Riding along on the freeway this morning, I started wondering about license plates. I have this image in my head of prisoners stamping out license plates, but then I started wondering if this was actually grounded in reality. So, what’s the straight dope? Do prisoners really make license plates? If not, who does? Does this vary on a state-by-state basis?
Jakeline,
Prisoners make license plates in most states. Google “making license plates” for details on specific states’ programs. I couldn’t find one page that lists each state but the results from that Google search contain articles from most states. This mentions this fact without elaboration.
Many German license plates are made by small shop owners who have a little shack outside the department of motor vehicles offices. As far as I can tell they make them in the shack while you wait.
When I was a kid I used to wonder how prisoners in New Hampshire felt about stamping out license plates that said “Live Free or Die”.