Ever discover how a lot is visually happening in a license plate? The essential Hawaii plate has a rainbow glowing within the background, Alaska’s has a whole bear, Wyoming’s has (what else however) a cowboy at a rodeo, and a number of other states characteristic a neighborhood mountain or mountains. A few of them are actually fairly busy, despite the fact that, on the finish of the day, all they’re meant to be is a few figuring out letters and numbers.
Colorado’s fundamental plate, too, options a couple of mountains towards a inexperienced background. However not too long ago, a brand new plate has been blowing away expectations, turning into one thing of an automotive style assertion. A throwback to the state’s 1945 plate, a clear, crisp, white-text-on-black-background specialty plate went on sale in January of 2023. This wasn’t purported to be something particular: States launch specialty plates on a regular basis (some dumber than others, however some higher), and this explicit one debuted alongside in any other case equivalent purple and blue choices, in addition to a inexperienced mountain vary on a white background.
But it is the black plate that has grow to be a sensation. Possibly it is that the 2D aesthetic has taken over from 3D lately, or perhaps it is that black is at all times cool, or perhaps folks just like the Zen simplicity of a plate that’s only a plate with none frills. Regardless of the motive, its sudden recognition comes with a improbable bonus that different states ought to pay attention to.
Colorado’s black license plate raises additional income for the state
All 4 of Colorado’s retro plates, every referencing a selected period of the state’s historic plating, had been meant for a selected function: Elevating income for the Colorado Incapacity Funding Committee. Whereas the fundamental plate requires solely an upfront charge, these plates require $25 up entrance and a further $25 per yr; that annual charge goes to the committee, which provides grants for helping folks with disabilites or supporting improvements to assist them.
The blue, purple, and inexperienced mountain vary plates did their jobs, promoting a couple of thousand every, as anticipated. That is a pleasant quantity of additional money to assist an excellent trigger. It is the black plate, although, that took off like a rocket: As of March 2025, it is estimated to have bought a very jaw-dropping 378,000 items. And whereas it might look cool on the highway, it is actually nice {that a} neighborhood that wants the assist can increase devoted funding that the state authorities cannot simply snatch away.
Besides, perhaps it may well. The Colorado state legislature is presently methods to redirect that income towards different wants, which is explicitly not the purpose of devoted fundraising like this. On the one hand, that is going again on their phrase; on the opposite, perhaps all that cash might help the state in different methods. Have an opinion on that? Merely transfer to Colorado and vote on your native representatives. Possibly decide up a cool license plate when you’re at it.