DNR Seeks Artists for New Minnesota State Parks License Plate Featuring North Shore, Agates

(KNSI) – Your artwork could be riding on bumpers all over Minnesota early next year.

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is taking design entries for a new state parks and trails license plate, and the theme is the North Shore and the Lake Superior agate, Minnesota’s state gemstone. The contest opened Tuesday and runs through 5:00 p.m. on October 31st.

It’s the first new design in 10 years. Minnesotans helped create and pick the current plate back in 2016.

The Minnesota Legislature chose this year’s theme, and there’s plenty to work with. Artists can pull inspiration from waterfalls, river gorges, forests, wildlife, ancient volcanic rock or those banded red and orange agates that rock hounds hunt for along the shoreline.

Once entries close, a panel of judges will score designs on creativity, quality, how well they capture the theme and whether they’d actually work on a license plate.

Judges will narrow the field to three finalists, and then it’s up to the public. Voting is set for early December, with the winner announced in mid-December. The DNR expects the new plate to go on sale in late January 2027.

The plate is more than a pretty bumper. It requires a $60 annual contribution and doubles as your state park vehicle permit, which means free entry to every Minnesota state park and recreation area for the year. All the money goes to state parks and trails for maintenance, staffing and improvements.

Designs can be submitted by clicking here.

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