From Monday, Washington's new emerald number plates will go on sale across the state.
The emerald and cream plates, manufactured by prisoners at the Lakewood state prison, will cost $32 a set. That's a $15 up on the previous state number plates.
The new number plates are an update on the older design but with a new font that can be recognised by number plate reading cameras.
The new plates were supposed to be obligatory for all vehicles registered in the state. But an uproar from the public forced the authorities to make it only necessary for new registrations.
In some areas the new number plates will not be available until stocks of the old design have sold out.
Ian Mcdermott, a member of the Vehicle Licensing Committee, was among those who was against the new number plates as an unfair burden on taxpayers in the current economic climate.
For the forseeable future, motorists will be to use either number plates, making it virtually the only state to do so.