BMV Unveils Plan for New Maine Standard License Plate

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BMV’s Proposal for a New License Plate Unveiled Today in Augusta.

Today, Secretary of State Shenna Bellows and Deputy Secretary of State for the Bureau of Motor Vehicles, Cathie Curtis, presented the BMVs proposal for a license plate reissuance to the Legislature’s Transportation Committee.  The new plate, replacing the current chickadee, would feature the design of the 1901 Maine flag.

The Maine general issue plate was issued in 1999 with the chickadee design:  24 years ago.  This has resulted in plates which have significantly deteriorated, many beyond identification.  Many plates cannot be read accurately creating safety and compliance concerns.  Law enforcement may not be as effective as many crimes are prevented or solved through the identification of license plates.  Automated toll collection may also be reduced when plates cannot be read.  Additionally, vehicle visibility at night and in adverse wheather conditions are reduced when the plates lose their retro-reflecticity.

The proposal features a plate with a buff background of the 1901 flag, with a navy blue star and dark green pine tree on the left side of the plate.  Also in navy are Maine at the top of the plate with VACATIONLAND below.  The characters of the license plate would be in block.

The Transportation Committee will consider the proposal over the next several weeks after which it will go to the full Legislature for consideration.