Michigan brings back retro license plate, new ID changes, other proposals remain

Michigan will soon bring back a retro license plate design and implement heightened security measures for license plates, driver's licenses, and state IDs.

The moves come from the Michigan Department of State, the office announced earlier this month.

The state is bringing back the green and white Water Wonderland license plate, and implementing new security changes to licenses and state IDs.

The Water Wonderland plate is making a comeback 60 years after the original issuing of a similar plate, paying tribute to the anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr. and UAW President Walter Reuther's Walk to Freedom in Detroit.

"The new plate will serve as a reminder of the work that still needs to be done to achieve full equality and justice for all," said Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson. "The new ID design will protect Michiganders from identity theft, fraud, and other criminal activity." 

The Michigan SOS previously re-implemented a 1965 blue and yellow Water-Winter Wonderland license plate in December 2021, with over 1.2 million plates issued, as of November.

The Water Wonderland plate will be available for purchase beginning Jan. 27. The plate can be purchased online or when buying a vehicle at a dealership. The plate will cost a $5 one-time graphic fee in addition to normal registration fees. Plate personalization will be limited to six digits.

Under the new changes to driver's licenses and state IDs, the licenses and IDs will include engraved data, changing the font and color scheme, featuring the state coat of arms, adding shading and curved lines, including the names of the five Great Lakes in multicolored text and more.

A two-line name format will accommodate more characters and the addition of shading and curved lines is meant to strengthen the cards' integrity due to the difficulty to replicate them.

A gold Michigan shape with a star in it will ensure the cards are Real ID-compliant, replacing the current star in a gold circle to demonstrate Real ID compliance. Under federal law, state IDs or driver's licenses must be Real ID-compliant by May 7, 2025, to board domestic flights, enter military bases and certain federal facilities.

The magnetic stripe on the back of cards has been removed, while scannable bar codes remain.

The moves are meant to reduce the risk of counterfeiting and fraud, according to the Department of State.

Current driver's licenses and state IDs remain valid through their expiration date, and residents will be issued the new format when they renew, replace, or correct their cards.

State lawmakers also introduced a variety of proposals for new license plate designs and for bringing back several retro license plates. The bills remain at various stages in the state legislative process, with none yet signed into law.

From veterans to disease prevention, Michigan's new license plate design proposals would highlight key issues.

The state could soon see several new plates and the return of some classics.

State lawmakers introduced eight new plates into the state Legislature this year, and several are going through the approval process.

A variety of state House and Senate bills proposed the changes, with three bills passing in the state House, three passing the state Legislature and awaiting Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's approval, and five House and Senate bills awaiting committee hearings.

The proposals would bring back several standard plates, introducing new special cause fundraising plates, military and veteran plates, and disability plates.

The new license plate designs cover a variety of topics, including military and health care causes. Lawmakers are also seeking to bring back three standard plate designs used in previous decades.

More:Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson brings back popular Michigan license plate

The cost varies depending on the type of license plate, with three being fundraising plates. Michigan currently has 16 fundraising plates, with 20 allowed at a time under state law. Fundraising plates feature a $35 cost, including $25 for the donation and a $10 service fee.

Here's a look at the proposed license plate design topics:

• 4-H: A license plate that would fundraise for the Michigan branch of 4-H, a national youth development organization.
• Sickle cell anemia research and treatment: A license plate that would raise funds for research and treatment of the blood disease.
• Prostate cancer prevention and screenings: A license plate that would raise funds for prevention and screenings.
• A designation for U.S. Merchant Marines and spouses
• A designation for next of kin of deceased U.S. Armed Forces, Army Reserve, or Army National Guard
• A designation for spouses of Purple Heart recipients and Pearl Harbor survivors
• A designation for partially disabled veterans, those 50% or more disabled. The move would represent an expansion of disabled veteran license plates.

The three returning plate designs would be:

• A standard blue license plate with white text, previously used from 1983-2007
• A standard black license plate with white text, previously used from 1979-1983
• The Michigan 1976 bicentennial license plate features red, white, and blue. This would come ahead of the U.S. Semiquincentennial on July 4, 2026, marking the 250th anniversary of the 1776 U.S. Declaration of Independence.

The new designs would come in addition to a variety of Michigan license plates with group designations, such as military identification, and those featuring sports teams, universities, and more. The state also offers digital license plates for purchase, implemented in 2022.

The license plate proposals must be approved by the Michigan House and Senate and Whitmer before being implemented by the state's Secretary of State Office.