Are you looking to show your love of pets and help prevent pet overpopulation in Florida? Purchasing a custom pet-themed license plate is the way to go! But with over 100 Florida license plate designs to choose from, we know it can be an overwhelming process. In this blog, we will break down five ways for you to secure your very own pet-themed Florida license plate.
Before diving in, let’s quickly recap how and why purchasing a custom pet-themed plate directly helps animals: Florida Animal Friend receives $25.00 for each specialty spay/neuter license plate that is purchased and renewed each year. We then use these funds exclusively to help save the lives of countless unwanted cats and dogs by supporting organizations that offer free or low-cost spay and neuter services across the state of Florida. So, you get a beautiful license plate, and we get to help ensure animals across the state don’t face homelessness due to overpopulation. Win-win!
Here are the different ways that you can go about getting your custom pet-themed plate:
#1: Request a Plate Online
Do you want someone to help walk you through the process? Our friends at the Indian River Tax Collectors Office are here to help, no matter where you live in Florida! All you need to do is navigate to our specialty plate page, then click “Request a Plate Online”.
From there, click “Learn More” and a form will pop up for you to complete. After you have input your contact information, click “Submit” on the form. Now all you need to do is sit back and wait for someone to call you and help you secure your plate, step-by-step.
#2: Purchase or Renew by Mail
If mail is the easiest way for you to handle your plates, then you will love the ease of this printable form that we have created to help you obtain your plate. Note: you will need to contact your local tax agency first to determine the exact fees associated with purchasing or renewing specialty Florida license plate designs in your county.
After you have determined the exact cost, then you can complete the form, print it out, and include it with your county vehicle registration renewal notice and your payment.
#3: Replace by Mail
Good news: you don’t need to wait until it’s renewal time to get your very own specialty spay/neuter license plate that supports our mission! You can upgrade at any time (we get it — sometimes it’s too hard to wait for renewal when it comes to such a great cause!).
In this case, you also need to contact your local tax collector’s office to determine the exact fees, which include a replacement fee as well as the state fee. Then, complete this replacement form, enclose a check for the full cost of the replacement, and mail both items to your local county tax collector’s office.
Also keep in mind that in this scenario, you agree to discard your current license plate when your replacement spay/neuter license plate arrives.
#4: Get your Plate in Person
Of course, you can always visit your local tag office to obtain your Florida Animal Friend specialty plate. This is true whether you are purchasing a specialty tag for the first time, renewing your current tag, or replacing your current tag prior to renewal. To find a full list of locations, click over to the Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV) website.
#5: Gift a Plate
Happy birthday to the pet lover in your life! Since most renewals happen on the registrant’s birth date, a specialty license plate makes for an amazing birthday gift. Anyone, anywhere can purchase a gift certificate for a custom Florida Animal Friend plate, as this special FLHSMV-created program works pretty much like any other gift certificate.
From the FLHSMV website: “Upon payment of the statutorily authorized annual use fee, a gift certificate may be purchased at any authorized motor vehicle office (e.g., state motor vehicle office, local tax collector office or license plate tag agency) for any of the specialty license plates currently available in Florida. At the time of purchase, a receipt will be provided, and a credit will be issued in the name of the gift recipient, which can then be redeemed by the recipient at the time the specialty license plate is purchased.”
It’s that easy! The recipient does not even have to present the gift certificate, as the FLHSMV database will keep track of it. They simply need to present proper identification at their local tax collector’s office.
We hope this blog has helped clarify the different ways to obtain your very own Florida Animal Friend specialty license plate! If you have further questions about our program or Florida license plate designs, please reach out and contact us. We are here to help!