UW-Madison special license plate has new look

UW–Madison today unveiled its newly designed special license plate featuring the traditional and increasingly popular Crest “W.” It has replaced the Bucky Badger/Block “W” design that had been on the plate since it was first issued in 1988. The new plate, developed in partnership with the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (DOT), is available starting today (Monday, Feb. 3).

“The new design can be seen more easily from a distance and ties in very nicely with the university’s new institutional logo introduced last year,” says Cindy Van Matre, UW–Madison’s director of trademark licensing. The Crest “W” is a graphic element in the institutional logo. It is also the prominent identifying logo for the Kohl Center, University Ridge and the UW Field House.

The $20 university fee for the special plate is used to fund scholarships. It is tax-deductible for taxpayers who itemize deductions. In addition to the donation, there is also a one-time $15 issuance fee for the plate, over and above the basic vehicle registration fee. Basic registration fees differ based on vehicle type.

For the past five years, the $20-per-plate donation has generated around $110,000 annually for scholarships.

“The UW–Madison plate is a great way for Wisconsin citizens to display their Badger pride while, at the same time, providing scholarship support that will help give students in need of an opportunity to attend the university,” says Van Matre.

Of the 6,750 UW System license plates currently issued, 5,521 are UW–Madison license plates, according to Van Matre.

For more information about the special plate and how to order it, go to http://www.wisc.edu and click on the license plate graphic, or visit a Department of Transportation license facility.