. 1135.4.  Personalized license plates
    A. The Oklahoma Tax Commission is hereby authorized to design and issue personalized license plates. The personalized license plates shall be issued on a staggered system except for vintage decals.

Oklahoma Administrative Code

710:60-3-150. Special license plates, general provisions
(d) Non-offensive content policy. No special license plate will be issued which may be offensive to the general public.

Oregon

Specialty plates

Oregon Statutes

805.205. Issuance of special plates for certain groups; rules; surcharge; disposition of moneys.
   (1) The Department of Transportation by rule shall provide for issuance of registration plates described in subsection (3) of this section for nonprofit groups meeting the qualifications for tax exempt status under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, for institutions of higher education and for veterans' organizations … . Plates issued under this section may not contain expressions of political opinion or religious belief. Rules adopted under this section shall include, but need not be limited to, rules that:
(a) Describe general qualifications to be met by any group in order to be eligible for plates issued under this section.
(b) Specify circumstances under which the department may cease to issue plates for any particular group.

Personalized plates

805.240. Customized plates; fee.
   The Department of Transportation is authorized to issue customized registration plates upon the request of vehicle owners.

Oregon Administrative Rules

735-046-0010 Custom Plates — Application and Standards.
(7) DMV shall not approve a custom plate choice, including plate choices that would do so by means of foreign or slang words or phrases, by use of phonetic, numeric or reverse spelling, or by being viewed in mirror image, that:
   (a) Would have the effect of alarming, threatening, offending or misleading a reasonable person. Such choices may include, but are not limited to, combinations of letters, numbers or both that:
     (A) Refer to intimate bodily parts or to sexual or excretory acts or functions;
     (B) Refer in an alarming or offensive manner to a person or class of persons on the basis or race, color, gender, ethnic heritage, national origin, or other characteristic;
     (C) Suggest that the vehicle to which the custom plate is issued is an official vehicle of a public agency or official, when it is in fact not such a vehicle; and/or
     (D) Refer to illegal acts.
   (b) Refers to alcoholic beverages, or controlled substances or paraphernalia used in the consumption thereof by combinations of letters, numbers or both.
(8) DMV may use any reliable lexicological source to determine the meaning of any word, symbol or phrase.
(9) When reviewing a plate choice for approval, DMV need not consider the applicant's subjective intent or declared meaning.

Pennsylvania

Specialty and personalized plates

Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes

Sec. 1341.  Special registration plates generally
  Upon request by the applicant, the department may issue registration plates consisting of any combination of numbers, letters or numbers and letters. These special plates may be issued for special groups or for special purposes and bear an appropriate designation … . The department may refuse any combination of letters and numbers for cause and shall adopt reasonable rules and regulations for the issuance of the plates and for carrying out the provisions of this section.

Pennsylvania Administrative Code

67 Pa. Code Sec. 49.3. Personal registration plates
  (b) Limitations and content. Personal registration plates shall conform with the following:
(1) A personal registration plate may not contain a combination of letters or numbers, or both, which, in the judgment of the Department, has connotations offensive to good taste and decency or would be misleading. The Department reserves the right to recall a personal registration plate which it later determines to be offensive or misleading.

Rhode Island

Specialty plates

Organizations must go through the Legislature to get authorization for the issuance of a new plate.

Personalized plates

General Laws of Rhode Island

Sec. 31-3-17.1. Courtesy plates
   The administrator of the division of motor vehicles shall design and issue under regulations that he or she deems appropriate special courtesy registration plates … in lieu of other number plates. Special plates shall be of such design and shall bear such letters or combinations of letters and numbers as the administrator of the division of motor vehicles shall prescribe … and provided further, that there shall be no duplication of identification and the administrator of the division of motor vehicles shall in his or her discretion refuse to issue any letter or combination of letters and numbers which might carry connotations offensive to good taste and decency.

South Carolina

Specialty plates

South Carolina Code of Laws

Sec. 56-3-8000. Non-profit organization license plates.
(H) The department may alter, modify, or refuse to produce any special license plate that it deems offensive or fails to meet community standards. If the department alters, modifies, or refuses to produce a special license plate, the organization or individual applying for the license plate may appeal the department's decision to a special joint legislative committee.

Personalized plates

Sec. 56-3-2010. Issuance of personalized license plates authorized.
   (A) The department shall provide, upon proper application being made, special personalized motor vehicle license plates to the owner of a private passenger motor vehicle and motorcycles. The personalized plates must be of the design and bear the letters and numerals the department prescribes ... . The department, in its discretion, may refuse the issue of letter combinations which may carry connotations offensive to good taste and decency and may not assign to a person not holding the relevant office letters or numerals denoting the holder to have a public office.

Case

Planned Parenthood of S.C., Inc. v. Rose, 361 F.3d 786, 787 (4th Cir., 2004)
“South Carolina has a statute that authorizes a specialty license plate imprinted with the words ‘Choose Life.’ A comparable plate with a pro-choice message is not available. Planned Parenthood of South Carolina, Inc. (PPSC) and Renee Carter have sued three South Carolina officials on First Amendment grounds, claiming that the statute authorizing the Choose Life plate amounts to viewpoint discrimination by the State. The district court agreed and declared the statute unconstitutional. We affirm in three opinions, with Judge Luttig and Judge Gregory each writing separately to concur in the judgment.”

South Dakota

Specialty plates

South Dakota Statutes

Sec. 32-5-137.  Specialty plates — Organizational decals — Eligibility
   To qualify for an organizational decal, an organization shall be a nonprofit corporation, or a group of nonprofit corporations with a common purpose, on file with the secretary of state's office and shall have a minimum of two hundred members and shall meet the following requirements:
   (1) The primary activity or interest of the organization or group of organizations serves the community, contributes to the welfare of others, and is not offensive or discriminatory in its purpose, nature, activity, or name;
   (2) The name and purpose of the organization or group of organizations does not promote any specific product or brand name that is provided for sale; and
   (3) The decal of the organization or group of organizations does not promote a specific religion, faith, or anti-religious belief.

Personalized plates

Sec. 32-5-89.2.  Special personalized license plates — Connotations offensive to good taste and decency may be rejected
   Any owner of a motor vehicle, including a motorcycle, who is a resident of this state, and who has complied with all laws of this state in obtaining regular license plates for a motor vehicle, including a motorcycle, may have the license plates replaced by special personalized license plates which shall conform in size and color combinations as may be provided by the secretary. No personalized license plate for a motor vehicle other than a motorcycle may contain more than seven letters nor less than two letters. No personalized license plate for a motorcycle may contain more than six letters nor less than two letters. There may be no duplication of the personalized license plates issued by the secretary. The secretary may refuse to issue any letter combination which carries connotations offensive to good taste and decency.

Tennessee

Specialty and personalized plates

Tennessee Code Annotated

PART 2.  SPECIAL LICENSE PLATES
55-4-201.  Issuance — Applicability of part — Requirements — Plates deemed obsolete due to inactivity
   (a) (1)  All cultural, specialty earmarked and new specialty earmarked motor vehicle registration plates, memorial motor vehicle registration plates and special purpose motor vehicle registration plates now, or in the future, shall be issued and renewed pursuant to the provisions of this part.
   (b)  All plates issued pursuant to this part shall be issued and renewed subject to the following:
(4)  A design which shall be approved by the commissioner.

55-4-210.  Authorization; issuance.
(d) (1)  The commissioner of safety shall not issue any license plate commemorating any practice which is contrary to the public policy of the State of Tennessee, nor shall the commissioner issue any license plate to any entity whose goals and objectives are contrary to the public policy of Tennessee.
   (2)  The commissioner shall refuse to issue any combination of letters, numbers or positions that may carry connotations offensive to good taste and decency or that are misleading.

Cases

ACLU of Tenn. v. Bredesen, 354 F. Supp. 2d 770, (M.D. Tenn. 2004)
The ACLU of Tennessee, et al., filed suit against Tennessee Gov. Phil Bredesen and Tennessee Commissioner of Safety Fred Philips challenging the constitutionality of the Tennessee statute that authorizes the issue of a specialty license plate containing the words “Choose Life.” “Plaintiffs contend that the statute (and, alternatively, the entire specialty license plate program) infringes their First and Fourteenth Amendment rights through viewpoint discrimination and the unfettered discretion given to the Tennessee General Assembly.”

The court found the statute unconstitutional because the State of Tennessee, discriminated, through this statute, on the basis of viewpoint. The court determined that messages placed on specialty plates are not government speech, but a mixture of private and government speech; thus the state cannot discriminate against a viewpoint. When the government speaks for itself and only itself (i.e., government speech) it may discriminate on a viewpoint basis; however, the court determined that when people choose to display the special plates on their vehicles they are participating in private speech.

ACLU of Tennessee v. Bredesen, No.04-6393, (6th Cir. 2006)
The 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals reversed the finding of the district court in the earlier ACLU v. Bredesen case. The court, relying on a 2005 U.S. Supreme Court case, Johanns v. Livestock Marketing Association, 544 U.S. 550 (2005), found that the “Choose Life” specialty license plate is a “government-crafted message” that does not need to be viewpoint-neutral. In Johanns, the U.S. Supreme Court concluded that when the government determines an overarching message and retains the power to approve every word disseminated, the message is government speech. Using this reasoning, the 6th Circuit found the “Choose Life” specialty plate to constitute government speech; since the statute authorizing the creation of the plate determines the overarching message and the Tennessee Department of Safety has approval over every word on specialty plates. The court, again relying on the Johanns case, also ruled that people who display the special plates on their vehicles are private volunteers who are choosing to disseminate the government's speech and that no special forum of speech is created that requires viewpoint neutrality.

Texas

Specialty plates

Texas Statutes and Codes

Sec. 504.801.  Creation of New Specialty License Plates by the Department.
    (a) The department may create new specialty license plates on its own initiative or
on receipt of an application from a potential sponsor.
    (c) The department shall design each new specialty license plate in consultation with the sponsor, if any, that applied for creation of that specialty license plate. The department may refuse to create a new specialty license plate if the design might be offensive to any member of the public, if the nominated state agency does not consent to receipt of the funds derived from issuance of the license plate, if the uses identified for those funds might violate a statute or constitutional provision, or for any other reason established by rule.
   (i) The sponsor of a new specialty plate may not be a for-profit enterprise.

Personalized plates

Sec. 504.103.  Design and Alphanumeric Pattern [Of Personalized Plates]
   The department has sole control over the design, typeface, color, and alphanumeric pattern for a personalized license plate.

Texas Administrative Code
Sec. 17.28. Specialty License Plates, Symbols, Tabs, and Other Devices.
(C) Personalized plates not approved. A personalized license plate number will not be approved by the director if the number:
   (i) conflicts with the department's current or proposed regular license plate   numbering system;
   (ii) is determined to be obscene or objectionable by the director; or
   (iii) is currently issued to another owner.

Utah

Specialty plates

Utah Code

Sec. 41-1a-418.  Authorized special group license plates.
(3) (a) A sponsoring organization that qualifies for tax-exempt status under Internal Revenue Code Section 501(c)(3) may request the commission to authorize a new type of special group license plate for the sponsoring organization. The sponsoring organization shall:
      (i) collect a minimum of 200 applications; and
      (ii) pay a start-up fee established under Section 63-38-3.2 …
   (b) If the provisions of Subsection (3)(a) are met, the commission shall approve the request and the division shall:
      (i) design a license plate in accordance with Section 41-1a-419; and

Personalized plates

Sec. 41-1a-419.  Plate design — Vintage vehicle certification and registration — Personalized special group license plates — Rulemaking
   (1) (a) The design and maximum number of numerals or characters on special group license plates shall be determined by the division in accordance with the requirements under Subsection (1)(b).
   (b) Each special group license plate shall display:
      (i) the word Utah;
      (ii) the name or identifying slogan of the special group;
      (iii) a symbol decal not exceeding two positions in size representing the special group; and
      (iv) the combination of letters, numbers, or both uniquely identifying the registered vehicle.
(2) (a) The division shall, after consultation with a representative designated by the special group, specify the word or words comprising the special group name and the symbol decal to be displayed upon the special group license plates.

Sec. 41-1a-411.  Application for personalized plates — Refusal authorized
   (1) An applicant for personalized license plates or renewal of the plates shall file an application for the plates in the form and by the date the division requires, indicating the combination of letters, numbers, or both requested as a registration number.
   (2) The division may refuse to issue any combination of letters, numbers, or both that may carry connotations offensive to good taste and decency or that would be misleading.

Utah Administrative Code

R873-22M-34.  Rule for Denial of Personalized Plate Requests Pursuant to Utah Code Ann. Sections 41-1a-104 and 41-1a-411.
   A. The personalized plate is a non-public forum. Nothing in the issuance of a personalized plate creates a designated or limited public forum. The presence of a personalized plate on a vehicle does not make the plate a traditional public forum.
   B. Pursuant to Section 41-1a-411(2), the division may not issue personalized license plates in the following formats:
     1. Combination of letters, words, or numbers with any connotation that is vulgar, derogatory, profane, or obscene.
     2. Combinations of letters, words, or numbers that connote breasts, genitalia, pubic area, buttocks, or relate to sexual and eliminatory functions. Additionally, "69" formats are prohibited unless used in a combination with the vehicle make, for example, "69 CHEV."
     3. Combinations of letters, words, or numbers that connote the substance, paraphernalia, sale, user, purveyor of, or physiological state produced by any illicit drug, narcotic, or intoxicant.
     4. Combinations of letters, words, or numbers that express contempt, ridicule, or superiority of a race, religion, deity, ethnic heritage, gender, or political affiliation.
   D. The director shall review the format for connotations that may reasonably be detected through linguistic, numerical, or phonetic modes of communication. The review may include:
     1. translation from foreign languages;
     2. an upside down or reverse reading of the requested format;
     3. the use of references such as dictionaries or glossaries of slang, foreign language, or drug terms.
   E. The director shall consider the applicant's declared definition of the format, if provided.

Vermont

Specialty and personalized plates

Vermont Statutes

23 V.S.A. Sec. 304. Registration certificates; number plates.
   (b) The authority to issue special motor vehicle number plates or receive applications or petitions for special number plates for safety organizations and service organizations shall reside with the commissioner. Determination of compliance with the criteria contained in this subsection shall be within the discretion of the commissioner … . The commissioner shall issue special number plates marked with initials, letters or combination of numerals and letters, in the following manner:
(C) After consulting with representatives of the safety or service organization, the commissioner shall determine the design of the special plates, on the basis that the primary purpose of motor vehicle number plates is vehicle identification. An organization applying for a special plate under this subsection shall present the commissioner with a name and emblem that is not obscene, offensive or confusing to the general public and does not promote, advertise or endorse a product, brand or service provided for sale, or promote any specific religious belief or political party. The organization's name and emblem must not infringe or violate trademarks, trade names, service marks, copyrights or other proprietary or property rights and the organization must have the right to use the name and emblem.
   (d) Special number plates whether new or renewed shall be issued in any combination or succession of numerals and letters provided the total of the numbers and letters on any plate taken together does not exceed seven, and further provided the requested combination of letters and numerals does not duplicate or resemble a regular issue registration plate. The commissioner may adopt rules for the issuance of special number plates to ensure that all plates serve the primary purpose of vehicle identification. The commissioner may revoke any plate described in subdivisions (1) through (7) of this subsection and shall not issue special number plates with the following combination of letters or numbers:
   (1) Combinations of letters or numbers with any connotation, in any language, that is vulgar, derogatory, profane, racial epithets, scatological or obscene.
   (2) Combinations of letters or numbers that connote, in any language, breast, genitalia, pubic area, or buttocks or relate to sexual or eliminatory functions. Additionally, "69" formats are prohibited unless used in combination with the vehicle make, for example, "69 CHEV."
   (3) Combinations of letters or numbers that connote, in any language:
      (A) any illicit drug, narcotic, intoxicant, or related paraphernalia;
      (B) the sale, the user, or the purveyor of such substance;
      (C) the physiological state produced by such a substance.
   (4) Combinations of letters or numbers that refer, in any language, to a race, religion, color, deity, ethnic heritage, gender, sexual orientation, disability status, or political affiliation; provided, however, the commissioner shall not refuse a combination of letters or numbers that is a generally accepted reference to a race or ethnic heritage (for example, IRISH).
   (5) Combinations of letters or numbers that suggest, in any language, a government or governmental agency.
   (6) Combinations of letters or numbers that suggest, in any language, a privilege not given by law in this state.
   (7) Combinations of letters or numbers that form, in any language, a slang term, abbreviation, phonetic spelling or mirror image of a word described in subdivisions (1) through (6) of this subsection.

Virginia

Specialty plates

Code of Virginia

Sec. 46.2-725.  Special license plates, generally.
D. For special license plates that generate revenues that are shared with entities other than the Department, hereinafter referred to as "revenue sharing special license plates," the General Assembly shall review all proposed revenue sharing special license plate authorizations to determine whether the revenues are to be shared with entities or organizations that (i) provide to the Commonwealth or its citizens a broad public service that is to be funded, in whole or in part, by the proposed revenue sharing special license plate authorization and (ii) are at least one of the following:
   1. A nonprofit corporation as defined in Sec. 501 (c) (3) of the United States Internal Revenue Code;
   2. An agency, board, commission, or other entity established or operated by the Commonwealth;
   3. A political subdivision of the Commonwealth; or
   4. An institution of higher education whose main campus is located in Virginia.

Personalized plates

According to a Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles representative, there is no statute or rule/regulations detailing what is inappropriate for a personalized license plate. However, the License Plate Application form used by the Virginia DMV does have a section that states:

“The combination of characters used to personalize a license plate must not violate DMV's personalized plate policy. DMV reserves the right to refuse issuance of any combination of objectionable characters if they, in anyway, carry a connotation that may be reasonably seen by a person viewing a license plate as 1) profane, obscene, or vulgar in nature, 2) sexually explicit or graphic, 3) excretory related, 4) describing intimate body parts or genitals, 5) describing drug culture or use, 6) condoning or encouraging violence, 7) describing illegal activities or illegal substances, 8) socially, racially, ethnically offensive, or disparaging.”

Washington

Specialty plates

Code of Washington

Sec. 46.16.705. Special license plate review board — Created
   (1) The special license plate review board is created ...

Sec. 46.16.725. Board — Powers and duties
   (2) The board must review and either approve or reject special license plate applications submitted by sponsoring organizations.
Sec. 46.16.735. Special license plates — Sponsoring organization requirements
   (1) For an organization to qualify for a special license plate under the special license plate approval program created in RCW 46.16.705 through 46.16.765, the sponsoring organization must submit documentation in conjunction with the application to the department that verifies:
   (a) That the organization is a nonprofit organization, as defined in 26 U.S.C. Sec. 501(c)(3) … ; and
   (b) That the organization is located in Washington and has registered as a charitable organization with the secretary of state's office as required by law.
   (2) For a governmental body to qualify for a special license plate under the special license plate approval program created in RCW 46.16.705 through 46.16.765, a governmental body must be:
   (a) A political subdivision, including but not limited to any county, city, town, municipal corporation, or special purpose taxing district that has the express permission of the political subdivision's executive body to sponsor a special license plate;
   (b) A federally recognized tribal government that has received the approval of the executive body of that government to sponsor a special license plate;
   (c) A state agency that has received approval from the director of the agency or the department head; or
   (d) A community or technical college that has the express permission of the college's board of trustees to sponsor a special license plate.

Personalized plates

Washington Administrative Code

WAC 308-96A-550. Vehicle special collegiate license plates.
   (1) What are the criteria for establishing collegiate license plates? Application for license plate series from an institution of higher education under RCW 46.16.324 may be submitted to the special license plate review board through the process established in RCW 46.16.735 and 46.16.745. In addition the following criteria must be satisfied:
   (a) The plates will consist of numbers, letters, colors and a symbol or artwork approved by the department and/or the special license plate review board.
   (b) The numbers and letters combination may not exceed seven positions.
   (c) The plate series will not conflict with existing license plates.
   (d) The plate design must provide at least four positions to accommodate serial numbering.
   (e) The plate must not carry connotations offensive to good taste or decency, which may be misleading, vulgar in nature, a racial, ethnic, lifestyle or gender slur, related to illegal activities or substances, blasphemous, contrary to the department's mission to promote highway safety, or a duplication of other license plates provided in chapter 46.16 RCW.
   (f) The plate must be designed so that it is legible and clearly identifiable by law enforcement personnel as an official Washington state issued license plate. A collegiate license plate design may not be issued in combination with any other license plate configuration including special, personalized or exempt license plate(s).

WAC 308-96A-065. Personalized license plates.
   (3) When may the department deny an application for or cancel personalized plates?
(a) The department may deny an application for personalized license plates or cancel personalized license plates previously issued if it determines the plate configuration to be:
(i) Offensive to good taste and decency;
(ii) Potentially misleading;
(iii) Vulgar, profane or sexually suggestive in nature;
(iv) A racial, ethnic, lifestyle or gender slur;
(v) Related to alcohol or to illegal activities or substances;
(vi) Blasphemous;
(vii) Derogatory;
(viii) Slanderous;
(ix) A duplication of license plate or decal numbers provided in chapter 46.09, 46.10 or 46.16 RCW; or
(x) Contrary to the department's mission to promote highway safety.

West Virginia
All requests for special plates must be approved by the Legislature. If approved, the Legislature amends WV Code Sec.17A-3-14 with an additional subdivision delineating the criteria for the new license plate.

Specialty and personalized plates

West Virginia Code

Sec. 17A-3-14 Registration plates generally; description of plates; issuance of special numbers and plates; registration fees; special application fees; exemptions; commissioner to promulgate forms; suspension and nonrenewal.
(4) Specially arranged registration plates may be issued as follows:
      (A) Upon appropriate application, any owner of a motor vehicle subject to Class A registration, or a motorcycle subject to Class G registration, as defined by this article, may request that the division issue a registration plate bearing specially arranged letters or numbers with the maximum number of letters or numbers to be determined by the commissioner. The division shall attempt to comply with the request wherever possible.
(9) The division may issue special registration plates to nonprofit charitable and educational organizations authorized under prior enactment of this subdivision as follows:
      (A) Approved nonprofit charitable and educational organizations previously authorized under the prior enactment of this subdivision may accept and collect applications for special registration plates from owners of Class A motor vehicles together with a special annual fee of fifteen dollars, which is in addition to all other fees required by this chapter.
       (D) The commissioner may not approve or authorize any additional nonprofit charitable and educational organizations to design or market special registration plates.

Wisconsin

Specialty plates

Wisconsin Statutes

341.14. Application for and issuance of special plates.
    The department shall issue special plates as specified in this section under the following circumstances:
(6r)
(a) In this subsection and s. 341.145 (1) (c) , "authorized special group" means a special group enumerated in par. (f) or designated by the department under par. (fm)
(fm)
1. In addition to the special groups specified under par. (f) , any group or organization may apply to the department for designation as an authorized special group. The department shall designate any group or organization that meets all of the following criteria as an authorized special group:
   a. The group or organization is not organized or operated for profit.
   b. The group or organization is not a political committee, as defined in s. 11.01 (4) , or a political group, as defined in s. 11.01 (10)
   c. The group or organization is not a church, a synagogue, a mosque or any organization, whether or not organized under ch.187 , that operates under a creed.
   d. The group or organization does not promote, practice or encourage hatred or any form of discrimination.
   e. The group or organization does not carry connotations offensive to good taste or decency, or that would be misleading, or in conflict with the enumeration or designation of any other authorized special group.

Personalized plates

341.145. Personalized registration plates.
(7) The department may refuse to issue any combination of letters or numbers, or both, which may carry connotations offensive to good taste or decency, or which would be misleading, or in conflict with the issuance of any other registration plates. All decisions of the department with respect to personalized registration plate applications shall be final and not subject to judicial review under ch. 227.

Wyoming

Specialty plates

Organizations or other entities must get approval from the Legislative before a new specialty license plate will be issued.

Personalized plates

Wyoming Statutes

Sec. 31-2-208  Prestige license plates
Excluding dealer and radio amateur license plates, upon payment of the regular registration fees prescribed by W.S. 31-3-101 and a prestige license plate fee and application to the department, the distinctive license plate number assigned to a vehicle may consist of such combination of alphabetical letters or Arabic numerals not currently held nor requested by any vehicle owner in the same county if approved by the department.

Code of Wyoming Rules

CHAPTER 004. PERSONALIZED PRESTIGE LICENSE PLATES.
Section 4. Allowable Combinations.
    (a) Plates shall be issued using only capital letters and Arabic numerals. No other symbols or characters shall be allowed. Applicants may request a maximum of four letters or a combination of four letters and numerical digits. The letters and numbers shall be the same size as on regular license plates and shall be arranged in a straight horizontal line.
    (b) Any combination that spells, connotes, abbreviates, or otherwise stands for obscene, vulgar, indecent, or pruriently suggestive language shall not be allowed. The letters I, O, and Q shall not be used when all other characters in the combination are numbers. Nor shall the numeral 1 be substituted for the letter I nor the zero (0) substituted for the letter O. No four-character combinations shall contain more than two W's or two M's. No combinations consisting of a number or numbers followed by a single, double, or triple alphabetic suffix shall be issued as a personalized prestige license plate. Nor shall combinations consisting entirely of numbers be issued for prestige plates.