# Efforts to Change US License Plate Style to European **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 11, 2014, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/efforts-to-change-us-license-plate-style-to-european/701037 "2014-10-11T14:28:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Ximenean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/aca169/32.png) [@Ximenean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ximenean)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2014, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/efforts-to-change-us-license-plate-style-to-european/701037/61 "2014-10-14T00:07:14Z")
> [@jz78817](#): > > as with everything in this country, _it depends._ In case there was some misunderstanding, I was referring to the practice in the UK. ---
**Author:** ![doreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/858c86/32.png) [@doreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doreen)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2014, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/efforts-to-change-us-license-plate-style-to-european/701037/62 "2014-10-14T01:13:34Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > In many US states plates are manufactured and supplied by an agency of the state. But people go to licensed 3rd party commercial retailers to perform all the customer service activities of applying for registration, getting physical possession of plates & annual fee-paid stickers, performing annual registration renewals, etc. Likewise 3rd party commercial retailers handle driver’s license issuance and renewal on behalf of the state. > > SOME US states handle all these processes in government-owned or -leased buildings staffed with government employees. But I think those states are in the minority. Are you saying there are states where you _cannot_ go to a government office or government website to do these things? New York has licensed private service bureaus that can “handle” many of these transactions (although not licenses or anything with a photo) but they charge an additional fee ($25-$50 per transaction) over the DMV fee. ( although I’m not sure if the PSBs can process the transactions themselves- I know at least some physically take the forms/surrendered plates to a special window at DMV. Same with dealers- they can bring a bunch of transactions to DMV and get new plates for new cars, transfer old plates to a new car, transfer titles etc- but they don’t have a stock of plates at the dealership to give them to you instantly.) ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2014, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/efforts-to-change-us-license-plate-style-to-european/701037/63 "2014-10-14T02:13:21Z")
> [@ZomZom](#): > > I much prefer the style of European license plates over their American counterparts. They seem easier to read and I find them much more attractive. Is anyone aware of any efforts in the US to get the standard changed to the European style? I’ve never heard of this before and am wondering if it’s just me. > > TIA The European plates look like something out of 1960 East Germany. I’ve seen hand drawn yard sale signs with more personality. ---
**Author:** ![Terry\_Kennedy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c57346/32.png) [@Terry\_Kennedy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terry_Kennedy)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2014, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/efforts-to-change-us-license-plate-style-to-european/701037/64 "2014-10-14T05:02:55Z")
> [@Schnitte](#): > > Looks like that is illegal in the UK, as per [this website](https://www.gov.uk/displaying-number-plates/getting-number-plates-made-up): Edd actually has a number of registered businesses, and you may see one of them in the “fine print” at the bottom of license plates on Wheeler Dealers. One of the more common names is [“Cummfy Banana”](http://www.cummfybanana.com/). Another is “Grease Junkie”. The official DVLA (UK DMV, more or less) font is Charles Wright. There is a downloadable font named [Mandatory](http://www.dafont.com/mandatory.font) which was designed to be similar to the DVLA font. This is a different font from the rest of Europe. When you see a BMW (or other German car) with a Euro plate on the front, it could be because they did a European Delivery on their new car. There are some places in the US that make up fake Euro plates that contain whatever the purchaser requests. Many of these are not readily distinguishable from real Zoll plates. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2014, 7:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/efforts-to-change-us-license-plate-style-to-european/701037/65 "2014-10-14T07:48:25Z")
> [@jz78817](#): > > you get your plates from a third party? Huh. at least in Michigan they’re issued by the state government (via the Secretary of State in MI, the DMV in other states.) > [@Ximenean](#): > > Plates are typically supplied by the dealer and stay on the car for its life. As **Ximenean** says, the plates are nearly always on the car when you buy it - and that’s the end of the story. They’re made of acrylic plastic though - so sometimes they get broken (automatic car washes are a common culprit for this) - and there is a market for additional rear plates for trailers, caravans and tailgate mounted bike racks. > [@](#): > > I can’t help wondering, if it were the other way around, people would say something like “the GOVERNMENT issues number plates there? Typical Europe, the government interferes in everything.” Too true. Funny old thing, perception, innit? ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2014, 7:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/efforts-to-change-us-license-plate-style-to-european/701037/66 "2014-10-14T07:55:38Z")
> [@Magiver](#): > > The European plates look like something out of 1960 East Germany. I’ve seen hand drawn yard sale signs with more personality. See, that’s the crux of it. The plates aren’t there for personality\* They are there to uniquely identify the vehicle as clearly, legibly and rapidly as possible - so that enforcement authorities can do their jobs; so that members of the public can report incidents; so that automated systems (enforcement or garage entry) can work reliably. \*And from my UK-Euro perspective, I can’t imagine why we would want them to have personality. Someone reverses into me and drives off (or any number of other scenarios), I want to be able to identify them, not marvel at their individuality. (And from here, US plates look like something out of the Victorian era). ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Feldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lord_feldon/32/341_2.png) [@Lord\_Feldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Feldon)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2014, 8:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/efforts-to-change-us-license-plate-style-to-european/701037/67 "2014-10-14T08:05:36Z")
> [@doreen](#): > > Are you saying there are states where you _cannot_ go to a government office or government website to do these things? In Ohio, all or nearly all BMV outlets are franchises, managed and staffed by whoever won the contract for that location. ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2014, 10:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/efforts-to-change-us-license-plate-style-to-european/701037/68 "2014-10-14T10:46:29Z")
> [@Magiver](#): > > The European plates look like something out of 1960 East Germany. I’ve seen hand drawn yard sale signs with more personality. Which European plates? There is no one design for European plates. Most of them now have the blue EU stripe at the left (even, bizarrely, in some countries that aren’t part of the EU!) but they vary a lot in design and colour. For example: [Belgium](http://www.olavsplates.com/foto_b/b_1-aaa-563_close.jpg) [Guernsey](http://www.olavsplates.com/foto_g/gbg_44954_close.jpg) [Iceland](http://www.olavsplates.com/foto_i/is_fjr37.jpg) [Ireland](http://www.olavsplates.com/foto_i/irl_141-d-6333_close.jpg) [Poland](http://www.olavsplates.com/foto_p/pl_pp97786_close.jpg) [UK](http://www.olavsplates.com/foto_g/gb_am58nkd_close.jpg) [Loads more here.](http://www.olavsplates.com/country_index.html) ---
**Author:** ![Ximenean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/aca169/32.png) [@Ximenean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ximenean)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2014, 10:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/efforts-to-change-us-license-plate-style-to-european/701037/69 "2014-10-14T10:57:17Z")
> [@Colophon](#): > > Which European plates? There is no one design for European plates. Most of them now have the blue EU stripe at the left (even, bizarrely, in some countries that aren’t part of the EU!) but they vary a lot in design and colour. Yes, but none of them have a colourful gradient fill background and a design motif that looks like it was cobbled together with Microsoft Word clipart. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2014, 10:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/efforts-to-change-us-license-plate-style-to-european/701037/70 "2014-10-14T10:59:50Z")
> [@Colophon](#): > > Which European plates? There is no one design for European plates. Most of them now have the blue EU stripe at the left (even, bizarrely, in some countries that aren’t part of the EU!) but they vary a lot in design and colour. > > For example: > > [Belgium](http://www.olavsplates.com/foto_b/b_1-aaa-563_close.jpg) > > [Guernsey](http://www.olavsplates.com/foto_g/gbg_44954_close.jpg) > > [Iceland](http://www.olavsplates.com/foto_i/is_fjr37.jpg) > > [Ireland](http://www.olavsplates.com/foto_i/irl_141-d-6333_close.jpg) > > [Poland](http://www.olavsplates.com/foto_p/pl_pp97786_close.jpg) > > [UK](http://www.olavsplates.com/foto_g/gb_am58nkd_close.jpg) > [Loads more here.](http://www.olavsplates.com/country_index.html) Sure, but they’re mostly quite utilitarian in comparison to some of the US plates. (And rightly so, IMO) ---
**Author:** ![bob\_2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bob_2/32/3341_2.png) [@bob\_2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bob_2)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2014, 11:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/efforts-to-change-us-license-plate-style-to-european/701037/71 "2014-10-14T11:00:48Z")
So in the UK, the registration process, and control is done entirely by a government agency (DVLA) and the plates themselves are produced by private enterprise. In the USA, the government make the plates, but the registration is done by private enterprise. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2014, 11:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/efforts-to-change-us-license-plate-style-to-european/701037/72 "2014-10-14T11:51:00Z")
> [@bob\_2](#): > > So in the UK, the registration process, and control is done entirely by a government agency (DVLA) and the plates themselves are produced by private enterprise. In the USA, the government make the plates, but the registration is done by private enterprise. The DMV is a government department, isn’t it? ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2014, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/efforts-to-change-us-license-plate-style-to-european/701037/73 "2014-10-14T13:11:19Z")
> [@doreen](#): > > Are you saying there are states where you _cannot_ go to a government office or government website to do these things? > > New York has licensed private service bureaus that can “handle” many of these transactions (although not licenses or anything with a photo) but they charge an additional fee ($25-$50 per transaction) over the DMV fee. … In the largely rural states there \*may \*be a government-staffed office in the capital city or largest city, but everywhere else the walk-in retail part of the process is done by 3rd party private contractors. Which you call “PSBs”. So your choice is to drive for 4 hours each way to the inner city or do it locally at the PSB-equivalent probably found in your county seat. > [@bob\_2](#): > > So in the UK, the registration process, and control is done entirely by a government agency (DVLA) and the plates themselves are produced by private enterprise. In the USA, the government make the plates, but the registration is done by private enterprise. As described earlier, it varies. AFAIK the state government in all 50 states creates the plates, manages all the database and IT stuff, and promulgates and enforces all the regulations. SOME states outsource to private industry all or almost all of the retail walk-in part of the process where citizens transact their business. OTHER states operate their own walk-in retail customer service centers using government employees. Many ostensibly government websites of all missions are actually operated technologically by private contractors. The contents and underlying data are under government control. > [@Mangetout](#): > > The DMV is a government department, isn’t it? Yes. It stands for “Department of Motor Vehicles”. The exact name and initialism varies amongst the states, but DMV is one of the most common names/initialisms. It’s also the term used in California, where the vast majority of police procedural TV & movies have been made, so it’s the US cultural default generic name for the governmental function. Other common names are “BMV” = Bureau of Motor Vehicles, “MVD” = Motor Vehicle Department / Division. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2014, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/efforts-to-change-us-license-plate-style-to-european/701037/74 "2014-10-14T16:29:54Z")
[hijack] I would rephrase the OP as any movement to go back to the 80s style with a solid background and standard colors. Washington was green on white, California was yellow on blue, Virginia was dark blue on white in that moon-man font. With the money states make today on specialized graphic license plates I would say that is a no. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2014, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/efforts-to-change-us-license-plate-style-to-european/701037/75 "2014-10-15T02:05:35Z")
> [@Colophon](#): > > Which European plates? There is no one design for European plates. Most of them now have the blue EU stripe at the left (even, bizarrely, in some countries that aren’t part of the EU!) but they vary a lot in design and colour. > > For example: > > [Belgium](http://www.olavsplates.com/foto_b/b_1-aaa-563_close.jpg) > > [Guernsey](http://www.olavsplates.com/foto_g/gbg_44954_close.jpg) > > [Iceland](http://www.olavsplates.com/foto_i/is_fjr37.jpg) > > [Ireland](http://www.olavsplates.com/foto_i/irl_141-d-6333_close.jpg) > > [Poland](http://www.olavsplates.com/foto_p/pl_pp97786_close.jpg) > > [UK](http://www.olavsplates.com/foto_g/gb_am58nkd_close.jpg) > [Loads more here.](http://www.olavsplates.com/country_index.html) Were they suppose to be different looking? [In my state alone](http://bmv.ohio.gov/sp_personalized.stm) there are 60 or more styles to choose from which you can then personalize with your own plate number. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2014, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/efforts-to-change-us-license-plate-style-to-european/701037/76 "2014-10-15T02:27:21Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > See, that’s the crux of it. The plates aren’t there for personality\* They are there to uniquely identify the vehicle as clearly, legibly and rapidly as possible - so that enforcement authorities can do their jobs; so that members of the public can report incidents; so that automated systems (enforcement or garage entry) can work reliably. > > \*And from my UK-Euro perspective, I can’t imagine why we would want them to have personality. Someone reverses into me and drives off (or any number of other scenarios), I want to be able to identify them, not marvel at their individuality. Well we have to pass a visual test to drive so reading the plates shouldn’t be a problem. think you’re reaching a bit on this. > [@Mangetout](#): > > (And from here, US plates look like something out of the Victorian era) I . Well there’s probably 2000 or more plate styles between all the states so I’m not sure how you come up with that pronouncement. And about 1/3 of those states don’t require a front plate which is my preference. Many of the cars in the US don’t have a location for the plate so an add-on adapter is required. ---
**Author:** ![Morgenstern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Morgenstern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgenstern)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2014, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/efforts-to-change-us-license-plate-style-to-european/701037/77 "2014-10-15T02:48:29Z")
> [@Nametag](#): > > Indeed - in California, plates stay with the car. The exception is personalized license plates, which are still registered to the car, but can be removed and transferred when the car is sold or otherwise disposed of. Same with disabled plates. They follow the owner, not the vehicle. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2014, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/efforts-to-change-us-license-plate-style-to-european/701037/78 "2014-10-15T03:54:07Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > The goal is to make plates easy for computerized scanners to read from a distance. That busy half-bleed background you linked to works well for the computer spy-eyes I would like to see evidence that such plates are easier for scanners to process than a colored (non-white) plate with highly contrasting lettering. [New Mexico](http://www.mvd.newmexico.gov/license-plates.aspx) (for instance) has a variety of colored plates for sale. Those can’t be scanned by law enforcement? I question why so many states (including my own) feel that both standard and specialized plates have to have a white background. It is booooring. ---
**Author:** ![Melbourne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5e925/32.png) [@Melbourne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Melbourne)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2014, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/efforts-to-change-us-license-plate-style-to-european/701037/79 "2014-10-15T05:00:12Z")
In VIC.AUS you can pay extra and get a Euro-style plate. It was particularly for people who put down big money to buy expensive Euro cars, and either wanted to be ‘authentic’ (I’m not a style guy), or wanted to show off. I think they look ridiculous, and even more ridiculous on a car designed for American-style plates, But there are dealers putting them on to cheap People Movers, so I guess some people disagree with me. ---
**Author:** ![Ximenean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/aca169/32.png) [@Ximenean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ximenean)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2014, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/efforts-to-change-us-license-plate-style-to-european/701037/80 "2014-10-15T15:50:45Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > I would like to see evidence that such plates are easier for scanners to process than a colored (non-white) plate with highly contrasting lettering. > > [New Mexico](http://www.mvd.newmexico.gov/license-plates.aspx) (for instance) has a variety of colored plates for sale. Those can’t be scanned by law enforcement? > > I question why so many states (including my own) feel that both standard and specialized plates have to have a white background. It is booooring. I don’t have any cite myself, but I would have thought that (a) higher contrast is better when it comes to reading a number plate quickly, and (b) a white background with black lettering (or possibly vice versa) gives the most contrast. I mean, most printed text is black-on-white or close to it, not yellow-on-cyan. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/efforts-to-change-us-license-plate-style-to-european/701037.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/efforts-to-change-us-license-plate-style-to-european/701037.md?page=5)