The new ‘Let Freedom Ring’ design showcases Pennsylvania’s place in our nation’s history as the birthplace of American democracy, as the Commonwealth prepares to celebrate the 250^th anniversary of the United States in 2026.  

Governor Shapiro partnered with Pennsylvania sports teams from across the Commonwealth to announce that plates are available - and the Commonwealth’s favorite mascots proudly showed off(opens in a new tab) their new plates, too. 

Pennsylvanians can find out how to get their plate at pa.gov/licenseplate(opens in a new tab)

Harrisburg, PA – On June 17, 2025, Governor Josh Shapiro announced the new “Let Freedom Ring” license plate is now available for all Pennsylvanians to order(opens in a new tab) ahead of the 250th anniversary of the United States that will be celebrated across the Commonwealth in 2026.     

The “Let Freedom Ring” plate - which the Governor unveiled last year(opens in a new tab) - celebrates Pennsylvania as the birthplace of American democracy. Nearly 11,700 new-plate orders have already been filled for people who signed up for updates last year. 

“Pennsylvania is the birthplace of American freedom – and ahead of 2026, Pennsylvanians can ‘Let Freedom Ring’ all across our Commonwealth with one of our new license plates,”said Governor Shapiro. “Our team at PennDOT has worked to make it as easy as possible to order a new license plate and we’ve already delivered nearly 12,000 new plates to Pennsylvanians across the Commonwealth.”

Governor Shapiro partnered with Pennsylvania sports teams from across the Commonwealth to announce that plates are available - and the Commonwealth’s favorite mascots proudly showed off(opens in a new tab) their new plates, too. 

Vehicle owners can find instructions to request a standard issue license plate(opens in a new tab) from the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) online. Personalized plates(opens in a new tab) can also be requested. Fees and instructions will vary based on plate type and any optional personalization. 

Military(opens in a new tab), special organization(opens in a new tab), special fund(opens in a new tab), and specialty(opens in a new tab) plates without legislatively mandated designs will also be updated with the new design and be available in the coming months. The department will update its website as each plate becomes available in the new design. Individuals who switch to the new plate before their specialty plate is updated will receive a standard plate.

PennDOT’s partners such as dealers and online messengers will use all existing standard issue license plate(opens in a new tab) inventory before transitioning to the new plate design. The new license plates are optional for drivers with current license plates. 

The new design complements the Pennsylvania: The Great American Getaway(opens in a new tab) campaign, underscoring the Shapiro Administration’s Economic Development Strategy(opens in a new tab) and focus on tourism across the Commonwealth. A 2024 report by the Pennsylvania Tourism Office details how Pennsylvania’s tourism industry generated $76.7 billion in economic impact, supported 486,871 jobs, contributed $4.7 billion in state and local taxes, and welcomed 192.4 million visitors in 2022. Visitor spending, which supports jobs, income, and business sales, generated $9.6 billion in government revenues. Overnight visitor spending increased by $4.8 billion, with more than 66 million trips resulting in $28 billion in spending.

Today’s announcement comes ahead of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence next year that will be commemorated in Philadelphia – the birthplace of our nation - in addition to the other marquee events the Commonwealth will host in 2026 - from the NCAA’s March Madness men’s basketball tournament, the FIFA World Cup, and MLB All-Star Game in Philadelphia, to the 2026 NFL Draft in Pittsburgh.

With the focus on the Pennsylvania in 2026, and to take advantage of this unique opportunity, Governor Shapiro’s 2025-26 proposed budget includes $64 million to prepare for America’s 250th birthday:

• $2.5 million in continued funding for America250PA;
• $15 million in new funding for Regional Event Security;
• $10 million increase to promote the 250th celebration; and,
• $36.5 million to plan and execute these internationally recognized events in the Tourism Promotion Fund.

To find inspiration for your next Great American Getaway in Pennsylvania, click here(opens in a new tab). Learn more about the recently unveiled Spring “Get Away” Campaign(opens in a new tab) by visiting visitpa.com/spring(opens in a new tab) or heading to visitpa.com(opens in a new tab) to find travel ideas, and stay up-to-date with Visit PA on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, TikTok, and YouTube.