Don't get caught without one!

Venus flytrap license plate

Updates

05-04-2023: House Bill 734 passed unanimously (112-0) in the House and has been referred to the Committee on Rules and Operations of the Senate. View the bill’s progress on the NC General Assembly website.

04-18-2023: House Bill 734 sponsored by Representative Allen Buansi authorizing the Venus Flytrap specialty plate was filed in the House today. There is renewed support for the specialty plate in both the North Carolina House and Senate, and we are hopeful that it will result in successful legislation. View the bill’s progress on the NC General Assembly website.

02-02-2023: House Bill 435 proposed the Venus Flytrap specialty plate and several other plates. Despite passing unanimously in the North Carolina House of Representatives, the bill was held up in the NC Senate Committee on Rules and Operations and did not make it to the Senate floor for a vote. We have now re-submitted the Venus Flytrap license plate application to the DMV to begin another attempt at legislative approval. There is renewed support for the specialty plate in both the North Carolina House and Senate, and we are hopeful that it will result in successful legislation.

02-07-2022: It’s been a while since we posted an update, and while there is not much news to share, we wanted to let you know where things stand. House Bill 435, which proposes the Venus flytrap specialty plate along with plates for Special Olympics NC, the Association of Fire Chiefs, Electric Vehicles, and A Pet is Family, ended the 2021 legislative season held up in the State Senate Rules & Operations Committee.

It has the chance to be appear before the Senate during the General Assembly’s 2022 Short Session (not yet scheduled for this year). In order to be voted on, it still needs to be approved by the Senate Rules and Operations Committee and any other appropriate committees.

05-12-2021: License plate referred to the Senate Committee on Rules and Operations. View the bill’s progress on the NC General Assembly website.

05-11-2021: The new license plate passed the House and is on its way to the Senate. View the bill’s progress on the NC General Assembly website.

05-03-2021: The new license plate was approved by the House Transportation Committee last week, and it is in the process of being approved by a couple more committees. Then the House and the Senate will vote. The new plate has a lot of bipartisan support, and we anticipate the new plates will be available in the coming months.

03-31-2021: A bill proposing the authorization of the Venus Flytrap License Plate has been proposed for the NC State House, and we anticipate that a Senate bill will soon follow. Read more about the bill here.

02-11-2021: Although the Venus flytrap specialty plate application was not considered in the 2020 legislative session because of COVID-19 priorities, we re-submitted an updated application to NCDMV with over 700 pre-paid registrants. We are in close contact with NCDMV and our legislative sponsors who are working to ensure this important specialty plate is considered and approved.

10-08-2020: We have received word that the plate is on track for submission to the state legislature during the February/March 2021 session.

08-20-2020: We are still waiting for legislative approval of the plate before printing and distribution can begin. Understandably, the COVID-19 pandemic has taken precedent over specialty license plates for now. We will make an announcement once the plate has been approved. Thanks for your patience!

05-18-2020: Hi Venus Flytrap License Plate applicants. No news yet from the legislature. As you can imagine, they have their hands full right now, so it might be June or July before they have time to address specialty license plates. Also, don’t worry if your vehicle registration has changed. NCDMV will contact all applicants before the plate is issued.

03-25-2020: We did it! Thanks to your support, we received the 500 license plate pre-orders we needed. Next up, the NC DMV will submit our application to the North Carolina General Assembly. If approved, pre-ordered plates will be printed within 180 days. Specialty plates that make it through the approval process get posted on the NC DMV website: if all goes well, North Carolinians will be able to order the Venus flytrap license plate online later this year. Stay tuned for updates!

 

About the Venus flytrap license plate

We’re teaming up with the Friends of Plant Conservation to offer a new North Carolina specialty license plate featuring the Venus flytrap (Dionaea muscipula). Known around the world but only native to a 90-mile inland area around Wilmington, the Venus flytrap is a North Carolina treasure. But habitat loss and poaching are making this incredible carnivorous plant, which traps insects and uses their bodies for nutrients, harder and harder to find.

The good news: you can help us save the Venus flytrap by ordering a license plate! Proceeds from plate purchases will support efforts of the North Carolina Botanical Garden Foundation, Inc. and the Friends of Plant Conservation, Inc. to conserve native plants and promote the restoration of healthy landscapes across North Carolina.

Haven’t ordered your plate yet? The initial application period is closed, but if the plate is approved by the General Assembly, you’ll be able to order it online through the DMV.

Answers to frequently asked questions.

Frequently Asked Questions

When will I get my plate?

Once the special registration plate is authorized by the N.C. General Assembly, the NCDMV will issue the plate within 180 days after receipt of the minimum number of paid applications.

What happens if the plate is not authorized?

If the plate is not authorized by the N.C. General Assembly, NCDMV will refund the fee to the organization who submitted it. The organization, in this case the North Carolina Botanical Garden Foundation, Inc., will then refund each individual who submitted a paid application. Let’s hope that doesn’t happen!

What happens to my check – is it deposited or held on to?

Your check will be deposited in an account specifically designated to hold the Venus Flytrap license plate funds.

Where does the money go?

For each $30 specialty plate that is renewed each year, the NCDMV keeps $10, the North Carolina Botanical Garden Foundation receives $12 and the Friends of Plant Conservation receives $8. Proceeds will be used to support plant conservation education and research throughout the state of North Carolina with a special emphasis on Venus Flytrap conservation and education in the coastal plain where it naturally occurs.

What should I do after I apply for a plate?

Follow us on social media and encourage all your friends, family and social followers to apply for a Venus Flytrap license plate!

The plate is awesome. Who designed it?

The plate was designed by Preston Montague. Preston is an artist, educator, and landscape designer working to strengthen our relationship with the natural world for improving public health. Raised in the foothills of Virginia, Preston has achieved undergraduate degrees in fine art and horticulture, and a graduate degree in landscape architecture. He combines these disciplines to reach people across cultures and viewpoints to promote environmental stewardship as an act of health care. Learn more about Preston at prestonmontague.com.

Carnivorous Conservation

Learn more about our recent work to preserve the Venus flytrap in this article by UNC Endeavors.