Speaking of license plates

[John105]

Isn't it generally ok to not return old ones? Many places have them plastering their walls, like at a bar or restaurant, and one sees collections online.

What does puzzle me is when it's a vanity plate--was it stolen or maybe the original owner sold it and someone added it to their collection.

For the first time in my driving career, I ordered one and am waiting for it. Wasn't taken in my state (it's an expression), but is taken in others where I could lookup online.

 

[gman2304]

My old vanity plate got replaced with an identical plate due to age and dings from hooking up my trailer. It is now on my garage wall but you can get most any vanity plate off of eBay. I bought a friend one for his Subaru engined VW Westfalia camper van. Looks just like a N.C. plate with VOLKSARU on the plate. He has it mounted on the front bumper.

 

[CarDoc66]

My state is issuing all new plates, they say to dispose of the old ones. I also just cancelled some plates (via online) last night and I was instructed to dispose or recycle them.
Recycling to me means put them on my garage wall.
I'm sure it's different from state to state.

 

[John105]

My old vanity plate got replaced with an identical plate due to age and dings from hooking up my trailer. It is now on my garage wall but you can get most any vanity plate off of eBay. I bought a friend one for his Subaru engined VW Westfalia camper van. Looks just like a N.C. plate with VOLKSARU on the plate.

Yes, what I mean is an actual valid state issued plate. In my case, it's Grateful Dead related, so you can imagine really no plate related to the band nor song should be available in any state. There are of course look alike ones available online, and people often put them on the front. My choice was not available in CA, NY, or NV, for which I could search, but was in PA. And when I search now, it shows it's either reserved (me??) or violates the standards of the DMV hahahahahaha (I doubt it)

p.s. my wife's 2011 plate peeled away. When I went to the police station to get a form signed (LE attests illegible so no charge to issue replacement), the officer was very nice, introduced himself by his first name, and said very few people come in when their plates can't be read, you're unique

 

[92saturnsl2]

I don't ever return my plates, even though every state I've lived in, you're supposed to when they are no longer registered. I think it's probably pretty low on the list of the DMV concerns.

When I went to get KY antique plates for my '96 Pontiac (past the 25 year mark), the lady almost didn't give them to me because I didn't have the car with me or the old plates in hand to return. She relented (was being nice) because technically I still had registration days left on the old plate and told me to return them before it expired. I still have them, never got a phone call.

Here in KY, the plate is supposed to stay with the vehicle, which probably saves the govt a little money in replacement plates each year, as well as being easier to maintain plate numbers, since the same number transfers to new owner. But it often screws the county stickers up (buying a vehicle out of county, your plate will still have the previous owner's county on it)-- they never get updated, so I've never understood the whole point of the county sticker.

Every other state I've lived in, I have at least a couple sets of-- selling cars private party or trading a car in, you simply keep the license plates.

 

[Chris142]

Here the plate stays with the car unless lost,stolen or replaced with a vanity plate.

 

[AutoMechanic]

It really depends on the state. Virginia where I’m at doesn’t care. I know someone that worked at the DMV they have it posted that you do have to return them but you actually don’t they just have that to cover them if someone gets ahold of the old plates. I never turn in plates as I collect them. Have some from all 50 states and have more coming from different places too.

My friend who moved down here from NY gave me his old plates and then about 2 months went by and NY sent him a letter at his address in VA saying he needed to send the old ones back or they would have VA suspend his license and registration till they receive them back so I had to take them off my wall and give them back. I’ve heard Rhode Island will also come after you if you don’t return them but I don’t know how true that is. I will never surrender my plates. I change mine frequently so I can add the old ones to my collection. The only plates that you cannot absolutely keep are US Government plates because they are illegal to own so it’s a criminal offense to keep those.

 

[John105]

It really depends on the state. Virginia where I’m at doesn’t care. I know someone that worked at the DMV they have it posted that you do have to return them but you actually don’t they just have that to cover them if someone gets ahold of the old plates. I never turn in plates as I collect them. Have some from all 50 states and have more coming from different places too.

My friend who moved down here from NY gave me his old plates and then about 2 months went by and NY sent him a letter at his address in VA saying he needed to send the old ones back or they would have VA suspend his license and registration till they receive them back so I had to take them off my wall and give them back. I’ve heard Rhode Island will also come after you if you don’t return them but I don’t know how true that is. I will never surrender my plates. I change mine frequently so I can add the old ones to my collection. The only plates that you cannot absolu0stely keep are US Government plates because they are illegal to own so it’s a criminal offense to keep those.

I had the orange and dark blue NY plates on my first car, then I think it was 1986 they went to the Liberty Plates. I had both in my parents' garage in the 80s/90s and my mom threw them away. Funny how we look at it differently, I too wanted to collect them, she saw them as worthless

p.s. my wife's uncle gave me some from Munich. My wife and her cousins were joking they're probably stolen

 

[AutoMechanic]

I had the orange and dark blue NY plates on my first car, then I think it was 1986 they went to the Liberty Plates. I had both in my parents' garage in the 80s/90s and my mom threw them away. Funny how we look at it differently, I too wanted to collect them, she saw them as worthless

p.s. my wife's uncle gave me some from Munich. My wife and her cousins were joking they're probably stolen

LOL. My mom says mine are worthless too. I spent $140 on a really rare NC watermelon license plate a couple months ago and she told me I was crazy. My dad liked it and I didn’t tell him how much I paid cause he would have called me crazy too lol. Check out the plate collection thread in the photo section and you’ll see most if not all of my license plate collection. I have several sets of the Liberty plates my understanding on those is they basically said do whatever you want with them. I had to pay out the tail for New York newest series plates the Excelsior. And funny about the Munich ones. I have a German one coming haha. Hope it ain’t stolen

 

[ARCOgraphite]

My Town clerk says throw it in the recycle bin. I fold mine a couple times and break it in half.
I still have my old Suzuki 2 stroke cafe racer MC plate - I think its under my couch cushion.

OUCH! - yes its still there ...

ps; I remember now, back in 70's, riveting old license plates to the rust holes through the floor on the drivers side.

Dang! Now how am I supposed tp pour my beer out if I get pulled over by the cops?!

 

[CarDoc66]

It really depends on the state. Virginia where I’m at doesn’t care. I know someone that worked at the DMV they have it posted that you do have to return them but you actually don’t they just have that to cover them if someone gets ahold of the old plates. I never turn in plates as I collect them. Have some from all 50 states and have more coming from different places too.

My friend who moved down here from NY gave me his old plates and then about 2 months went by and NY sent him a letter at his address in VA saying he needed to send the old ones back or they would have VA suspend his license and registration till they receive them back so I had to take them off my wall and give them back. I’ve heard Rhode Island will also come after you if you don’t return them but I don’t know how true that is. I will never surrender my plates. I change mine frequently so I can add the old ones to my collection. The only plates that you cannot absolutely keep are US Government plates because they are illegal to own so it’s a criminal offense to keep those.

I'm in RI and they now say "dispose". They used to come after you years ago.
BTW, I posted a picture of my new (got them last year) Fourth of July plates in your thread.....well they are re-issuing me another set so if you want one of those for your collection let me know. I also have a "virgin" set of the new ocean plates that I cancelled last night which I can send you one of those too. LMK.
They just came out with a Providence College plate, since I'm an alumni (and my father was a professor there) I might order them for my truck.

 

[AutoMechanic]

I'm in RI and they now say "dispose". They used to come after you years ago.
BTW, I posted a picture of my new (got them last year) Fourth of July plates in your thread.....well they are re-issuing me another set so if you want one of those for your collection let me know. I also have a "virgin" set of the new ocean plates that I cancelled last night which I can send you one of those too. LMK.
They just came out with a Providence College plate, since I'm an alumni (and my father was a professor there) I might order them for my truck.

I would love to have those in my collection. I remember you messaged me about them awhile back. Only have one pair of Rhode Island in my collection. One on my wall and one in my box. So would love to add some of yours to my collection.

 

[92saturnsl2]

I probably have about 30 plates in total, some are duplicates (2 plate states). My two favorites come from the same state, but I have Nevada bighorn sheep plates that a close third.

 

[CarDoc66]

I would love to have those in my collection. I remember you messaged me about them awhile back. Only have one pair of Rhode Island in my collection. One on my wall and one in my box. So would love to add some of yours to my collection.

PM me an address to send them to, its going to be a month or so for the 4th of July plate but I have the new "ocean" one sitting on my counter as we speak.

 

[CleanSump]

Maryland law requires plates be returned.
If you cancel insurance because you sold, traded in, or junked the car, the state will fine you $7 per day until they receive the tags.

 

[NormanBuntz]

I always think it's commendable to keep the convicts actively working in prisons, cranking out some of those license plates.

 

[ctechbob]

I always think it's commendable to keep the convicts actively working in prisons, cranking out some of those license plates.

Georgia went to non-embossed plates a few years back. They look super cheap and I'd almost bet money they're having them printed in china now.

I have a few old tags, mostly from the cars that my wife/daughter have totalled, although I kept some of my old ones as well. The one on the Accord is 20 years old and ratty, but I can't be bothered to go get a new one.