WVDMV requires 250 paid applicants by May to offer specialty plate
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — West Virginians wanting “In God We Trust” on a specialty vehicle license plate are running out of time to make that statement a displayable reality.
A new specialty plate bearing the “In God We Trust” message has been approved but the West Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles requires 250 paid applicants of $70 each, with an annual renewal fee of $45, before the plates are actually made available to West Virginia residents.
Image from Charleston Daily Mail
With a May 18 deadline approaching, the sponsors of the effort are putting their trust in their follow West Virginians and collected applications and checks.
“West Virginians now have the opportunity to order the new state “IN God We Trust” specialty license plate for their vehicles” said Jill Snyder, the official contact person for the effort.
Snyder is a representative of the Dry Fork Recreation Center, Inc. of Harman, which is the WVDMV’s sanctioned sponsor. Snyder, her husband, Mike, retired teacher and Marine veteran, and Delegate Denise Campbell, D-Randolph, were the individuals who got the specialty plate project started. She – at 304-227-4565 or [email protected] – is the official contact for applications and information.
Snyder said the WVDMV requires 250 paid applicants of $70 each, with an annual renewal fee of $45, but while the Harman group has received applications from across the state, the required minimum number has not been met. “We are proud to have the opportunity to sponsor this effort,” Sndyer said, “We want to make sure West Virginians are aware of the plate and the need for 250 applicants.”
“The plate itself is now in the design stage and will be unveiled by Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin in a Charleston ceremony after and only if the WVDMV receives the required subscribers. It will then become a permanent specialty plate in West Virginia,” Snyder said. “West Virginia would be the 20th state to feature “In God We Trust” — the official U.S. motto — as a specialty license plate, but we need your support to make this happen.”
The phrase was first officially used April 22, 1864, when Congress authorized coinage with the In God We Trust motto during the Civil War. On July 30, 1956, President Dwight D. Eisenhower and the 84th Congress passed the joint resolution declaring “In God We Trust” as the national motto of the United States.
Snyder worries that many West Virginian are unaware of this opportunity and hopes that more publicity and public awareness will serve as a call to action.
“Now is the time for Christians to make a stand. The values of our Lord and our country are being torn asunder,” Snyder said. “This license plate is an important way to be heard. We need the support of God-fearing pastors and laymen alike. Are you willing to do your part? Please help us make “In God We Trust” a reality for the state of West Virginia.”
Residents wanting an application and groups wanting to assist Snyder and the Dry Fork Recreation Center in making the specialty plate a reality, should call Snyder at 304-227-4565 for an application or more information.
