We all know already that each state is different when setting up tag requirements for vehicles. Some states only issue a rear tag that is the only one, while the others issue a front and rear plate for all vehicles. Many seem to go by regions almost like cliques where many neighboring states all keep the same format of rules such as New Jersey, New York, and New England States using front and back, while the southeast uses only rear license plates. Then you also have PA and DE that use rear only tags along with OK and KS both being rear only states.
Which states use one only verses the two plates? I know the state I live in Florida has only one issued, but to be curious to know what your state has.
Alabama is a one plate state.
(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/06/License_Plate_Laws.png)
Maroon: State requires both front and rear plates for passenger vehicles.
Blue: State requires only rear plate for passenger vehicles.
Fuchsia: State requires front and rear plate for most, but not all, passenger vehicles.
DC will ticket you if you're from a "two-plate" state and you display only one. Seriously.
Quote from: 1995hoo on July 18, 2015, 04:53:29 PMDC will ticket you if you're from a "two-plate" state and you display only one. Seriously.
And if you come from a one-plate state and travel to a two-plate state, people in parking lots give you the stink-eye as you get out of your vehicle.
Clarification on Massachusetts: The older license plates are the ones that are one plate only.
I had two plates in Ontario and now in Manitoba. I recall only one plate in Alberta, but I was only 6 when we moved, so I can't recall for sure.
Stickers were on the back plate only.
Alberta is definitely two now, but Saskatchewan is one.
Quote from: 1 on July 18, 2015, 08:25:58 PM
Clarification on Massachusetts: The older license plates are the ones that are one plate only.
When did this start? :hmmm:
Quote from: briantroutman on July 18, 2015, 04:21:23 PM
(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/06/License_Plate_Laws.png)
Maroon: State requires both front and rear plates for passenger vehicles.
Blue: State requires only rear plate for passenger vehicles.
Fuchsia: State requires front and rear plate for most, but not all, passenger vehicles.
The map is not quite accurate, as Missouri lets some trucks - which seems to include larger model pickup trucks - have only a front license plate.
Then there are cases like Illinois where the state will issue both front and rear license plates, but only issue a renewal sticker for rear plate.
Quote from: J N Winkler on July 18, 2015, 05:16:42 PM
Quote from: 1995hoo on July 18, 2015, 04:53:29 PMDC will ticket you if you're from a "two-plate" state and you display only one. Seriously.
And if you come from a one-plate state and travel to a two-plate state, people in parking lots give you the stink-eye as you get out of your vehicle.
I've never had issues, and I've traveled in Ohio and Virginia (two neighboring two-plate states) extensively.
I wonder if it's possible to get a front plate in those states that only require the rear one. Here in Europe all countries require both front and rear plates, so it would be weird for me to see a car without the front plate.
The "fuchsia" status of Nevada is misleading, as the exception is: "Front plates are optional only if 1) the vehicle was not designed for a front plate and 2) the manufacturer did not provide an add-on bracket or other means of displaying the front plate. (NRS 482.275) " which, since any car sold in Nevada is obviously also for sale in two plate states, would be no car made, at least since plates were standardized 70 years ago, if not ever.
Canada two plate jurisdictions are BC, MB, NB, and ON.
I wonder if there is anybody out there who moved from a one state plate to a two plate state and wonder if anybody out there just thought "Hey, the state gave me a spare license plate in case I lost the first one" and don't properly put on the front plate.
I do know somebody who moved from a state without income tax to a state with income tax and didn't know about the income tax and, of course, suffered a penalty for not filing his state return.
QuoteStickers were on the back plate only.
Vermont also does this.
Quote from: J N Winkler on July 18, 2015, 05:16:42 PM
Quote from: 1995hoo on July 18, 2015, 04:53:29 PMDC will ticket you if you're from a "two-plate" state and you display only one. Seriously.
And if you come from a one-plate state and travel to a two-plate state, people in parking lots give you the stink-eye as you get out of your vehicle.
I always check to see if there's one or two shiny registration tags in the windshield therefore confirming it's a PA driver before giving said driver the stink-eye.
/NJ resident
Quote from: mrsman on July 19, 2015, 06:59:01 AM
I wonder if there is anybody out there who moved from a one state plate to a two plate state and wonder if anybody out there just thought "Hey, the state gave me a spare license plate in case I lost the first one" and don't properly put on the front plate.
I do know somebody who moved from a state without income tax to a state with income tax and didn't know about the income tax and, of course, suffered a penalty for not filing his state return.
In my one plate state, I do know of people who have been ticketed for having an expired front plate from either where they used to live or a previous series from here on the front. It is illegal. Even the oh too cute people that display euro plates on their BMW or plates they picked up in the Caribbean are ticketable.
Around here, lots of people from KY or OH buy their cars in WV. Neither have inspection stickers, which WV does so a car bought in WV is going to come with a sticker. Lots of people leave the WV sticker on the car forever. Cops in revenue hungry Huntington decided this was illegal and started ticketing people for "displaying expired inspection", even though they needed no inspection at all.
Really, a smart motorist will remove out of state front plates and stickers, because expired ones can be a predicate to a traffic stop.
I do know of lots of people who move to WV, where you need last year's property tax receipt to get next year's plate renewed who did not know that and end up in the long line at the courthouse and paying 7% penalty interest and two years' taxes at once.
Quote from: mrsman on July 19, 2015, 06:59:01 AM
I wonder if there is anybody out there who moved from a one state plate to a two plate state and wonder if anybody out there just thought "Hey, the state gave me a spare license plate in case I lost the first one" and don't properly put on the front plate.
I do know somebody who moved from a state without income tax to a state with income tax and didn't know about the income tax and, of course, suffered a penalty for not filing his state return.
There are plenty of people who deliberately don't put on the front plate because they think it's ugly, or they don't want to go to the car dealer and get the adapter to display a front plate, or they don't want to remove whatever kind of generic front plate they had there (school logo, sports team plate, Rebel flag, whatever). In Virginia it's a good way to get a ticket–the police are very anal about the two-plate law.
I think having one state's plate on the front and another's on the back is a perfectly legitimate reason for giving a ticket, even in a one-plate state, because it's potentially ambiguous or misleading to display that sort of thing. The phony euro-style plates might be an exception because, for the most part, they're not that similar to the ones you'd actually get in Europe due in large part to their frequent inclusion of customized messages like "Mark's BMW" or whatever.
Regarding SP Cook's comment about expired stickers, I used to keep the expired county decals on my cars' windshields because when Fairfax County abolished them, the City of Alexandria continued to require them (and still does), so I figured keeping my old county sticker in place might underscore that my cars weren't registered in Alexandria. I never had a problem, but I removed them when I started parking on the street in DC more often after Nationals Park opened–DC will indeed give you a ticket for displaying an expired sticker. By then enough Virginia jurisdictions had done away with the decals that it was no longer an issue. It used to be a serious problem–Virginia Beach did away with city decals earlier than most other counties and cities and the police in Charlottesville and Albemarle County took great pride in writing tickets, saying "It's not our responsibility to figure out whether someone's from Virginia Beach or elsewhere, so the motorist can challenge the ticket in court."
Quote from: mrsman on July 19, 2015, 06:59:01 AM
I wonder if there is anybody out there who moved from a one state plate to a two plate state and wonder if anybody out there just thought "Hey, the state gave me a spare license plate in case I lost the first one" and don't properly put on the front plate.
I do know somebody who moved from a state without income tax to a state with income tax and didn't know about the income tax and, of course, suffered a penalty for not filing his state return.
You would have to be pretty dense to think that. I imagine that you would look around and see everyone else with two plates and get the message.
Quote from: The Nature Boy on July 19, 2015, 09:25:08 AM
Quote from: mrsman on July 19, 2015, 06:59:01 AM
I wonder if there is anybody out there who moved from a one state plate to a two plate state and wonder if anybody out there just thought "Hey, the state gave me a spare license plate in case I lost the first one" and don't properly put on the front plate.
I do know somebody who moved from a state without income tax to a state with income tax and didn't know about the income tax and, of course, suffered a penalty for not filing his state return.
You would have to be pretty dense to think that. I imagine that you would look around and see everyone else with two plates and get the message.
If there's one thing to learn, it's never overestimate people's intelligence.
Stand in a supermarket some day. Stand by the 10 items or less checkout. Better yet, find one with a short conveyer belt. It won't take long before a person with a full shopping cart gets in that line. And then listen for that person to complain that they need longer conveyer belts in the store.
Quote from: CNGL-Leudimin on July 19, 2015, 05:42:03 AMI wonder if it's possible to get a front plate in those states that only require the rear one. Here in Europe all countries require both front and rear plates, so it would be weird for me to see a car without the front plate.
In Kansas, personalized plates (which are at the registrant's option and cost extra) are issued in front/rear pairs by default. There was at one time a requirement to mount both plates, thus making Kansas effectively a two-plate state for holders of personalized plates, but apparently this was abolished in 2005 or thereabouts owing to the difficulty people had finding suitable mounting brackets for the front.
I know of no procedure in Kansas by which one could be issued an extra regular-series plate for mounting on the front of the car. I suspect one may exist, and I doubt the cost is much since the replacement fee per lost or stolen plate is just $3.50, but I don't see it described anywhere on the Web.
The issue of one-plate cars in two-plate states comes up in LEO forums. However, it seems the real problems are caused by states like Missouri that give registrants the option of not having rear plates.
http://forums.officer.com/t97102/
I have never actually been stopped in any of the three Kansas-registered cars I have owned (including a 1986 Nissan Maxima that was taken to 44 US states, 4 Canadian provinces, and 2 Mexican states) for failure to have a front plate.
Quote from: 1995hoo on July 19, 2015, 09:13:52 AM
I used to keep the expired county decals on my cars' windshields because when Fairfax County abolished them, the City of Alexandria continued to require them (and still does), so I figured keeping my old county sticker in place might underscore that my cars weren't registered in Alexandria. By then enough Virginia jurisdictions had done away with the decals that it was no longer an issue. It used to be a serious problem—Virginia Beach did away with city decals earlier than most other counties and cities and the police in Charlottesville and Albemarle County took great pride in writing tickets, saying "It's not our responsibility to figure out whether someone's from Virginia Beach or elsewhere, so the motorist can challenge the ticket in court."
I never understood the purpose of Virginia's county/city stickers. Without their being universal, there really is no fair way to enforce them, and what possible purpose does the physical sticker (as opposed to charging the underlying tax and predicating registration renewal there on) serve?
Same thing could be said for Pennsylvania's emissions stickers. Some counties you get one sticker (safety) some you need two (safety and emissions). Since there is no way to tell if particular vehicle is legal with one or not, why the physical sticker? Just require the emissions receipt for renewal in the effected jurisdictions.
Would not the smart thing for a county/city without such a sticker to do would be to sell a "lifetime" sticker for one cent? Then you would have a sticker and the other jurisdictions would have to hunt for victims elsewhere.
Quote from: froggie on July 19, 2015, 07:14:15 AM
QuoteStickers were on the back plate only.
Vermont also does this.
+ Wisconsin
Quote from: briantroutman on July 18, 2015, 04:21:23 PM
(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/06/License_Plate_Laws.png)
Maroon: State requires both front and rear plates for passenger vehicles.
Blue: State requires only rear plate for passenger vehicles.
Fuchsia: State requires front and rear plate for most, but not all, passenger vehicles.
Pennsylvania is sort of wrong. You can have a front and back plate, but if you're a resident who moved and lived in Pennsylvania, you need a back plate. If you moved and now lived in Pennsylvania, from anywhere, you can use a front plate of the state you last lived in required a front plate or you have a random plate sticking around, you can use it as a front plate.
To clarify, if you lived in Pennsylvania, all you need is a back plate, but if you have an extra plate, you can have a front plate too.
Quote from: noelbotevera on July 19, 2015, 01:11:57 PM
Quote from: briantroutman on July 18, 2015, 04:21:23 PM
(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/06/License_Plate_Laws.png)
Maroon: State requires both front and rear plates for passenger vehicles.
Blue: State requires only rear plate for passenger vehicles.
Fuchsia: State requires front and rear plate for most, but not all, passenger vehicles.
Pennsylvania is sort of wrong. You can have a front and back plate, but if you're a resident who moved and lived in Pennsylvania, you need a back plate. If you moved and now lived in Pennsylvania, from anywhere, you can use a front plate of the state you last lived in required a front plate or you have a random plate sticking around, you can use it as a front plate.
To clarify, if you lived in Pennsylvania, all you need is a back plate, but if you have an extra plate, you can have a front plate too.
To further clarify: No.
You can have a souvenir plate as a front plate, but you don't want to use a formerly valid plate as a front plate. In most cases, those plates are supposed to be turned in or destroyed. If your displaying that plate, it could show up as invalid on a police tag scanner. And that can mean legal trouble.
Besides, what if I moved from a state which just required a rear plate? Under your examples, what would stop me from making it a front plate in PA?
Displaying a fake or invalid front tag in a state that only requires a rear tag doesn't make that state an either/or state.
On some brands, e.g. Chevy Cruz, the front license plate mounting bracket is an option when you buy it new.
Quote from: 02 Park Ave on July 19, 2015, 04:49:10 PM
On some brands, e.g. Chevy Cruz, the front license plate mounting bracket is an option when you buy it new.
I love when the new car window sticker lists that as one of the included features. Makes it sound like the consumer is getting something extra when it's just required equipment. :rolleyes:
Quote from: jeffandnicole on July 19, 2015, 01:22:11 PM
Quote from: noelbotevera on July 19, 2015, 01:11:57 PM
Quote from: briantroutman on July 18, 2015, 04:21:23 PM
(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/06/License_Plate_Laws.png)
Maroon: State requires both front and rear plates for passenger vehicles.
Blue: State requires only rear plate for passenger vehicles.
Fuchsia: State requires front and rear plate for most, but not all, passenger vehicles.
Pennsylvania is sort of wrong. You can have a front and back plate, but if you're a resident who moved and lived in Pennsylvania, you need a back plate. If you moved and now lived in Pennsylvania, from anywhere, you can use a front plate of the state you last lived in required a front plate or you have a random plate sticking around, you can use it as a front plate.
To clarify, if you lived in Pennsylvania, all you need is a back plate, but if you have an extra plate, you can have a front plate too.
To further clarify: No.
You can have a souvenir plate as a front plate, but you don't want to use a formerly valid plate as a front plate. In most cases, those plates are supposed to be turned in or destroyed. If your displaying that plate, it could show up as invalid on a police tag scanner. And that can mean legal trouble.
Besides, what if I moved from a state which just required a rear plate? Under your examples, what would stop me from making it a front plate in PA?
Displaying a fake or invalid front tag in a state that only requires a rear tag doesn't make that state an either/or state.
If it was formerly valid, then yes, that is illegal. But if you want a front plate for your car, and you aren't at risk of being fined or stuff like that, then you can go ahead and stick a front plate when you're in PA.
I know in Arizona if you order a personalized plate, two plates will be issued, however, you are still not required to display the front plate.
Quote from: SP Cook on July 19, 2015, 06:20:30 AM
The "fuchsia" status of Nevada is misleading, as the exception is: "Front plates are optional only if 1) the vehicle was not designed for a front plate and 2) the manufacturer did not provide an add-on bracket or other means of displaying the front plate. (NRS 482.275) " which, since any car sold in Nevada is obviously also for sale in two plate states, would be no car made, at least since plates were standardized 70 years ago, if not ever.
Actually, such cars do exist. I bought a car when I lived in a 1-tag state, and it had no place to mount a plate on the front bumper. When I moved to a state that required front plates, I had to buy a bracket from an auto parts store.
Quote from: Purgatory On Wheels on July 19, 2015, 08:58:25 PM
Quote from: SP Cook on July 19, 2015, 06:20:30 AM
The "fuchsia" status of Nevada is misleading, as the exception is: "Front plates are optional only if 1) the vehicle was not designed for a front plate and 2) the manufacturer did not provide an add-on bracket or other means of displaying the front plate. (NRS 482.275) " which, since any car sold in Nevada is obviously also for sale in two plate states, would be no car made, at least since plates were standardized 70 years ago, if not ever.
Actually, such cars do exist. I bought a car when I lived in a 1-tag state, and it had no place to mount a plate on the front bumper. When I moved to a state that required front plates, I had to buy a bracket from an auto parts store.
I bought a Subaru in a one-plate state and it didn't come with a front plate mount so I had to ask the dealership to put one on for me. They don't come off the lot like that in a one-plate state because it's not needed, if I had bought the car in a two plate state then it would have. Most cars can have a front plate bracket mounted on and the bumpers are designed to bare the load. When most of the country lives in two plate states and the largest metros in the country are in two plate states, it's rare that you'll find a car that wouldn't be designed for that.
IMO, rear-tag-only on most motor vehicles is an example of "penny wise and pound foolish" (because tags are cheap, last many years and having one front and rear helps with vehicle identification for law enforcement and other purposes (such as all-electronic toll collection)) with the exception of a three distinct types of vehicles:
- Motorcycles;
- Truck tractors; and
- Certain types of "special mobile equipment" that are sometimes registered even though they tend to mostly work off of the highway system (backhoes, Gradalls, wheel loaders and some farm tractors being examples).
Motorcycles do not really have the ability to have a front tag displayed, and truck tractors generally have a trailer attached behind, so it is difficult or impossible to read a tag mounted there, so better to just have one on the front.
Quote from: 02 Park Ave on July 18, 2015, 10:00:27 PM
Quote from: 1 on July 18, 2015, 08:25:58 PM
Clarification on Massachusetts: The older license plates are the ones that are one plate only.
When did this start? :hmmm:
With the last general issue series (green-on-white), beginning in 1977. Only one plate in that series was issued per vehicle (except for commercial vehicles and taxis). Effective with the current series ("The Spirit of America," phased in between 1987 and 1993), two plates were issued. The law in MA states that you must display the number of plates you were last issued. If you've got a green-on-white and it becomes unusable (destroyed, lost, illegible), they will not re-issue it and you have to switch over to two plates in the current series.
Though it may not seem logical, do stores in two-tag states sell souvenir plates that people put on the front?
Quote from: Purgatory On Wheels on July 19, 2015, 08:58:25 PM
Quote from: SP Cook on July 19, 2015, 06:20:30 AM
The "fuchsia" status of Nevada is misleading, as the exception is: "Front plates are optional only if 1) the vehicle was not designed for a front plate and 2) the manufacturer did not provide an add-on bracket or other means of displaying the front plate. (NRS 482.275) " which, since any car sold in Nevada is obviously also for sale in two plate states, would be no car made, at least since plates were standardized 70 years ago, if not ever.
Actually, such cars do exist. I bought a car when I lived in a 1-tag state, and it had no place to mount a plate on the front bumper. When I moved to a state that required front plates, I had to buy a bracket from an auto parts store.
That would not meet the exception. The manufacturer does provide such a bracket and you could have bought one (probably at a dealer part's counter confiscatory price) from the dealer. Just as, had you rearended somebody, you would have to buy a new bumper, and front bracket. If you look closely a the bumper of any one-plate state car, you will see tiny pilot holes to show you where to put on the front plate or its holder.
Quote from: DaBigE on July 19, 2015, 04:55:17 PM
I love when the new car window sticker lists that as one of the included features. Makes it sound like the consumer is getting something extra when it's just required equipment. :rolleyes:
Stickers do contain a lot of hype and misinformation, but some brands do require the dealer to actually order the front plate holder as a zero dollar option. Toyota does that. One of our local dealers does, which means it comes in a bag in the trunk. Another doesn't. Bought a car thee one time and the guy asked me if I wanted a front plate (so I could put some kind of novelty plate on). Told him no. So he gave me a coupon that entitled me to a free front plate holder if I ever sold it out of state from his parts desk.
Quote from: golden eagle on July 19, 2015, 11:32:41 PM
Though it may not seem logical, do stores in two-tag states sell souvenir plates that people put on the front?
I've seen them for sale in Virginia. I couldn't tell you whether most or all auto parts stores sell them, of course. Places like, say, college bookstores sell them in part because there are plenty of students and visitors who hail from single-plate states.
Quote from: golden eagle on July 19, 2015, 11:32:41 PM
Though it may not seem logical, do stores in two-tag states sell souvenir plates that people put on the front?
Yep. See them all the time in Jersey. You would think that places such as the Jersey Shore would sell them as people could take them back to their own one-tag state, but you're just as likely to find them in a mall variety store or Pep Boys as well. And it doesn't really matter what state you may be from: One could find a Phillies tag (PA is a 1 tag state) just as likely as they'll find a Yankees tag (NY is a 2 tag state).
QuoteThough it may not seem logical, do stores in two-tag states sell souvenir plates that people put on the front?
There's a special case in Vermont, but it's the state and not a store. After Irene flooded half the state, the Legislature authorized a special
"I Am Vermont Strong" front plate to help fund rebuilding efforts. This plate goes on the front in lieu of the normal front license plate, which everyone is required to have otherwise.
Last year, the Legislature authorized an extension on the I Am Vermont Strong plates, so drivers can display them through 2016.
I bought a car years ago that had to be swapped out with a dealer in Missouri. Missouri's a two-plate state; Kentucky only requires a rear plate. The car came with a front plate bracket attached, whereas it wouldn't have had one if I had bought a car that was already on the lot in Kentucky.
Quote from: golden eagle on July 19, 2015, 11:32:41 PM
Though it may not seem logical, do stores in two-tag states sell souvenir plates that people put on the front?
[/quote
Never seen one, though I have seen people attach some other kind of tag above or below the state-issued tag (only works on some vehicles).
Quote from: SidS1045 on July 19, 2015, 11:05:08 PM
Quote from: 02 Park Ave on July 18, 2015, 10:00:27 PM
Quote from: 1 on July 18, 2015, 08:25:58 PM
Clarification on Massachusetts: The older license plates are the ones that are one plate only.
When did this start? :hmmm:
With the last general issue series (green-on-white), beginning in 1977. Only one plate in that series was issued per vehicle (except for commercial vehicles and taxis). Effective with the current series ("The Spirit of America," phased in between 1987 and 1993), two plates were issued. The law in MA states that you must display the number of plates you were last issued. If you've got a green-on-white and it becomes unusable (destroyed, lost, illegible), they will not re-issue it and you have to switch over to two plates in the current series.
Side bar to the above:
Prior to the 1977-era green-on-white plates; MA was a front-and-rear plate state and the plates themselves were changed every 4 years.
Due to the RMV having a surplus of the old red-on-white (with
MASSACHUSETTS embossed on the bottom) plates in the mid-70s; the new rear-plate-only green-on-white were initially only issued to new registrations only. Those with existing red-on-white plates got new red-on-white plates (with different registration numbers) instead until supplies were exhausted. Those
new red-on-white plates would be phased out by the early-to-mid 80s (in favor of the rear-only green-on-white plate).
When the current, borderless
Spirit of America design was introduced in 1987; it was a multi-year phase-in. All commerical plates got them first (the word
COMMERCIAL was embossed in red and located on the bottom where the stickered blue
Spirit of America would later appear on non-coimmerical plates). In the following year, all vanity plates received the new design. By the third year, 1989, new registrations started receiving the new front-and-rear required plates. Similar to what happened a decade earlier; the RMV
still had a suplus of the old green-on-white plates laying around. As a result, depending on which RMV office one went to; one could still get a single green-on-white plate into the early 1990s. My mother's current green-on-white plate for her car dates back to 1992.
The
guessed reasoning for the rear-only design may have been cost-related. The reason for it changing back to front-and-rear plates was probably due to complaints from law enforcement not being able to see the rear plate in some situations. Example: If one drove a station wagon (such existed back then) with the tailgate open (to carry bulky cargo) and the plate was mounted on the tailgate, as opposed to the rear bumper; nobody would be able to see the rear license plate.
Quote from: SidS1045 on July 19, 2015, 11:05:08 PM
Quote from: 02 Park Ave on July 18, 2015, 10:00:27 PM
Quote from: 1 on July 18, 2015, 08:25:58 PM
Clarification on Massachusetts: The older license plates are the ones that are one plate only.
When did this start? :hmmm:
With the last general issue series (green-on-white), beginning in 1977. Only one plate in that series was issued per vehicle (except for commercial vehicles and taxis). Effective with the current series ("The Spirit of America," phased in between 1987 and 1993), two plates were issued. The law in MA states that you must display the number of plates you were last issued. If you've got a green-on-white and it becomes unusable (destroyed, lost, illegible), they will not re-issue it and you have to switch over to two plates in the current series.
The only problem with that requirement to change plates is that they will not issue you new dual "Spirit of America" plates with your current registration number on them. If they allowed you to keep your current number when upgrading plates, even if they charged a one-time fee to do so, I suspect they would get many more people to turn in their old plates. And letting you keep your old number is not that difficult to do, as many other states have demonstrated. Had an uncle in New Hampshire that, when he died in 1993, still had his original registration number from the late 1940s on current issue plates, even though NH had changed the plate style several times.
Note that the "Spirit of America" plates were introduced on vanity plates in 1987, but were not issued in the general number series until 1989 (I bought my first car in late 1987, and was given a single white on green plate when I registered the vehicle).
Quote from: roadman on July 20, 2015, 01:46:16 PM
Quote from: SidS1045 on July 19, 2015, 11:05:08 PMWith the last general issue series (green-on-white), beginning in 1977. Only one plate in that series was issued per vehicle (except for commercial vehicles and taxis). Effective with the current series ("The Spirit of America," phased in between 1987 and 1993), two plates were issued. The law in MA states that you must display the number of plates you were last issued. If you've got a green-on-white and it becomes unusable (destroyed, lost, illegible), they will not re-issue it and you have to switch over to two plates in the current series.
The only problem with that requirement to change plates is that they will not issue you new dual "Spirit of America" plates with your current registration number on them.
I personally don't believe that SidS1045 was implying that one's registration number would remain unchanged if one got a new plate.
In the past, whenever MA changed plates and/or colors (vanity and low-number plates excluded); the registration number always changed.
Quote from: roadman on July 20, 2015, 01:46:16 PMIf they allowed you to keep your current number when upgrading plates, even if they charged a one-time fee to do so, I suspect they would get many more people to turn in their old plates. And letting you keep your old number is not that difficult to do, as many other states have demonstrated. Had an uncle in New Hampshire that, when he died in 1993, still had his original registration number from the late 1940s on current issue plates, even though NH had changed the plate style several times.
Interesting... what other states allow for such? When PA ordered that all existing standard plates (excluding designer/charity plates) be changed over to one uniform design in 2000 (there were three designs in active use at the time); the registration numbers (except vanity plates) did not carry-over.
Quote from: roadman on July 20, 2015, 01:46:16 PMNote that the "Spirit of America" plates were introduced on vanity plates in 1987, but were not issued in the general number series until 1989 (I bought my first car in late 1987, and was given a single white on green plate when I registered the vehicle).
See my previous post; the commerical plates got the new/current design first (1987) sans the
Sprirt of America markings; then the vanity plates a year later (1988), then general registrations (back to two plates) a year after that (1989). And even after that, single, green-on-white plates were
still being issued by some RMV offices. My mother's 1992 green-on-white is proof of such.
Quote from: PHLBOS on July 20, 2015, 04:33:14 PM
In the past, whenever MA changed plates and/or colors (vanity and low-number plates excluded); the registration number always changed.
Unless, of course, you knew someone. A person who used to live near me in Wakefield, near the Stoneham line, used to get the plate 111111 every time the plates changed, and that's not (in theory) a reserved or vanity number.
Quote from: SidS1045 on July 20, 2015, 04:42:17 PM
Quote from: PHLBOS on July 20, 2015, 04:33:14 PM
In the past, whenever MA changed plates and/or colors (vanity and low-number plates excluded); the registration number always changed.
Unless, of course, you knew someone. A person who used to live near me in Wakefield, near the Stoneham line, used to get the plate 111111 every time the plates changed, and that's not (in theory) a reserved or vanity number.
Given that most standard MA registrations contained a mixture of letters & numbers (the 5-number plates from the 70s and the 6-number regs. from the mid-80s being the exception; my last MA plate (issued in 1985) had such); something tells me that 111111 would
likely be considered a vanity or low/special number plate even though it may not have been treated as such.
What year did he receive the current design plate containing the six
1s? If it was 1988, then it was indeed a vanity plate. Standard plates bearing the
Spirit of America design weren't issued until 1989 at the earliest.
Quote from: PHLBOS on July 20, 2015, 04:33:14 PM
Quote from: roadman on July 20, 2015, 01:46:16 PM
Quote from: SidS1045 on July 19, 2015, 11:05:08 PMWith the last general issue series (green-on-white), beginning in 1977. Only one plate in that series was issued per vehicle (except for commercial vehicles and taxis). Effective with the current series ("The Spirit of America," phased in between 1987 and 1993), two plates were issued. The law in MA states that you must display the number of plates you were last issued. If you've got a green-on-white and it becomes unusable (destroyed, lost, illegible), they will not re-issue it and you have to switch over to two plates in the current series.
The only problem with that requirement to change plates is that they will not issue you new dual "Spirit of America" plates with your current registration number on them.
I personally don't believe that SidS1045 was implying that one's registration number would remain unchanged if one got a new plate.
In the past, whenever MA changed plates and/or colors (vanity and low-number plates excluded); the registration number always changed.
Quote from: roadman on July 20, 2015, 01:46:16 PMIf they allowed you to keep your current number when upgrading plates, even if they charged a one-time fee to do so, I suspect they would get many more people to turn in their old plates. And letting you keep your old number is not that difficult to do, as many other states have demonstrated. Had an uncle in New Hampshire that, when he died in 1993, still had his original registration number from the late 1940s on current issue plates, even though NH had changed the plate style several times.
Interesting... what other states allow for such? When PA ordered that all existing standard plates (excluding designer/charity plates) be changed over to one uniform design in 2000 (there were three designs in active use at the time); the registration numbers (except vanity plates) did not carry-over.
Quote from: roadman on July 20, 2015, 01:46:16 PMNote that the "Spirit of America" plates were introduced on vanity plates in 1987, but were not issued in the general number series until 1989 (I bought my first car in late 1987, and was given a single white on green plate when I registered the vehicle).
See my previous post; the commerical plates got the new/current design first (1987) sans the Sprirt of America markings; then the vanity plates a year later (1988), then general registrations (back to two plates) a year after that (1989). And even after that, single, green-on-white plates were still being issued by some RMV offices. My mother's 1992 green-on-white is proof of such.
All correct PHILBOS. Sorry for the confusion - I didn't mean to imply that MA ever had the option to retain your number when you were forced to change plates. However, a number of friends and co-worker have cited the inability to retain your plate number as the reason they have never turned in their green plates. And I personally know that MA will NOT let you reserve a number/letter combination that's in the standard pool - even for an additional fee. Before I got my call letter plates, which I transferred over when I bought my Focus, I investigated the possibility of getting a "custom" standard issue plate - 961 SCT (birthdate and initials). I was quickly told by the RMV - No! Nor could I get a vanity plate that was reversed (SCT 961), apparently because of some "rule" that vanity plates have to consist of either all letters or all numbers.
Quote from: roadman on July 20, 2015, 07:16:16 PMNor could I get a vanity plate that was reversed (SCT 961), apparently because of some "rule" that vanity plates have to consist of either all letters or all numbers.
Interesting; so one can't get a vanity plate that had lists the year and make/model of their car (examples: 98 VW, 02 DTS, 78 LTD, etc.).
I wonder, in one plate states, is it legal to display an expired out-of-state plate on the front of your vehicle? That may send a confusing message.
Looks like there is a process to get not-quite-vanity low numbered plates in Massachusetts: Boston Magazine article (http://www.bostonmagazine.com/news/blog/2015/06/22/low-number-license-plate-lottery/), RMV form (http://www.massrmv.com/Portals/30/docs/21843.pdf)
Here in CT, all-numeric passenger vehicle plates are reserved to long-time CT families (who got the number "normally" and kept it through the years), politicians, or friends of politicians/bureaucrats.
Quote from: MikeTheActuary on July 21, 2015, 09:40:14 AM
Looks like there is a process to get not-quite-vanity low numbered plates in Massachusetts: Boston Magazine article (http://www.bostonmagazine.com/news/blog/2015/06/22/low-number-license-plate-lottery/), RMV form (http://www.massrmv.com/Portals/30/docs/21843.pdf)
Here in CT, all-numeric passenger vehicle plates are reserved to long-time CT families (who got the number "normally" and kept it through the years), politicians, or friends of politicians/bureaucrats.
Ah yes, the infamous
waste of taxpayer's money and the RMV's time low number plate lottery. Which was created because the local media exposed the "scandal" of the RMV issuing the plates to connected folks. Like there's nothing more serious going on in state government that they can worry about license plates.
Quote from: roadman on July 21, 2015, 10:16:00 AM
Quote from: MikeTheActuary on July 21, 2015, 09:40:14 AM
Looks like there is a process to get not-quite-vanity low numbered plates in Massachusetts: Boston Magazine article (http://www.bostonmagazine.com/news/blog/2015/06/22/low-number-license-plate-lottery/), RMV form (http://www.massrmv.com/Portals/30/docs/21843.pdf)
Here in CT, all-numeric passenger vehicle plates are reserved to long-time CT families (who got the number "normally" and kept it through the years), politicians, or friends of politicians/bureaucrats.
Ah yes, the infamous waste of taxpayer's money and the RMV's time low number plate lottery. Which was created because the local media exposed the "scandal" of the RMV issuing the plates to connected folks. Like there's nothing more serious going on in state government that they can worry about license plates.
It's a low hanging fruit that can make you appear "tough on corruption." Voters love that stuff.
Quote from: Pink Jazz on July 21, 2015, 09:28:54 AM
I wonder, in one plate states, is it legal to display an expired out-of-state plate on the front of your vehicle? That may send a confusing message.
In MA, circa 1983; such certainly did. When my grandfather moved up north from Florida several years earlier; I took his old & expired FL plate and placed it on the front of my car (which had a current green-on-white MA plate mounted on the rear bumper of my '69 Ford LTD I owned at the time). Shortly after pulling out of a parking space at Fort Sewell (in Marblehead); a nearby Marblehead Police officer motioned me to stop and pull over.
He stated that he pulled me over due to my car displaying two different registration plates. I told him that the front one was an old expired plate from my grandfather that I was displaying it as a novelty plate. He told me that such wasn't allowed. Rather than argue and belabor the point (and possibly get a ticket); I just took a screwdriver out of the trunk, removed the front plate and placed it inside the car; and the cop left after that.
Whether such is an actual law or not is not completely known (to me). Given that I had the front plate on for several months and that this encounter took place during prom season (where minors obtaining alcohol for pre- and post-prom activities was a common infraction); I have to wonder if the cops were merely
looking for an excuse to pull me (I was 17 at the time) over to see if I was transporting alcohol (I wasn't).
How many states don't issue a registration sticker?
NJ doesn't, we did but we switched back to having none.
Quote from: PHLBOS on July 21, 2015, 10:51:02 AM
Whether such is an actual law or not is not completely known (to me).
The source (at least today...I don't know when the law was written):
https://malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartI/TitleXIV/Chapter90/Section6
QuoteSection 6. Every motor vehicle or trailer registered under this chapter when operated in or on any way in this commonwealth shall have its register number displayed conspicuously thereon by the number plates furnished by the registrar in accordance...blah blah blah...No number plates other than such as are procured from the registrar or such as may be authorized by him for temporary use, except as provided in section three, shall be displayed on any motor vehicle or trailer so operated; provided, that a motor vehicle or trailer which by reason of its interstate operation is registered in this commonwealth and elsewhere may display the register number plates of this and any other state or country in which it is registered, if, while being operated on the ways of this commonwealth, the number plates furnished by the registrar, or temporary number plates authorized by him as hereinafter provided, are displayed as required hereby....and more blah blah blah...
Quote from: SteveG1988 on July 21, 2015, 11:23:37 AM
How many states don't issue a registration sticker?
NJ doesn't, we did but we switched back to having none.
Connecticut stopped in 2007. You still see cars with pre-07 CT plates with 07 registration stickers on them.
Quote from: jeffandnicole on July 21, 2015, 11:32:20 AMThe source (at least today...I don't know when the law was written):
That's a good question regarding
when that law was written.
As previously mentioned, prior to 1977 and after 1989*; MA issued
two plates for all registered vehicles. The in-between period, which coincided with the issuance of the rear-only green-on-white plates, would've been the only time where displaying of
novelty or other
dead/expired plates on the front became an issue in the Bay State.
*due to surplusses & which RMV office, single green-on-white plates were still issued to new registrants as late as 1992 (my mother's plate is proof of such).
Quote from: SteveG1988 on July 21, 2015, 11:23:37 AM
How many states don't issue a registration sticker?
I, personally wish that PA didn't. Plate sitckers are renewed every year; and, for many years, plate vandalism/sticker stealing was an issue particularly in the Greater Philadlephia area.
MA issues plate stickers every 2 years.
I don't believe that NY issues plate stickers.
MA issues plate stickers for regular series plates every two years. However, for vanity, charity, or other specality plates (like the ham radio plates I have), plate stickers are issued every year.
Quote from: cpzilliacus on July 20, 2015, 01:06:08 PM
Quote from: golden eagle on July 19, 2015, 11:32:41 PM
Though it may not seem logical, do stores in two-tag states sell souvenir plates that people put on the front?
Never seen one, though I have seen people attach some other kind of tag above or below the state-issued tag (only works on some vehicles).
Seems like that would be ugly unless it were on the rear of an SUV or some larger vehicle. Although sometimes people who have winches or other equipment on their truck will mount their plate to the side, so what about having a novelty plate on one side and the regular plate on the other?
During the (late) 60s; instead of a plate sticker, MA issued a separate window sticker (apart from the then-twice-a-year inspection stickers) that was mounted underneath the rear-view mirror. The final year for these stickers was 1969. Such were square blue stickers bearing a large, bold, black 69 on them. For many years, cars prior to the 1970 model year either still had the stickers or traces of such still on them.
Quote from: PHLBOS on July 21, 2015, 03:08:05 PM
I don't believe that NY issues plate stickers.
We don't, but we do use window stickers.
Quote from: jeffandnicole on July 21, 2015, 11:32:20 AM
Quote from: PHLBOS on July 21, 2015, 10:51:02 AM
Whether such is an actual law or not is not completely known (to me).
The source (at least today...I don't know when the law was written):
https://malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartI/TitleXIV/Chapter90/Section6
QuoteSection 6. Every motor vehicle or trailer registered under this chapter when operated in or on any way in this commonwealth shall have its register number displayed conspicuously thereon by the number plates furnished by the registrar in accordance...blah blah blah...No number plates other than such as are procured from the registrar or such as may be authorized by him for temporary use, except as provided in section three, shall be displayed on any motor vehicle or trailer so operated; provided, that a motor vehicle or trailer which by reason of its interstate operation is registered in this commonwealth and elsewhere may display the register number plates of this and any other state or country in which it is registered, if, while being operated on the ways of this commonwealth, the number plates furnished by the registrar, or temporary number plates authorized by him as hereinafter provided, are displayed as required hereby....and more blah blah blah...
They are not joking when it comes to this stuff. I had a car towed because of a plate mixup and had to tell a magistrate why I shouldn't be handed a misdemeanor charge of "attaching plates unlawfully."
Quote from: PHLBOS on July 21, 2015, 08:18:32 AMso one can't get a vanity plate that had lists the year and make/model of their car (examples: 98 VW, 02 DTS, 78 LTD, etc.).
Two of the more arcane regulations regarding Massachusetts vanity plates are: 1) the first two characters must be letters, and 2) the plate cannot have letters and numbers intermixed (MY65MG is not allowed; MYMG65 is OK). Why, no one seems to know.
Source: http://www.massrmv.com/VanityPlateRequirements.aspx
Quote from: Pink Jazz on July 21, 2015, 09:28:54 AM
I wonder, in one plate states, is it legal to display an expired out-of-state plate on the front of your vehicle? That may send a confusing message.
I've seen this more than a few times in Florida, but I'm not sure of the actual legality of it.
Probably not a good idea to return to that "front-displayed-State" that also has some sort of two-plate requirement, or you'll have too much explaining to do.
Then you have a state like Nevada, which used to sell (don't know if it still does) souvenir plates that you could personalize. The characters were in a different color than the standard plate (I have one someone gave me–the plate "number" is in red while a valid one would use blue). I imagine that could cause plenty of confusion in other states if you opted to display the souvenir plate on the front because it's not readily obvious it's a souvenir.
Quote from: 1995hoo on July 24, 2015, 12:46:27 PM
Then you have a state like Nevada, which used to sell (don't know if it still does) souvenir plates that you could personalize. The characters were in a different color than the standard plate (I have one someone gave me–the plate "number" is in red while a valid one would use blue). I imagine that could cause plenty of confusion in other states if you opted to display the souvenir plate on the front because it's not readily obvious it's a souvenir.
Seeing this in Kentucky quite a bit, especially with the "Friends of Coal" plate. The state issues a plate with this design, but there are some third-party souvenir plate sellers who also market a front-plate with this design. You can get your name on a third-party "Friends of Coal" plate to put on the front of your car, and have the standard one-plate Kentucky design on the back.
Quote from: formulanone on July 24, 2015, 11:36:04 AM
Quote from: Pink Jazz on July 21, 2015, 09:28:54 AM
I wonder, in one plate states, is it legal to display an expired out-of-state plate on the front of your vehicle? That may send a confusing message.
I've seen this more than a few times in Florida, but I'm not sure of the actual legality of it.
Probably not a good idea to return to that "front-displayed-State" that also has some sort of two-plate requirement, or you'll have too much explaining to do.
Not legal here, but almost never enforced.
Quote from: realjd on July 24, 2015, 03:43:22 PM
Not legal here, but almost never enforced.
Isn't that the official slogan of the Florida DMV? :sombrero:
Quote from: SidS1045 on July 24, 2015, 11:11:49 AM
Two of the more arcane regulations regarding Massachusetts vanity plates are: 1) the first two characters must be letters, and 2) the plate cannot have letters and numbers intermixed (MY65MG is not allowed; MYMG65 is OK).
I can't help with 1, but for 2, it helps prevent confusion between similar looking letters and numbers, like 0 and O and 1 and I. In Illinois, you need to have a space between all letters and numbers in a license plate number for the same reason. (I.e. you can have R 65 but not R65. Past that, though, you can have intermixed, e.g., R 65 MX would be okay.)
Quote from: CtrlAltDel on August 02, 2015, 06:19:06 PM
Quote from: SidS1045 on July 24, 2015, 11:11:49 AM
Two of the more arcane regulations regarding Massachusetts vanity plates are: 1) the first two characters must be letters, and 2) the plate cannot have letters and numbers intermixed (MY65MG is not allowed; MYMG65 is OK).
I can't help with 1, but for 2, it helps prevent confusion between similar looking letters and numbers, like 0 and O and 1 and I. In Illinois, you need to have a space between all letters and numbers in a license plate number for the same reason. (I.e. you can have R 65 but not R65. Past that, though, you can have intermixed, e.g., R 65 MX would be okay.)
I beg to differ. There are a lot of vanity plates that have the numbers sandwiched right next to the letters. And you're forgetting about the current series of plates that is exactly like that, i.e. "R65 1234".
Quote from: Brandon on August 02, 2015, 07:13:15 PM
Quote from: CtrlAltDel on August 02, 2015, 06:19:06 PM
Quote from: SidS1045 on July 24, 2015, 11:11:49 AM
Two of the more arcane regulations regarding Massachusetts vanity plates are: 1) the first two characters must be letters, and 2) the plate cannot have letters and numbers intermixed (MY65MG is not allowed; MYMG65 is OK).
I can't help with 1, but for 2, it helps prevent confusion between similar looking letters and numbers, like 0 and O and 1 and I. In Illinois, you need to have a space between all letters and numbers in a license plate number for the same reason. (I.e. you can have R 65 but not R65. Past that, though, you can have intermixed, e.g., R 65 MX would be okay.)
I beg to differ. There are a lot of vanity plates that have the numbers sandwiched right next to the letters. And you're forgetting about the current series of plates that is exactly like that, i.e. "R65 1234".
Impossible due to 6-character maximum.
Catching up with discussion upthread of Canadian plates, both the Northwest Territories and Nunavut (which used to be part of NT) are one-plate jurisdictions.
Quote from: 1 on August 02, 2015, 08:13:52 PM
Quote from: Brandon on August 02, 2015, 07:13:15 PM
Quote from: CtrlAltDel on August 02, 2015, 06:19:06 PM
Quote from: SidS1045 on July 24, 2015, 11:11:49 AM
Two of the more arcane regulations regarding Massachusetts vanity plates are: 1) the first two characters must be letters, and 2) the plate cannot have letters and numbers intermixed (MY65MG is not allowed; MYMG65 is OK).
I can't help with 1, but for 2, it helps prevent confusion between similar looking letters and numbers, like 0 and O and 1 and I. In Illinois, you need to have a space between all letters and numbers in a license plate number for the same reason. (I.e. you can have R 65 but not R65. Past that, though, you can have intermixed, e.g., R 65 MX would be okay.)
I beg to differ. There are a lot of vanity plates that have the numbers sandwiched right next to the letters. And you're forgetting about the current series of plates that is exactly like that, i.e. "R65 1234".
Impossible due to 6-character maximum.
Illinois has a 7 character maximum. My own standard-issue, non-vanity Illinois plates have 7 characters, all numbers. See the plates here: http://www.cyberdriveillinois.com/departments/vehicles/license_plate_guide/licenseplates.html A closer look at the passenger plates: http://www.cyberdriveillinois.com/departments/vehicles/license_plate_guide/passenger.html
^^ Odd thing is for most states, Vanity and Personalized plates are synonymous terms, but not in Illinois where vanity plates (all numbers or all letters) are $47 more annually than a $47 personalized plate fee (combination of letters and numbers)
Quote from: CtrlAltDel on August 02, 2015, 06:19:06 PMfor 2, it helps prevent confusion between similar looking letters and numbers, like 0 and O and 1 and I.
That should no longer be an issue in Massachusetts. Within the past year or two they modified the license plate font in use since 1957 to include 1's and I's with serifs (both were originally just a vertical line), and have added a square-edged O to distinguish itself from the round-edged zero (originally the round-edged zero was used for both O and zero). They did not, however, modify the rules for what can be had on a vanity plate.
Quote from: Brandon on August 02, 2015, 07:13:15 PM
Quote from: CtrlAltDel on August 02, 2015, 06:19:06 PM
Quote from: SidS1045 on July 24, 2015, 11:11:49 AM
Two of the more arcane regulations regarding Massachusetts vanity plates are: 1) the first two characters must be letters, and 2) the plate cannot have letters and numbers intermixed (MY65MG is not allowed; MYMG65 is OK).
I can't help with 1, but for 2, it helps prevent confusion between similar looking letters and numbers, like 0 and O and 1 and I. In Illinois, you need to have a space between all letters and numbers in a license plate number for the same reason. (I.e. you can have R 65 but not R65. Past that, though, you can have intermixed, e.g., R 65 MX would be okay.)
I beg to differ. There are a lot of vanity plates that have the numbers sandwiched right next to the letters. And you're forgetting about the current series of plates that is exactly like that, i.e. "R65 1234".
I had forgotten about regular plates. Those often do follow the pattern you gave. As far as personalized regular plates go, though, the web site (https://www.ilsos.gov/PickAPlateWeb/index1.html) states that personalized plates must have a space between letters and numbers.
Quote from: SidS1045 on August 02, 2015, 10:52:50 PM
Quote from: CtrlAltDel on August 02, 2015, 06:19:06 PMfor 2, it helps prevent confusion between similar looking letters and numbers, like 0 and O and 1 and I.
That should no longer be an issue in Massachusetts. Within the past year or two they modified the license plate font in use since 1957 to include 1's and I's with serifs (both were originally just a vertical line), and have added a square-edged O to distinguish itself from the round-edged zero (originally the round-edged zero was used for both O and zero). They did not, however, modify the rules for what can be had on a vanity plate.
In addition to differentiating similar characters like 0 and O, 1 and I, etc., Pennsylvania has historically made digit height about 10% greater than letter height. The visual effect is not dissimilar to exit tabs like "
EXIT 36
W" old guide signs.
(https://farm1.staticflickr.com/274/20060803260_60f6fc4fbb_o.jpg)
Quote from: briantroutman on August 03, 2015, 01:46:15 AMIn addition to differentiating similar characters like 0 and O, 1 and I, etc., Pennsylvania has historically made digit height about 10% greater than letter height. The visual effect is not dissimilar to exit tabs like "EXIT 36W" old guide signs.
(https://farm1.staticflickr.com/274/20060803260_60f6fc4fbb_o.jpg)
All my PA plates (I received my first one in 1991, one of the last of the 6-digit plates) have the letters and numerals at the same heights. Not sure about
Os and
0s; but PA plates does indeed make a distinction between
Is and
1s. Interestingly, none of my PA plates over the last 24 years (I've had 6 overall) contained the letter
I or
O but did contain either a
0 or
1 in the registration number.
PennDOT's reasoning for adopting same-height letters/numbers for their plates likely coincided with they're adopting 3-letters-hyphen-3 (then later 4) numbers for their standard-issue license plates. At the latest, most if not all of their blue KEYSTONE STATE plates adopted such lettering/numbering scheme. Not sure whether the short-lived blue You've Got a Friend In Pennsylvania plates had the same scheme or not.Corrected due to info. received by Briantroutman in the next post.
Quote from: PHLBOS on August 03, 2015, 09:01:25 AM
All my PA plates (I received my first one in 1991, one of the last of the 6-digit plates) have the letters and numerals at the same heights.
Every PA plate that I've had–including ones from the current series, featured digits taller than the letters. It's less noticeable when the letters and numbers are on opposite sides of the plate, although if you see them intermixed–for example, there was a personalized plate I used to see in my neighborhood
MAR1
A–it's obvious.
(https://farm1.staticflickr.com/307/20079491280_73dd1ec667_b.jpg)
Quote from: corco on July 18, 2015, 08:57:23 PM
Alberta is definitely two now, but Saskatchewan is one.
After coming back from Alberta, I can say that the vast majority (if not all) have only one plate. There was a new design rolled out awhile back, so maybe it's two for that design.