License Plate News

[MATraveler128]

who needs month stickers when in Massachusetts it's just the last digit of the plate?

Registrations are for two years, so LEO's won't know what year the plate expires without a sticker.  Out-of-state LEO's don't necessarily know Massachusetts' system.  And...some MA plates, such as vanity plates with no numbers, don't even have the expiration month on the plate.

IIRC, vanity plates expire in November or December.

They expire in November. I've always wondered why they don't put NOV on vanity plates yet every other plate including commercial has the month abbreviation.

[hotdogPi]

A few days ago, I saw a 27 sticker on a semi. It was the correct color (green). How did it get one when even 26s haven't come out yet and won't for another six months?

In other news, more than half of the Rhode Island plates I'm seeing now are the new design. Are they really changing over that quickly? I've estimated the half-life of a license plate at 4 years based on how many green MA plates are left on the road, but the RI changeover (and the NY changeover a year or two ago) were much quicker.

[Ted$8roadFan]

A few days ago, I saw a 27 sticker on a semi. It was the correct color (green). How did it get one when even 26s haven't come out yet and won't for another six months?

In other news, more than half of the Rhode Island plates I'm seeing now are the new design. Are they really changing over that quickly? I've estimated the half-life of a license plate at 4 years based on how many green MA plates are left on the road, but the RI changeover (and the NY changeover a year or two ago) were much quicker.

The new "ocean"  plates are indeed appearing very quickly. I think it is because RI is replacing the old "wave"  plates immediately upon expiration of the previous registration as opposed to a rolling replacement that many states typically do. I've seen the ocean plates with the old-style numbering (AA-NNN) and the newer 1AA-NNN that may have been issued as wave plates starting in late 2020 but prior to January of this year.

(That, or RI residents are buying and registering a lot of new cars).

[The High Plains Traveler]

How many states are now offering plain black plates as an alternative to their standard plate? In a recent trip across Iowa, I noticed that they seem to be very popular. Colorado is offering these, as well as plain blue or red, and billing them as based on the porcelain plates issued in the 1910s. I've only seen the black Colorado plates, though, not the other two colors. Of course, California has been offering new plates based on the yellow on black 1963 design for several years now.

[Ted$8roadFan]

How many states are now offering plain black plates as an alternative to their standard plate? In a recent trip across Iowa, I noticed that they seem to be very popular. Colorado is offering these, as well as plain blue or red, and billing them as based on the porcelain plates issued in the 1910s. I've only seen the black Colorado plates, though, not the other two colors. Of course, California has been offering new plates based on the yellow on black 1963 design for several years now.

Delaware has offered retro black plates for a while now:

https://www.dhptags.com/

[OCGuy81]

How many states are now offering plain black plates as an alternative to their standard plate? In a recent trip across Iowa, I noticed that they seem to be very popular. Colorado is offering these, as well as plain blue or red, and billing them as based on the porcelain plates issued in the 1910s. I've only seen the black Colorado plates, though, not the other two colors. Of course, California has been offering new plates based on the yellow on black 1963 design for several years now.

Delaware has offered retro black plates for a while now:

https://www.dhptags.com/

California does plain black with yellow letters on personalized.

[jdbx]

How many states are now offering plain black plates as an alternative to their standard plate? In a recent trip across Iowa, I noticed that they seem to be very popular. Colorado is offering these, as well as plain blue or red, and billing them as based on the porcelain plates issued in the 1910s. I've only seen the black Colorado plates, though, not the other two colors. Of course, California has been offering new plates based on the yellow on black 1963 design for several years now.

Delaware has offered retro black plates for a while now:

https://www.dhptags.com/

California does plain black with yellow letters on personalized.

You can also get them sequential. My wife has that on her car. She used to have a personalized one, but we turned it back in after a frightening confrontation with somebody who was harboring a road rage grudge from some perceived slight that had occurred days before.

[The High Plains Traveler]

How many states are now offering plain black plates as an alternative to their standard plate? In a recent trip across Iowa, I noticed that they seem to be very popular. Colorado is offering these, as well as plain blue or red, and billing them as based on the porcelain plates issued in the 1910s. I've only seen the black Colorado plates, though, not the other two colors. Of course, California has been offering new plates based on the yellow on black 1963 design for several years now.

Delaware has offered retro black plates for a while now:

https://www.dhptags.com/

California does plain black with yellow letters on personalized.

You can also get them sequential. My wife has that on her car. She used to have a personalized one, but we turned it back in after a frightening confrontation with somebody who was harboring a road rage grudge from some perceived slight that had occurred days before.

Yes, I noticed that the non-personalized California retro black plates utilize a six character, mixed letter and number combination totally different from the standard seven character combo. I forgot to mention Arizona in my original comment, but the three I've seen outside California (CO, AZ, IA) all utilize the state's standard letter-number character combination on these plates.

[signalman]

How many states are now offering plain black plates as an alternative to their standard plate? In a recent trip across Iowa, I noticed that they seem to be very popular. Colorado is offering these, as well as plain blue or red, and billing them as based on the porcelain plates issued in the 1910s. I've only seen the black Colorado plates, though, not the other two colors. Of course, California has been offering new plates based on the yellow on black 1963 design for several years now.

Delaware has offered retro black plates for a while now:

https://www.dhptags.com/

Yes, so long as one has a number low enough to qualify (86999 or lower for porcelain (abbreviated DEL) or 200000  or lower for stainless steel (Delaware spelled out)). PC9999 and C9999 or lower are also eligible for stainless.

[thenetwork]

I am surprised that after all these years of specialty plates that Ohio has never issued a Rock & Roll Hall of Fame & Museum plate nor has Michigan ever issued a Motown musical plate.  I am sure there would be enough people out there who would pay a little more for the plates, with the extra fees going to charity.

Until then, Arizona has become the first state (that I am aware of) who has issued a Rock & Roll-themed license plate.

I present, the Alice Cooper license plate...

https://azdot.gov/license-plates/alice-coopers-solid-rock

https://consequence.net/2023/07/alice-cooper-arizona-license-plate/

[mgk920]

I am surprised that after all these years of specialty plates that Ohio has never issued a Rock & Roll Hall of Fame & Museum plate nor has Michigan ever issued a Motown musical plate.  I am sure there would be enough people out there who would pay a little more for the plates, with the extra fees going to charity.

Until then, Arizona has become the first state (that I am aware of) who has issued a Rock & Roll-themed license plate.

I present, the Alice Cooper license plate...

https://azdot.gov/license-plates/alice-coopers-solid-rock

https://consequence.net/2023/07/alice-cooper-arizona-license-plate/

Nor Minnesota and either Bob Dylan or Prince (but the last i heard, Dylan is still alive).

[Ted$8roadFan]

A Springsteen plate for New Jersey would be cool.......

[burgess87]

The New York State DMV has recently issued several new region-specific plates, including a plate for Buffalo Bills fans.

A local resident opted for the Bills plates and decided to go with the random number scheme determined by the DMV.  This, oh boy . . . this backfired on the DMV:

The plate combination is ' 420 FAN '.

https://buffalonews.com/sports/bills/buffalo-bills-fan-420-fan-license-plate-new-york-department-of-motor-vehicles/article_88d30a44-2d65-11ee-967b-0b2178eea41a.html#tracking-source=home-sports

[JayhawkCO]

Two new Colorado plates now available. I like the art vibes on the lefthand one.

[OCGuy81]

Two new Colorado plates now available. I like the art vibes on the lefthand one.

I really like both of those.  Are they going with black letters/numbers?  As much as I like the left one, black lettering looks like it could provide some legibility issues.

[JayhawkCO]

Two new Colorado plates now available. I like the art vibes on the lefthand one.

I really like both of those.  Are they going with black letters/numbers?  As much as I like the left one, black lettering looks like it could provide some legibility issues.

As far as I know, yes. I'll report back when I first see one on the road vis a vis the legibility.

[Ted$8roadFan]

I like these designs as well. Are these replacing the alpine motif, or are they optional issues?

[MikeTheActuary]

On the Colorado DoR website, they're showing the Pikes Peak plates with white lettering.

[JayhawkCO]

Are these replacing the alpine motif, or are they optional issues?

Optional.

On the Colorado DoR website, they're showing the Pikes Peak plates with white lettering.

Good to know.

[jakeroot]

The plate on the left was one the worst license plates I have ever seen. Rare L for Colorado, who has one of the best standard plate designs in the country.

As a piece of art, I love it. I want it as a wallpaper on my computer. But license plates should not be art-first, readability-second. The fact that it took all the way to final production to finally switch to white numbers tells me that no one actually considered the readability of the plate during the concept and selection phase. Or they did, but didn't have the gut to tell the under-13-year-old that her plate has awful contrast.

This photo of an early production of the plate clearly demonstrates how awful the contrast was with black lettering. White lettering should work fine...still don't get the fascination with art for license plates.

[Big John]

The plate on the left was one the worst license plates I have ever seen.

[hotdogPi]

Obviously designed by the KGB.

[jakeroot]

The plate on the left was one the worst license plates I have ever seen.

The smiling sun is silly, but the plate is not that bad. Or it's bad in a different way. It is still leaps and bounds ahead of the CO plate, because it was at least designed as a plate first; notice the open background where the numerals go, with the numerals also contrasting well with the background. The CO plate above is literally just art with undersized numbers tacked on.

[JayhawkCO]

The plate on the left was one the worst license plates I have ever seen.

The smiling sun is silly, but the plate is not that bad. Or it's bad in a different way. It is still leaps and bounds ahead of the CO plate, because it was at least designed as a plate first; notice the open background where the numerals go, with the numerals also contrasting well with the background. The CO plate above is literally just art with undersized numbers tacked on.

We will definitely have to agree to disagree.

[StogieGuy7]

The plate on the left was one the worst license plates I have ever seen.

The smiling sun is silly, but the plate is not that bad. Or it's bad in a different way. It is still leaps and bounds ahead of the CO plate, because it was at least designed as a plate first; notice the open background where the numerals go, with the numerals also contrasting well with the background. The CO plate above is literally just art with undersized numbers tacked on.

Actually, I have to agree with you here; the above KY plate was nice aside from that inane smiling sun (I wonder who the idiot was who thought of that). Otherwise, this plate is 100 times better looking than the flat, off-center, cheap piece of Dollar General crap which passes for a KY plate now.