New 'blackout' style license plates may be coming to Kansas
TOPEKA (KSNT) - Lawmakers in Kansas are giving their approval for new legislation that would allow state residents to purchase sleek new 'blackout' license plates in the years ahead.
Lawmakers and the Kansas Division of Vehicles (DOV) pushed for the introduction of legislation earlier this year to add some new distinctive license plate option for the state's drivers. If approved by Governor Laura Kelly, the bill would allow for three new types of distinctive license plates to be produced and sold in Kansas.
Legislation for these new types of license plates are included inside House Bill 2201 which was originally introduced on Jan. 31 for one type of new plate. However, lawmakers later amended the bill to include language from other bills so that, if approved, it will allow for the creation of the following new types of distinctive license plates in Kansas:
- National Future Farmers of America (FFA).
- Royalty fees ranging from $25-$100 as set by the organization. Proceeds will go to the Kansas FFA Foundation.
- Route 66 Association of Kansas (Route 66).
- Royalty fees ranging from $25-$100 as determined by the association. Proceeds will go back to the Route 66 Association of Kansas.
- Blackout-style license plates.
- A fee of $50.
Lawmakers in both the Kansas House and Senate made a final decision on HB 2201 on Tuesday, March 25 at a vote of 39-1 in the Senate and 110-12 in the House, showing widespread approval in both chambers. The Kansas Legislative Research Department (KLRD) confirms the bill is now making its way to Governor Laura Kelly's desk for her final approval on the legislation.
Testimony submitted by Zach Denney with the Kansas Department of Revenue (KDOR) for House Bill 2168, the original blackout license plate bill prior to it being moved into HB 2201, shows these new types of plates would be available for everything from motorcycles to buses. The DOV estimates that around 30,400 blackout plates will be sold in the first year they're made available, generating around $2.6 million in cash for the state.
Blackout license plates can already be seen on the road in some states such as Colorado, Iowa and Minnesota where they have proven to be "extremely popular," according to Denney's testimony. He said funds collected by selling these new blackout plates will be used to help replace the remaining embossed license plates which are still being used in Kansas.
"In Iowa, more than 750,000 blackout plates have been sold since they were introduced 6 years ago, according to the Iowa Department of Transportation. We expect the blackout plate to be very well received by Kansas residents too."
Zach Denney House Bill 2168 testimony excerpt
The Colorado Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) released a report on Jan. 5, 2024, stating that its blackout plates were a hit with state residents in 2023, contributing $4.2 million in revenue. Nearly 170,000 of these plates were sold in Colorado in 2023.
Kansans can currently choose from a wide variety of different distinctive license plate options off of the KDOR's website. The Kansas Legislature added several new options in 2024 including a Kansas City Chiefs, Topeka Zoo, Kansas City Royals and First City of Kansas distinctive license plates among others. Many became available at the start of 2025.
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