Someday, perhaps next year, car owners will be able to show their support for Coupeville’s marine heritage in a way that’s both personal and financial.

Gov. Bob Ferguson signed a bill into law this week that creates 13 new special license plates in honor of specific organizations or issues. One of the designs to make the list is “Maritime Northwest,” which will support two Coupeville nonprofit organizations — the Whidbey Island Maritime Heritage Foundation and Historic Whidbey.

The Maritime Heritage Foundation owns and operates the schooner Suva and works to preserve the maritime history of Coupeville, Penn Cove and Whidbey Island. Historic Whidbey owns the Haller House in Coupeville and is committed to protecting and promoting historic sites on the island.

Lynn Hyde of Historical Whidbey explained that the two groups agreed to work together to market the license plates and to share the proceeds. The amount the groups will get depends on how many people buy the plates, which will cost $40 initially with a yearly renewal rate of $30. The yearly fee means that the funding will be more sustainable.

“The amount of the proceeds really depend on how well we market it,” she said, pointing out that some of the nonprofits essentially break even and others earn quite a bit. “It’s a lot of work, though.”

The proposed design of the license plate shows the Coupeville Wharf and sailboats in Penn Cove. Hyde said the design will have to be approved by the Washington State Patrol and could be available beginning next year.

She explained that the supporters have been trying to get permission from lawmakers for the Coupeville-centered specialty plates since the COVID years. The supporters gathered the required 3,500 signatures.

This year was the third time a bill approving the plate was sponsored in Olympia. The first year, Rep. Dave Paul, D-Oak Harbor, and then-Rep. Greg Gilday, R-Camano, sponsored the bill, but it didn’t pass. The second time around, it was sponsored by Paul and Rep. Clyde Shavers, D-Clinton.

This year, lawmakers decided on a larger bill that approved 13 specialty license plates at once, with the understanding that other new ones can’t be created until 2029. One of the new license plate designs is “Historical throwback,” which is a black-and-white plate that mimics the 20th-century look.

This year marks the 100-year anniversary of the schooner Suva. The Whidbey Island Maritime Heritage Foundation opened an exhibit at the Island County Historical Museum where people can learn about the vessel’s history and the area’s maritime history.

The foundation is also seeking artwork depicting the Suva. For more information, contact crew.suva.schedule@gmail.com.