Re-production license plates

[Frankusz]

The potential problem with reproduction plates authorized by governments for actual highway use is the very small chance of duplication. Either you choose numbers that duplicate an original plate still in use or you use out-of-range numbers that duplicate another reproduction plate user. Despite the minute statistical probabilities, some government types do worry about this possibility. They want absolute assurance that dupes are impossible. Unreasonable but true.

Edited March 18 by Frankusz (see edit history)

[Bhigdog]

Pa has vanity plates and only recently allowed YOM plates. Maybe 20 years ago I had a 1939 plate restored for my 1939 PU truck. I wanted to use it so I drove to Harrisburg right to DMV head quarters. I took the plate along and I asked the nice girl at the counter if that particular number was active. A few clicks on the key board and she said no. I said "OK i want to register my 1939 truck and use that plate. She said I couldn't do that. I asked why not it's a PA plate with an open number. She said she didn't know why not. I asked her if she could find out why not, it's a PA plate after all. She said "be right back" took the plate and left. Came back shortly and said "Wrong material, wrong color, and non reflective.............. Case closed.

So I asked if that particular number was assigned to a vanity plate. She looked at me sweetly and said "don't even think about it."

So..........I bought a regular plate, put it in the glove box, put the YOM plate on the truck and I've been using it ever since.

Plan "c" if I'm ever stopped I'll claim I'm old and confused and just came from a show and forgot to put the real one back on.

" I'll do that right now officer. Thank you for pointing that out."

It should work, I think...............Bob

[BlueDevil]

I had a restored original yom plate and I was accused of having a reproduction and it took getting the guy I bought it from to send pictures he had before and after restoration. Georgia finally granted its use.

[victorialynn2]

On 5/23/2018 at 5:03 PM, Brass is Best said:

Matt,

Better to say your Buick was used by a Colonel or a Brigadier General. Anybody 2 stars and up aquired a Cadillac or a Packard. We owned a 1940 Cadillac V-16 a few years ago that was Fleet Admiral Chester Nimitz' west coast car. It came out of Harrah's Collection. Also had a 1941 Cadillac Convertible that was purchased on December 3rd 1941 by an Army Air Corps Major. Who trained B-17 crews in Colorado. Some cars have great stories.

Andy

Fredericksburg, Tx has an amazing museum in honor of Nimitz. It was his hometown. It’s a great place to visit also!

[TAKerry]

A low number license plate in Delaware is like gold. The lower the number the more expensive. There is at least one company that makes reproductions and apparently there is no enforcement of 'fake' plates. I did a little looking into it and it said the dmv doesnt have the authority to check cars on the road and the state police wont either. So if you're there and want a low number tag, I suppose you can just buy a fake on the 'net.

[hook]

8 minutes ago, TAKerry said:

A low number license plate in Delaware is like gold. The lower the number the more expensive. There is at least one company that makes reproductions and apparently there is no enforcement of 'fake' plates. I did a little looking into it and it said the dmv doesnt have the authority to check cars on the road and the state police wont either. So if you're there and want a low number tag, I suppose you can just buy a fake on the 'net.

The number on your plate must match your registration. We have several different types of original stainless and porcelain plates that the Delaware DMV approves and even orders for you at an additional cost. The companies approved by the state requires a copy of your registration in order to make you a plate. I have three porcelain 5 digit plates on may cars. The illegal tags made by unapproved makers consist of plates that were not issued at the time that the original tags were in use like the prefix PC, RV, etc.. These match your registration but are not approved and are the ones that are not enforced by the state police or the DMV. You can't just willy nilly pick a number and use it. It has to be your number or it will land you in jail! 

[hook]

On 5/29/2018 at 1:48 AM, cheezestaak2000 said:

here in delaware, you can legally purchase a new, privately manufactured black porcelain license plate. there are however, a few restrictions. the guy won't make you one unless it would have been an issued number from back in the day when the state issued this type of tag. it cannot have any letters in it, and the number must be 5 digits, and below 88,000.

 

For porcelain in Delaware the number must be 86999 or less and for stainless tags 200000 or less.

[MikeC5]

I visited Australia around 15 years ago and wanted to bring home some 'Oz' plates (not necessarily antique) for garage decor.  I discovered that it was technically against the law for them to sell used plates.  I found this out from a flea market vendor selling, of all things, U.S. plates.  I asked why it was easy to find used U.S. plates, but no Oz plates and he explained that it was unlawful to sell Australian ones.  He noticed my disappointment, looked around furtively and then pulled out a newspaper wrapped package from under a table.  It had an example plate from each territory.  He sold it to me for a reasonable price and said be sure and forget who sold it to me.  They made it home in my suitcase...