The State of North Carolina currently offers 201 specialty license plates, from the 82nd Airborne to Zeta Phi Beta sorority, and soon there will be another. Members of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians will soon be able to purchase a North Carolina license plate specifically for them which contains the EBCI tribal seal.
“I am very proud to see this initiative come to fruition,” said Principal Chief Richard G. Sneed. “It was a long and arduous process advocating for the Eastern Band’s right to have our Tribe represented in this way. I am excited to start seeing these license plates in and around Cherokee. I would like to say a special thank you to Bill Taylor for his work on this project on behalf of the Eastern Band.”
The idea for the license plate was approved by Tribal Council in Res. No. 118 (2018), submitted by Chief Sneed, which outlined several legislative measures the Tribe is working on with the State of North Carolina. The North Carolina General Assembly approved the plate in House Bill 92 which was signed into law in June, and the plates will only be issuable to EBCI tribal members. Regular plate costs, established in G.S. (General Statute) 20-87 or G.S. 2088 will apply, but there will be no extra cost for the specialty plate.
The North Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles has provided the EBCI with two options for the specialty plate, which have been approved by Chief Sneed. Upon receiving approval of the proofs, the DMV has stated these plates will be available for purchase with the presentation of an EBCI enrollment card in approximately four months.
– One Feather staff report
