Virginians love their special license plates! They’ve netted favorite causes & colleges $3.5 million

Nearly 70 Virginia organizations are receiving funds through the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) based on revenue-sharing special license plate sales during the past year.

Drivers who registered their vehicles with these special license plates helped generate approximately $3.5 million for their favorite causes and colleges.

Since the revenue-sharing program was introduced by the Virginia General Assembly in 1992, approximately $37 million has been raised on behalf of Virginia non-profit organizations and colleges. The top selling revenue-sharing plates include:

• Friends of the Chesapeake Bay raising more than $291,000 for Chesapeake Bay restoration activities.

• Breast Cancer Awareness raising more than $155,000 to support breast cancer educational programming.

• Kids First (FACT) raising more than $155,000 to support children’s programs though the Family & Children’s Trust Fund of Virginia.

Also popular, the Washington Redskins license plate generated nearly $110,000 in the past year for its designated program, the Washington Redskins Leadership Council for community programs in Virginia. Since the plate was introduced in 2003, more than $875,000 has been generated for the program. There are currently 7,152 Washington Redskins plates registered in Virginia.

Since the license plate revenue-sharing program began, over $7.6 million has been generated for Virginia colleges and universities. Top selling college revenue-sharing plates include:

• Virginia Tech license plates generating more than $274,000 in revenue for scholarships. • University of Virginia, James Madison University and the College of William and Mary, which collectively generated more than $187,000.

Revenue sharing plates cost $25 in addition to vehicle registration fees. Visit the DMV website for a complete list of available special plates and tax deductibility information.