Michigan is introducing new license plates and driver’s licenses next year, including a throwback.
The Michigan Department of State said it’s bringing back the green and white “Water Wonderland” plate, with orders starting Jan. 27, 2024, on the Michigan SOS website.
Additionally, the state will start issuing newly designed Michigan driver’s licenses and state IDs with a cutting-edge security design. Issuance of the new-look driver’s licenses and IDs will begin by the end of January, and will continue until all cards with the current design are phased out over the next four years.
More on the Water Wonderland plate
The “Water Wonderland” license plate is similar to one issued in 1963. It’s a green plate with white lettering.
The “Water Wonderland” plate will be available for passenger vehicles and can be purchased as a disability plate. When purchasing, a one-time $5 graphic plate fee will be assessed in addition to the normal registration fees. Personalization of the plate is available, though limited to 6 digits due to the font style and size accompanying the reissue.
Michigan brought back the “Water-Winter Wonderland” plate in 2021, and more than 1.2 million have been issued since then, according to the SOS.
More on the new driver’s license and state ID
The new look is based on security best practices and new technology aimed at reducing the risk of counterfeiting and fraud.
The font and color theme have been updated to clearly distinguish from the current design and cards will prominently display the Michigan Coat of Arms. The names of the five Great Lakes can be seen in multicolored text when the card is held at certain angles. Shading and curved lines in the new design are difficult to replicate, strengthening the integrity of the cards.
The new cards will include a two-line name format that will accommodate more characters than the current design. In another visual change, the state will use a gold Michigan shape with a star in it to indicate licenses and IDs that are REAL ID-compliant. Currently, cards in Michigan that are compliant feature a star within a gold circle.
As of May 7, 2025, by federal law, a standard Michigan driver’s license or state ID without the REAL ID-compliant indicator will no longer be adequate to board an aircraft for a domestic flight or to enter military bases or certain other federal facilities. Learn more about how to upgrade at Michigan.gov/REALID.
As part of the card redesign, the magnetic stripe on the back of driver’s licenses and state IDs has been removed. Bar codes that contain the information from the front of the card will remain on the back in scannable format.
The move to a new design affects all standard and enhanced driver’s licenses and state IDs, including commercial, chauffeur’s, graduated, moped, and salvage vehicle agent licenses. Current licenses and state IDs are valid until their expiration date. All Michigan residents will be issued the new design when they renew, replace, or correct their license or ID. There will be no change in current driver’s license or state ID fees as a result of the new design.