Photos by Sara Heintzelman
Following on the success of last year's inaugural Love Your Beach tour, Surfrider's California team launched another LYB postcard-signing effort over the summer. This year's goal: Pass AB 2734, legislation that corrects the way Whale Tail license plate funds are distributed.
If you've ever spotted a California license plate with a whale's tail rising from the waves, you've seen one of the most visible ways Californians support their coast. Now, thanks in part to the enthusiasm of Surfrider activists all along the state, more of the money those Whale Tail plates generate will soon go where drivers expect it to: beach cleanups, ocean education, and programs that bring people to the coast.
While such a campaign may lack obvious urgency, under the surface it matters: AB 2734 dedicates the full share of Whale Tail plate revenue to coastal programs for the first time, and adds new dollars from a second specialty plate.
The grant programs funded by Whale Tail license plate sales include hundreds of incredible projects that encompass:
- Youth education programs focusing on marine and coastal environments.
- Programs for educating the general public or adults about ocean and coastal health.
- Climate change education and stewardship initiatives.
- Shoreline cleanup and enhancement programs (such as Adopt-A-Beach projects and habitat restoration).
AB 2734, authored by Assemblymember Gregg Hart (D–Santa Barbara), was signed by Governor Newsom on September 20, and will usher in a new funding era for some of California's most inspiring coastal programs beginning January 1, 2027.
What AB 2734 Does
Under current law, which applies through 2026, after the DMV covered its administrative costs, only half of Whale Tail plate revenue went to the California Beach and Coastal Enhancement Account, which supports coastal programs. The other half, plus the extra fees drivers pay for personalized Whale Tail plates, went into the state's broader Environmental License Plate Fund.
Starting with fees collected on or after January 1, 2027, all of the Whale Tail plate's additional revenue, including personalized-plate fees, will be split evenly between two coastal programs after the DMV's administrative costs:
- Half to the California Coastal Commission for the Whale Tail Grants Program, Adopt-A-Beach, Coastal Cleanup Day, and other coastal public education programs.
- Half to the State Coastal Conservancy's Explore the Coast grants, which fund programs that bring people who face barriers to coastal access to the shore.
The Legislature still appropriates the money each year. The new split also depends on the Department of Finance confirming that the Environmental License Plate Fund has enough to cover current spending plus a prudent reserve; if it doesn't, that year's revenue follows the old formula.
The law also taps another specialty plate. Starting in 2027, a share of the 49ers Foundation license plate revenue deposited in the Environmental License Plate Fund will go to coastal programs and outdoor access., subject to appropriation: 10 percent to the Coastal Commission's Whale Tail Grants, Adopt-A-Beach, Coastal Cleanup Day, and coastal education programs; 10 percent to the Conservancy's Explore the Coast grants; and 20 percent to the state's Outdoor Equity Grants Program.
Why It Matters
Whale Tail dollars fund grants that get kids to the beach for the first time, support the volunteers who clean our shorelines every year, and pay for the buses, gear, and guides that help people facing barriers experience the coast. Programs like Explore the Coast are specifically designed to open the coast to people who have historically been shut out of it. Since 2016, Explore the Coast grants have helped an estimated 388,000 people access and enjoy the coast, often for the first time.
When Californians choose a Whale Tail plate, they're making a statement about what they value. AB 2734 makes sure their money follows that choice. That's why we made AB 2734 the centerpiece of this year's Love Your Beach effort.
Thank You
This win belongs to the Surfrider volunteers and supporters who took action, whether filling out Love Your Beach postcards at an event or sending a digital letter via our Take Action page.
Thanks as well to Assemblymember Hart for championing coastal access, to bill sponsors TreePeople, Salted Roots, and Outdoor Outreach, and to every legislator who voted "AYE" for the future of California's coast.
And if you're due to renew your vehicle registration, consider making the switch to a Whale Tail plate to support the coast we all care about!
Starting in 2027, the law dedicates your plate fees to beach cleanups, ocean education, and programs that bring people to the coast.
As California Policy Associate Director, Jennifer advocates at the legislature and in front of state agencies to ensure protection of the Golden State's 1,100 miles of coastline. Based in Humboldt County, she supports California's 20 chapters on regional ocean protection efforts.