Starting May 1, 2025, chickadee license plates will no longer be issued and will be replaced for those who currently hold them, including those that are considered vanity and low digit. You may see the new Pine Tree and No Tree plate options at the bottom of this article.

Why are the plates changing? In 2023, State Legislature gave the Maine Bureau of Motor Vehicle until May 1, 2025 to design and issue a new plate to replace all current chickadee plates. The last reissuance was in 1999 and many chickadee plates are old, in disrepair, or have lost their reflectivity.

Which plates are changing? Any plates that currently have a chickadee on them will be changing. This includes: passenger, commercial, antique, disability, combination, motor home, custom vehicle, bus, farm, commercial tractor, tractor, special equipment, hire, low-speed, horseless carriage, and street rod. The City of Brewer will temporarily be carrying plates which we don’t normally carry in order to replace the plates at time of renewal (i.e. disability plates).

What if I don’t want either the Pine Tree or No Tree Plate? If you don’t want either the Pine Tree or No Tree plate, you may choose to upgrade your plates to a specialty plate for the specialty plate fee of $20.00. Examples of the specialty plates are Sportsman, Animal Welfare, Black Bear, Lighthouse, Conservation, Breast Cancer Awareness, and Agriculture.

What if I want to keep the same number/saying that I have on my plate? If you have a vanity plate, low digit plate, or simply want to keep the same plate number, you may reserve the number for a one-time fee of $25.00. To reserve your number on one of the new style plates, you can either obtain a paper form at the Brewer Tax Office, visit a nearby Branch Office (i.e. Bangor DMV), or go online https://apps1.web.maine.gov/cgi-bin/online/bmv/rapid-renewal/reservation/start . You will receive your plates in the mail approximately one month before they are due to be renewed. You MUST bring your reserved plates into City Hall at time of renewal to be able to use them.

What if I don’t care what number plate I receive? If you don’t care about keeping your same plate number, the City of Brewer will give you a new plate from our inventory at time of renewal.

Do I have to wait for time of renewal to get the new plate? Yes and no. You may visit the Brewer Tax Office and receive a new plate before your time of renewal, but you will have to pay an $11.00 plate change fee. There is no fee if you wait to change the plate at time of renewal. This is due to us only being provided inventory to cover 2 months’ worth of plate change renewals.

We thank you in advance for all of your patience! If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the Brewer Tax Office at (207) 989-7060.