For those who aren’t fans of the newest iteration of the Wyoming license plate — a big field of dark blue with white lettering — there’s another new alternative.
This one has plenty of color, at least the only colors that matter to University of Wyoming fans, in brown and gold.
After more than a year of planning and taking public input, the new UW plates are available. And yes, the iconic bucking horse logo is front and center on this plate.
Every eight years, Wyoming changes the design of its license plates to comply with state statutes.
The latest main design has been divisive for some, substituting the backdrop of Squaretop Mountain with a sleek, dark design incorporating the required bucking horse, the state seal and a plug for Travel Wyoming.
Some Wyomingites are gravitating toward the new aesthetic of another Wyoming license plate with bold brown letters, a cheerful “Go Pokes” slogan underneath the logo and a backdrop of golden mountains.
Officially called the “Mountain Plate,” it’s one of Wyoming’s handful of specialty plates, and the third iteration of the UW plate. It was designed by the Wyoming Department of Transportation (WYDOT) and University of Wyoming Alumni Association.
Mike Smith, an alum and vice president for government affairs and community engagement at UW, already has his mountain plates on his vehicle, and they’re attracting a lot of positive attention.
“I think that's all in the eye of the beholder, and there's plenty of support for both designs, but I've gotten comments that people prefer the new UW plate over the new statewide plate,” he told Cowboy State Daily.
Although the plate rides for the UW brand, you don’t have to be associated with the university to get the plate. Anybody can get one.
Old School Votes
This is the third iteration of the UW license plate, which has been available since 2008. The University of Wyoming Alumni Association released the design last year, and the plates are becoming more common throughout the state.
“We wanted to do something a little bit different with the new design,” said Jack Tennant, UWAA’s executive director. “Abby Gerhard and the UWAA marketing team designed the initial concept and details, and WYDOT used their processes to plug it in and ensured everything fit and complied.”
The UW Athletics Department inspired the design. The colors — brown, gold and white — are recognizable across Wyoming, but the mountains on the license plate are similar to those in UW’s endzones and team uniforms.
Tennant said the golden mountains on the UW license plate “captures the essence of Wyoming’s natural beauty and unwavering spirit.”
“We've seen such a positive response to the mountains being used that way,” he said, “and we thought it’d be neat to offer an opportunity for it to be on our license plate.”
Two designs were presented to UW alums and license plate owners for a vote in 2024. Tennant said response to the Mountain Plate was “overwhelmingly positive,” making it the clear winner.
“We love the Mountain Plate,” he said. “It isn’t an exact replica of the UW Athletics, although we did steal the “Go Pokes” quote as a nice callout to the teams. UW alumni and supporters voted for this design and that’s where we’ve landed.”
Going To Pokes
Since 2008, more than 14,800 UW license plates have been sold. Tennant said over 1,000 plates have been purchased or renewed since the third cycle started selling in October 2024.
“We won’t know how many we’ve issued until the end of this year, but we’ve had a great response so far,” he said.
Nearly 15,000 plates have raised over $1.4 million for the UWAA, which has been reinvested in the university in various ways.
“Over 90% of the money has gone into student scholarships we run through the Alumni Association,” Tennant said. “We give out tens of thousands of dollars every year to students through different scholarships.”
Some of the money from the license plates was used for a UWAA podcast, in which UW alums reflected on their on-campus experiences and post-grad careers. Money has also been allocated to student organizations conducting various community projects.
“Buying the license plates is a great way to give and show support for UW,” Smith said. “It helps raise some money for the University Alumni Association, their scholarships, and various programs that benefit students.”
For those who aren’t fans of the new Wyoming license plate — a big field of dark blue with white lettering — there’s another new choice. This one has plenty of color, at least the only colors that matter to University of Wyoming fans: brown and gold. The design on the left won out over the option to the right. (University of Wyoming Alumni Association) 
Anyone, Anywhere
You don’t have to be a UW alum to purchase the UW Mountain Plate. Any Wyomingite can get one—they don’t even have to leave the house to do it.
“We worked to make this process seamless,” Tennant said. “The best way to get the UW license plate is to complete the application online. UWAA gets the money, WYDOT assigns the numbers, and then you can swing by the county treasurer’s office to pick up and switch out the plates.”
The UW license plate is a one-time purchase of $150, plus a $30 WYDOT fee. That will keep any license plate holders covered for the next eight years until all of Wyoming’s license plates are required to update their designs again.
“Embossing your plate is an additional fee,” Tennant said, “but on the high level, that’s $150 to support UW and its students.”
Smith said the process of renewing his UW license plate was so simple, he doesn’t even remember doing it.
“I went to the WYDOT website, put in my info, paid the fee, and got a note from the county clerk’s office when it arrived,” he said. “I got to keep the same number, too. It all went real smooth.”
An Attractive Alternative?
The Mountain Plate is becoming more common across Wyoming and attracting a lot of positive attention. According to Tennant, that’s a deliberate part of the design.
“The license plate is like a billboard, moving across the entire state representing UW,” he said. “It’s a different way to see Steamboat everywhere.”
Smith believes many Wyomingites could decide that the design of the UW plate is worth the $180 they’d pay to have it on their vehicles. Anyone who doesn’t like the aesthetic of the default Wyoming license plate might prefer the golden mountains and “Go Pokes” rallying cry.
“Aesthetic matters,” Smith said. “I have liked all the UW license plate designs, but I love the look of this one. They look great, and it’s a great way to show pride for Wyoming and our only university."
Andrew Rossi can be reached at arossi@cowboystatedaily.com.
