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Scouting License Plates
Plates in Production

Pending Plates

Booster Plates

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License plate collecting is as old as the automobile, with some of the first porcelain license plates dating back to 1903. License plates with Scouting themes are a much more recent phenomena that are currently gaining in popularity across the nation.

Special interest license plates are created by an act of a state's legislature to support a particular group or cause. For example, in New York there are over 200 special interest license plates available for colleges, fraternities, military veterans, sports teams, the arts, the environment, Harley owners, Porsche owners, Masons, Rotary, etc., each displaying the organization's logo or other designation. A portion of the plate's proceeds is typically allocated to the special interest group. There are currently seven states and one Canadian province producing Scouting special interest plates with several others still in the design phase. (Most states require a minimum number of plates to be ordered before they are produced.) These special interest plates are listed below.

In addition to the special interest license plates that are available all the time, some states issue special event plates to commemorate a particular occasion. Illinois has issued at least five Scouting-related special event plates. Production numbers for these Illinois special event plates are usually quite limited (200 maximum) and the plates are typically valid only at the time of the event. They are: 1990 Grant Pilgrimage, 1990 Lincoln Pilgrimage, 1991 Grant Pilgrimage, 1992 Girl Scouts 80th Anniversary, and 1995 Lincoln Pilgrimage.

1969 BS&O plateOne relatively unknown Scouting license plate is the "Boy Scout & Orphanage" plate from Arkansas. This plate is issued to buses or trucks used exclusively for Boy Scout or orphanage purposes. There is an initial charge of $1 for the plate and then no subsequent registration fees. Plates issued from 1960-1968 had a "BSO" prefix while plates from 1969 on have "BS & O" along the bottom edge.

Booster plates, or souvenir plates as they are sometimes called, are license plates that are used by a supporter (i.e. "booster") of a particular cause or product. They are not used for automobile registration purposes. In states that do not require a front license plate, car owners will sometimes mount a booster plate onto the front of their car. The vast majority of collectible Scouting license plates fall into this category. They have been issued by councils, camps, Order of the Arrow lodges, national organizations, and individuals. Homemade booster plates are generally not sought by collectors, although some airbrushed examples can be very attractive. One homemade booster plate seen at a recent National OA Conference was essentially an enlarged color photocopy of a lodge flap that was laminated and affixed to the car's front bumper!

Of special note are the souvenir plates used at several BSA National Jamborees. In 1957, 150 sets of special Michigan license plates were issued for the National Jamboree held in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania. These special plates were affixed to complimentary Plymouth vehicles that were used by guests and VIPs. After the Jamboree, they were given away to Boy Scout VIPs and other dignitaries. At another Jamboree (1953 or 1960?) special license plates were attached to a fleet of Buicks on loan to the contingent from Flint, Michigan for driving to the Jamboree. In 1997, special license plates made by the State of Virginia were used as vehicle passes on the Jamboree site. Although not meant to be bolted to the car, they were nevertheless used by Jamboree Security as a means of controlling vehicle access. There were six series used: red - visitors, yellow BSA - National staff, yellow S - Jamboree staff, blue M - military, blue P - private vehicles, and blue V - vendors.

The last major category of Scouting license plates are vanity license plates, also called personalized plates. Most states will allow a person to order a license plate customized with a name or initials or clever message. Many Scouters take advantage of this opportunity and order plates with their troop, lodge, council, Vigil name, Wood Badge patrol, or other Scouting affiliation. Of course, it is difficult to collect plates in this category since a) vanity plate owners are usually not willing to part with their plates, and b) some states require that old plates be turned in when obtaining new ones. One could never hope to collect anything but a random sampling of this category, but fortunately, hundreds of thousands of examples are on the road today, and more are being produced daily!

Two license plates that fall outside of the above major categories above are two bicycle plates that were produced for both the Boy Scouts and the Girl Scouts. They are small, measuring 2 13/16" x 4", and simply indicate that the person is a member of the respective organizations. It is not known when these plates were issued, but a guess would be in the 1960's based on their similarity in size and construction to bicycle miniature name plates of the same era.

Two other pieces of Scouting license plate indicia are the license plate registration stickers from the Canadian province of Prince Edward Island. In 1977 and 1989, PEI hosted the Canadian National Jamboree. To commemorate these events, the PEI registration stickers in those years bore the CJ77 and CJ89 designs. The license plates themselves were otherwise unremarkable.
1977 Canadian Jamboree patch
1977 Canadian Jamboree patch
1977 PEI registration sticker
1977 PEI registration sticker
1989 Canadian Jamboree patch
1989 Canadian Jamboree patch
1989 PEI registration sticker
1989 PEI registration sticker

Please contact me with any additional information on Scouting license plates as the accompanying listing is far from complete. I would also appreciate trading or buying any of my plate needs marked with an asterisk *. For general information on license plate collecting, check the Automobile License Plate Collectors Association website. If you are interested in seeing a Scouting special interest license plate in your state, contact your local state legislator to get the process rolling, or click here to see if the mechanism to qualify a special plate already exists in your state.

Scouting Plates in Production
Click on plates to see any varieties.
ARKANSAS
Boy Scout plate
Arkansas OMV
ARKANSAS
"Boy Scout & Orphanages"
(multiple years)
Arkansas OMV
FLORIDA
Boy Scout plate
Florida DMV
FLORIDA
Girl Scout plate
Discontinued 5/21/02
IDAHO
Boy Scout plate
Idaho DMV
INDIANA
Boy Scout plate
Indiana BMV
INDIANA
Girl Scout plate
Discontinued 1/1/01
LOUISIANA
Girl Scout plate*
Discontinued by court order 7/8/03
MARYLAND
Alpha Phi Omega plate*
Baltimore Area Alumni
Alpha Phi Omega
MARYLAND
Boy Scout plate*
Baltimore Area Council, BSA
MISSOURI
Eagle Scout plate*
Missouri DMV
MISSOURI
Order of the Arrow plate*
Missouri DMV
MONTANA
Boy Scout plate
Montana DMV
MONTANA
Girl Scout plate
Montana Girl Scout plateMontana DMV
NEW YORK
Girl Scout plate*
Discontinued 2/7/00
NORTH CAROLINA
Eagle Scout plate*
NC DMV
OHIO
Boy Scout plate
Ohio BMV
OHIO
Eagle Scout plate
Ohio BMV
OHIO
Girl Scout plate
Ohio BMV
OKLAHOMA
Boy Scout plate
Oklahoma DMV
TEXAS
Boy Scout plate
Texas DOT
TEXAS
Girl Scout plate
Texas DOT
UTAH
Boy Scout plate
Utah DMV
ONTARIO, Canada
Scouts Canada plate
Ontario MTO
ONTARIO, Canada
Guides Canada plate
Ontario MTO
State Issued Special Event Plates
ILLINOIS
Grant Pilgrimage 1990
ILLINOIS
Lincoln Pilgrimage 1990
ILLINOIS
Grant Pilgrimage 1991
ILLINOIS
Girl Scouts 80th Anniv. 1992
ILLINOIS
Lincoln Pilgrimage 1995
MICHIGAN
National Jamboree 1957*
PENNSYLVANIA
Valley Forge Council
Diamond Jubilee 1985
Any plate marked with an asterisk * is a need.

Pending Plates
StateDescriptionCostMin. NeededReferenceStatusContact Info.
Alabama
Boy Scout plate
$501000COA
32-6-510
ExpiredGreater Alabama Council
AlabamaGirl Scout plate$50250COA
32-6-510
ExpiredSouth Central Alabama
Girl Scout Council
Montgomery, AL
ArizonaBoy Scout plate$25200ARS
28-2404
Taking applicationsGrand Canyon Council
2969 N Greenfield Rd.
Phoenix, AZ 85016
602-955-7747
CaliforniaBoy Scout plate$507500SB 2032
(1998)
Deadn/a
CaliforniaBoy Scout plate$507500SB 1366
(2000)
Failed Passagen/a
CaliforniaGirl Scout plate$507500SB 2073
(1998)
Deadn/a
California
Girl Scout plate
$507500AB 700
(2000)
ExpiredGirl Scout Councils of California
1-866-427-2688
GeorgiaBoy Scout plate$25500HB 1022
(2002)
Deadn/a
GeorgiaBoy Scout plate$25500HB 205
HB 280
(2003)
Pendingn/a
IllinoisBoy Scout plate
Girl Scout plate
$40850HB 314
(1999)
Failed Passagen/a
IllinoisBoy Scout plate$25850HB 193
(2003)
Deadn/a
IowaBoy Scout plate$35500IC 761-401.15Expired Hawkeye Area Council
Cedar Rapids, IA
LouisianaBoy Scout plate$25100RS 47:463.71n/aNot available
due to court order.
MichiganBoy Scout plate$25500MCL 257.803mWithdrawnHerb Wansitler
MichiganEagle Scout plate$25500MCL 257.803mWithdrawnHerb Wansitler
Michigan
Eagle Scout plate
$25500HB 4019
(2003)
Introducedn/a
Mississippi
Boy Scout plate
$30200Sec. 27-19-56.59Taking applicationsPack 9
Tupelo, MS
MississippiGirl Scout plate$30200Sec. 27-19-56.68n/aGirl Scout Council of
Middle Mississippi
MississippiEagle Scout plate$15100Sec. 27-19-56.25Eff. 7/1/00Mississippi STC
MississippiGirl Scout Gold Award plate$15100Sec. 27-19-56.25Eff. 7/1/00Mississippi STC
MissouriBoy Scout plate$40n/aHB 1317
(2004)
Pendingn/a
MissouriBoy Scout plate
Girl Scout plate
Gold Award plate
$40n/aHB 626
(2003)
Deadn/a
MissouriBoy Scout plate
Girl Scout plate
$40n/aSB 765
(2000)
Failed Passagen/a
New JerseyBoy Scout plate$50500A2329
(2004)
Introducedn/a
New JerseyGirl Scout plate$50500A3720
(2001)
Deadn/a
New JerseyGirl Scout plate$50500A454
(2002)
Deadn/a
New YorkBoy Scout plate$25200
ExpiredOtetiana Council
Rochester, NY
No. Carolina
Boy Scout plate
$10300G.S. 20-79.4(b)(5)ExpiredBSA License Plate Fund
c/o Mike Jones
P. O. Box 8154
Wilson, NC 27893
252-291-5492
No. CarolinaEagle Scout plate$10300G.S. 20-79.4(b)(13b)Eff. 9/98n/a
No. CarolinaGirl Scout plate$10300G.S. 20-79.4(b)(5)ExpiredHornets' Nest Girl Scout Council
Charlotte, NC
No. CarolinaGirl Scout Gold Award plate$10300G.S. 20-79.4(b)(16a)Eff. 9/98n/a
PennsylvaniaBoy & Girl Scouts plate$35n/aHB 2425
(2000)
Failed Passagen/a
PennsylvaniaBoy Scout plate
Girl Scout plate
$35n/aSB 376
(1999)
Failed Passagen/a
So. CarolinaBoy Scout plate$35n/aGB 237
(1999)
Failed Passagen/a
Tennessee
Boy Scout plate
$351000HB2789/SB2992
(2004)
Eff. 7/1/04Middle Tennessee Council
Nashville, TN
Tennessee
Girl Scout plate
$351000Tennessee Code
55-4-305
Eff. 7/03Cumberland Valley Council
Nashville, TN
Virginia
Alpha Phi Omega plate
$10350Title 46.2-746.7
Ms. Jamie Conover
8493 Shady Grove Rd.
Mechanicsville, VA 23116
Virginia
Boy Scout plate
$10350Title 46.2-749.30ExpiredRon Stroup
BSA Specialty Plate Fund
868 Weyanoke Lane
Newport News, VA 23608
(757-875-1220)
VirginiaEagle Scout plate$10350Title 46.2-749.15Expiredn/a
Virginia
Girl Scout plate
$25350Title 46.2-749.30:1Eff. 5/02Virginia Skyline Council
Roanoke, VA


Booster/Souvenir Plates
Asociacion de Scouts de Panama
BSA Logo (old logo on red; metal)
BSA Logo (old logo on red; plastic)
BSA Logo* (new logo on red)
BSA Logo (new logo on white)
Boy Scouts of America* (old logo on green)
Boy Scouts of America* (old logo on red/white/blue)
Boy Scouts of America (new logo on black)
Boy Scouts of America (new logo on white)*
I'm Proud to be a/Blue Ridge Scouter
Bucks County Pennsylvania (embossed aluminum)
Bucks County Pennsylvania (plastic)
Calcasieu Area Council Scouter
Camp Child/Plymouth/Massachusetts
Central Florida Council
Central Indiana Council
Cherokee Council Honor Unit* (NC)
Chief Cornplanter Council
Coastal Empire Council/ Scouting... Building Values for Life
Commissioner-BSA
Crossroads of America Council
Cub Scouts
Cumberland Valley GS Council*
Del-Mar-Va Council
Exploring USA
A Fairfield County/Scouting/Family
Girl Scout - I Brake For Cookies (red on white)
Girl Scout - I Brake For Cookies (green on white)
Girl Scouts of America (red on white)
Girl Scouts - Where Girls Grow Strong
Gulf Ridge Council
Gulf Ridge Council/Univ. of Scouting Faculty
I (heart) Girl Scouts
I Support Boy Scouts
I Support Scouting (1973 Philippine Scouting)
Indiana County Sesquicentennial
It's Smart to be a Girl Scout
Klahican Lodge 331
Member Boy Scouts of America (bicycle plate)
Member Girl Scouts of America (bicycle plate)
Minsi Trails Council CSP
Occoneechee Lodge 104
Octoraro Lodge 22*
Order of the Arrow (70's logo)
Order of the Arrow (Arrowhead logo)
Palmetto Council CSP
Palmetto Council CSP 60th Anniv.
Pellissippi Lodge*
Philmont Scout Ranch
Proud to be a Girl Scout Leader*
Puerto Rico
Scouting Makes the Difference
South Florida Council
Ta Tsu Hwa Lodge 138
National Jamboree (1953?)
1957 Michigan/Boy Scout/Jamboree/Valley Forge/Water Wonderland
1997 National Jamboree red border
1997 National Jamboree yel bdr, BSA
1997 National Jamboree yel bdr, S series
1997 National Jamboree blue bdr, M series
1997 National Jamboree blu bdr, P series
1997 National Jamboree blu bdr, V series
Any plate marked with an asterisk * is a need.
LINKS


Automobile License Plate Collectors Association


International Scouting Collectors Association








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