STORAGE NAME: h0267.GOS
DATE: 3/4/2025
1
FLORIDA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
BILL ANALYSIS
This bill analysis was prepared by nonpartisan committee staff and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.
BILL #: HB 267
TITLE: Motorcycle Specialty License Plates
SPONSOR(S): Basabe
COMPANION BILL: None
LINKED BILLS: None
RELATED BILLS: None
Committee References
Government Operations
State Affairs
SUMMARY
Effect of the Bill:
The bill creates a motorcycle version of the Endless Summer specialty license plate.
Fiscal or Economic Impact:
The bill will have a negative, but insignificant, fiscal impact to state expenditures associated with programming
costs for the specialty license plate.
JUMP TO SUMMARY ANALYSIS RELEVANT INFORMATION BILL HISTORY
ANALYSIS
EFFECT OF THE BILL:
The bill creates a motorcycle specialty license plate option for the Endless Summer specialty license plate. Any
image approved by the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles must be placed on the far-left side of the
plate for display on a motorcycle, and the number of valid specialty license plates issued for display on a motor
vehicle or on a motorcycle must be added together to determine whether the specialty license plate must be
discontinued. (Section 1)
Proceeds from the sale of the Endless Summer motorcycle specialty license plate are distributed to the Surfing’s
Evolution & Preservation Corporation to be used in the same manner as the proceeds from the sale of the existing
Endless Summer specialty license plates for motor vehicles. (Section 1)
The bill has an effective date of October 1, 2025. (Section 2)
FISCAL OR ECONOMIC IMPACT:
STATE GOVERNMENT:
The Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (DHSMV) will need to update its procedures, forms, and
website to incorporate a motorcycle specialty license plate option for the Endless Summer Specialty license plate.
This programming can likely be done using existing resources.
PRIVATE SECTOR:
Once the Endless Summer motorcycle specialty license plate is available, the Surfing’s Evolution & Preservation
Corporation may see an increase in revenues associated with the sale of the plate.
JUMP TO SUMMARY ANALYSIS RELEVANT INFORMATION BILL HISTORY
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RELEVANT INFORMATION
SUBJECT OVERVIEW:
Specialty License Plates
Specialty license plates are available to the owner or lessee of any motor vehicle who is willing to pay an annual
use fee, in addition to the required license tax and fees.
1 Reduced dimension specialty license plates are also
available to the owner or lessee of any motorcycle upon request and payment of the required license tax and fees.
2
The annual use fees range from $15-$25,
3 and are distributed directly to the sponsoring organization or other
entity as designated in statute.
4 As of January 2025, there are 114 specialty license plates available for sale and an
additional 22 in presale.
5
To establish a specialty license plate, an organization must first receive approval in law. Once approval has been
granted, the organization has 60 days to submit the proposed art design for the specialty license plate to the
Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (DHSMV).
6 Within 120 days of the specialty license plate
becoming law, DHSMV must establish a method to issue presale vouchers for the specialty license plate. If a person
wants a presale voucher, he or she pays a $5 processing fee,
7 a $2.50 service charge, a $.50 branch fee,
8 and the
specialty license plate’s annual use fee.
9 The applicant for a motorcycle specialty license plate pays a license plate
fee,
10 a $2 processing fee,
11 and an annual use fee.
12 All other applicable fees are paid at the time of issuance of the
specialty license plate.
13
After the presale vouchers are established, the organization has 24 months to obtain 3,000 voucher sales before
the plate is manufactured.
14 If the sales requirement has not been met by the end of the presale period, the
specialty license plate is deauthorized and DHSMV must discontinue the development of the plate and issuance of
the presale vouchers. Upon deauthorization of the license plate or if the plate has met the presale requirement but
has not been issued, a purchaser of the presale voucher may use the annual use fee paid as a credit towards any
other specialty license plate or may apply for a refund.
15
New specialty license plates that have been approved by law but are awaiting issuance are issued in the order they
appear in statute ,
16 provided that they have met all statutory requirements, including the presale requirement.
17 If
the next specialty license plate listed in statute has not met the presale requirement, DHSMV moves down the list
to the next qualified specialty license plate to identify the next qualified specialty license plate that has met the
presale requirement.
18
The number of specialty license plates issued cannot exceed 135. If the Legislature approves more than 135
specialty license plates, DHSMV cannot issue any new specialty license plates until a sufficient number of plates are
discontinued in order to not exceed the limit.
19
1
S. 320.08056(2)(a), F.S.
2
S. 320.08068, F.S.
3
S. 320.08056(3)(d), F.S., states that the annual use fee for any specialty license plate is $25, except if otherwise specified in s.
320.08056(4), F.S.
4
S. 320.08058, F.S.
5
Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, Agency Analysis of 2025 House Bill 49, pp. 4-6 (Feb. 7, 2025).
6
S. 320.08053(1), F.S.
7
The processing fee is prescribed in s. 320.08056(3), F.S.
8
The service charge and branch fee are prescribed in s. 320.04, F.S.
9
The annual use fee us prescribed in s. 320.08056, F.S.
10
The license plate fee is required in s. 320.06(1)(b), F.S.
11
S. 320.08068(3), F.S.
12
S. 320.08068(4), F.S.
13
S. 320.08053(2)(a), F.S.
14
S. 320.08053(2)(b), F.S.
15
Id.
16
S. 320.08058, F.S.
17
S. 320.08053(3)(a), F.S.
18
S. 320.08053(3)(a), F.S.
19
S. 320.08053(3)(b), F.S. JUMP TO SUMMARY ANALYSIS RELEVANT INFORMATION BILL HISTORY
3
DHSMV must discontinue the issuance of an approved specialty license plate if the number of valid specialty
license plate registrants falls below 3,000 plates for 12 consecutive months. After the first month in which the
number of specialty license plate registration falls below 3,000 (or 4,000 for out-of-state or university plates), a
warning letter is mailed to the sponsoring organization.
20 This discontinuation requirement does not apply to:
In-state collegiate specialty license plates;
Specialty license plates of institutions in and entities of the State University System;
Specialty license plates that have statutory eligibility limitations for purchase;
Specialty license plates for which annual use fees are distributed by a foundation for student and teacher
leadership programs and teacher recruitment and retention; or
Florida professional sports team specialty license plates
21
DHSMV may discontinue a specialty license plate and distribution of associated annual use fee if the organization
no longer exists, stops providing services that are authorized to be funded from the annual use fee proceeds, or
pursuant to an organizational recipient’s request.
22
On January 1 of each year, DHSMV must discontinue the specialty license plate with the fewest number of plates in
circulation, including specialty license plates exempt from the sales requirement. A warning letter is mailed to the
organizations in the lowest 10 percent of valid, active specialty license plate registrations as of December 1 of each
year.
23
The annual use fees collected by an organization and any interest earned from those fees may not be used for
commercial or for-profit activities, or general or administrative expenses, unless authorized by the specialty
license plates specific enabling statute.
24 Further, the annual use fees and interest earned from those fees may not
be used for the purpose of marketing to, or lobbying, entertaining, or rewarding an employee of a governmental
agency that is responsible for the sale and distribution of specialty license plates, or any elected member or
employee of the Legislature.
25
Annual use fees collected by an organization and any interest earned from those fees may be expended only in
Florida, unless the annual use fees are derived from the sale of United States Armed Forces or veterans-related
specialty license plates.
26 Additionally, organizations receiving annual use fees must submit an annual audit or
attestation document to DHSMV that proceeds were used in compliance with the applicable specialty license plate
statutes.
27
Endless Summer Specialty License Plate
The Endless Summer specialty license for motor vehicles is created in Florida law and provides that the word
“Florida” must appear at the top of the plate, and the words “Endless Summer” must appear at the bottom of the
plate.
28 The colors and design of the plate were approved by DHSMV
29 and the annual fees of the plate are
distributed to Surfing’s Evolution & Preservation Corporation
30, a Florida not-for-profit corporation,
31 to fund its
activities, programs, and projects aimed at preserving the sport of surfing. Specifically, the corporation:
20
S. 320.08056(8)(a), F.S.
21
Id.
22
S. 320.08056(8)(b), F.S.
23
S. 320.08056(8)(f), F.S.
24
S. 320.08056 (10)(a), F.S.
25
S. 320.08056 (11), F.S.
26
S. 320.08056(10)(a), F.S.
27
S. 320.08062, F.S. Annual use fees may be used to pay for the cost of this required audit or report. See s. 320.08056(10)(a),
F.S.
28
S. 320.08058(66)(a), F.S.
29
DHSMV, Florida License Plates (last visited Feb. 18, 2025).
30
In 2010, the corporation’s name was amended to Surfing’s Evolution & Preservation Foundation, Inc. See Department of
State’s Division of Corporations, Amendment and Name Change (last visited Mar. 3, 2025).
31
Department of State’s Division of Corporations, Articles of Incorporation for Surfing's Evolution & Preservation Foundation,
Inc. (last visited Feb. 18, 2025). The corporation is organized for the purpose of ensuring the preservation of surfing, the JUMP TO SUMMARY ANALYSIS RELEVANT INFORMATION BILL HISTORY
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May use up to 10 percent of the annual use fee revenue for marketing and promotion of the plate and
administrative costs directly associated with its programs and the specialty license plate.
Must use the remaining funds to:
o Fund the proposed Surfing’s Evolution & Preservation Experience project.
o Provide funds for the provision of lifeguards or the building of artificial reefs.
o Provide funds to organizations that house the history and artifacts of surfing or promote the sport
through exhibits, lectures, and events.
o Support programs and events of other organizations that support beaches and oceans and promote
education on beach safety, coastal pollution, and beach ecology.
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BILL HISTORY
COMMITTEE REFERENCE ACTION DATE
STAFF
DIRECTOR/
POLICY CHIEF
ANALYSIS
PREPARED BY
Government Operations
Subcommittee
Toliver Walker
State Affairs Committee
beaches and the environment, and for the purposes of educating the general public regarding the same, as well as beach safety,
coastal pollution and beach ecology. The corporation also supports lifeguards and the development of artificial reefs.
32
S. 320.08058(66)(b), F.S.