A sample of the 2022 licence plate.
PHILIPSBURG--The 2023 licence plate, the final one before the switch to a QR Code system, will be designed and selected by the public.
The Ministry of Finance urges the public to participate in creating and choosing the art for the 2023 St. Maarten licence plate. The need for yearly updated imagery will become obsolete with the introduction of the new QR Code system for vehicle registration. With that in mind, the ministry is seeking persons with artistic talent to potentially have their visuals displayed on a piece of local iconography.
The theme for the competition is “A Lasting St. Maarten”. Ideally, the plates will reflect local culture, while keeping in mind and being respectful of all demographics who will make use of them, it was stated in a press release.
Persons interested in participating can submit a piece to
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. starting today, Wednesday, June 1, until 5:00pm Wednesday, June 15.
The submissions will be posted on the Ministry’s social media pages and the three images accumulating the most “likes” will be judged by a panel. The winner will be announced on multiple media platforms during the first week of July and the plates will be unveiled the following year as the shipment arrives.
The competition is free to enter and is open to all art-lovers on the island age 16 years and up. The rules will be clearly posted with all promotional material and can be found on the ministry’s social media pages.
All entries must be original works created by the artist. Each entrant is limited to an individual work, except when submitted with a group. An individual may submit one work created as a group, as well as their personal piece, but it must be clearly indicated in the email. Contestants cannot withdraw the application before the closing date of the competition. Late works will not be considered.
Any graphics used on the piece must have clear, bright colours for the sake of visibility. Creations can be presented in any medium, if they are digitised; examples include, but are not limited to, drawing, photography, graphic design or painting. Selected works cannot be withdrawn or resubmitted, unless to correct sizing. Submissions must be saved as JPEG, no smaller than 200 kilobytes.
The art must fit into the dimensions of the plates. Motor vehicles, not being motorbikes: height 15 centimetres and width 30.5 centimetres; for motor bikes: height 10 centimetres and width 18 centimetres. A short conceptual summary of the work must accompany the submission with no more than 300 words saved in PDF format. Any person agreeing with the set rules can submit an entry.
