State issues new license plate for skiers

PHOTOGRAPHER: Stephen Williams

Share on Facebook

Save

People who feel strongly about New York skiing have a fresh opportunity to let the world know.

Not with a brash bumper sticker, but something close. We’re talking license plates,

The Ski Areas of New York, which represents 39 ski areas, announced Friday that an updated version of the colorful customized “ISKINY” license plate will be available starting Nov. 22 — just in time for the start of white powder season. At least that’s what ski areas hope.

The current tags with a skier silhouetted by a giant snowflake and the motto “Ski It To Believe It” will become passe. The “in” thing will be a slimmed-down-looking skier making a turn against an alpine backdrop of mountain and sky. Instead of a motto, there will a website address: www.iskiny.com.

Since they’re custom plates, the state Department of Motor Vehicles charges $70 for them, several times what standard plates cost. But $10 of the fee goes to support ski areas, not state coffers.

Drivers who have the previous version — there are 300 or 400 such ski diehards, according to the association — can upgrade for a one-time payment of $28.75, either through the DMV website or by calling DMV’s custom plates office in Albany.

Personalizing the ISKINY plate, naturally, will run you more: $101.25, with an annual renewal fee of $62.50.

But if you’re used to the cost of lift tickets, maybe it’s worth it.

Skiers are far from the only passionate enthusiasts who have arranged to have DMV issue custom plates. Dozens of organizations, from the Porche Owners of America to the American Bowling Congress, have affinity plates. Veterans do, too. You can even get the state flower, the rose, on your plates, if that’s your thing, and lots of people have the eastern bluebird.

But it seems unlikely any of the other designs will pass the New York Yankees, Giants and Jets plates in fan popularity.