DES MOINES, Iowa (KCCI) – There’s no doubt which of Iowa’s specialty license plate designs is most popular. The state’s “blackout” plates were an immediate hit with drivers when they were first released July 1, 2019. Four months later the simple design – white lettering over a black background – was the state’s most popular. Nearly 50,000 had been issued at that point, well more than the 30,000 University of Iowa plates issued.