It’s easy to notice the quality of our streams, rivers or bays when swimming, fishing or boating. It’s obvious when green spaces are lush and vibrant when visiting a park or hiking in the woods. It’s equally stark when communities lack any green spaces.
We also notice nature on scenic drives. From the western streams to the eastern shore, Maryland is a state rich with scenery and diverse landscapes that make our everyday lives full and healthy. In Maryland, a specialty license plate gives car owners an opportunity to give back to these waterways and other naturals resources.
“The Chesapeake and Coastal Bays license plate celebrates the incredible natural resources that we have here in Maryland. It’s a source of pride,” shared Dr. Jana Davis, president of the Chesapeake Bay Trust. “In addition to looking beautiful they also deliver resources back to communities.”
The first bay license plate was launched in 1990 and was one of the first specialty license plates in the country. In 2024, a fourth design was revealed, a modification to the 2018 award-winning license plate to emphasize the importance of the Coastal Bays in addition to the Chesapeake Bay. Today, about 7% of Maryland vehicles sport a bay license plate thanks in large part to the dealerships and tag agents who encourage their customers to choose this option for their cars.
“Here at Annapolis Subaru, we’re located right in Annapolis Maryland. We do a lot of business here locally and we do a lot to give back to the community,” shared Billy Sadtler, General Manager of Annapolis Subaru. “We encourage our customers to choose the bay plates when purchasing a vehicle because of the amount of money that goes back to our surrounding bay.”
Contributions from bay plates flow through the Chesapeake Bay Trust right back to local communities in the form of grants for K-12 environmental education, community stewardship and watershed restoration. Every bay license plate empowers more people to participate in restoring nature.
“We are often asked at the Chesapeake Bay Trust what can an everyday person do to help natural resources in our neighborhoods. There are so many things that people can do. One of the easiest things people can do is buy a bay plate,” explained Jana. “The license plate delivers resources through grants back to all sorts of entities like homeowner associations or faith-based institutions, neighborhood organizations, so people can play a role and do their own projects.”
“The money that is raised really helps the Bay and hopefully our children, and our children’s children, will be able to enjoy it,” added Billy.
Bay license plates cost $25 and can be purchased through an MDOT MVA branch, car dealerships, tag and title agencies, and online at bayplate.org.
“$25 is enough to send a K-12 student on an outdoor field experience that will change that person’s life forever. One bay plate, $25, can also plant a tree that will last for decades and provide so many resources for the community in which it’s planted,” Jana shared. “It’s just good for the environment. These resources from the bay plates go back into communities and help everyday people improve their neighborhoods.”
As Billy said while holding a Protect the Chesapeake & Coastal Bays license plate in his dealership, “Look at this thing – it’s awesome!”
