Hello and welcome to our blog here at eTags. Now, if you’ve been hanging out with us for a while, perhaps you will have noticed that we don’t often wax poetic. We’re mostly about the practical, the useful, the logical, the most current. Today, however, we’re going to take just the slightest of turns and drop in a hint of the philosophical. Because, of course, it is related to something automotive.
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(You didn’t think we’d veer that far from our favorite topic, did you?)
In today’s Florida Specialty Spotlight Series, we’re going to highlight one of the most popular license plates available in the state. And because we’re feeling inspired, we’re going to start it off with an idea from the beloved, renegade writer, Tom Robbins. He speaks about the importance of art for human beings, calling it “non-essential.” But here’s what he means:
“The non-essential can be very essential, indeed, if for no other reason than that an environment reduced to essentials is a subhuman environment in which only drones will thrive.”
How does this apply to us, to eTags, to Specialty Plates, you ask? Well, today’s feature is none other than the State of the Arts tag. And it made sense to us to delve a little into the significance of Art in a society. Just in case there are folks out there who might be pondering the value of this plate, wondering about its worthiness as opposed to a tag that supports wildlife preservation or search and rescue missions or health research. 
The non-essential as essential… we love this perspective, and we’re sticking to it!
Anyhoo, philosophy aside, those of you with any sort of appreciation for arts and expression will already know the impact they have on humanity, and will want to champion them in any way possible. That’s precisely where the Specialty Plate Program comes in.
Here’s how the program works:
The state of Florida offers its residents over one hundred special registration tags with varying designs. Each motif is individually designed by a different artist and represents a different theme. For example, it could be a sports team, an endangered species, an environmental concern, women’s issues, safety and awareness, military, and local emergency services, to name a few. But the plate is more than just a way to flex your expression, to show the world what your interests, hobbies, passions, or concerns are. Behind each Specialty Plate lies a cause.
We like to say that the Specialty Plate is more than just a pretty face.
It is the face of support, funding, and contributions to the charity or foundation connected to the theme. Thus, every time someone purchases a Specialty Plate, the extra funds collected go directly to the associated program(s). 
Today’s Specialty Plate, the State of the Arts tag directs its proceeds to the Florida Art and Creativity Fund. And in turn, the fund directs this revenue to arts organizations, arts programs, and arts activities.
Created by the Legislature in 1994, the Florida Arts License Plate Program collects whatever money comes as a result of the tag’s sales, and distributes them to all the counties where the plate is available. Each county will have its own unique arts programs, organizations, and activities that are supported by this funding.
The counties are responsible for designating which programs, organizations and activities will benefit from this assistance. In this way, there is no umbrella foundation or general requirement for where revenue must be distributed. Instead, the FLHSMV (Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicle) directs all monies directly to the counties, and the counties are free to decide where that support best serves their community.
Some of the areas that benefit from this funding are:
- Arts in education
- Local art agencies
- State service organizations
- Museums
- Theaters
- Dance
- Folk arts
- Literature
- Media arts
- Music
And the list goes on. So for anyone who is an artist, an art afficionado, or even the layperson who harbors an affinity for the “non-essential” (that is so obviously essential), the State of the Arts Specialty Plate may be just the thing. And if it’s the thing for you, here’s how you can get your hands on one. (It’s really easy, by the way.)
Head over to our site and choose Florida as your state from our drop-down menu. There, you will select “Get Specialty and/or Personalized Plate.” Wait, Personalized? Yes, Personalized. Because not only can you demonstrate your love for the arts (or any other Specialty Plate you fancy) but you can also get creative and personalize it. As long as the DMV approves your alpha-numeric combo, you can make this tag your own!
Now, you may be wondering if there is some type of time constraint with acquiring a Specialty Plate. Well, good news, folks…the answer is nope! You can opt for a cool tag at any time your heart pleases. So if you’ve just bought a new car (or a used one, for that matter), or if your registration is due for renewal you can use this time to get Specialty Plate. But you don’t have to wait for either of those two – basically whenever the notion takes you, you can get this tag. 
Yep, that’s right. You can upgrade to a Specialty Plate at any old time you want.
Which makes this a real cherry on top of this fancy cake, right? We think so. And the process is really simple. Our site will help you along with easy prompts to fill in your information and guide you through each step.
But in case you need a hand with this upgrade or if you’ve got any questions, you can always reach out to us and ask. This is what we do and what we love. Because as always, at eTags, we’re here to help!
