Florida’s Don’t Tread on Me license plate is a specialty tag featuring the Gadsden Flag design, authorized under Florida Statute 320.08058(92).1The Florida Legislature. Florida Code 320.08058 – Specialty License Plates You can order it at any county tax collector’s office or licensed private tag agency for a $25 annual use fee plus a one-time $5 processing fee, and every dollar of the annual fee funds the Florida Veterans Foundation.
What It Costs
- $25 annual use fee, collected each year at registration renewal
- $5 one-time processing fee when the plate is first issued
Both amounts are set by Florida Statute 320.08056 and are added to the regular license tax your vehicle already owes based on weight and type.2The Florida Legislature. Florida Code 320.08056 – Specialty License Plates A private tag agency will usually tack on its own convenience fee; a county tax collector’s office won’t.
How to Order
No special application is required for a standard Gadsden Flag plate. Walk into your local county tax collector’s office or a licensed tag agency, ask for the Don’t Tread on Me plate, and they’ll process it at the counter. Bring your current vehicle registration and proof of valid Florida insurance.
If the office has the plate in stock, you can leave with it the same day. If it has to be ordered, a standard (non-personalized) specialty plate typically takes days rather than weeks, and a temporary tag covers you until it arrives.
Which Vehicles Qualify
Most Florida-registered vehicles are eligible, including cars, trucks, motorhomes, and trailers. The exclusions are narrow: truck tractors, commercial trucks that must display two plates under Florida law, and vehicles registered through the International Registration Plan (the interstate commercial trucking system) cannot carry this plate.2The Florida Legislature. Florida Code 320.08056 – Specialty License Plates If you drive a standard passenger vehicle, you qualify.
Personalizing the Plate
You can request a custom letter-and-number combination on your Gadsden Flag plate instead of a randomly assigned one. Personalization adds $15 per year on top of the $25 specialty fee, for a $40 annual surcharge.3Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. Personalized and Specialty License Plates You’ll fill out Form HSMV 83043 (Application for Personalized License Plate) at the tax collector’s office or tag agency.4Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. Application for Personalized License Plate
Personalized plates take longer because each is custom-manufactured. FLHSMV advises allowing six to eight weeks for production and delivery.4Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. Application for Personalized License Plate Your combination must be unique and cannot be obscene, offensive, or encouraging illegal activity. The character limit depends on the plate design.
Where the $25 Goes
The annual use fee is distributed to the Florida Veterans Foundation, a direct-support organization of the Florida Department of Veterans’ Affairs.1The Florida Legislature. Florida Code 320.08058 – Specialty License Plates The foundation uses the money for programs that assist veterans across the state, including emergency financial aid and support services.5Florida Veterans’ Foundation. Florida Veterans’ Foundation Up to 10 percent of plate revenue can be used for promotion, marketing, and administrative costs tied to the program itself.
Renewal and Transfers
The $25 fee is billed with your standard registration renewal each year. Let the registration lapse and you lose the right to display the plate until you renew. Florida also requires continuous insurance coverage through the entire registration period, even if the vehicle isn’t being driven; a lapse can trigger a suspended registration and reinstatement fees that cost more than the plate.
Florida plates stay with the registrant, not the vehicle. You can’t sell or give your Gadsden Flag plate to anyone else, but you can transfer it to a new vehicle you buy at your tax collector’s office. Personalized plates can also be transferred to another vehicle you own or co-own.6Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. Frequently Asked Questions