GA getting new specialty car license plates. Here’s when, what to expect
Come Jan. 1, Georgia drivers will have new choices for their license plates. The new specialty plates will include, among other designs, an “America First” motif, which Governor Brian Kemp approved and signed into law earlier this year.
Georgia has new specialty tags for 2026
America First
Senate Bill 291 authorizes the Georgia Department of Revenue to issue “America First” specialty plates described as “a symbol of national pride,” by its sponsor Senate Majority Leader Steve Gooch of Dahlonega.
During a 2024 legislative session, Gooch says it “provides Georgians with an opportunity to express their national pride, and underscores the importance of emphasizing domestic concerns.”
Other lawmakers, including Rep. Doreen Carter, (D) from Lithonia, have been critical of the new plate, saying the slogan “America First” is not just a slogan. In a public statement, she warns, “it carries a history rooted in exclusion, division and the marginalization of communities, especially Black Americans, immigrants and people of color.”
Other new specialty tags for Georgia
Senate Bill 208 authorized new plates honoring several other organizations or institutions.
- Shepard Center
- Georgia Veterans Service Foundation
- Southern University Alumni
- Delta Sigma Theta Sorority
- Department of Natural Resources
- Alabama State University
- Black bass conservation
Updates to Veteran Plates
In addition to the new specialty plates, there are also changes expanding eligibility and for veterans’ license plates. The new considerations make them easier for disabled veterans and their families to access
How to get a specialty or vanity tag
There is a difference between specialty and prestige (vanity) plates.
Specialty tags
These plates include set designs for organizations, causes, groups or colleges.
To apply:
- Visit the Georgia DOR website to choose your design.
- Verify your eligibility. Some plates require proof of affiliation
- Pay the one-time registration fee (usually $25-$35)
Vanity (prestige) tag
- Check for availability
- Complete the MV-9B Special Prestige License Plate Application.
- Choose your desired combination (up to 7 letters/numbers for most vehicles, 6 for motorcycles) with no symbols or punctuation.
- Submit the completed form and pay a $35 manufacturing fee, $35 annual special tag fee, and standard registration charges at your county tag office.
- The plate will be mailed to you once approved and manufactured.
What kind of specialty or vanity plates would you like Georgia to offer? Email me at srose@ledger-enquirer.com or find me on social media.
This story was originally published November 7, 2025 at 6:00 AM with the headline "GA getting new specialty car license plates. Here’s when, what to expect."