# About personalized license plates **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 20, 2010, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/about-personalized-license-plates/543914 "2010-06-20T22:11:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2010, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/about-personalized-license-plates/543914/21 "2010-06-21T02:10:35Z")
I don’t have one because why should I spend the extra money? ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2010, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/about-personalized-license-plates/543914/22 "2010-06-21T02:38:55Z")
> [@jsgoddess](#): > > I don’t have one because I’m too cheap and there isn’t anything I’d really care about putting on a plate. This was my choice; I selected “don’t have one for a reason you haven’t mentioned.” ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2010, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/about-personalized-license-plates/543914/23 "2010-06-21T02:47:20Z")
> [@Hari\_Seldon](#): > > I’m too cheap. I’m sure I could find something amusing, but I’m not about to waste money on it. Likewise. ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2010, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/about-personalized-license-plates/543914/24 "2010-06-21T02:57:41Z")
Mine says “LIKE WHO” because I do…the frame says “Maximum R & B” (California) ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2010, 4:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/about-personalized-license-plates/543914/25 "2010-06-21T04:59:14Z")
Another vote for finding them more pointless than annoying. But either way I’ve never had any desire to have one. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2010, 12:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/about-personalized-license-plates/543914/26 "2010-06-21T12:02:05Z")
Personalised plates are a bit of fun. Unfortunately for me, one of my initials is a problematic character in the UK. ---
**Author:** ![Edward\_The\_Head](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ce73a5/32.png) [@Edward\_The\_Head](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Edward_The_Head)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2010, 12:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/about-personalized-license-plates/543914/27 "2010-06-21T12:13:54Z")
I had one for the motorcycle, but that’s all I’ve ever had. In Maryland it costs money to get the plate, and extra every year, which is why you don’t see many of them here. Virginia I think you pay once and that’s it, so I used to see a lot more from there. I wouldn’t be surprised if that’s what happens with states it’s cheaper, more people get them. ---
**Author:** ![VunderBob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/839c29/32.png) [@VunderBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VunderBob)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2010, 12:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/about-personalized-license-plates/543914/28 "2010-06-21T12:15:39Z")
I never bothered when I lived in Indiana, because they were so danged expensive. Virginia has them cheap, so I got one in the Parrothead series that said CDLZRD, to reference the Jimmy Buffett song _Off To See The Lizard_. I now live in North Carolina, and the personalized plates are in between VA and IN in cost. It says RF VBOB, the RF is a designation identifying me as a rescue squad member/fireman, and VBOB should be obvious to the typical Doper. I wanted HI OPAL, but it wouldn’t fit. ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2010, 12:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/about-personalized-license-plates/543914/29 "2010-06-21T12:36:25Z")
I have one. My suburban’s is **KIDL1MO** It’s always gets a larf, especially when I am loaded up with a bunch of kids and they come pouring out of it like a pack of clowns. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2010, 12:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/about-personalized-license-plates/543914/30 "2010-06-21T12:40:21Z")
I’ve got an Arizona Cardinals license plate. I didn’t like the design of the Diamondbacks plate. I didn’t personalize the plate though. I couldn’t think of what I’d say and I didn’t want to pay even more. ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2010, 12:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/about-personalized-license-plates/543914/31 "2010-06-21T12:43:40Z")
Another vote for: I’m too cheap to pay the yearly fee. Also, in California, most of the good ones are already taken. It would take a bit of work to find one that I liked that was available. ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2010, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/about-personalized-license-plates/543914/32 "2010-06-21T13:43:41Z")
[QUOTE=VunderBob] I now live in North Carolina, and the personalized plates are in between VA and IN in cost. It says RF VBOB, the RF is a designation identifying me as a rescue squad member/fireman, and VBOB should be obvious to the typical Doper. I wanted HI OPAL, but it wouldn’t fit. [/QUOTE] Well, that’s what you get for wanting a fire fighter plate. 😛 On a regular plate, HI OPAL is available. I’m still getting used to punctuation on plates. Saw one last week that took advantage of the ! being a half-wide character. They used ! instead of two Is and fit nine letters in. ---
**Author:** ![Sigmagirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@Sigmagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmagirl)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2010, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/about-personalized-license-plates/543914/33 "2010-06-21T13:53:49Z")
Is that why there are so many vanity plates in Virginia? I was going to say, if you thought there were a lot in _Ohio_ . . . Oh, and New Hampshire, too. It seems like every other car. My husband saw a vanity plate the other day that said VANITY. ---
**Author:** ![Rushgeekgirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rushgeekgirl/32/3715_2.png) [@Rushgeekgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rushgeekgirl)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2010, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/about-personalized-license-plates/543914/34 "2010-06-21T14:09:36Z")
I can’t imagine any statement I could make with so few letters. I don’t really think they’re stupid, I just think it’s a waste of money and a vanity I’ll never understand. ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2010, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/about-personalized-license-plates/543914/35 "2010-06-21T14:13:34Z")
Illinois - just bought my 1st one. Bought a 62 Corvair and they had available my firstname+last initial"S" and 62 - i.e. **BOBS 62** (tho my name is not Bob). Just a kinda fun thing to add to a fun car. I also kinda get a kick out of the fact that so often people’s first question will be either _“What year is it?”_ or _“Is that a 62?”_😛 ---
**Author:** ![Oredigger77](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/oredigger77/32/3181_2.png) [@Oredigger77](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oredigger77)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2010, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/about-personalized-license-plates/543914/36 "2010-06-21T14:22:16Z")
I was going to get one for my motorcycle that said ERTHRPR since raping the earth is how I paid for it but I never got around to it. Now I’m looking at buying a Challenger and I think I’ll actually do it for the car. ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2010, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/about-personalized-license-plates/543914/37 "2010-06-21T14:37:46Z")
I almost forgot - I actually just bought a SECOND vanity-ish plate for THE SAME CAR! Let’s see someone beat THAT! Maybe I should vote again … 😛 The car club I belong to hosts an [Orphan Auto Picnic](http://www.ccecorvair.com/OAP/) every summer. IL lets us sell 60-day plates featuring a different orphan each year. This year’s celebrates the Corvair’s 50th birthday. I was kinda excited about scoring plate “62” - same year as my car. Yeah, I’m a total geek about my car. 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![Enright3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/enright3/32/2897_2.png) [@Enright3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enright3)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2010, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/about-personalized-license-plates/543914/38 "2010-06-21T14:41:39Z")
oops I should have selected "I don’t have one for a reason you haven’t mentioned. [Please explain] " I don’t have one, because I don’t have a reason to get one. Why waste the money? ---
**Author:** ![Enright3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/enright3/32/2897_2.png) [@Enright3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enright3)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2010, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/about-personalized-license-plates/543914/39 "2010-06-21T14:43:25Z")
> [@Dinsdale](#): > > Illinois - just bought my 1st one. Bought a 62 Corvair and they had available my firstname+last initial"S" and 62 - i.e. **BOBS 62** (tho my name is not Bob). Just a kinda fun thing to add to a fun car. > > I also kinda get a kick out of the fact that so often people’s first question will be either _“What year is it?”_ or _“Is that a 62?”_😛 Hey! :mad: My name IS bob, and I was born in 1962. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2010, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/about-personalized-license-plates/543914/40 "2010-06-21T15:05:14Z")
> [@Asimovian](#): > > I was in Ohio recently and recall seeing an awful lot of personalized license plates while I was out there. I wasn’t sure if this was because Ohio has a ton of them, or if I was just paying more attention to the license plates there because they were generally unfamiliar to me. Personalized plates were rare in Ohio just a few years ago. I suspect they’ve made it a lot less expensive than it used to be. When personalization is only $20, a lot of people will go for it. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/about-personalized-license-plates/543914.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/about-personalized-license-plates/543914.md?page=3)