Types Of License Plates
The first thing to know about license plates is the different types you can get and the different types you may encounter on the road.
First, standard license plate designs vary slightly from state to state. Each state will use a different combination of colors, backgrounds, or slogans to create a unique plate.
Beyond that, youll often have the option to choose from different styles of license plates for an additional fee.
The main types of license plates include:
- Standard, sequential number license plates.
- Group or affiliation plates.
- Vanity plates with personalized letters and numbers.
- Specialty plates with different background designs.
- Penalty plates, such as those issued to drivers convicted of multiple DUIs.
- Government and exempt license plates.
How To Install A License Plate Frame In A Few Easy Steps
In this guide we cover where to get new license plate frames, how to dispose of your old ones, and how to install your new ones painlessly.
Maintenance is usually the first thing most people think of concerning car-related responsibilities. You have to invest time and money into your automobile to keep it running smoothly and safely.
It can be easy to overlook the administrative obligations involved, though. Regulations and laws can change, leaving you in the lurch. You may not be aware that theres an issue until you get pulled over and receive a fine.
Maybe this has already happened to you? Or, youve caught wind of state requirements, and you want to avoid trouble?
In this article, we detail how to install a license plate frame.
Below, youll learn how to perform this simple task at home and all the tools youll need to get the job done. We guide you every step of the way for a painless installation, including how and where to get your plates and frames.
Youll also discover the alternatives you have if the DIY option isnt right for you.
Skill Level: Beginner.
Time to Complete: 1015 minutes.
Tools Needed:
Register And Insure A Vehicle In Ontario
- proper insurance for the vehicle
- a permit that says you are the legal owner of the vehicle
- licence plates with up-to-date validation stickers
Your vehicle must also meet basic safety and emissions standards. Here are some answers to common questions about vehicle permits, licence plates and validation stickers.
Don’t Miss: Gas Pedal Wont Accelerate
Can I Change My License Plate Color In California
No Do-It-Yourself Alterations
California offers many different license plates in several colors. One thing you cant do is create your own design, which includes changing the color. Californias law states that No person shall display upon a vehicle a license plate altered from its original markings.
Transfer A License Plate
If you are completing any of the above transactions , you may also transfer a license plate from a vehicle that you own or have sold/disposed of to a different vehicle that you own or have newly acquired/purchased. Only the following license plates may be transferred online at mybmv.com: Passenger, Truck , Motorcycle, and In God We Trust, but please be advised that there may be specific scenarios where you cannot transfer online and must visit a branch to transfer your plate.
Don’t Miss: Can You Lease A Car Through Carvana
Transfers And Gift Certificates
A personalized licence plate can be transferred only once to anyone before it is attached to a vehicle.
You can purchase a gift certificate for a personalised licence plate at a ServiceOntario centre. Gift certificates are not available for sample plates or replacement licence plates.Visit a ServiceOntario centre
Dont Want To Drill Holes In Your Bumper Get A Front License Plate Holder
RELATED: Can You Install a Trailer Hitch Yourself?
So, what should you do if you have to put a front license plate on a car that didnt originally come with one? And thats not just a hypothetical question: Ive been in this situation twice so far.
Well, besides drilling into your bumper, you could leave the plate on your dashboard so its visible through the windshield. However, only Washington, Florida, and Nevada allow that. But theres another alternative thats almost as easy: getting a license plate holder.
Also called license plate mounts, these holders are essentially separate brackets that arent directly attached to your bumper. Admittedly, some kinds of mounts do require you to drill into your car, but in less visible areas, Roadshow explains. But others, such as the one I used on my old NB Miata, attach to existing tow hooks/tow eyes. And the one I recently installed on my rebuilt-title 500 Abarth attaches to the bumpers scrape protectorno drilling necessary.
Recommended Reading: Aaa Shipping Car
Please Answer The Questions Below To Get Your Free Insurance Quote
Are you currently insured?
What is your age?
PuedoManejar.com is here to answer some of the most common questions we receive about license plates and car tags.
Your license plates, like your vehicle identification number , registration, and title, are some of the primary items that tie your vehicle to its registration and your ownership of it.
On this page, youll find information about:
- Different types of license plates.
- How to install and remove your plates and tags.
- If you need a front license plate in your state.
- What to do with old license plates.
In another article, well break down the requirements for license plates when selling or transferring your vehicle do the plates stay with you or do they stay with the car?
If you need to learn how to get a new car registration in your state, please find our topic with tips on that subject.
You can also learn about your options for renewing your car tags.
How To Install License Plates
Remain calm. You can do this, and it shouldn’t take much longer than screwing in a lightbulb.
Step 1
Start at the back of the car. Crouch down at the center of the bumper.
Step 2
Unscrew the old license plate, if any. There should be two screws along the plate’s top edge. You’ll need either a flat-head or a Phillips screwdriver.
Step 3
Set the screws where you won’t lose them.
Step 4
Remove the license plate frame, if you have one, and set it aside.
Step 5
Hold the new plate up to the bumper, aligning the holes in the plate with those on the bumper.
Step 6
Place the frame, if any, over the plate.
Step 7
Screw in the two screws tightly.
Step 8
Tug on the plate to make sure it’s on firmly.
Repeat with the front bumper.
Tips
- Registration stickers usually go with the month sticker on the right and the year sticker on the left. Check your state’s regulations.
- Slash registration stickers with a razor blade to prevent criminals from peeling them off.
Things You’ll Need
Read Also: How To Fix A Burn Hole In Car Upholstery
Using An Existing License Plate Bracket
How To Put On A License Plate
Installing a license plate on your vehicle is an easy task thatll only take you a few minutes.
All you need is:
- Your new license plate.
- A screwdriver .
- Screws
Remove the old plates by turning the existing screws counter-clockwise .
Remove the old license plate and align the new one with the mounting holes on your car.
Place your license plate frame over the new tag, if you have one.
Align the screws with the holes and tighten them until theyre snug by turning clockwise .
Do not overtighten the screws.
After that, your new license plates will be attached, secure, and ready to go.
If applicable, place your new registration month and year stickers in the appropriate positions on your new place.
Keep your registration papers and proof of insurance in your glove compartment.
You May Like: Average Car Sale Commission
How To Fit A Number Plate To A Car
Fitting new number plates is a much easier process than you may think. Here is a complete walk through for putting new number plates on your car:
Even if you are a complete DIY novice and dont know your Phillips screw driver from a hex key, fitting a number plate to a car is something that you will be able to do. There are two main ways that you can attach your number plate, heres your complete guide:
Do I Need A Front License Plate And How Do You Mount It
Did you just going through the excitement of driving your shiny new car car off the lot? Is it time for the dreaded process of registering your new pride and joy? As warm and fuzzy as buying a new car can be, it can leave your wallet feeling a little emotionally drained, so during the process of registering your vehicle you might be trying to reduce any extraneous costs by being compliant with the laws in your state.
Depending on where you live, the need to display a front license plate and decision whether or not to comply with your state law may have financial implications. We will help educate you on which states have the front plate requirement, why they are required, how to mount it, and the fines and penalties associated with opting out of the front end ornament.
Read Also: Prevent Car Doors Freezing Shut
Are License Plates Recyclable
Modern license plates are made out of aluminum, which can easily be recycled.
So, yes, you can recycle old license plates.
If you do plan to recycle your license plates in your curbside bin or at a recycling center, be sure to remove your current car tag, if applicable.
If youre not required to turn in your old plates to the DMV, you can also upcycle them and turn old plates into arts and crafts like U.S. maps, collages, and other types of wall art.
Order A Personalized Licence Plate
To order a personalized licence plate you will need:
- your drivers licence number or registrant identification number
For passenger or commercial vehicles
- 2 to 8 characters without a graphic – $310
- 2 to 6 characters with a graphic – $336.40
For motorcycles
- 2 to 5 characters without a graphic $310
NoteAny outstanding fines, non-sufficient funds fees, and Highway 407 tolls related to your licence plate will be added to your online transaction total.Personalized licence plates cannot be registered to limited speed motorcycles.
How you can pay
- check to see if your financial institution offers Interac® Online service
You May Like: How To Remove Scratches From Car Door
States That Only Require A Rear License Plate
With Ohio joining the ranks of the states that only require a rear plate as of July 2020, there are officially 20 states that have the requirement only one plate. Those states are:
Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, West Virginia
How Do I Transfer My License Plates
It is simple and free to transfer your license plates to your new vehicle. The TxDMV encourages you to transfer your plates because it protects you. Your local county tax assessor-collector’s office will assist with the transfer and issue you a new registration sticker for your vehicle.
You may transfer your plates:
- Between vehicles you own. Your local county tax assessor-collectors office will issue a new registration sticker for your vehicle.
- To a vehicle purchased from a dealer. Remove the plates and request that the dealer transfer the plates to the new vehicle.
- To a vehicle purchased from a private party. Register the plates with your local county tax assessor-collector office when you title the vehicle in your name.
- To a leased vehicle.
- From a vehicle titled jointly to a vehicle titled in your name alone. If your name has not changed.
Be sure to remove the registration sticker on your old vehicle when you take off the plates.
Note:
Don’t Miss: How To Get Out Of A Car Loan Contract
How To Install A Front License Plate
If youre required to display a front license plate, but your vehicle doesnt have a place for it, youll need to figure out how to mount it.
When you are required to have a front plate, it will need to be securely fastened and easily visible.
Depending on the car you drive, youll typically have the option of:
- Bringing it to the dealer and having them install a license plate mount.
- Doing it yourself.
If you want to install the front license plate yourself, you can either:
- Use an adhesive-backed license plate bracket.
- Install anchor screws or metal screws into the bumper to attach a mounting bracket.
- Attach a license plate bracket to the front tow hook, if your car is equipped with one.
Why The Front License Plate Requirement
The pro and cons of adding a front license plate are heavily debated among drivers.
The pro plate propagators state that the front plate aids law enforcement in criminal apprehension public safety, and toll revenue. In market research done by the Texas A& M Transportation Institute , they found that the addition of a front plate allowed officers to more easily identify vehicles directly affecting their ability to enforce varying traffic laws more efficiently.
With public safety in mind, the reflective nature of the front plate can increase the visibility of the car to other drivers on the road and allow for some type of road guidance for those that forget to turn on their headlights while driving in the dark.
Now, the con, the most obvious and glaring con: Aesthetics. Car enthusiasts and collectors alike with their classic cars, elegant high-end luxury vehicles, and sleek sports cars would shudder at the idea of destroying and vandalizing the personality of their car with clunky bolts on their front bumper.
You May Like: How Much To Get My Car Painted
How Do I Put On License Plate Sticker
- Kawartha Lakes
- 398 upvotes
wouldn’t it just pile up and eventually stick out a bunch?
- 1086 upvotes
- +1
- 6197 upvotes
- +3
crystallight wrote: âThanks everyone, I’ll just stick it on top of the old one then.Another question. I see in addition to the plate sticker, they also sent a couple of white stickers that are meant to be put on the back of my ownership. I never heard of this sticker before but I go into my glove box to pull my ownership out and sure enough there is a white sticker on it. I’m confused on two things though.1) The back of ownership has four squares. The first square is taken up by the old sticker. Do I stick the new one on top or go to the other square? I would think to use the next square but then why would they provide only four squares? I know this doesn’t matter much, just figured I’d ask cause it seems weird to me.2) Another thing I thought was weird is they provided two of these white stickers. They seem to be the same sticker/meant for the same thing, but they do differ slightly. One sticker has the “ONT – DATE” on first line then some random numbers on the second line. The second sticker has the random numbers on first line and “ONT – DATE” on second line. Why? What’s the point in two stickers and why are they slightly different?
Every State With A Front License Plate Requirement
There are 30 states that currently require 2 license plates on motor vehicles. These states that require front license plates are:
Alaska, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Hawai, Idaho, Illinois, Iow, Main, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin and Wyoming.
You May Like: What Oil Do I Need For My Car
Lost Stolen Or Damaged Vehicle Permit
To replace a lost, stolen or damaged vehicle permit, visit a ServiceOntario centre.
Cost: $32
Bring the following with you:
- identification
- one of the following documents:
- the licence plate number
- the vehicle identification number
You must be the owner of the vehicle or have a Letter of Authorization from the vehicle owner.
What About Digital Plates
You may have seen my explainer about connected digital plates, which are on the market in small numbers. But even here in California where they were launched, the law still requires you sport a piece of tin up front, even while you have 21st century tech out back.
For now, most of us just need to get used to putting front plates on cars that simply aren’t well-designed for them.
Don’t Miss: How To Remove Scuff Marks From Car Interior
