License Plate Roundup: Pennsylvania

Pull into any truck stop on I-80 and you'll see plates from a dozen states. Most of them blur together. Pennsylvania's don't—not anymore.

In 2025 the Commonwealth retired a design it had run for 25 years and replaced it with an all-white plate carrying the Liberty Bell and the words "Let Freedom Ring," timed to the nation's 250th anniversary in 2026. Behind that standard plate sits one of the deepest specialty catalogs in the country, with more than 340 approved organization plates covering colleges, car clubs, conservation groups, and fire companies.

This is the latest entry in our license plate roundup series, where we look at a state's history and pick out the plates worth putting on your truck. This time, we’re focusing on the Keystone State.

Virginia's story stretches further back than most. Before diving into the license plates that reflect the state's character, it helps to understand the history and identity behind them—because in Virginia, those things go deep.

Pennsylvania became a U.S. state on December 12, 1787, the second to ratify the Constitution behind Delaware.

The land came to the Penn family well before that. In 1681, King Charles II granted the territory to William Penn, establishing it as a British colony. As one of the original 13 colonies, Pennsylvania sat at the center of the Revolution, and Philadelphia hosted the work that produced the country's founding documents.

More than you'd guess from the map.

American history. Philadelphia hosted the Continental Congress, and both the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution were signed at Independence Hall. The Liberty Bell sits a block away. Gettysburg, in the south-central part of the state, marks the turning point of the Civil War and is preserved as a National Military Park.

Culture. Lancaster County is home to Amish communities farming without modern electricity and traveling by horse-drawn buggy. Every February, Punxsutawney hosts the country's most-watched groundhog.

Food. Pennsylvania produces so much snack food it's earned the title of snack capital of the world, with Utz, Martin's, and Snyder's of Hanover all based here. Hershey built an entire town around chocolate. Philadelphia gave the world the cheesesteak.

Inventions. Dr. Jonas Salk developed the first polio vaccine at the University of Pittsburgh, with field trials beginning in 1952. The Philadelphia Zoo opened in 1874 as the nation's first. The Slinky was invented in Philadelphia. And the vehicle that became the Jeep® started as the Bantam Reconnaissance Car, designed by the American Bantam Car Company in Butler, Pennsylvania—which makes the state's Jeep club plates more fitting than most people realize.

The Keystone State.

A keystone is the wedge-shaped stone at the top of an arch that locks every other stone in place. Pennsylvania earned the comparison twice over: geographically it sat at the middle of the original 13 colonies, and politically it held the early union together while producing the documents that defined it. The keystone shape still appears on state signage and has shown up on Pennsylvania plates for decades.

The standard plate changed in 2025 for the first time in a generation, and the specialty catalog behind it is enormous. Pennsylvania runs three broad categories.

Standard issue is the plate most vehicles wear, now carrying the Liberty Bell design. It can be personalized with custom characters.

Special fund plates direct a portion of their cost toward a specific cause, with the money flowing through the Commonwealth rather than a private group.

Special organization plates are sponsored by approved nonprofits, and this is where Pennsylvania gets interesting. With more than 340 organizations on the list, drivers can represent a college, a fire company, a car club, a sorority, or a conservation group. Organizations have to be nonprofit, based or chartered in Pennsylvania, and able to guarantee a minimum number of applications before PennDOT will produce the plate—which is why plenty of groups apply and never make it to production.

Before the list, a word on what these cost, because Pennsylvania's structure confuses people.

A standard replacement plate is inexpensive, currently $13 through PennDOT. Specialty plates work differently. A special organization plate carries a PennDOT issuance fee plus a separate fee set by the sponsoring organization, and those two numbers are unrelated—the organization sets its own, and some direct most of it back to their mission. Personalization adds another charge on top of either. Most organization plates also require membership in the sponsoring group, handled by the organization rather than PennDOT.

PennDOT publishes current figures in Form MV-70S, the Bureau of Motor Vehicles Schedule of Fees. Check it before ordering, and check the organization's site separately for their portion.

One more thing worth knowing—PennDOT is converting specialty plates to the new Liberty Bell design on a rolling basis, so some of these may look different than they did a year ago.

Here are the ones we'd put on a truck.

The 250th American Revolution Anniversary plate commemorates the seminal events of 1775–1783 that gave birth to the United States—and Virginia was at the center of much of it. Of the $25 annual fee, $15 is transferred to the Virginia American Revolution 250 Commission to support its programs and commemorative initiatives across the state.​

We chose this plate because Virginia's role in the American Revolution is without parallel. From Patrick Henry's call to arms to the pivotal Battle of Yorktown fought on Virginia soil, the state's contribution to American independence deserves recognition—and this plate is a fitting way to carry that legacy down the road.

Pennsylvania carries about 230 miles of the Appalachian Trail, more than most states on the route, and the rocky stretch through the middle of the state is infamous among thru-hikers.

The Conservancy plate is one of the few where a majority of the fee flows directly back to the organization, funding trail maintenance and land protection along the corridor.

Why we picked it: the money does real work, and it's a natural fit for an overland build or anything that spends weekends at a trailhead.

A small Christian college in Beaver Falls, northwest of Pittsburgh. Geneva's plate is one of dozens of college options in the PA catalog, and the smaller schools tend to produce the more distinctive designs since they aren't working around a nationally known logo.

Why we picked it: alumni plates from smaller schools read as genuine rather than bandwagon.

A Pennsylvania Jeep club with its own organization plate, which is rarer than it sounds—most clubs never hit the application minimum PennDOT requires to produce one.

Why we picked it: a club plate on a built Wrangler or Gladiator signals you actually wheel with people instead of just owning the vehicle. Given that the original Jeep was designed in Butler, there's a nice symmetry to a Pennsylvania Jeep plate.

Ducks Unlimited runs plates in most states, and Pennsylvania is on the list. The organization focuses on wetland and waterfowl habitat conservation across North America.

Why we picked it: it's the hunting and conservation plate that fits a work truck without looking like a bumper sticker, and the money goes toward habitat that stays public.

The largest alumni base in the state by a wide margin, and the plate you'll see most often on Pennsylvania roads outside the standard issue.

Why we picked it: ubiquitous for a reason. If you went there, you already know.

The PVGP is the only vintage race in the country still run on public streets through a city park, held annually in Pittsburgh's Schenley Park since 1983, with proceeds supporting local charities.

Why we picked it: the most interesting motorsport plate in the catalog, and it points to an event most people outside western PA have never heard of.

The SCCA has been running amateur motorsport in America since 1944, covering road racing, autocross, rallycross, and road rally. Pennsylvania supports several active regions, including Steel Cities around Pittsburgh and the Philadelphia region in the east.

Why we picked it: an SCCA plate means you've put a vehicle through cones or on a track, which is a different claim than most plates make. It also looks right on a tow rig hauling something to an event.

Listed in PennDOT's catalog as the 4H Youth Program plate. 4-H runs agricultural and leadership programming for young people, and in a state with as much working farmland as Pennsylvania, it has deep roots.

Why we picked it: it belongs on a farm truck. Few plates match a vehicle's actual purpose directly.

A Pennsylvania-based nonprofit running therapy dog programs in hospitals, schools, and care facilities.

Why we picked it: small organization, local cause, and the kind of plate where your fee makes a visible difference rather than disappearing into a large budget.

Q: What Is Pennsylvania's New License Plate Design?

A: The "Let Freedom Ring" plate, introduced in 2025. It features the Liberty Bell on a white background with blue characters and red lettering, marking the nation's 250th anniversary. It replaced the blue and yellow gradient design that had been standard since 2000.

Q: How Much Does a Pennsylvania License Plate Cost?

A: A standard replacement is a flat, modest fee. Specialty plates combine a PennDOT issuance fee with a separate charge from the sponsoring organization, and personalization costs extra on top. PennDOT publishes current figures in Form MV-70S.

Q: Do I Have To Switch to the New Pennsylvania Plate?

A: No. Switching is optional, and existing plates remain valid. PennDOT will issue the new design automatically as older inventory runs out and when plates are replaced or transferred.

Q: How Many Specialty License Plates Does Pennsylvania Offer?

A: More than 340 approved special organization plates, plus a separate set of special fund and military plates. It's one of the largest catalogs in the country.

Q: Can I Get a Specialty Plate if I'm Not a Member of the Organization?

A: Usually not. Most special organization plates require membership in the sponsoring group, and the organization handles eligibility separately from PennDOT.

Q: Where Does the Keystone State Nickname Come From?

A: A keystone is the center stone in an arch that holds the others in place. Pennsylvania sat at the geographic middle of the original 13 colonies and played a central political role in forming the union, so the comparison stuck.

Once you've selected your Pennsylvania plate, RealTruck has the hardware to display it right. License plate frames, relocation brackets, and illuminated mounting hardware are all available to complete the look and keep your registration visible in any configuration. 

For off-road builds, lifted trucks, or Canyon and Tacoma owners with aftermarket front bumpers, a license plate relocation bracket keeps your registration compliant without drilling into the bumper itself. A HAVOC® Offroad tag relocation bracket or a Rugged Ridge® license plate relocation bracket mounts cleanly to the bumper and positions the plate where it can be seen. And for year-round visibility after dark, Rugged Ridge® LED license plate bolts swap in quickly for a clean, finished look that keeps the plate illuminated without any wiring complexity. Browse RealTruck's full selection of license plate frames and license plate brackets  to find the right fit for your vehicle. 

Stay tuned for the next License Plate Roundup feature, where we head to another corner of the country to cover its standout plate designs. In the meantime, check out our previous LPR features.