South Carolina DMV is issuing new plate design

By Kaye Collins

In 2026, South Carolina will unveil a new standard license plate to celebrate the 250th Anniversary of the American Revolution. This plate will showcase a Revolutionary soldier and the phrase ‘Where the Revolutionary War Was Won,’ replacing the current primary option of “While I Breathe, I Hope” alongside the ‘In God We Trust’ plate. The new plate will be available on Tuesday, Jan. 2, 2026, and will be issued until 2032 for new registrations or renewals. Existing plates will continue to be valid until they reach their standard 10-year replacement cycle first issued in 2016. As required by 2025 state law this plate replaces the “While I Breathe, I Hope” plate previously issued as a standard plate for passenger vehicles and motorcycles.

The illustration shows a patriot hoisting the Moultrie Flag, which is associated with the Battle of Fort Sullivan, alongside the words ‘Where the Revolutionary War Was Won’. This plate is intended to commemorate South Carolina’s significant contribution to the victory in the American Revolution, created with the collaboration of the SC250 Commission.

To share a bit of history, the Moultrie Flag, referred to as the Liberty Flag, was a banner used during the American Revolutionary War. It showcases a blue background, a white crescent positioned in the upper left corner, and the word “Liberty” written on the crescent. This Liberty Flag was commissioned and designed in 1775 by Colonel William Moultrie in anticipation of conflict with Great Britain. His troops raised it during the victorious defense of Sullivan’s Island against the British fleet on June 28, 1776.

During a ten-hour bombardment and siege, Moultrie’s forces, mainly consisting of the 2nd South Carolina Regiment, successfully compelled the British to retreat, thereby preserving Charleston for the Patriot cause.

In the midst of the battle, the flag was struck down, yet Sergeant William Jasper bravely dashed into the open to raise it once more, inspiring the troops until a replacement could be arranged. This incident, along with the crucial significance of the battle, garnered the flag the admiration of the Patriot faction in South Carolina, solidifying its status as a symbol of freedom in the South and for the new confederacy as a whole.

Consequently, it became the emblem of the South Carolina Patriot militia, and upon the conclusion of the war with the liberation of Charleston on Dec. 14, 1782, it was presented by General Nathanael Greene’s “Southern Continental & Militia Army” as the inaugural American flag to be showcased in the South.

The symbol in the top left corner of the flag is a crescent. While some popular legends have emerged that call the crescent a ‘gorget’ (or officer’s symbol worn about the neck), there is no primary evidence to support the notion that Moultrie designed the flag with a gorget in mind. Moultrie’s own writings and those of his contemporaries always refer to the symbol as a “crescent.”

The new plate can be obtained when renewing vehicle registration, unless one chooses a specialty plate, there are no additional charges beyond the standard registration fees. The existing “While I Breathe, I Hope” plate will continue to be valid until it reaches its 10-year expiration. The “In God We Trust” plate remains available as another standard option

In addition to the two standard license plate designs, the SCDMV offers dozens of other specialty plate designs, many of which benefit nonprofit, educational, or philanthropic causes.