AUGUSTA, Maine — The Maine Bureau of Motor Vehicles released its proposal for a new standard license plate on Tuesday.
The design, based on the 1901 Maine flag, would replace the current chickadee plate.
“License plates serve not only to identify vehicles, but are a way of expressing our love for our state,” Secretary of State Shenna Bellows said. “We’re excited to present this new design proposal for the coming license plate reissuance.”
The chickadee design was first issued in 1999.
The BMV says that many plates have deteriorated in that time and have become hard to read.
“The BMV developed this plan with input from municipal officials, who do much of the license plate issuance in Maine, and our plan is to issue the new plates as Mainers register their cars between March 2025 and the end of February 2026,” Deputy Secretary of State for the Bureau of Motor Vehicles Cathie Curtis said. “Mainers across the state have embraced the 1901 flag, and we think they’ll love the new plate design as much as we do.”
The Transportation Committee will consider the proposal over the next several weeks, after which it will go to the full legislature for consideration.
