Can you put a new registration sticker on an old Maine chickadee license plate?

As of May 1, the Maine Bureau of Motor Vehicles is no longer issuing new registration stickers for the old chickadee plate design.

In 2023, Maine passed a law directing the BMV to replace all chickadee plates by May 2025. Many of the plates have deteriorated with age and lost their reflectivity.

The pine tree plate is replacing the chickadee for all vehicle types, while a “no tree” plate is also available for passenger vehicles. Maine still offers a variety of specialty plate designs, including a lobster, University of Maine logos, special interests like conservation or breast cancer research, and various honors for military veterans.

Vehicle owners who want to retain their existing plate number on their new plate can reserve it for $25. Reserved plates will be mailed several weeks before a registration expires.

The chickadee, which is Maine’s state bird, had been featured on standard plates since 1999.