A California driver managed to get a specialized license plate that spells a prohibited word when viewed in a mirror.
According to the California Department of Motor Vehicles, personalized license plates cannot: “Be offensive or slang in ANY language,” “interchange letters and numbers to look like other plates,” or “resemble an existing license plate.” The driver of this truck slipped past the rules, Boing Boing reports.
According to the state’s DMV, license plates can be customized “with your own combination of letters, numbers, and other characters.” Two to seven characters are permitted on standard customized plates. The amount of characters on other personalized license plates can vary depending on the type of plate you select.
California offers historical, military, and special interest plates in addition to personalized plates.
According to reports, special interest plates contribute to the funding of numerous state initiatives and programs, encompassing a wide range of topics like as agriculture, the arts, firemen, pets, child safety and health, preservation, conservation, recreation, and more.
The Purple Heart, Gold Star Family, Pearl Harbor Survivor, Legion of Valor, Congressional Medal of Honor, and Ex-Prisoner of War are among the military plates available. Furthermore, “anyone wishing to order a Veterans’ Organization plate to represent their pride in the nation’s military” is welcome to do so.
For “motor vehicles that are of historical interest,” meaning they were created after 1922 and are at least 24 years old, historical license plates are also offered.
According to Time magazine, New York approved a legislation mandating owners of motor vehicles to register their vehicles with the state in 1901, marking the issuance of the first license plate of any type.
George F. Chamberlain was the first person to acquire an official license plate.