My home state of New Hampshire just had the public hearing on a bill to create ham radio license plates; a hearing I attended in person. Our governor, Kelly Ayotte even proclaimed June of 2025 as Amateur Radio Month (from QRZ https://forums.qrz.com/index.php?attachments/june-1-amateur-radio-month-pdf.1331180/). Hams living in New Hampshire hams can help us create ham license plates by supporting HB1483-FN by contacting their reps and senator asking them to vote in favor. If New Hampshire hams have any questions, they may contact me directly at my email address nv1z (at) comcast (dot) net. Richard Kahn, NV1Z Hudson, NH P.S. Previous governors have also supported the amateur radio service. See attached picture with former Governor John H. Sununu. I am in back row, 3rd from right, only one with a beard.
I hope you get them and they are a reasonable price. In SC most Vanity Plates or others are an additional $30 or s. Ham Plates are only $2.00 with proof of license.
I'm surprised that you don't have Ham plates. I would have thought a state like New Hampshire would have had them long-ago. Some States see it as an easy form of revenue. I'm happy Arkansas only changes $2 for ham plates.
I know you will all be shocked to hear that Massachusetts uses Ham Plates to try and balance the budget. Plus another $30 each time, every 2 years, you renew your registration for the life of the plate even though the plate lasts for many years! In Massachusetts, getting a ham radio plate involves a $20 plate fee plus a $20 swap fee, totaling $40 for the plates, submitted with your application and FCC license copy to the RMV, on top of your regular registration costs (around $30 for one year). Some sources mention annual renewal fees or extra charges, but the initial plate cost is typically the $20 plate fee and $20 swap fee.
This sounds like something new but I remember someone telling me long ago about an attempt to get ham plates in NH. It stumbled when someone asked "What is the benefit to the state?" Does that have an answer now?
Connecticut's are only $25, making them one of the cheaper vanity plates. Good to hear New Hampshire might be joining the club. Hopefully they get a good design. Connecticut puts a lightning bolt in the middle of the plate and nothing else, so people think they're special plates for electric vehicles.
A few months ago I sent an email to Gov Ayotte. Asking for Her consider Amateur Radio license plates. That was back in September. Obviously I have never gotten a reply lol
Real weird that MA has vanity ham plates and NH does not. I ride both ponies here BTW. 73 Chip W1YW "Live free or die...do I have any other options?"
I was thinking that Texas charged nothing for ham plates, but Mr. AI tells me it is $2 extra the 1st year and $1 per year renewal. Good luck to you with the bill in NH.
I'm pretty sure I've seen plenty of NH plates with call signs on them. What is probably going on is a change in price. Right now they would be vanity plates, which are very popular in NH and can say almost anything (within certain obvious limits...) that you can fit onto the plate. They encourage the use of vanity plates as a revenue source -- the price is probably set based on profit maximization. So the new rule will presumably make ham plates available at a lower price. Massachusetts has ham plates and vanity plates but both are fairly uncommon. The RMV instead emphasizes its affinity plates, specialty plates with a them picture and text, and two vertical letters corresponding. For example the Cape and Islands plate has CI on the left and then a number, with a picture. Low number plates are also thought of as influential and get auctioned off when available. When I was a young ham (late 60s) in New Jersey, the state was one of two (Kentucky the other) where you couldn't get a ham plate at the time. At least not per an article in one of the ham mags. And NJ later introduced them.
**********When did Ham Plates in AR change down to 2 Bucks ? Last Time i asked they charged a Vanity Fee much Higher . Will ask when we go back in April , 73**** IF all these states Appreciate Ham Radio then why has'nt the Bill to Help Hams in HOAs pass yet ???
Who in the world would ever want a ham plate.................just kidding. A copy of HB1483-FN is here. The only fly in the ointment could be the required "unfunded $25,000 system programming changes.....and....verification process". The folks in the State-House get nervous when people start re-arranged the deck chairs. They did it for the Moose and The Parks - no reason this shouldn't pass.
Yeah but I think some of the money from Moose plates goes towards conservation projects so not really the same thing.
