The Rise of Personalized License Plates: Exploring Vanity Plates in the US and Beyond

“Vanity Plates” are car license plates that bear letters and numbers chosen by the owner of the car. These personalized plates have become increasingly popular over the years as they allow drivers to express their individuality and creativity.

Les Vanity Plates

Vanity Plates are available in many US states and several countries around the world. Each state has its own rules and regulations when it comes to personalized license plates. For example, in California, personalized plates must be between 2 and 7 characters, while in New York State they can be up to 8 characters.

Custom plates can cost more than standard license plates, depending on the condition and length of the plate. Prices also vary depending on the level of customization. Some people simply choose to put their name on the plate, while others opt for more complex combinations of letters and numbers.

Car owners who choose personalized plates have a wide variety of choices. They can choose combinations of letters and numbers that have special meaning for them, such as their date of birth or their house number. Other people choose plaques that reflect their profession or hobby, such as “MUSIC” for musicians or “CHEF” for chefs, or convey messages.

Get a Vanity Plate in New York

Here are the conditions for obtaining “Vanity Plates” in New York:

1. Allowed characters: Personalized license plates can have up to eight characters, including letters, numbers and punctuation symbols
2. Prohibited characters: characters considered offensive, vulgar or against the law
3. Availability: Personalized plates are allocated on a “first come, first served” basis.
4. Fees: The fee for personalized license plates in New York is $60 in addition to the standard license plate fee.
5. Renewal: Personalized license plates must be renewed every two years, at the same time as standard license plates.
6. Transfer: Personalized license plates can be transferred from one vehicle to another, but transfer fees apply.
7. Cancellation: The DMV may cancel a personalized license plate if it is misused, involved in an infringement, or contains prohibited characters.

Some Examples of Denied Vanity Plates Requests

Here are some examples of plates that have been reported in the media as having been refused by the New York DMV:

1. ‘CUOMO1’ – The DMV refused this plaque referencing former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo after he was accused of sexual harassment.
2. ‘COVFEFE’ – The DMV declined this plaque referencing a misspelled tweet by former President Donald Trump, considering the character to be vulgar or offensive.
3. ‘HATER’ – The DMV refused this plaque referring to a pejorative term to describe someone who hates something or someone.
4. ‘KILLALL’ – The DMV refused this plate which was considered violent or threatening.
5. ‘PIMP’ – The DMV refused this plaque which was considered sexually suggestive or vulgar. (Pimp means “pimp”.