CRANSTON – Rhode Island residents will have a chance to come up with the new design that will be emblazoned on license plates issued next year.
The R.I. Division and Motor Vehicles and Gov. Daniel J. McKee on Tuesday launched the RI State Plate Design Contest. The state wants replace the “Blue Wave” design that has been in use since 1996.
“We know Rhode Islanders take fierce pride in their home state and want a say in how Rhode Island is portrayed around the country,” McKee said in a statement. “We expect them to relish this chance to illustrate Rhode Island’s independent spirit by showing off their design skills and ingenuity.”
DMV Administrator Water R. “Bud” Craddock told Providence Business News that other states have done similar contests with their license plate designs.
“It was something a little different … trying to involve people in the process,” Craddock said. “We have a lot of bright people out in the state and let’s see what they can come up with for something different instead of having something picked internally. People will have a little bit of a buy-in so that they are feeling invested in having a selection of what is going to be put on the cars.”
DMV is opening the contest to all Rhode Island residents and to any student attending a school, college or university in the state. Entries can be submitted through the RIDMV’s website until Jan. 7. There are some specific requirements for the design, such as “Rhode Island” and “Ocean State” being placed on the top and bottom of the plates, respectively, and only four spot colors, including black, can be incorporated into the design.
Craddock said he anticipates four to five semifinalists will be selected for consideration by the end of February. Renderings through the state’s design vendor, 3M, will be posted on the DMV’s website for people to vote on their preferred design, he said.
The winning design will be announced in March so that the state can begin reissuing new plates either by the end of the summer or early next fall, Craddock said. He said the winner will have the “notoriety” of having the winning design attached on several hundred thousand Rhode Island-registered vehicles across the state.
“A [college] student can add that design as part of their portfolio going forward,” Craddock said. “Maybe also the governor bringing [the winner] in for a photo op and getting some publicity for themselves.”
Craddock said the state will be reissuing over a two-year period starting in 2022 more than 700,000 new license plates at an approximate cost of $2.5 million. Only the “Blue Wave” plates will be replaced, he said.
Craddock also said the new license plates will be mailed to residents, saving them a trip to the local DMV office. He said residents don’t have to return the old plates to the DMV, but they will be asked to either recycle or destroy the old plates.
James Bessette is the PBN special projects editor, and also covers the nonprofit and education sectors. You may reach him at Bessette@PBN.com. You may also follow him on Twitter at @James_Bessette.
