Great Salt Lake license plates could hit bumpers in next few months – Deseret News

The long wait for new, exclusive Great Salt Lake license plates is almost over.

State 500 applications were needed to begin moving forward with the final design, production and distribution of the new plates.

The State Legislature passed a law bill creating license plates In March 2023.

Jason Gardner, Director of Policy, Planning and Public Affairs Utah State Tax CommissionHe told KSL NewsRadio that the threshold has been crossed and people could see licenses hit the bumpers starting in January 2025.

“They’re on a good track,” Gardner said. “They expect it to be reviewed and ready for production in early 2025. … I was told in January or February.”

All that needs to be done before the plates are sent to applicants is for the preliminary design to pass the state design review board and have a professional graphic designer add the finishing touches and send it to the Utah Department of Corrections, Gardner said.

UDC will produce the plates and send them to the applicants.

How will the plates help the Great Salt Lake?

The revenue generated from the plates is intended to directly help protect the Great Salt Lake.

The law states that the revenue will be “deposited into the Sovereign Lands Management Account to enhance the protection of the Great Salt Lake basin and ecosystem.”

The Great Salt Lake has seen some improvement in water levels since the bill became law. The lake reached between 4,195.1 and 4,195.2 feet, its highest level since 2017.

However, due to the extreme heat and dryness of the summer, the lake losing more water more than usual. Levels in the south arm of the lake currently sit at 4,192.1 feet, a full three feet lower than this spring’s peak.

Current levels are approximately 6 feet below the lake’s target healthy level of 4,198 feet; this is a mark the lake has not reached since 2012.