Minnesota "Blackout" license plate sales boomed in 2025

Catch up fast: The throwback plates, which were already a fan favorite in neighboring Iowa and other states, got the green light from state lawmakers in 2023.

• Proceeds from the sales, including a $30 fee, support the operations of the state Drivers and Vehicle Services department.

Zoom in: Sales for several other new designs approved at the same time as the Blackout plates also ticked up last year.

• Sales of Vikings plates grew from 5,700 to 9,000, and those honoring Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives jumped from 3,400 to 6,400.

The fine print: The sales data, provided to Axios after a request to DVS, includes plates for cars, motorcycles and heavier trucks.

Reality check: Even with the spike in sales, blackout models represented just a fraction of the millions of specialty plates sold in the state in 2025.

• Other popular options out of the roughly 100 custom plate designs include those promoting conservation of critical habitats and first responders.