The cost to manufacture new Kansas license plates
TOPEKA (KSNT) - Last year, Governor Laura Kelly rolled back production of new state license plates after a frenzy of public backlash. Now we know what the production is costing the state.
On Dec. 18, Kelly announced the new license plate design after nearly 270,000 public votes. The winning design received over 140,000, or 53% of the total votes.
Working for you, 27 News reached out to the Kansas Department of Labor (KDOR) to find out what the new license plate production will cost. According to a five-year contract signed in July 2018 with Center Industries Corporation, the anticipated number of standard-issue license plates is 705,000.
Two days after Kelly announced the new license plate, the KDOR placed an order with Center Industries Corporation for 300 yards of license plate sheeting for $121,762. With labor costs of $2.20 and material costs of $1.93 per plate, the 705,000 license plates would cost the State of Kansas $2,910,945, according to the contract KDOR provided.
Other notable expenses in the contract include anticipated orders for 200,000 specialty license plates at $357,674 and 400,000 handicapped placards & decals costing $111,600. The total cost of the anticipated orders in the contract was $3,510,979, according to the contract with KDOR.
| Estimated Ordering Levels and Prices | ||
| Quantity | Pricing | Cost |
| 705000 | $2.20 | $1,551,000 |
| $1.93 | $1,359,945 | |
| 30000 | $2.20 | $66,000 |
| $1.06 | $31,740 | |
| 86000 | $2.20 | $189,200 |
| $1.96 | $168,474 | |
| 10000 | $2.20 | $22,000 |
| $1.10 | $11,020 | |
| $3,399,379 | ||
| Handicapped Placards | ||
| Decals | 200,000 | |
| Labor | $0.05 | $10,000 |
| Shipping | $0.02 | $3,000 |
| Materials | $0.08 | $15,600 |
| Placards | 200,000 | |
| Labor | $0.27 | $54,000 |
| Shipping | $0.08 | $15,000 |
| Materials | $0.07 | $14,000 |
| $111,600.00 | ||
| Raw Materials Cost | |||
| Quantity | Price Per Unit | Total Price | |
| License Plate Sheets | 80 | 1522.03 | $ 121,762.40 |
| Cost Per Color | 2 | 4500 | $ 9,000.00 |
In November 2023, a new license plate design was revealed to the public. Kansans made the connection that the plate adorned ‘Mizzou colors’, prompting some to air their grievances over the design. The backlash prompted Kelly and the state to hold a public vote. After a vote on five prospective license plate designs, a new standard-issue license plate design was selected.
“Kansans have offered their thoughts on our state’s next license plate through social media and elsewhere, even sending potential designs to my office. Many of these designs were beautiful, but we’re moving forward with this voting process to ensure law enforcement can easily read the selected license plate and to get safer plates on the streets as soon as possible,” said Governor Laura Kelly. “I encourage Kansans to make their voices heard and am looking forward to announcing the winner next week.”
The new designs were all created by a Kansas-based marketing firm, Mammoth Creative Co., in partnership with Kansas Tourism.
“It’s great to see Kansans’ passion for representing our great state,” Governor Laura Kelly said. “Now, we can move forward on a design that received majority support and get clearer, safer license plates on the streets as soon as possible.”
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