How much does the specialty license plate cost? The cost to pre-order a plate is $35. The cost is the same for all TN specialty license plates.
When will I receive my new Historic Jonesborough specialty license plate? Once we receive 1,000 pre-orders, it will take a little over four months for the plates to be produced and mailed to local County Clerk offices across the state. The Tennessee Department of Revenue will notify you when the plates have shipped to their local County Clerk’s office.
Who can purchase the Historic Jonesborough specialty license plate? All Tennessee residents who have a vehicle registered in Tennessee. The plate is not available for motorcycles, RVs, or commercial vehicles.
What information is needed to order the Jonesborough specialty license plate? Tennessee needs the name of the person who the vehicle is registered to, along with the person’s full address, and County of residence. We also collect your email address in case we need to communicate with you about the plate or the incentives being offered.
If I already have another specialty plate, can I pre-order the Historic Jonesborough plate? Your pre-order will be a great help with getting our plate launched. After you try our plate for a year, you can decide whether to keep our plate or go back to your previous plate.
What happens to my existing license plate? Your existing license plate will remain in service until the state notifies you that your new license plate is ready. When you turn in your old plate, the county clerk will credit you for the time left before your usual renewal, so there is no cost for changing plates before your renewal date.
I have more than one vehicle registered in Tennessee, can I order more than one plate? Please do. When you pre-order the plate, provide the name of the person to whom each automobile is registered. If the additional vehicles are registered to the same person, you will provide the same name.
What do I need to do after I submit the payment form? Not a thing! Once you submit your information and payment, you’re all set. Once we reach 1,000 pre-orders, you’ll receive a letter from the State of Tennessee at the address you provided. The letter will let you know your plate is at your county clerk’s office and ready for pickup.
What if I need disabled plates; how does that work? Disabled persons (physician certified) who pre-order a specialty plate may obtain a “Disabled Driver Decal” from the County Clerk’s Office. There is no fee associated for this decal.
Can I purchase a plate for someone else?
Yes, you would provide the registrant’s address and county. If you are paying for pre-order, please include your e-mail address on the information form so that we can match your payment to the appropriate order and to send you information about the incentives.
Can the plate be personalized with my favorite slogan or message?
Yes, Tennessee allows specialty license plates to be personalized for an additional fee of $35. Once our specialty plate is produced and available at the County Clerks office, you will have the option of personalizing your plate with up to five alpha-numeric characters. (Such as JB4ME, 1TOWN etc.) This can be done with the County Clerk or online. Plates that are not personalized will have a 4 digit number.
Who will the Specialty License Plate Benefit? A portion of the proceeds from each plate goes to the Heritage Alliance, which will allocate some of the proceeds to the Jonesborough Genealogical Society. Your pre-order of the “Historic Jonesborough” specialty license plate will be an investment into preserving and promoting the history of Northeast Tennessee.
What is the Heritage Alliance? The Heritage Alliance is dedicated to the preservation of the architectural, historical, and cultural heritage of our region. We provide educational experiences related to history and heritage for a wide range of audiences. We operate several historic sites, including the “Chester Inn Museum State Historic Site and Museum” and the “Washington County History Museum”. We partner with historic sites, and entertainment venues, and museums across the region, including the Birthplace of Country Music Museum and the StoryTown Radio Show. Many historic buildings in Northeast Tennessee have been saved due to the efforts of the Heritage Alliance. Some of the buildings we have closely worked with include the Christopher Taylor House, the Ashe Street Courthouse, the Chuckey Depot, and the Oak Hill School. We also operate the Architectural Salvage Warehouse which preserves and makes available architectural material from structures all over Northeast Tennessee. The Heritage Alliance also works with historic businesses and churches in the region to help them obtain restoration grants.
What is the Jonesborough Genealogical Society? The Jonesborough Genealogical Society (JGS) provides programming and events related to the promotion, study, research, documentation, and preservation of family heritage and local history in Northeast Tennessee. The JGS hosts the Washington County Tennessee Heritage Fair each year in September and offers monthly history presentations and genealogy classes for the public. JGS built and maintains an outstanding genealogy and history center at the Washington County Library.
Can I order one of the other Historic Jonesborough plate designs that were being considered?
Given the huge positive response to all the license plate designs that were being considered, the Heritage Alliance is looking into offering modified versions of the runner-up designs for use as keychains, souvenir front plates, or even T-shirts. More info will be available at a later date.
I understand there are pre-order Incentives. What is being offered?
The Heritage Alliance is partnering with organizations across the Tri-Cities area to offer incentives to the first 1,000 people who sign up for the specialty license plate. The incentives will include items like free and discounted tickets, free 1 year memberships, free town tours, etc. More information can be found at this link.
How do I redeem incentives?
The redemption will vary by organization. Some venues may have limited space and need advance registration. See the incentive information page for more information.
What can I do to Help?
Spread the word. Pre-order a plate for ALL of your vehicles. Help a friend or family member pre-order a plate. Sponsor a plate for someone. Post the license plate to your social media accounts. Email your friends. This plate is not just for Jonesborough residents and visitors. The plate is for everyone who values Tennessee’s roots and heritage. The Heritage Alliance has a wide reach and has helped advance history and preservation all over Northeast Tennessee.
Do you have a Facebook Page?
Yes, we have a very active and informative Facebook page. You can click on this link or search for us “Historic Jonesborough Specialty License Plate”
What if the Heritage Alliance does not reach 1,000 pre-orders? The early response has been overwhelming, so we are fairly confident that we will reach 1,000 pre-orders. We officially launched our pre-order campaign on September 12. We have already reached over 5,400 unique visitors with our Facebook page. Our license plate has been featured in front page page articles in the Johnson City Press and the Herald & Tribune and has been covered in the Morristown Citizen Tribune and the Kingsport Times. It will take a grass-root effort for all involved, so we need your help. We also are offering incentives to each person who pre-orders a license plate. These incentives have a value of over $100. In the unlikely event that we do not reach 1,000 pre-orders, we will email each person who pre-ordered to ask them if they would like a refund or would like their $35 to be considered a donation in lieu of the incentives received.
I have another question that is not on the list, how can I reach you?
You can email us at JBLicensePlate@gmail.com or you can click the Contact button at the top of this page to reach the Heritage Alliance. Or you can join our Facebook page and leave a comment.
