California, Colorado and Florida are home to the first set of Space Force bases, but none of the departments of motor vehicles in those three states offer license plates commemorating the new military service.
While each state has numerous options for former and current service members, Space Force Guardians have been left off the list.
The license plate issue comes as the Space Force seeks widespread public recognition and acceptance from civilians two years after being established by former President Donald Trump.
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Bill Woolf, president and founder of the nonprofit Space Force Association, said the commemorative license plates would be just a small way for states to acknowledge the new military service's presence in their own backyard.
"There's an opportunity to help spread the word that the Space Force is, in fact, a service," Woolf said.
Colorado is home to a Space Force base in Aurora and two in Colorado Springs. California has installations in El Segundo and near Lompoc. There is also a launch site near Cocoa Beach in Florida.
Military.com reached out to the three state DMVs and found that they all offer a wide selection of license plates for current and former service members, but nothing for the Space Force.
DMV offerings are often dictated by state legislatures, and getting a new license plate typically requires an effort by lobbyists or politicians.
The Colorado and Florida DMVs both said they do not offer Space Force license plates, although they do have offerings for every other service. They added it would take legislation in their respective states to add a Space Force option.
Notably, in Colorado, Guardians can have the branch's logo printed on their ID cards as a military service identifier when they obtain or renew their IDs.
Michael McGee, a Florida resident and retired Air Force officer who spent 20 years in space operations, said he wishes there was a Space Force license plate and would be one of the first people to sign up for it in the state.
"It's inevitable that it'll happen, but I don't think they've thought about it as much as they should have," McGee said. "I hope they can get this accomplished in the next year."
The California DMV said in a statement it does not offer a license plate with the Space Force logo or other specific branches, but does have logo options for veteran service organizations and other military honors.
Notably, other states have had success in adopting a Space Force license plate.
Last year, the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles announced a license plate option for active-duty or retired Space Force Guardians.
And efforts are underway in other states. Earlier this month, Illinois state Rep. David Friess introduced a bill urging the creation of a Space Force license plate. He said a constituent gave him the idea.
"They're very proud of their service, and that's how they want people to know either they're serving or have served," Friess told Illinois media outlets.
-- Thomas Novelly can be reached at thomas.novelly@military.com. Follow him on Twitter @TomNovelly.
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