Erin Lanahan What’s old is new again. We’ve seen so many trends from the 80s make a resurgence – think scrunchies, synth music, and even high gas prices. Now, a New Jersey lawmaker has introduced a bill that would bring back the classic blue New Jersey license plates from the 1980s. The last time that this license plate design was issued was 1991. Here’s what we know about the bill to bring back retro blue license plates for New Jersey drivers.
About The NJ Blue License Plate Bill
Bill S3265, introduced by Senator Kristin M. Corrado, would bring back the classic sky-blue New Jersey license plate design that ran from 1979 to 1991 as an optional specialty plate. This would be an option for any registered vehicle in New Jersey.
Drivers would have to opt in for the blue plate, paying a $50 application fee upfront and then $10 annually to keep the plate on top of regular registration fees. It’s purely voluntary, so drivers can stick with the yellow plates if they are not interested in the throwback design.
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The money from these novelty plates would first cover administrative costs, then flow into the Special Transportation Fund that supports statewide transportation projects. According to the bill, there’s no taxpayer cost. Instead, it would rely on private donations (up to $25,000) to cover startup costs. The bill also prohibits using public funds to set up the program.
This bill was introduced on February 2, 2026. It still needs to pass in the New Jersey Senate and Assembly. Once both chambers pass it, Governor Mikie Sherrill would have to sign it into law.
This bill had been introduced twice before: back in 2020, then again in 2024.
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This program wouldn’t launch until private funding is secured and at least 500 people submit applications and pay the fee. If that doesn’t happen within a year of this bill becoming law, it will expire automatically.
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