A new salmon plate design will be on the road September 1st, with limited time left to purchase classic salmon plate design
Oregonians will soon have a choice about how they display their support for salmon habitat. A new salmon license plate design will be available September 1st, or Oregonians can opt for the classic salmon license plate until August. Lowest-numbered new plates are available through a special auction in cooperation with Oregon nonprofits that support salmon habitat restoration.
The Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board (OWEB) and Oregon Parks and Recreation Department first debuted the salmon plate in 1998. Revenue from the specialty plate protects and restores native salmon habitat. To date over $8 million of salmon plate funding has been invested in Oregon.
The original plate was one of the earliest custom designs available in Oregon, and the new design is a colorful upgrade, showing spawning salmon in a clear, cool stream. The new art was created by Gretchen Kirchner, an amateur artist and former graphic designer for Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board. The public can continue to order the classic plate design before they retire in August and can keep the classic plates on their car if they choose, while still supporting habitat projects.
To launch the new salmon license plate, the Oregon Conservation Partnership (ORCP) is hosting a Salmon Plate VIP List Auction using eBay. Members of the public can visit www.ebay.com. The auction allows bidders to secure low number spots on the VIP list for plate numbers SM 00001 through SM 00020 when the new plates are released. Bids must be placed by 5:00 pm on July 30, 2021, to be eligible. Proceeds from the auction will benefit statewide nonprofit organizations that support on-the-ground salmon recovery in Oregon.
The new plates will be available for passenger vehicles through the Oregon DMV beginning September 1, 2021. To guarantee landing the new salmon plate design, vehicle owners need to apply in person, online at DMV2U, or by mail on or AFTER September 1, 2021. Orders online or in-person before August 31, 2021, will receive the classic plate.
More information about the new Salmon License plate, and auction rules and eligibility, is available at orsalmonplates.com. Registration fees and ordering information are available on the DMV website at https://www.oregon.gov/ODOT/DMV/Pages/Vehicle/index.aspx.
