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Oregon Salmon License Plates

Show Your Support for Oregon Salmon!

Order the Salmon License Plate

Investing in Salmon Recovery

Salmon have great cultural, economic, and recreational importance to Oregonians. When you buy a Salmon License plate, you are investing in salmon recovery. Since 1998, the Salmon Plate has raised money for the protection and restoration of salmon habitat in Oregon.

View this PDF to see where the Salmon Plate money was allocated.

The NEW Salmon License Plate

The Salmon License plate was redesigned in 2020 and became available in 2021 for the public to purchase. The plate is available for passenger vehicles through the Oregon Department of Transportation’s Driver and Motor Vehicle Services (DMV). Information on fees and how to apply for the plate is available on the DMV website for new vehicles or for renewals/replacements. 

 

The salmon plate restoration work is part of an on-going partnership between the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board and the Oregon Parks nd Recreation Department.

 


How Does It Work

When you buy a Salmon license plate, you are investing in salmon recovery. Funds generated from the Salmon plate surcharge are invested in activities that protect or restore native salmon habitat throughout the state by the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board and the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department.

​In addition to regular title, registration, and plate fees, the specialty Salmon plate has a surcharge at original issuance and at each registration renewal. For original issuance on a used vehicle (already titled in Oregon or another state) the surcharge is $30. For original issuance on a brand new vehicle, the surcharge is $60. In addition, there is a $30 surcharge at each subsequent renewal. This is a great investment as all funding received from the plates is used for salmon habitat projects across Oregon.

​Yes! Like other Oregon license plates, the Salmon plate may be customized for an additional DMV charge.

​Yes, you will be able to maintain your current custom configuration on a Salmon plate for an additional DMV charge.

​Sadly, no. Salmon plates are only available with passenger vehicles registered in the State of Oregon. Souvenir or samples plates are not available.

​Apply by mail, at a dealership when you purchase a vehicle, at DMV Field Offices, or online at DMV2U.

​Yes! Your current salmon plate will remain valid for as long as you continue to renew registration. You do not need to replace your plate with the new design.

If you already have a vehicle with a Classic Salmon Plate you can keep it and renew it like you have in past years. You can also transfer your Classic Salmon Plate to another vehicle if you want. You will just need to pay the plate transfer fee. Your renewal surcharge will go to the same Salmon plate fund and will be used for the same salmon recovery projects as the new plates.

​No. The Classic Salmon Plates were retired in 2021.

​Gretchen Kirchner, an amateur artist and former graphic designer for the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board, created the artwork for the new Salmon License plate. Gretchen used watercolor pencil for the original artwork and Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator to idealize it for plate usage. Her challenge was to create a beautiful and realistic portrayal of salmon native to Oregon while also meeting the design requirements for a license plate. She examined many photographs and consulted with OWEB’s biologist to perfect each detail, from the colors to the adipose fin. While currently residing in Idaho, Gretchen lived in Oregon for 16 years and found artistic inspiration from her explorations of Oregon’s beaches, forests, mountains, and valleys.