License Plate FAQ's

1. How much will the Magruder license plates cost?

The price has been set at $40 by the PTSA. The PTSA is required to pay the MVA $25 for each plate. The remaining $15 is a PTSA fund raiser that benefits the school, as with all PTSA funds. The fee is tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law (just like your PTSA dues), since the PTSA is 501(c)(3) charitable organization.

2. Is there an annual fee for the plates?

There is no annual fee for the plates beyond the standard registration fee. You will, of course, have to continue to renew your vehicle registration at the standard registration fee. (Some plates, such as the agricultural plates and the Chesapeake Bay plates have an annual surcharge.) Again, the plates DO NOT have an annual MVA surcharge.

MVA rules allow only members of the sponsoring organization to display the plates, so at the present time, only PTSA members are eligible to purchase and display the Magruder license plates. By the beginning of 2009, the PTSA anticipates submitting documentation to the MVA that will transfer organizational authority for the license plates to the Magruder Education Foundation (MEF). (The MEF is currently in the development stage.) The effect of this anticipated change will be that license plate holders will not be required to maintain PTSA membership. The primary purpose for making this change is to enable every Magruder parent, student, staff member, alumnus, and parent of an alumnus to display the plates without requiring membership in the PTSA.

HOWEVER, we must add the following disclaimer: While we anticipate that the MEF will receive IRS 501(c)(3) status and that license plate organizational authority will be transferred to the MEF, there is no assurance at this time that the Magruder Education Foundation will obtain 501(c)(3) status. If the MEF does not obtain 501(c)(3) status, then license plate holders will be required to maintain PTSA membership in order to legally display the plates.

3. Will my registration renewal date change when I get the new plates?

No, your registration renewal date will not change.

4. Are the Magruder plates transferable to a new vehicle?

Yes, the plates can be transferred through the standard MVA transfer process. The MVA will charge a transfer fee, as with any registration transfer.

5. Must I be a PTSA member to obtain the Magruder plates?

At the present time, the registered owner of the vehicle must be a PTSA member. If the vehicle is titled in joint ownership, at least one of the owners must be a PTSA member.

6. When will orders be accepted and when will the plates be delivered?

We anticipate taking orders beginning around May 2008. The MVA mails the plates directly to the vehicle owners. We anticipate that the MVA will begin delivering the plates within 2 weeks of receipt of orders. The MVA manufactures and stocks the plates ahead of orders in runs of 50 sets of plates at a time, but if we receive a large number of orders, we will alert the MVA and will ask them to adjust their manufacturing schedule accordingly.

7. What do I need to do with my old plates?

The old plates are supposed to be returned to an MVA office after you install the Magruder plates. One of our PTSA members (Louis Wilen) works near the MVA office in Gaithersburg and has voluteered to take the old plates to the MVA and provide a receipt. You can put an X across the old plates with a large marker and obliterate the registration stickers before relinquishing the old plates.

8. Can I see a sample plate?

We have a genuine plate on display at Magruder High School in the showcase near the main office.

9. If the plates are damaged in an accident, will I be able to get new ones?

If the plates are damaged, you will be able to obtain new Magruder plates by paying the MVA organizational plate replacement fee, currently $25. The MVA currently has an informal policy that for very low numbered plates (the exact number is not published by the MVA), a replacement plate with the same number will be made upon request. However, there is no guarantee that the "low-number plate" policy will remain in effect.

10. Can I pick my plate number?

If you prefer a plate number in the range of 0003 through 0050, you might be able pick your plate number. Here is how this works:

Numbers 0001 and 0002 have been set aside by the PTSA for a special purpose that we hope everyone will find appropriate.
Two other numbers in the 0003 to 0050 range have been sold in the silent auction.
The remaining numbers between 0003 and 0050 were offered first to the PTSA members who helped get the license plate program underway by responding to a request for current registration information that was sent to all registrants on the PTSA listserv earlier this year. (Thank you to those members!)
The remaining numbers in the 0003 through 0050 range will be selectable to remaining PTSA members on a first-come, first serve basis.
After the first 50 plates are sold, additional plate numbers will be assigned by the MVA, generally in sequential order. The Magruder license plate administrator will be able to give you a good idea of what your plate number will be, but cannot guarantee a specific plate number for plates above 0050.