Re: European license plates

[James Montebello <jamesm@domain.elided>]

In the UK, license plates can be made up and purchased by private firms,
as long as you "own" the registration number (which, like CA, stays with
the vehicle).  There are regulations governing size, colors, fonts,
etc., but there's some wiggle room there.  I know a number of people
with small plates they've had made, and getting new plates with old
numbers isn't an issue.

Also, you're allowed to have the numbers painted on the car, rather than
on a removable plate, at least on the front.  A number of sports cars
with swoopy front ends that would be ruined by a plate have the number
painted to the nose instead.

I don't see any reason why you couldn't do the the same thing in the
US, esp. in CA.  You could either have a smaller plate made up with the
numbers on your state-made plate (and why would it have to be a vanity
plate?), or you could have a UK style "plate" applied to the nose, or
even a plate made up that conforms to the shape of the nose that's stuck
on with something mild on the paint.  Magnetic, even.  The registration
tag isn't fitted to the front plate in CA, so that's also not a concern.
I've seen a number of cars driving around the Bay Area with European
plates.  I have no idea if they're just hoping to get away with it, or
they're temporarily imported cars, or what.

I've been driving a Miata around the Bay Area for 3 years now with no
front plate (similar mounting problems as the Spider), and I guess I've
gotten lucky.  Also, in most of CA, the fine is $25 for no front plate,
not $200, as someone else referred to earlier.  I'd question if the
local city $200 fines are even legal.

james montebello

On Sun, 17 Feb 2002, alfacybersite wrote:

> I've often wondered what would happen if someone purchased a set of
> vanity plates, then had European plates made with the same numbers /
> characters. Then using double stick tape and without peeling off the
> backing on the yearly tag, applied it to the upper right (at least in
> CA) corner of the Euro plate. Unless the size has changed in recent
> years, I wouldn't mind installing a small Italian plate on the front of
> my car.
>
> Admittedly one might get away with this longer if the car is more of a
> weekend special.
>
> Trust me, I'm not implying police are stupid, but if the number matched
> the one on the registration, and one could possibly convince the officer
> that the car is used primarily for show, one might get by with only a
> fix-it ticket, or maybe just a verbal warning.
>
> The owner has paid his registration fee plus the vanity plate fee. If
> size of plate is a factor, then motorcycles should have to have the same
> size as on cars. If color is critical then CA and other states should
> offer only one color combination. As it is in CA there are the white and
> blue (?) historical plates, reflective plates, Veteran's plates, dealer
> plates, older yellow / black plates, and blue / yellow plates, etc.
>
> Also, how important is the information on a license plate to carry the
> name of the state? If one is speeding for instance, does it matter to
> the officer whether he's pulling over someone from Idaho or from
> Indiana? Should the car be stolen, I'd think it would certainly be
> easier to spot a car with Euro plates than a common plate with say XYZ
> 726.
>
> Biba
> Irwindale, CA USA
>
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