Running a "replica" personalized license plate in Cal. Get away with it?

[CarreraS2]

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[DavidI]

SoCal, when we run license plates there is no indication as to what color it should be. If the letters and numbers match the specific car and VIN, then it does not raise any red flags that I know of. I do not know of any significant indicators that would let a cop know that your blue and yellow plate (painted to match the period correct colors) should be white. Not that I am suggesting that someone do this.

David

[Joe Bob]

Blue background plates and black ones have the numbers and letters reversed.....blacks are like JJF 317....my old bug plate....%^B.....while the blues would be 317JJF.....then they went 1JJF 317....if I remember correctly.

VANITY plates would be the ones that would least likely to be noticed....they started issuing vanity plates right after the blues came out in the early 70s.....

There IS a former poster that has a black background vanity plate....don't know if it's repainted or a replica....don't know how he's gotten away with it for so long....

[Craig 930 RS]

Check into your Year of Manufacture laws in CA.........
Old plates are allowed on a certain year on down, otherwise, big trouble.

1976 and older here in WA State.

Mark my word, it's the truth - you WILL get hammered if caught.

[naparsei]

You can find blue plates somewhere (anywhere!), then, as long as that license plate is no longer in use, you can that # and those plates. This may no longer be the case, but I know someone who did this with the black plates when I lived in CA about 6 years ago.

[RickM]

Originally posted by naparsei
You can find blue plates somewhere (anywhere!), then, as long as that license plate is no longer in use, you can transfer (?)that # and those plates. This may no longer be the case, but I know someone who did this with the black plates when I lived in CA about 6 years ago.

I'd be very surprised if you could essentially counterfeit a goverment document like that. Might not get caught but highly illegal.

Can I add two zeros to the one dollar bills in my pocket?

[cbeers]

Personally, I wouldn't do it. When I was younger, I repainted my black plates on my bug. Did them in the same colors, I just wanted a "new" looking plate to match the complete paint job I had just finished.

Well, one day a cop reads me the riot act over it while writing me up for any little thing he could find. I kept quiet and took the ticket(s).

So, I am gun shy


-Chris

[juanbenae]

beers, you rode the short bus to school though. during this finger painting project did you stay inside the lines?

[RPKESQ]

"Can I add two zeros to the one dollar bills in my pocket?"

I always add as many zeros to my 1 dollar bills as I can get away with!

[Dan in Pasadena]

I recently licensed my new-to-me '76 and asked detailed questions about this at AAA - Automboile Club of Southern California for any non-Cal's reading this.

Bottomline? There is no way to legally put blue plates on your car if it doesn't already have them - damn! I really wanted them. There IS a website for a replcia license plate maker that will make themfor you too....but he won't ship them to a California address. Easy enough to get around. But what to do with them if you get them? You COULD order the same number/sequence as your legal white plate, but if you get caught?............... I don't want to be the subject of the experiment!

You CAN put the old yellow letters on black background plates on 1962 and older vehicles. In fact if you go to Pomona, there (used to be?) a guy there that sells old plates in both restored condition and in original condition.

Go the the California DMV website and it explains all this in detail. As a side story: I opted for personalized plates, paid $90 (!!!) online for "76S" and the website told me I got them, wait 4-6 weeks for delivery. Later I got a form letter from DMV explaining that the plate I chose was too similiar to an exisitng plate and it would not be issued to me, that my refund would be mailed - it was. I asked AAA about it and they said it was because the "S" probably can be too easily mistaken for a "5", so I am out of luck. Too bad, that would have been a pretty nice plate.

EDIT: Website is licenseplates.tv