Utah license plates rank among favorites in the US
Sep 2, 2025, 4:49 PM | Updated: Sep 3, 2025, 9:46 am
An inmate holds a license plate made in the Utah Correctional Industries building at the Utah State Correctional Facility in Salt Lake City on Monday, Aug. 4, 2025. (Kristin Murphy/Deseret News)
(Kristin Murphy/Deseret News)
SALT LAKE CITY — A new report from Sixt Car Rental ranked two Utah license plate styles among the most popular in the U.S.
Ranking at number two, the Life Elevated Arches plate, which features Delicate Arch. Following behind at number three is the Life Elevated Skier plate, featuring a skier. Both Utah license plates feature the phrase “Life Elevated.”
A report published by Ski Utah indicated that the plates were launched in Nov. 2007. While paying tribute to Utah’s picturesque outdoors and the “greatest snow on earth,” they were also designed to promote the Office of Tourism’s “Life Elevated” campaign.
The Delicate Arch license plate has generated 1,183,286 sales, per Sixt. The skier plate generated 943,394 sales.
Kentucky’s Unbridled Spirit license plate took the top spot with 2,104,135 sales.
Sixt said it carried out the study by requesting information from each state’s transportation department on license plate sales number.
Delicate Arch license plate
The current Delicate Arch license plate is a variation on an older model, which was originally designed to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Utah’s statehood.
Utah became a state on Jan. 4, 1896.
A 1991 report by Deseret News said the Delicate Arch Centennial plate became available in 1992 and was available until 1997.
Per the Utah Division of Motor Vehicles, the Centennial license plate is still on some vehicles, although it is no longer available.
The later version, which is still available shares design similarities with its predecessor, namely that famous orange arch. “Centennial” was replaced with “Life Elevated” and the font that spells out Utah was changed on the later variation.
Utah’s Life Elevated Arch license plate, which became available in 2007. (Utah Division of Motor Vehicles)
Utah’s Centennial license plate, which was available between 1992 and 1997. (Utah Division of Motor Vehicles)
Ski Utah license plate
Per Ski Utah, Heidi Voelker, a Utah resident and Olympic athlete, is the skier on the Life Elevated Skier license plate. She became the first human to be featured on a Utah license plate.
At the time, Voelker told the organization she was excited about being featured.
Similar to the Arch plate, it features the text “Life Elevated,” while also sporting the text “Greatest Snow on Earth” along the bottom, a nod to the state’s light, fluffy snowpack.
Before 2007, a different Ski Utah license plate variation was offered. It debuted in 1985 and featured a white background, smaller skier and text that read “Greatest Snow on Earth.”
The old Ski Utah license plate, which was available from 1987 to 1997. (Utah Division of Motor Vehicles)
The current Life Elevated Ski Utah license plate, which became available in 2007. (Utah Division of Motor Vehicles)
An Associated Press report from 1996 said that license plate was available until 1997. At the time, ski and tourism industry officials voiced disappointment for the move.
The Delicate Arch and skier designs are among four standard-issue Utah license plates. In addition, the state offers a variety of other designs, which generate funds for special causes.
