S0824 revises Florida’s specialty license plate program in two main ways. First, it increases the annual use fee for the Florida Wildflower license plate to $25, while allowing a reduced $15 fee for owners purchasing the plate for more than 10 vehicles registered to the same owner. Second, it directs the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles to create nine new specialty plates: Supporting FHP Troopers, Miami Dade College, St. Petersburg College, Miami Northwestern Alumni Association, United States Naval Academy, United States Military Academy, Save Coastal Wildlife, Broward College, Tampa Theatre, and The Florida Aquarium.
The bill also specifies how revenue from each new plate must be distributed. Most of the proceeds go to designated nonprofit organizations or foundations tied to the plate’s sponsor, with limits of up to 10 percent for administrative, promotion, or marketing costs. The remaining funds are earmarked for scholarships, student support, workforce development, veteran services, wildlife conservation, historic preservation, and environmental education, depending on the plate. The act takes effect October 1, 2025.
The bill amends sections 320.08056 and 320.08058, Florida Statutes, expanding the list of authorized specialty license plates and changing the fee structure for the Florida Wildflower plate. It requires the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles to develop the new plates and establishes statutory revenue-sharing and use restrictions for each plate’s proceeds, thereby creating new dedicated funding streams for specific nonprofits, educational institutions, veteran-support organizations, and conservation or cultural entities. It does not create a general tax or fee change beyond the specialty plate program, but it does alter how specialty plate revenues are collected and allocated under state law.
The available voting history shows strong, unanimous support at every recorded stage, including committee votes of 9-0, 14-0, and 16-0, followed by a 37-0 Senate third-reading vote. That pattern suggests broad bipartisan approval and little visible opposition in the legislative process. The bill’s mix of education, veterans, conservation, and cultural preservation purposes likely contributed to its favorable reception.
No committee transcripts were provided, and the recorded votes show no dissent, so there is little evidence of active controversy. Any potential points of discussion would likely center on the proliferation of specialty plates, the use of state plate infrastructure to direct funds to private nonprofits, and the allocation of proceeds among administrative costs, scholarships, and programmatic uses. However, the legislative record supplied here does not show identifiable opponents or specific objections.