Q. Is this a real license plate for the rear of my car or a promotional plate for the front?
A. It is a real license plate! Choose Life, Inc. has sponsored and the legislature passed a bill allowing the DMV to produce the Choose Life specialty license plate. It is available at all County Tag Offices 

Q. When were the tags first available?
A. The Choose Life license plates became available August 2000 at all County Tag Offices. 

Q. Do I have to wait until your renewed date to change to a Choose Life tag?
A. No, you can switch to the Choose Life license plate at any time. If it is not your renewal time, the total cost will be approximately $41 ($22 annual Choose Life tag fee and a one time tag switching fee of about $19) 

Q. How much will the Choose Life license plate cost?
A. The yearly fee is $22 above the normal price of your tag. The first time you switch, there will be an additional one-time fee of approximately $19. 

Q. Do I pay extra every year?
A. Yes, that is how the funds are raised for the qualified agencies. 

Q. Can I have a “personalized” or “vanity” Choose Life license plate and how many characters can it have?
A. Yes, license plates with the graphic to the left may have only 5 characters with no additional space or hyphen. There is an additional charge of $12 annually. Apply at your local tax collector's office.

Q. Can I transfer my Choose Life plate to another car?
A. Yes, you own the tag and you can transfer it to another car you purchase. 

Q. Do I have to give back my old Choose Life plate after 5 years when DMV replaces it with a new one?
A. No, but if the decal is still valid, you should deface it before discarding the plate, so no one else can use it the remainder of the year.

Q. I drive a leased car; can I put a Choose Life plate on my vehicle?
A. Yes, you, not the owner of the car, own the license plate. However, if your employer leases this car, you would want to get their permission first.

Q. Are there Commercial or Exempt Organization versions of the Choose Life tags?
A. No, the DMV does not make an specialty tag for these type of vehicles.

Q. Where can I find more information about Specialty License plates?
A. DMV web site FAQ www.hsmv.state.fl.us/html/titlinf.html.

Q. How much of $22 goes to the state?
A. $2

Q. Where does the money for the tag go?
A. The State of Florida keeps $2 as a processing fee, which goes into a fund to make more tags and $20 goes back to the county where the tag was sold and is given to qualifying organizations. (see: “About Us>Bill”)

Q. How did the Choose Life license plates get started?
A. County Commissioner Randy Harris, in Ocala, FL (Marion County) was the founder of Choose Life, Inc. the organization sponsoring the legislation; Senator Jim Sebesta and Representative Bev Kilmer were the bill sponsors in Tallahassee when it passed in 1999. Previous sponsors were Senator Tom Lee, Representative Tom Feeney. See: “About Us>Choose Life Story”

Q. How much money has been raised in Florida by the Choose Life license plate?
A. As of February 28, 2006 there were 41,615 plates on the road having raised $4,037,989.49. Sales and renewals add about $70,000.00 every month.

Q. How is the money distributed?
A. Each July, the previous 12 months receipts are sent out to the County Commission in each county, based upon on how many tags sold in their county. The statute instructs them to distribute them to “Qualified Agencies”. See “The Bill” for the definition of a qualified agency. 

Q. What is the best way for a County to distribute the funds?
A. Choose Life, Inc. encourages all qualified agencies within the county to work together and elect a “Lead Agency” to work with the County Commission to get the funds released. See “How To Apply”.

Q. How is the Choose Life money used to help a woman committed to making an adoption plan for her child?
A. The Choose Life statute requires the use of 70 percent of the funds to provide for the material needs of pregnant women who are committed to placing their children for adoption, including clothing, housing, medical care, food, utilities, and transportation. Such funds may also be expended on infants awaiting placement with adoptive parents.

Q. What happens to money in counties where no agencies are present or apply to receive funds?
A. The funds remain in an account with the county awaiting a qualified agency to apply for the funds. Counties may also notify the DMV to hold the funds until such time as a qualified agency is formed within the county. See “The Bill” for the definition of a qualified agency.

Q. How many adoptions have been aided by these funds and how many pregnant women receive funds?
A. This kind of information is available through the qualified agencies receiving the funds in each county. In 2005 reports indicated over 400 women placed their children using the Choose Life funds. As an example, one agency in Marion County was able to help seven women with the Choose Life funds who chose to make an adoption plan for their child in 2003.

Q. What will happen to all the children that are born if their birth mothers decide to place them for adoption?
A. Current statistics show there are 1.5 million couples wanting to adopt a baby in the United States. Approximately 50,000 adoptions take place each year. At this rate it will take 30 years to fill the current demand. Every child is a wanted child!

Q. Are groups that offer abortion services eligible to receive any of the funds?
A. No, the Choose Life license plate statute specifically excludes those organizations from receiving any Choose Life funds. See “The Bill”.

Q. Does the Choose Life license plate cost taxpayers anything?
A. The Specialty License Plate statute in Florida requires that all specialty license plates cover the total cost of the program. Choose Life, Inc. paid the state $30,000.00 to product the first 10,000 plates and the state then charges $2 for each tag sold or renewed, to raise funds to make replacement tags.

Q. How much of what is paid for the plate goes to Choose Life, Inc.?
A. None.

Q. How is Choose Life, Inc. funded?
A. Choose Life, Inc. is funded by contributions and the profits from the sale of various promotional items. See “Order Product” for a list of these items. Choose Life, Inc. is a non-profit corporation and a tax-exempt IRC501(c)(3) qualified agency with the Internal Revenue Service. All donations are tax deductible.

Q. Is Choose Life, Inc. a charity?
A. Yes, Choose Life, Inc. is a non-profit corporation registered with the State of Florida and the Internal Revenue Service has granted tax-exempt status under IRC 501(c)(3).

Q. Where is Choose Life, Inc. incorporated?
A. Choose Life, Inc. is a Florida corporation.

Q. Who is on the board?
A. See “About Us”.

Q. Are any salaries paid by Choose Life, Inc.?
A. No, everyone is a volunteer.

Q. Where can I get a financial statement for Choose Life, Inc.?
A. Choose Life, Inc. is registered with the Florida Division of Consumer Services file# CH13033. You can access information at http://www.800helpfla.com.

Q. Why doesn't Choose Life receive any funds from the tag sales?
A. While all other sponsors of specialty license plates do receive the funds and distribute them to fund their cause, Choose Life, Inc. did not want to create any overhead expenses or administrative expenses, so all the funds go to the qualified agencies. Choose Life, Inc. is funded by donations of supporters (Donate) and the profits from sale of Choose Life promotional items “Order Product”.

Q. How can I help?
A. Contact Choose Life and let us know what you are available to do. We have packets of reproducible advertising flyers we can send you to help us spread the word. We are looking for Choose Life Representatives for each Florida County. We need folks to help us sell the promotional products that raise our advertising funds.

Choose Life, Inc. is an IRC 501(c)(3) organization and donations are tax deductible. Contributions and profits from the sale of promotional items are used to help Choose Life, Inc. promote the sale of the real Choose Life License Plate which raises funds to support adoption efforts. Please consider supporting us. Everyone is a volunteer; no salaries are paid to anyone.