Spelling out a special message on your license plate now costs an additional $50 per year in Ohio, up from the old personalized plates fee of $35.

The increase is one of several taking effect Thursday at the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles under the new state transportation budget passed by the Legislature earlier this year.

A plate bearing three initials, as opposed to a personalized message, now costs $25 instead of $10. The fee for a temporary tag has gone up $8, to $18.50, and the vision screening fee motorists pay when renewing their driver license has risen $1.75, to $2.75.

The BMV says the higher charges are needed to bolster funding for the State Highway Patrol.