Montauk Lighthouse Featured on Proposed New York License Plate

New Yorkers may soon keep the Montauk Lighthouse with us everywhere we drive. NY Governor Andrew Cuomo has launched a statewide survey that will allow state residents to vote for one of five proposed license plate designs. One design, creatively named Plate 5, features a panorama of New York attractions, including Niagara falls, the Statue of Liberty, the Manhattan skyline and our very own, iconic Montauk Lighthouse.

The online poll went live on the Governor’s website, now.ny.gov, Monday and voting will remain open through September 2. In-person voting will held at the Governor’s Exhibit at the Great New York State Fair beginning August 21. The license plate design that receives the most votes will be available to customers beginning in April 2020. At the same time, any registrants with license plates older than 10 years will be issued new ones at their own expense.

Governor Cuomo explained the significance of the survey in a public announcement, noting, “License plates are a symbol of who we are as a state, and New Yorkers should have a voice and a vote in its final design. As the lifespan of the old plates comes to an end and we develop new ones that are as easy to read as possible, I encourage all residents to take part in choosing this piece of our state’s history, and the State Fair is a perfect place to do that.”

The survey is part of New York State’s ongoing goal to ensure that all New York license plates are reflective and easy to read. Though the old blue and white license plates have gradually become a rarity, those that persist are aged and often peeling.  Department of Motor Vehicles Commissioner Mark J. F. Schroeder explains, “The time has come for New York to have a new license plate, which is why we worked hard to create design options that not only capture the heart of the Empire State, but also that our customers will be proud to put on their vehicles. I hope everyone across the state will take a few minutes to view the options and vote for their top pick.”

All designs but one use a blue and orange color scheme, and feature the state motto, “Excelsior,” but each has different graphics. Choices include:

Plate 1, featuring the Statue of Liberty, shown from the waist up, on the left side.

Plate 2, showing Lady Liberty from top to bottom on the left side.

Plate 3, an all-blue design with the Tappan Zee Bridge—now officially named the Governor Mario M. Cuomo Bridge after the former governor, and our current Governor’s father—without the “Excelsior” motto.

Plate 4, displaying only the Statue of Liberty’s torch in the center and, in addition to the “Excelsior” motto, “E Pluribus Unum,” Latin for “Out of many, one,” on the top left.

Plate 5, with Niagra Falls, NYC skyline and Montauk Lighthouse, as described above.

The prospect of this poll is very exciting. If anything, East Enders should select the design featuring the Montauk Lighthouse for their fellow motorists. For drivers sitting in traffic during the long slog east from the city, it would be a nice reminder that coming here is worth the trip.

Get your vote on at now.ny.gov/page/s/vote-for-the-next-nys-license-plate-design.