Approximately 300,000 Votes Cast to Choose Next Rhode Island License Plate Design

Published on Wednesday, April 06, 2022

CRANSTON, R.I. – The Rhode Island Division of Motor Vehicles, with the help of  Governor Daniel J. McKee, on Wednesday, April 6, 2022, announced the winner of the contest to design a new look for the state’s primary license plates.

The Division of Motor Vehicles received 940 entries during the contest that concluded Jan. 7, 2022. DMV staff members winnowed those entries to five designs. Rhode Islanders voted for their favorite among the finalists during a two-week period that concluded March 28, 2022.

DMV Administrator Walter R. “Bud Craddock and Governor McKee welcomed the contestant whose design garnered the most votes from fellow Rhode Islanders to an unveiling of the new design.

Willem Van Lancker, of South Kingstown, submitted the winning design.

“With 940 submitted designs and nearly 300,000 votes cast, I want to thank each and every Rhode Islanders who took part in this process,” said Governor Dan McKee. “Over the coming months, I look forward to seeing the new design on vehicles across our state.”

The DMV will begin distributing the redesigned license plates later in 2022 with the start of its registration reissuance program. The new plates will be distributed according to the DMV’s vehicle registration renewal sequence.

“Rhode Islanders have chosen a design reflective of the state’s character and the affection they have for the ‘Wave’ plate that will soon become a part of the state’s history,” said Craddock. “We’re pleased to have reached this point in our license plate reissuance program and will move forward now with the work of seeing license plates with this new design gets to vehicle owners around the state.”

For those of you with an interest, all 940 plate contest entries will be made available for viewing through a link on the DMV website beginning at noon on Friday, April 8, 2022.