Helping Sea Turtles Survive License Plate
An iconic ocean blue and sand-colored plate featuring a loggerhead hatchling crawling toward the surf, the Helping Sea Turtles Survive license plate supports sea turtle research and conservation in Florida.
Where Does My Fee Go?
Seventy percent of the plate’s proceeds serve as the primary source of funding for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s Sea Turtle Program. The remaining funds are routed through the Sea Turtle Conservancy, which distributes funding annually through the Sea Turtle Grants Program.
What Does My Fee Support?
FWC’s Sea Turtle Program includes the management, research, and protection of sea turtles. Management efforts include reviewing permits for coastal construction and other beach activities, commenting on land acquisition and management of nesting habitat, evaluating the success of protection measures in the field, and administration of permits for sea turtle research and rehabilitation. Under the Sea (Marine) Turtle Permit Program, FWC staff oversee the thousands of Permit Holders who survey the beaches each day during nesting season, marking and protecting sea turtle nests, or those individuals authorized to assist stranded sea turtles. FWC’s researchers study the abundance, distribution and mortality of Florida’s sea turtles. FWC’s Division of Law Enforcement enforces laws regarding sea turtles.
Funds awarded through the Sea Turtle Grants Program (STGP) have supported important advances in sea turtle research, public education and rehabilitation of sick and injured sea turtles. The program disperses over $300,000 in grants every year to coastal county governments, educational institutions and nonprofit groups through a competitive grants program. Since its establishment, the STGP has been able to award more than $4.2 million in grants in support of over 300 sea turtle research, conservation, and education projects throughout Florida.
How Do I Purchase a Plate?
There are two ways to purchase a sea turtle plate.
- First-time owner? To switch your existing license plate to the Helping Sea Turtles Survive plate, you will need to visit your local Tax Collector office in-person to purchase.
- Already own a Helping Sea Turtles Survive plate? Thank you! You can renew your existing Helping Sea Turtles Survive plate either in-person at your local Tax Collector office, or online through the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles.