Charleston, W.V. - West Virginia Division of Motor Vehicles is unveiling a spooktacular new license plate, available for sale beginning Monday, November 2, 2026.
The license plate, designed by West Virginia artist Jesse Corlis, features nine different Cryptids, with stories and ties to locations all around the mountain state:
Flatwoods Monster, a.k.a. “Braxie” – originated from Flatwoods (Braxton County) around 1952. Of the characters on the plate, Braxie is featured most prominently.
Mothman - according to legend, first sighted in Clendenin (Kanawha County) in 1966, later became associated with the collapse of the Silver Bridge in Point Pleasant (Mason County.) The plate features Mothman flying through a wooded scene, just behind Braxie’s shoulder.
Bigfoot – with sightings all over the United States and many counties in West Virginia, Bigfoot was most recently seen holding the new license plate at the Summersville Bigfoot Festival! Check DMV’s YouTube and Facebook pages for that sighting! Bigfoot graces the right hand side of the plate, among the characters featured in a shadowy blue.
Sheepsquatch - a multi-county area from Boone County to Mason County boasts the origins of the Sheepsquatch stories. On the license plate, Sheepsquatch, and the remaining characters, are featured as smaller forms, all living in harmony in the friendly blue background of the wooded scene.
Batboy - Greenbrier County’s Lost World Caverns area in Lewisburg brought us the Batboy stories.
Veggie Man – Veggie Man is a Fairmont (Marion County) native, originating around 1968.
Werewolf – The Webster County Werewolf stories date back to the 18th Century and Native American folklore. Quite a spook in life, but as friendly as the rest of the cohort on the plate.
Ogua – from the Hoult area of Marion County, along the Monongahela River, rounds out the all-West Virginian otherworldly friends.
Grafton Monster – originating from Taylor County around 1964, this pale, whistling or bellowing creature calmly graces what may go down in history as the Best. License Plate. Ever.
"First and foremost, I would like to pay tribute to Jesse Corlis, the talented graphic artist who designed the Cryptid license plate, along with several other license plates you see traveling the roads of West Virginia every day. One particularly popular design is the Pollinators plate, better known as the 'Bee plate." said DMV Commissioner Everett Frazier.
"As a huge fan of West Virginia's rich folklore, I couldn't be more excited to see legendary cryptids like Mothman and Braxie the Flatwoods Monster featured on our new license plate," said Transportation Secretary Stephen T. Rumbaugh.
Corlis developed the plate while working at the Kanawha City DMV headquarters. Other plates by Corlis include the Protect Pollinators plate and the Turtle wildlife plate. While Corlis brings a grand scene together for the small, metal license plate, his artwork also graces the sides of enormous buildings and bridge piers around West Virginia and surrounding states.
DMV guests looking for a West Virginia road trip with their authentic Jesse Corlis “Cryptids” license plate may wish to visit some of his most prominent murals around the state, including:
Silver Bridge Memorial - Point Pleasant, WV
Bear, and Octopus Bridge Piers - Charleston, WV
Streetcar - Charleston, WV
Pies and Pints - Fayetteville and Charleston, WV
Days of Gassaway - Gassaway, WV, with Braxton County High School Student Emily Garrett
Museum of American Glass - Weston, WV
El Jardin del Amor, by former Mi Cocina de Amor restaurant - Charleston, WV
And more; in West Virginia and beyond.
"This design not only celebrates our state's unique culture and storied heritage on every road we travel, but it also serves as a lasting tribute to the incredible artistic legacy of Jesse Corlis," said Rumbaugh.
"Tragically, Jesse passed away in 2023 before he had the opportunity to see the Cryptid plate come to fruition," said Frazier. "We recognize his creativity, talent, and contributions to the West Virginia license plate program, and we are proud to see his work celebrated through this unique design."
Jesse is described by his family as living his whole life as an artist, even the parts between the hours worked designing and creating art. Jesse embodied the West Virginia DMV vision of serving guests, as guests - not merely customers. While painting one of his murals on the bridge piers under the interstate in Charleston, Jesse talked with a man named Will, who was facing homelessness. Jesse then proceeded to help Will get his drivers license, combining art, the DMV, and a heart that was born to serve others.
Guests can purchase the new plate at all DMV offices around the state, beginning Monday, November 2, 2026. Additional information and updates on the new plate will be shared on DMV’s YouTube and Facebook pages, and website at dmv.wv.gov Subscribe, follow, and share, for updates on this story.
