New Ohio license plate available this week

COLUMBUS — A new design for the standard Ohio license plate revealed in October by Gov. Mike DeWine and First Lady Fran DeWine will be available to Ohioans beginning Wednesday.

The ‘Sunrise in Ohio’ design will replace the current red and white design that currently is offered to drivers by the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles. It was designed by the Ohio BMV with input from the Governor and First Lady, who took inspiration from the Great Seal of Ohio.

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The new design features the Wright Brothers’ ‘Wright Flyer’ soaring across rolling terrain, a river and wheat field with the words “Birthplace of Aviation” on a red ribbon. A city skyline with a sunrise also is featured on the new plate.

““We wanted Ohio’s new license plate to reflect the heart and soul of our state and to encapsulate where we’ve been, who we are, and where we’re going,” said Gov. Mike DeWine. “The imagery on our new license plate symbolizes what makes Ohio beautiful, unique, and extraordinary.”

The last time Ohio updated its standard license plate design was back in 2013. Over the past 20 years, four new standard license plate designs have been introduced, including the “Bicentennial” plate in 2001, the “Sunburst” plate in 2003, the “Beautiful Ohio” plate in 2009, and the “Ohio Pride” plate in 2013, according to the Governor’s Office.

The new design has a similar look to the ‘Beautiful Ohio’ license plate, which was released in 2009 during the Strickland administration. Then-Gov. Ted Strickland’s wife, Frances Strickland, had been involved in designing the plate.

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