Applying for an NCSSM Specialty License Plate
Did you know that NCSSM is one of only three schools in the UNC System without its own specialized North Carolina license plate? (The other two are UNC Asheville and the North Carolina School of the Arts.)
If you would like to show your school spirit by lending your support to NCSSM’s bid for its own specialty license plate, please complete the following two (2) steps by no later than Feb. 1, 2024. (If you submitted an application and payment in 2022 or 2023, your application has been saved and you do not need to resubmit a new application at this time.)
**Please note: The NCSSM Specialty Plate mockup and two-letter designation shown may differ from the final product as the artwork is subject to change pending approval of NCDMV and other state entities. The plate will have an NCDMV-determined two-letter designation as either a prefix or a suffix.**
Step #1: DEPOSIT PAYMENT
Non-Personalized Plate:
- The deposit and subsequent annual charge for the Non-Personalized Plate = $30
- This plate has an NCDMV-determined two-letter designation as either a prefix or a suffix and, in addition, four numbers randomly assigned by the DMV.
- The annual cost for this plate is $30. A portion of your annual fee ($20) will support the NCSSM student experience.
Personalized Plate:
- The deposit and subsequent annual charge for the Personalized Plate = $60
- This plate has an NCDMV-determined two-letter designation as either a prefix or a suffix and, in addition, four customizable spaces. The spaces can be a combination of letters and numbers, or letters only, but not numbers only, as these plates are reserved for the non-personalized options. (For example, requests such as AA01, XYZ8, ABCD, WXYZ would all be allowed, whereas 1234 or 6789 would not.) Applicants are asked to specify two different personalization requests in the event that the first choice is not available.
- The annual cost for this plate is $60. A portion of your annual fee ($20) will support the NCSSM student experience.
To pay your deposit(s) by credit card, complete the form at the bottom of this page. A separate deposit is required for each application, and a 5% processing fee will be added to your payment. To complete this process by U.S. mail, click here.
Step #2: APPLICATION
Once your deposit has been received, you will be contacted by a member of the Specialty License Plate Committee with further instructions on completing an application. Please note that it may take five to seven business days for your payment to be processed.
Thank you once more; your ongoing support is greatly appreciated. Should you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to a member of the Specialty License Plate Committee:
Brock Winslow – Vice Chancellor for External Relations: winslow@ncssm.edu
Trish Aiello – Parent Association Chairperson: trish.aiello@ncssm.edu
Jane Bullock – Alumni Association Chairperson: jane.bullock@ncssm.edu
If you have any questions, please access this NCDMV FAQ page, or this FAQ page, or contact a member of the Specialty License Plate Committee.
Specialty Plate Updates
November 2023
Thanks to the incredible support of the school community, NCSSM’s application for a specialty license plate was submitted to the North Carolina Legislature in mid-March 2023. Two bills were filed in both the House and the Senate (H568, Edition 1, NCSSM Plate; S391, Edition 1, NCSSM Plate).
Regrettably, the Legislative Session has recently ended with neither of the bills ultimately gaining enough support to move forward.
Despite the disappointment that NCSSM’s initial application for a specialty plate was not approved, the NCDMV has given their assurances that such outcomes are not unusual and that many previous applicants have been successful in having their specialty plate gain approval after two, or even three, attempts.
With this information in mind, the strategy for the future is to resubmit a second specialty plate application in February 2024.
If you have already turned in your completed application and payment, the preferred course of action is to refrain from taking any further steps at this time. NCSSM will retain your paperwork and payment and resubmit a specialty license plate application to the NCDMV in February 2024.
While not the preferred option, as it may ultimately impact the success of this endeavor, you may also request that your application be withdrawn. In this case, you can ask for a refund or choose to convert your deposit payment into a donation in support of current NCSSM students.
Please be aware that should the total number of applications fall below 300, additional supporters will need to be gathered in order for NCSSM to reapply for a specialty license plate in February 2024. For this reason, it is preferred that past applicants refrain from taking any further steps at this time.
If you have not yet applied for an NCSSM Specialty License Plate and would like to support this initiative, there is still time to do so and more information regarding the application process can be found by scrolling to the top of this web page.
Contact
Brock Winslow ’86
Vice Chancellor for External Relations & Chief of Staff
Jane Bullock ’89
Alumni Association President, Ex Officio NCSSM Foundation Board
License Plate FAQs
Absolutely. You can choose to customize the 4 characters on the plate. It’s only $30 a year for a specialty plate with randomly assigned characters or $60 for the specialty plate with personalized characters. When applying for a personalized license plate, the prefix or suffix assigned will be the first or last letter(s) on the plate. NCSSM will request the prefix “SM” to the DMV, however, the two letter designation is ultimately decided upon by the NCDMV. This leaves only four (4) spaces for a personalized message. The four spaces may be a combination of letters and numbers, but cannot be numbers only or conflict with another classification of license plates. You will have the opportunity to indicate two (2) preferences for a personalized message. The second option is used in the event that your first choice has already been taken by another license plate applicant.
In February 2023, NCSSM was successful in gathering over 300 applications and the accompanying fees. In March 2023, our school’s application for a Specialty Plate designation was submitted to the NC Legislature and resulted in two Bills being filed. (H568 and S391). Regrettably, in the late fall of 2023, the Legislative Session ended with neither of the Bills gaining enough support to move forward.
Despite the disappointment that NCSSM’s initial application for a specialty plate was not approved, the NCDMV has given their assurances that such outcomes are not unusual and that many previous applicants have been successful in having their specialty plate gain approval after two, or even three, attempts.
With this information in mind, the strategy for the future is to resubmit a second specialty plate application in February 2024.
If you would like to submit an application for an NCSSM Specialty License plate to be included in the February 2024 submission, please complete the application steps listed on this web page.
Yes, you can. You need one form per North Carolina-registered vehicle, but you can submit your fees simultaneously.
Unfortunately, these plates are specially made for North Carolina residents and are not available for other state license plates.
Yes, this plate comes with a recurring fee of $30 ($20 of this amount each year will go back to the school to support the NCSSM student experience)