A California driver was successful in obtaining a unique license plate that, when reflected in a mirror, spells out an illegal phrase.
Personalized license plates cannot, in the words of the California Department of Motor Vehicles, “be offensive or slang in ANY language,” “interchange letters and numbers to look like other plates,” or “resemble an existing license plate.” According to Boing Boing, the driver of this truck sneaked past the laws.
Personalization of license plates is possible “with your own combination of letters, numbers, and other characters,” according to the state’s DMV. “Personalized standard license plates can include between 2 and 7 characters. Depending on the type of plate you choose to personalize, other personalized license [plates] can have a range of characters.
In addition to personalized license plates, California also offers historical, military, and special interest plates.
Various state initiatives and programs, including those pertaining to agriculture, the arts, coastal preservation, firemen, pets, child health and safety, preservation, conservation, recreation, and more, are apparently supported in part by special interest plates.
Congressional Medal of Honor, Gold Star Family, Legion of Valor, Pearl Harbor Survivor, Ex-Prisoner of War, and Purple Heart are some of the military plates available. Also available are “Veterans’ Organization plates for anyone who wishes to order one to represent their pride in the nation’s military.”
Additionally, vintage license plates are offered “for motor vehicles that are of historical interest” that were produced after 1922 and have attained the age of 24.
When New York approved a legislation requiring motor vehicle owners to register with the state, the first license plate of any type was issued in 1901, according to Time magazine.
In accordance with the law, license plates must have “the separate initials of the owner’s name placed upon the back thereof in a conspicuous place, the letters forming such initials to be at least three inches in height.”
The first license plate was given to a man by the name of George F. Chamberlain.