While you likely haven’t seen the new Pennsylvania license plates on any cars, the state is introducing a brand new plate, coming in 2025. It boasts a cream background with the Liberty Bell right in the center, and a new slogan “Let Freedom Ring.”
So what do Philadelphians think of the new look? Do they like it? Do they prefer the old one? We sent a Billy Penn reporter to hold an informal poll of 100 Philadelphians to gauge interest in the new plate.
How the poll was conducted
Before we deep dive into the results, we’d like to share how this poll was conducted. A BP reporter walked around Center City, Rittenhouse Square, and Washington Square showing people a picture of the old and new license plates.
Every respondent was asked the same question: “This is the old Pennsylvania license plate, this is the new one. Which one do you like better?”
One hundred people were polled, including some who were firmly indifferent or chose not to answer. Our methods were not scientific, but we did our best to get a fair sample.
What did people think?
For the first 30 or so respondents, the race was neck and neck. Many supporters of the new look loved the addition of the bell, and were glad to finally have a new plate:
- “It’s just simpler, I like the bell in the background, too.”
- “ ‘Let freedom ring,’ I love that, that’s letting people know that freedom is still out there and you can still get it.”
- “[The old plate] is such like DMV vibes.”
Supporters of the old plate were nostalgic of the design or were not intrigued by the new look:
- “I just don’t like the new one.”
- “Neither are great, but I like the old one.”
- “Maybe I’m nostalgic but the old one I think is way better.”
And naturally, there were people who weren’t fans of either:
- “I don’t drive.”
- “I’m indifferent, they’re both OK.”
The Final results
After polling 100 Philadelphians, it seems the new plate was the clear winner:
New Plate – 62 votes
Old Plate – 32 votes
No response/indifferent – 6 votes
Maybe the new plate pulled in more support from Philly because of the Liberty Bell. Or maybe people simply like a fresh, new look. Either way, it’d be interesting to run this same poll in other parts of the state, like Pittsburgh, to see if it retains the same level of popularity.
