STUART, Fla. — Marine life, dogs, child abuse, autism—there’s a license plate made to support just about everything.
“I always look at plates, so it’s kind of funny and I see a lot of them,” said Florida resident Laureen Decourcy.
There were over 100 different specialty plates in the state of Florida, and now there are over 10 more as of Oct. 1 under House Bill 403.
One of the new plates that stands out is "Margaritaville".
The proceeds will go to “Singing for Change,” which funds disaster relief efforts.
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“This is kind of fun. I think it’s a good cause for some people,” Vicky Milan said.
“I just think it’s good to give back,” said Decourcy.
According to the Martin County DMV, the new specialty plates have to sell at least 3,000 pre-sales to be manufactured. Each plate costs between $15 and $30 a year—an additional fee that some people prefer not to spend.
“Unfortunately, some people can not afford the $25," Mike Marino said. "It goes a long way right now with the prices of everything, so yeah, as much as I’d love to have one I think they’re a little bit too pricey."
However, license plates like “Support Autism Programs” have seen a lot of success with more plates bought each year.
“We are over 13,000 license plates today on the roads in the state of Florida, which generate about $150,000 to support organizations throughout the state,” said Kim Vassar, chair of the Autism Service Grants Coucil.
Vassar says this year they awarded 17 nonprofits with funding. She hopes more people will consider purchasing a plate for a cause that means something to them.
“Your dollars really, truly, do make an impact," Vassar said. "They’re going to organizations doing incredible and critical services for children and adults with autism-related disabilities."
That's why Decourcy says she plans to buy a specialty plate the next time she renews her registration.
“I think that I would do it next time because of donating for sure, so whatever those other causes are I’ll pick one,” said Decourcy.
