My Freemasonry | Freemason Information and Discussion Forum

Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!

Plates are available.

relapse98

Registered User
https://rts.texasonline.state.tx.us/NASApp/txdotrts/SpecialPlateOrderServlet?grpid=60&pltid=342

Grand Lodge says:

'Texas Masonic license plates are now available. The Grand Lodge is working on the "official" announcement and instructions on how you can go about purchasing a plate and ensure that the money goes to support Texas Masonry. Keep checking Facebook and the Grand Lodge of Texas website; we'll have something soon!'

Pretty sure I know what I'm getting for Father's Day.
 

cacarter

Premium Member
From the plate website:
"Texas Masons
From the $30 specialty plate fee, $22 goes to the Texas Department of Agriculture to make grants that benefit the Grand Lodge of Texas and its educational, benevolent, and charitable purposes."

Can anyone enlighten me how that works?
 

Benton

Premium Member
"Texas Masons
From the $30 specialty plate fee, $22 goes to the Texas Department of Agriculture to make grants that benefit the Grand Lodge of Texas and its educational, benevolent, and charitable purposes."

Wow, yeah. I want to know which congressperson managed to twist that little tidbit into the end of the bill.
 

Beathard

Premium Member
The money gets deposited into a state department's account. That state department then cuts a check to the organization that the plate represents. It is a way to take a tax and turn it into money for a non-profit. It is a way to legally move the money using a grant process.
 

Bro. Stewart P.M.

Lead Moderator Emeritus
Staff Member
I know that the GLoTX requested us to "wait" before purchasing, however that does not work out well when it comes to customization. I ordered my custom TX Mason tags just a few minutes ago. I was disappointed to be limited to 5 characters though... It worked out for my initials though.
 

Benton

Premium Member
The money gets deposited into a state department's account. That state department then cuts a check to the organization that the plate represents. It is a way to take a tax and turn it into money for a non-profit. It is a way to legally move the money using a grant process.

This may be true, but frankly I don't trust government enough to do the right thing. How long until the Texas Department of Agriculture has a severe budget shortfall or a crisis and decides to withhold that check, because it's in their best interest? It may be the way things are done, and it may work 99% of the time, but I still don't like it.

That said, glad to see that they're available. Unfortunately, just paid registration on my car. So it'll probably have to wait until some time in the future.
 

relapse98

Registered User
or something like http://www.aqha.com/en/News/News-Articles/04202011-Specialty-License-Plates-Under-Attack.aspx which would have taken 50% of the specialty plate revenue towards the general budget.

When I did my wife's plates from myplates.com, they did some sort of pro rate at the county office because her tags still had 7 months to go. I think I had to pay the states portion to get her current tags moved to the date of when the plates expired or something. Anyways, it cost me about $30 extra to move her tags forward.. the plates themselves cost $195.
 

Michaelstedman81

Premium Member
Woo Hoo!! Just like Bro. Beathard said, this is perfect time as my stuff just expired today...lol


How long until the Texas Department of Agriculture has a severe budget shortfall or a crisis and decides to withhold that check

I couldn't agree with you more, Bro. Benton. While Texas has been better off in these economic hard times, we still aren't out of the woods yet. I would like to see some sort of writing that says that the DoA will give the money up that they are supposed to no matter the situation. I highly doubt that if things go downhill and it comes to cutting the pay of the leadership from the department that they are going to continue sending the checks...lol Either way, we should rejoice a bit that this is finally here and it all has gone through. I know there has been a lot of Brothers like me that have been waiting a while for this.

I ordered my custom TX Mason tags just a few minutes ago

I have been thinking about my customization and I got a question. Since you said you are limited to only five letters, can you have four letters and one space? Or just four letters instead of five? Lol, I don't want to give up my idea for customization. Also, when you customized it, is it and aditional $40 bucks making it a total of $70, or is it just $40 for the whole thing if you customize it?
 

Michaelstedman81

Premium Member
Also, does anyone know how it is going to look with the "handicap" symbol on the plate or where they will put it? I remember some of the other threads saying that you couldn't get the DV (Disabled Veteran) on there. Can someone provide the link to the source that says that again?
 

Blake Bowden

Administrator
Staff Member
It's been a long time coming lol...

http://www.masonsoftexas.com/showthread.php?460-Would-you-purchase-a-Texas-Freemason-License-Plate
 

Bro. Stewart P.M.

Lead Moderator Emeritus
Staff Member
Woo Hoo!! Just like Bro. Beathard said, this is perfect time as my stuff just expired today...lol




I couldn't agree with you more, Bro. Benton. While Texas has been better off in these economic hard times, we still aren't out of the woods yet. I would like to see some sort of writing that says that the DoA will give the money up that they are supposed to no matter the situation. I highly doubt that if things go downhill and it comes to cutting the pay of the leadership from the department that they are going to continue sending the checks...lol Either way, we should rejoice a bit that this is finally here and it all has gone through. I know there has been a lot of Brothers like me that have been waiting a while for this.



I have been thinking about my customization and I got a question. Since you said you are limited to only five letters, can you have four letters and one space? Or just four letters instead of five? Lol, I don't want to give up my idea for customization. Also, when you customized it, is it and aditional $40 bucks making it a total of $70, or is it just $40 for the whole thing if you customize it?

It is $70. When you actually go into the order form, it will give you your options for spaces and special charaters. In my case I ordered a variation of my initials "S*M*O", where the asterisks are mini-Texas shapes will appear.
 

Beathard

Premium Member
Customization is 30 + 40 or 70 more than your registration. If your registration is 60, then customized masonic plates will cost you $130.
 

Michaelstedman81

Premium Member
In my case I ordered a variation of my initials "S*M*O", where the asterisks are mini-Texas shapes will appear.

Well, that is even more awesome. I didn't know that you could use any characters other than letters. I checked the availability of what I originally wanted, and of course it wasn't available...lol With this knowledge, I wonder if I can figure out another way of getting the label that I want... Thanks!
 

Bro. Stewart P.M.

Lead Moderator Emeritus
Staff Member
Well, that is even more awesome. I didn't know that you could use any characters other than letters. I checked the availability of what I originally wanted, and of course it wasn't available...lol With this knowledge, I wonder if I can figure out another way of getting the label that I want... Thanks!

I have run into similar issues with custom plates before Brother... This is the main reason that I did not "wait" when we were advised to, so that I had a fighting chance at the availability of the plate. The best thing that I can suggest is look at what you are trying to do 3 diminsionally...
 

wcbtx

Registered User
Just ordered mine. I didn't realize that they were going to give me new license plate numbers instead of just duplicating what I already had (didn't go for personalized). Will I have to turn in my old tags when I go to pick up the Masonic plates?
 

Bro. Stewart P.M.

Lead Moderator Emeritus
Staff Member
Just ordered mine. I didn't realize that they were going to give me new license plate numbers instead of just duplicating what I already had (didn't go for personalized). Will I have to turn in my old tags when I go to pick up the Masonic plates?

Yes. You usually will be required to surrender your original "State Issued" plates, however if you are replacing another "Specialty" plate they sometimes let you keep them.
 

cemab4y

Premium Member
Other states have similar "rebate" plans. In Kentucky, when you purchase a Masonic tag, $7 is automatically rebated to the Grand Lodge of KY.

I am delighted to see that Texas finally has Masonic plates. I hope some of the brothers here, can post photos of their vehicles (incl. pickup trucks) with the Masonic tag.

Since Texas is such a big and influential state, maybe more states will now get Masonic tags, and follow Texas' lead. Hope so.

When I was last in Florida, the DMV had approval for a Masonic tag, but there was a holdup in the state capital, that was delaying the availability.

When I was in Alabama, the Alabama DMV had a Shriner's plate, but no Masonic plate yet. I spoke with the Grand Master of Alabama Masons, and he indicated that not enough Alabama Masons, had pre-ordered tags, so the state had not yet gone into production.
 
Top