The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) follows the current national trend of elevating license plates from identification tags to personalized forms of expression. But before plate choices can be made, you need to make sure your vehicle is registered and titled.

Top Standard Plates

Unless you alert PennDOT of your desire for a special plate when registering your vehicle, you will be issued standard Pennsylvania plates. These feature a blue license plate number on a backdrop of blue, yellow, and white. The word "Pennsylvania" stretches across the top, while the state's official Web address, www.state.pa.us, reaches across the bottom.

Top Personalized Plates

Personalized plates, also known as vanity plates, can carry a maximum of seven letters and numbers with the option of either one space or one hyphen. If you're a motorcyclist, your creativity, for obvious space reasons, is restricted to five letters and numbers.

To apply you must:

• Own a valid plate with a valid registration sticker, which you must surrender once your vanity plates arrive.

• Complete an Application for Special Registration Plate.

• Include a check made out to "Commonwealth of Pennsylvania" for $20.

You can expect your vanity plates to arrive in the mail in about eight to 10 weeks.

Bear in mind that freedom of expression has its limitations when it comes to license plates. PennDOT will reject any plate request it deems offensive, so use sound judgment when applying.

Top Organizational Plates

Currently PennDOT offers 134 Special Organizational plates with a heavy lean on colleges. All are made with the state's standard license plate colors―blue, yellow, and white―and include your organization's emblem on the left side with its name on the bottom.

These plates are available for all vehicles except motorcycles or trailers. If you're interested, contact your organization's main office for an application.

Top Amateur Radio Operator

PennDOT will issue you one plate that displays your FCC-assigned call letters. If you want a second plate, it will be issued―but in addition to your call letters it will also include a hyphen and the number two.

To apply you must:

• Complete an Application for Special Registration Plate.

• Include a copy of your Amateur Radio license.

• Include a check made out to "Commonwealth of Pennsylvania" for $20.

Top Press Photographer Plate

This is only available to full-time press photographers in either print or television. Your vehicle must be registered or co-registered in your name.

To apply you must:

• Complete an Application for Special Registration Plate.

• Provide proof that you're a full-time press photographer.

• Include a check made out to "Commonwealth of Pennsylvania" for $20.

Top Special Fund License Plates

This is available for the following groups:

Wild Resource Conservation Fund: The plate features an outdoor background with a river otter on the right side .

Preserve Our Heritage: A train is the dominant feature of this plate, highlighting the state's railroad heritage.

Pennsylvania Zoological Council Fund: Funds from this plate aid five of Pennsylvania's major zoos. A Siberian tiger graces the entire span of the plate.

Drug Abuse Resistance Education (D.A.R.E.): The letters "D.A.R.E." are scripted in red on the left side of the plate.

To apply:

• Fill out an Application for Special Fund License Plate.

• Include a check for $35 made out to "Commonwealth of Pennsylvania." Fifteen dollars from this fee will go directly to your designated fund.

Due to space limitations, motorcycles are not eligible for these plates.

Top Antique Plates

PennDOT offers three types of special plates for older vehicles:

• Antique plates are for vehicles more than 25 years old that are in a condition similar to the original specifications, either through maintenance or restoration. Replicas are not permitted.

• Classic plates are for vehicles at least 15 years old that are in a condition similar to the original specifications, either through maintenance or restoration. Replicas are not permitted.

• Collectible plates are for reconstructed vehicles that have undergone significant alterations to the original specifications, but have still been maintained in a collectible condition.

To qualify for any of these plates, the vehicle must be primarily used for antique exhibitions, parades, and related activities. The vehicle may be driven one day a week for routine transportation use.

The plates cost $75, and there's also a $22.50 certificate of title fee. These are one-time fees, as the plates are permanent and remain valid for the life of the vehicle, provided there's no change in ownership.

No matter which plate you request, you must complete the antique/classic plate application. The rest of the application procedure varies according to the type of plate, but specific instructions are clearly provided on the form.

Mail all the necessary paperwork, along with your payment, to:

• Bureau of Motor Vehicles

• Special Tag Unit

• P.O. Box 68293

• Harrisburg, PA 17106-8293

Top Military Veteran Plates

PennDOT provides special plates for the following wars and war situations:

• Ex-prisoner of War

• Purple Heart

• World War II Veteran

• Korean War Veteran

• Persian Gulf War Veteran

• Pearl Harbor Survivor

• Vietnam Conflict

• Expeditionary Forces

• Operation Iraqi Freedom

• Operation Enduring Freedom

• Veteran Motorcycle

Specific document requirements and fees for each situation can be found in full detail on the Application for Special U.S. Military Veteran Registration Plate.

Top Surrendering Your Plates

If you move out of state, PennDOT wants its license plates back to cancel your record. Mail the plates to:

• PennDOT

• Return Tag Unit

• P.O. Box 68597

• Harrisburg, PA 17106-8597

You will also need to surrender your tags to your local PennDOT office if you cancel your liability insurance for any reason. If you sell your car and do not transfer the plates to another vehicle, donate your car to charity, or take your vehicle off the road for an extended period of time, surrender the plates immediately.

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