Vehicles: special interest license plates

The law changes how fees paid by specialty license-plate holders support California coastal programs. It also conditions some new coastal allocations on the Environmental License Plate Fund maintaining current spending and a minimum reserve.

What the law does ​

• Starting January 1, 2027, splits net environmental coastal-motif license-plate revenue equally between the California Beach and Coastal Enhancement Account and the Coastal Access Account.
• Directs the beach-and-coastal share to California Coastal Commission programs, including Whale Tail Grants, Adopt-A-Beach, Coastal Cleanup Day, and coastal public education.
• Directs the coastal-access share to the State Coastal Conservancy’s Explore the Coast grants.
• Allocates 10% of 49ers Foundation license-plate revenue to coastal education programs, 10% to Explore the Coast grants, and 20% to the Outdoor Equity Grants Program.
• Requires the Department of Finance to find that the Environmental License Plate Fund can cover current-year spending and retain at least 5% in reserves before the new environmental-plate allocations apply; otherwise, the prior allocation method continues.

Who it affects ​

• Drivers who buy, renew, transfer, or replace California’s coastal-motif environmental license plates.
• Purchasers of 49ers Foundation specialty license plates.
• The California Coastal Commission and State Coastal Conservancy.