New license plate honoring Michigan's women veterans now available

Eligible woman veterans can order online or at Secretary of State offices

LANSING, Mich. – Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson has unveiled a new license plate that acknowledges the service, sacrifice, and contributions of Michigan’s women veterans.

The new license plate features a vignette of a woman veteran preceding the vehicle’s characters and has “Her Service Our Freedom” inscribed. The plate also has “Woman Veteran” below the registration configuration. Michigan now offers 33 license plate designs honoring past and present military members and their families.

“This license plate isn’t going to guarantee women veterans in Michigan get all the support and resources they deserve, but we know that the visibility it promotes is a daily reminder to Michiganders everywhere of the role of women who serve,” Secretary Jocelyn Benson said. “May we continue to celebrate our veterans, not just this week and not just these days but every day as they serve and protect all of us.”

Secretary Benson joined State Senator Sylvia Santana (D-Detroit) and Lolita Tucker, Michigan’s Disabled American Veterans state commander, at an unveiling ceremony Nov. 10 in Dearborn. Sen. Santana was the sponsor of Senate Bill 788, which authorized production of the new Michigan woman veteran plate.

Benson announced the first Michigan woman veteran plate would be produced for Commander Tucker, a U.S. Army veteran who championed the bill and spoke in front of the Michigan Senate Committee on Veterans & Emergency Services in its support. She served from 1996 to 2003, including deployments to Japan, Kuwait and Iraq. Today, she continues her service by advocating for Michigan’s disabled veterans.

As of September 2025, there are over 44,000 woman veterans in Michigan, accounting for 9% of the state’s veteran population, according to data from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs National Center for Veterans Analysis and Statistics. Nationally in 2000, women made up only 4% of veterans. By 2040, they’re expected to reach 18%, making them the fastest-growing veteran group.

Eligible Michigan veterans may order the woman veteran specialty plate online at the Michigan Department of State website or by scheduling a visit to a branch office.

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Secretary Benson joined leaders and lawmakers, including Senator Sylvia Santana (D-Detroit), Lolita Tucker, Michigan’s Disabled American Veterans state commander, and Dearborn Mayor Abdullah Hammoud, for the unveiling of the Michigan woman veteran license plate.

As a military spouse, Secretary Benson shared how a simple, “thank you for your service” shined light on an otherwise uncertain and fearful time as her husband prepared for a deployment to Afghanistan.

Members of the audience displayed salutes during the Pledge of Allegiance and National Anthem.

Secretary Benson recognized (pictured) Lolita Tucker, State Commander of Michigan’s Disabled American Veterans, and her work making the new woman veterans license plate a reality.

Sen. Sylvia Santana (D-Detroit) spoke as a co-sponsor of Senate Bill 788 (2024), which authorized production of the Michigan woman veteran plate.