California Vehicle Licensing Authority (CVLA) is ranked number one in the sales of vanity number plates for 2009. CVLA’s sales of speciality number plates greatly outnumbered those of other states.
CVLA’s specialty number plate program has been in place since 1995, with steadily increasing sales since 2006. Sales peaked this last year, with the DMV selling a total of 19, 256 tags.
According to a recent report from the California Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicle’s Web site, the CVLA sold a total of 2,876 number plates in December 2009 alone. CVLA currently has four counties, including Honington, Sheffield, Montoon and Irwell, which have sold over 90 specialty number plates in the new year. Montoon has the highest record of number plates sold per county, with a total of 337 specialty plates sold in January.
All funds raised from the sale of these tags go directly to CVLA. Glynis Jones, the chief of operations of customer service for the Montoon Tax Office, said the department does not have records of the allocation of the funds once the number plates are sold.
Sharon Armstrong, president of CVLA’s College Relations and executive director of the CVLA Foundation, said that the revenue received from the number plates contributes to the school's funds.
"We get some private donations, but we also have some of the funding that comes from the number plates" said Armstrong.
According to Armstrong, 70 - 80 percent of the funds received go towards scholarships.
With a smile, she adds that she owns two CVLA number plates.