Missouri is home to part of Route 66, America’s iconic Main Street that inspired both song and TV show. And now fans can proudly display a black specialty license plate honoring “the highway that’s the best.”
The legendary highway was born in 1926 after the Bureau of Public Roads implemented the nation’s first highway system. Route 66 winds from Chicago, Illinois to Santa Monica, California, cutting through St. Louis, Springfield and Joplin.
The newly crafted black license plate is more than a mere piece of metal; it symbolizes the very spirit of Route 66 through its striking white lettering of the number ‘66’, ‘Missouri’ at the top, and the “Show Me State” nickname at the bottom. Route 66 Association of Missouri volunteers, in partnership with the Department of Revenue and Department of Motor Vehicles, spent the last two years creating the license plate.
“Our mission is to promote and preserve anything having to do with Route 66 – not just in Missouri, but in any of the other seven states that Route 66 passes through,” Richard Dinkela, president of the Route 66 Association of Missouri, told KSNF 16 in Joplin.
Missouri’s one-and-only black license plate is exclusively offered by the Route 66 Association of Missouri. The Route 66 Association will receive a portion of the sales as support. The cost of the plate is set at $50 and can be purchased here.
Applying is a breeze. Only customers with a Missouri residency and a state-titled vehicle are eligible. Customers will be asked to provide the VIN number of their vehicle and its existing plate number, if you already have plates. Payment requires a credit card or ACH for electronic network processing.
Upon completing your purchase, a link will become available. Access the link to begin filling out the forms and initiate the process. Customers are requested to provide meticulous information.
The rest of the process will be handled by the Route 66 Association of Missouri. Expect a wait of about four to six weeks for new plates to be available at the license office. There is no deadline for application.
The plates can be used for RVs, motorcycles, trucks up to 24,000 GVW and passenger cars.
The license plate allows for customization with six characters. If customers have an existing license plate, their current registration will be prorated. The renewal for all vanity plates in the Missouri plate program is set for July.
“I think the license plate tells the story of the Mother Road throughout the evolution of the United States – how we evolved and how we came to be what we are today,” Dinkela told KSNF 16. “By purchasing this exclusive black license plate, you are not just elevating your driving experience, you’re playing a pivotal role in supporting and preserving the legacy of the world-renowned Route 66.
“This is not just a plate. It’s a masterpiece – a blend of style, elegance and a dash of audacity that’s bound to make every journey an experience and every destination a spectacle.”
To find more information about the Route 66 license plate, visit this website.
