What were Collier County's favorite license plates this year? Here's the top 5
Do you think your standard Florida license plate is boring? So did thousands of Florida locals this year.
Luckily, Florida offers more than 115 specialty license plates for drivers to choose from to spice up their vehicle.
We went through data from the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles and compiled a list of the most and least popular specialty license plates in Collier County for 2023.
Here's what we found.
1. Endless Summer
Endless Summer was the most popular specialty plate this year with 5,156 plates across the county. The plate depicts a surfer on the beach with an orange sunset in the background.
The plate ranked No. 1 in 2022 and 2021 in Collier as well.
There were 133,106 Endless Summer plates across the state this year.
Funds from purchasing this plate go toward protecting Florida's coastlines and beaches.
2. Helping Sea Turtles Survive
The second most popular plate in Collier was the Helping Sea Turtles Survive plate. There were 4,124 of these plates across the county this year.
The license plate shows a sea turtle crawling on tan sand toward a blue ocean.
This plate ranked second state-wide too, with 107,946 distributed across Florida.
When this plate is purchased, it funds Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s Sea Turtle Program and the Sea Turtle Conservancy, which work toward saving endangered sea turtles and their habitats.
3. Golf Capital of the World
With 2,502 plates around Collier, the Golf Capital of the World specialty plate is the third most popular in the county.
It depicts the silhouette of golfer swinging a club, surrounded by palm trees and a sun in the background.
This plate doesn't land as high in the overall state rankings, where it comes in 23rd with 29,571 plates distributed.
When you purchase this plate, funds go toward The First Tee organizations, which creates youth golf programs.
4. Protect Wild Dolphins
At number four with 2,494 plates is the Protect Wild Dolphins specialty license plate.
This plate features three dolphins ― one jumping out of the bright blue water and two swimming. The scene is against an orange sunset.
The plate is popular across the state with 53,636 distributed in 2023. It ranks at No. 7 statewide.
Funds from this specialty plate go to Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute to fund wild dolphin research.
5. Protect the Panther
Rounding out the top five specialty plates in Collier is the Protect the Panther plate. There were 2,378 of these plates in the county this year.
This plate shows two Florida Panthers in the wild. The fee associated with the plate goes to the Florida Panther Research and Management Trust Fund, which funds state panther research.
The specialty plate ranked at No. 15 statewide with 38,448 distributed in 2023.
What were the least popular plates in the county?
ONE PLATE EACH: Ringling College of Art and Design, Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity D9, Palm Beach Atlantic University ICUF, Keiser University ICUF, Florida Southern College ICUF, Florida Institute of Tech ICUF, Distinguished Service Cross, Air Force Combat Action Medal
TWO PLATES EACH: University of West Florida, University of Tampa ICUF, University of North Florida, Silver Star, Orlando City Soccer Club, Flagler College ICUF, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority D9
THREE PLATES EACH: World War II Veteran, Operation Desert Shield, Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity D9, Jacksonville University D9, Jacksonville University ICUF, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University ICUF
Festive flight: Pilot creates Christmas tree flight pattern over southern Florida
How do I get a specialty plate?
You can purchase a specialty license plate at any Collier County Tax Collector's Office. Call ahead to speak about plate availability and fees.
This article originally appeared on Naples Daily News: Top 5 license plates in Collier County 2023
