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Committee approves ‘blackout’ license‑plate option; bill would create optional specialty plate with fee
Summary
Senate Bill 2133 would authorize a black background license plate option for North Dakota vehicles. The Appropriations Government Operations Division recommended the bill for passage after hearing support from the Department of Transportation and the public; the fiscal note shows a possible net revenue increase to the highway distribution fund.
The Appropriations Government Operations Division voted to recommend passage of Senate Bill 2133, which would create an optional black-background (“blackout”) license plate for passenger vehicles with an initial fee and an annual surcharge.
Senator Christian Rohrs, sponsor of the bill, said the plates mirror similar popular specialty plates in neighboring states. The bill sets a $15 initial fee, $25 annual fee and an additional $25 annual charge for a personalized configuration, consistent with the state’s structure for specialty and vanity plates.
Robin Reberg, deputy director for driver safety at the Department of Transportation, testified the department supports the bill and reported demand from the public. “We’ve had a lot of requests from the public for this blackout plate,” she told senators, and Roughrider (the state contractor that manufactures plates) provided cost estimates showing a modest per‑plate production premium for black ink.
The fiscal note included a conservative revenue estimate and distribution: the fiscal note projects additional revenue flowing into the highway distribution fund (counties, cities and townships would receive increases based on existing statutory splits), after netting estimated motor vehicle division production costs. The committee noted the fiscal note assumes modest initial uptake; Minnesota’s initial year after a similarly styled plate passed drew large demand, but committee members said North Dakota’s uptake is uncertain.
Committee members discussed identification concerns near state borders and duplication with neighboring jurisdictions’ special plates; DOT staff said required elements — “North Dakota” and the state slogan — would remain on the plate to differentiate it from out‑of‑state designs.
A motion for a do‑pass recommendation carried in committee. If enacted, the law would allow vehicle owners to voluntarily select the blackout plate and the additional surcharge would flow through existing highway distribution formulas.
