This is a simple awareness post that in my opinion, can be very useful for half the countries fire departments at a minimum... Only 43 out of 50 states have the option to purchase specialized fire department vehicle license plates for their personal vehicles. In many cases, money spent for these special license plates are earmarked for specific charities or things designed to help out fallen firefighters families. For those 7 states that do not have a vanity plate for firefighters, I ask why not? Again, this is another way to get both recognition in a quiet / non-emergency lights and whacker looking vehicles kind of a way. And you might be able to help someone out. Just a thought...  


Another option that to be frank, surprised me was the lack of dedicated license plates identifying volunteer firefighters. Only New Mexico appears to have a license plate that is for volunteer firefighters. Considering that the majority of firefighters are volunteer department related, seems to me that this would be appropriate, but that's just my opinion. Chances are, you might not have even thought about it until now... And, maybe folks might not want to be differentiated from volunteer verses full time paid, not that it really matters. What's your opinion?


Bonus Question: Which states do not have firefighter license plates?


TCSS, 

CBz


The following states (43) have firefighter license plates.

  1. Alabama
  2. Arizona
  3. Arkansas
  4. California
  5. Colorado
  6. Connecticut
  7. Delaware
  8. Florida
  9. Georgia
  10. Hawaii
  11. Idaho
  12. Illinois
  13. Indiana
  14. Iowa
  15. Kentucky
  16. Louisiana
  17. Maryland
  18. Massachusetts
  19. Maine
  20. Maryland
  21. Michigan
  22. Minnesota
  23. Mississippi
  24. Montana
  25. New Jersey
  26. New Mexico
  27. New York
  28. Nevada
  29. North Carolina
  30. Ohio
  31. Oklahoma
  32. Oregon
  33. Pennsylvania
  34. South Carolina
  35. South Dakota
  36. Tennessee
  37. Texas
  38. Utah
  39. Virginia
  40. Washington
  41. West Virginia
  42. Wisconsin
  43. Wyoming

There is of course a chance that my research was not exactly thorough. I admit it right up front, but this is as good as I can do without additional input from others. Please let me know if your state is already providing the option for firefighters to purchase firefighter vanity plates.














































  




 




 















Note: Thank you "PL8MAN" Buddy Harris!  Please note that Buddy is trying to complete his collection of fire department license plates for real...   Click here to see more license plates, but none of the ones that are still missing from this discussion post.


Updated: April 10, 2010


Views: 12883

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Alabama also has a plate for Rescue Squads..

Maybe it's just me but...between the kid-pissing-on-the-fire, I fight what you fear and other decals, the blue (or color of your choice) lights and the volunteer tag on or in lieu of the front tag, isn't a firefighter license plate gilding the lilly?
I smell a new thread coming: "What kind of license plates do you have on your POV?"

Stay safe everybody!
Ralph, I think technically if they're "in the closet" then they aren't whackers. Of course, once they DO come out of the closet they tend to be rather....flamboyant.
Another Canadian plate here. They are free after probation term as long as you are an active member. Basically used to differentiate a responder from and traveller as we do not have lights and sirens(aside from the chief's). these are actual registration plates for your vehicle.

Here's another that the vehicle owner has to pay for.

North Carolina and Ohio both have pro tags and vol tags
Illinois has firefighter license plates. They do not split the plates into vol and full-time. The extra cost of the Illinois plates is set aside for the firefighter memorial in Springfield. The only bad thing is the legislature can "raid" these special funds on specialized plates when they chose. The Sec. of states office at one time had a link on there website that showed the last time these funds were taken and used for other purposes. The funds taken not are not only for firefighter plates but many other special plate types. Some of the plates include Breast cancer, Hunter awareness, Prevent violence, and several other much needed funds.
New Hamshire doesn't have many specialty license plates, what they do have are all military ralated plates: National Guard, Veteran, Pearl Harbor Survivor, POW, Purple Heart, Handicapped Veteran and Veteran Motorcycle.

It did pass a law in 1998 authorizing a Moose on the state license plate, but that is all that is allowed by state law.

Georgia on the other hand has about a zillion different specialty license plates. Everything from "Firie Fighter" tags to "Choose Life" to "Spay and neuter your pets" to "Univserity of Georgia" tags to "Auburn Univeristy" (an Alabama school), to several different "Support Wildlife" tags. don't forget the NASCAR license plates with your favorite driver on it! We also have "Educator" tags and "Antique Auto" tags as well.

When the registration on my truck is up this year, I'm tranferring the title to Georgia so I can get one of those snazzy Fire Fighter tags for it. Also Georgia only uses a rear tag, while New Hampshire uses Front and Rear, so I can put a Red Stripe tag on the front.

I'd love to have "Fire Fighter" tags for my motorcycles, if they offered them.

Greenman


$40.00 personalized plate fee, a $.50 reflectorized plate fee, and a $3.00 county service fee.
I can't speak for the other Australian states (though I think they'd be similar) but in Victoria, although we have 'vanity' plates there are no plates specifically for firefighters. Though there are ones for fans of football clubs.

All emergency (police, fire, ambulance) vehicles are owned by the state, so no yearly fees and they are mostly fitted with plates that show they are government vehicles. Vehicles purchased by a fire brigade (department) get normal issue plates but don't pay any yearly fees.

We (not all, but a lot of us) just get little stickers for the front and back screens of our cars. They're small and look like the Purina pet food symbol, so most people would have no idea anyway :-)
As a chief officer in Georgia, and one who just got off the phone with our local tag office, be prepared to pay a hefty price for your "Snazzy Firefighter tag" beginning 1 July 2010. The previous cost was $25 in addition to your ad-valorum tax. 1 July, thanks to a bill signed by Gov. Purdue, the price increases another $35 (thanks to the state budget shortfall) to now cost you $55 dollars just for the aluminum plate. Your ad-valorum tax is in addition to that. I, personally, will be turning mine in for a regular 'ol Georgia Peach tag!!

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