Hello everyone,

I have noticed lately that some people have started selling the old FL arrive alive license plates and calling them "Official government plates", "Florida Highway Patrol Front license plates", "Police plates" and similar variations. The truth of the matter is that the old ones from the 70s (for example, the one dated 70-71 and the dated 72) were NEVER used officially on any FHP vehicles. Some local sheriff/police departments may have used them, however it is very unlikely that the one on ebay is one of these. Most plates used on police vehicles are destroyed when they are replaced and put into the trash or recycled. I know there are a few pictures circulating on the internet showing a state trooper standing by his patrol car with one of these arrive alive plates on the front. These photos were staged photos used during FL's Arrive Alive campaign. During this campaign, hundreds of thousands of Arrive Alive plates were issued, and some counties REQUIRED all motorists to buy one when they bought their new plate. I was born and raised in Florida and I've never seen an arrive alive plate on a FHP car. Read below for a list of Arrive Alive plates.

The FHP cars (up until recently) simply had a pair of blue and white plates with the same number on the front and back of the car in the FHP 123 format. Now, the cars have a numbered plate on the back with a graphic of the FHP shoulder patch and a green state map on a yellowish or cream colored background. There will be a plastic or metal plate on the front with an American flag and the words FLORIDA STATE TROOPER, or in some cases no plate at all on the front. 

Here are some arrive alive plate examples:
70-71: blue background/reflective white letters. Steel plate. None used on FHP patrol cars.
72 : off-white/orange letters. Steel plate. None used on FHP patrol cars.
73-85 approx. : off-white/orange letters. Steel plate.  This is where they get fuzzy. These were exactly like the 72s but had no date on them. Some of these were used on local police/gov't owned cars and very few on FHP cars.
approx. 1985-2000 : undated plate with green letters on a white reflective background with orange state map - these have the slogan BUCKLE UP at the bottom and were used on some local police/gov't owned cars but again very few on FHP cars.

So the whole point of this guide is to let people know the truth about these plates. Unless the seller can prove the particular plate they are selling was actually used on a police vehicle, know that the plate is probably not very rare and bid accordingly. Remember that there were probably a few million of these plates made and they were mostly NOT government plates!