California's amateur radio license plate is unrecognizable. Let's fix that.
California has issued amateur radio plates for decades, but the current design looks identical to a passenger plate. The point of a recognition plate is to be recognized. We want a clear, identifiable plate for every licensed ham operator in the state. California's plate factory already has what it needs to make one.
Sign me on →Roughly 110,000 licensed amateur radio operators in California. Run by hams, for hams.
Proposed design. K6CA is a placeholder. Your own FCC call sign goes there.
Why this plate
Emergency communications
When the power is out and the cell network is down, ham operators are still on the air. ARES, RACES, and county OES programs across California count on us during fires, earthquakes, and public safety shutoffs. A plate that's recognizable at an incident perimeter helps responders identify us.
Recognition
The current ham plate looks the same as any other California plate. Most people, including most hams, can't pick one out of traffic. A recognition plate that nobody recognizes isn't doing its job.
Recruitment
Amateur radio in California needs new operators. Visible, identifiable hams on the road matter for that. Every kid who notices a plate and asks what it means is a potential future operator.
How this happens
- Sign the petition. Signups show DMV and the Legislature that real California hams want this.
- DMV redesigns the plate. California Vehicle Code §5005 already authorizes the ham plate, and it says nothing about how the plate has to look. DMV can update the design on its own. No new law needed.
- Existing production handles it. The state plate factory at PIA Folsom can make this design with the equipment it already has. The main new cost is a wordmark stencil.
Texas has had a recognizable ham plate for decades, authorized under Texas Transportation Code §504.415. Kentucky redesigned its plate in 2020. Indiana rolled out a new design in February 2026. California is one of the last big ham states without one.
Sign on
Add your name to the petition. We'll email you about the campaign. That's it. No other lists, no sharing.
Common questions
Does this replace my current ham plate?
No. The proposal adds CA RADIO as a new option. If you already have the current ham plate, you keep it. Nobody loses an existing plate.
Does this need a new law?
Probably not. California Vehicle Code §5005 already authorizes the ham plate, and it doesn't specify what the plate has to look like. DMV has the authority to update the design on its own. A bill only becomes necessary if DMV declines to act.
What does this cost the state?
Almost nothing. California's plate factory at PIA Folsom can produce this design with the equipment it already has. The main new cost is a wordmark stencil. That's a small fraction of what a brand-new specialty plate would cost.
What happens to my email address?
Your email goes into a database we run. We use it to send you campaign updates and to show DMV how many California hams back this. We don't sell it. We don't share it.