amonobanji

Hi,
I want to customize my plate not through DMV because I want to get rid of "Oregon" "Florida" "California" name on my license plate.
Is it even legal to not have state name?
Thanks!

greg3852

No. Not legal.

mmarshall

Welcome to CL, amonobanji, and Merry Christmas (or Happy Holidays), as would be appropriate for you.

As of now, license plates in virtually all areas have to be identified with the name of that jurisdiction (state, D.C., territory, or Government vehicle). But, given the advances in technology, and the ability of police to electronically scan plates with readers and get info, license plates as we know them (and how they are identified) may soon be getting some major changes.

mmarshall

Sure...as long as you keep the letters LOL

SW17LS

Of course not. License plates are only valid/legal if they are issued by the state DMV.

TRDRAV4

Just "Steve Jobs" it

Sulu

I thought that someone had bumped an April Fool's Day thread!

mmarshall

Actually, police in many jurisdictions today do have tools where they can quickly scan plates and instantly get a whole registration-history of the car, and the criminal history of its owner. But, as of now, that data is mostly in remote computers, not in the metal plates themselves. Eventually, plate-technology may get to the point where information is stored in the plates themselves (somewhat like the chips on credit cards and electronic building-passes) , and the point the OP makes about not having traditional state-markings may be more realistic. Of course, having external markings on the plates helps in witnesses identifying vehicles used in crimes, and are a help to law enforcement.

SW17LS

Bottom line is that today the answer to his question is no.

mmarshall

Yep....and if one does not like the appearance of license plates (or state IDs on the plate), probably the best thing he or she could do is simply live in a state where front-plates are not required. That at least cuts the amount of frustration in half LOL.

SW17LS

And look into the optional plates available. Most states have multiple plate options.

LexBob2

Just call your state's DMV and ask them if it's OK to go ahead with this on your own.

SW17LS

Correct lol

Sulu

That is incorrect. Pass cards, credit cards and other payment cards (including so-called "stored value" cards) do NOT maintain any information on the card, other than some unique method(s) for identification, which is kept to an absolute, absolute minimum, for security reasons.When scanned, that information is then passed on to the central database to compare and verify the identification.

If more information, including transaction history, were maintained on the card, that would not be secure because a lost card would mean making all your personal information available to whoever picks up the card and has the (easily acquired) technology to read the card.

For the same reason, no information is stored on a licence plate, other than the identification information, which includes all of the following: the number, the state (or province) of registration and any proof of payment of maintaining registration.

Just as it is illegal to drive around with an expired registration (a sticker may prove that you paid up), it is illegal to make other identification information not visible. It may even be illegal to cover the plate with a "transparent" cover because it may make the plate not visible from certain angles.

mmarshall

I worked in the government for decades, and building passes gradually evolved from basically just plastic ID cards to electronic door-unlockers to embedded microchips. The ones they use today, especially at intelligence or security-agencies, are even more advanced than that. You are correct that no information is stored on license plates as of today, but I'm refering to the future. Today, police-scanners can idly read the plates of each passing vehicle and transmit the plate number (even with no electronic data on the plate itself) into a computer.....that's one way police can find stolen cars.