The redesign is similar to an existing specialty plate that showcases Oklahoma’s original state flag: the number 46 within a white star on a red field.
But that specialty plate features the slogan from the Oklahoma state seal: labor omnia vincit, a Latin phrase meaning “work conquers all.” The new standard plate swaps the pro-union sentiment for the state brand tagline, “Imagine that.”
The design also features some iconography of Oklahoma’s notable fauna and industries in blue along the bottom border. One notable snub: the scissortail flycatcher, Oklahoma’s state bird and the star of its current license plate.
“This design celebrates much of what makes Oklahoma unique, and I am excited to see it out on the road,” Pinnell said in a statement.
Oklahoma drivers will have the option to upgrade their plate for a $4 replacement fee next time they renew their vehicle registration, or they can keep using the one they have. Newly issued standard plates will all feature the Iconic Oklahoma design.
Prison laborers in the Oklahoma Department of Corrections Correctional Industries are already producing the new plates, which will be available starting in September.
This is the state’s third standard license plate redesign over the past fifteen years. Before that, Oklahoma kept the same plate featuring an Osage shield with only minor tweaks for three decades.
