Right now, nearly 10 million people in the US have a vanity plate on their vehicles. And Virginia is the state with the highest number of vanity plates in the country, according to Wikipedia.
Getting a vanity plate is a simple idea; it’s a creative touch to add to your vehicle to reflect your personality, humour, or even status. But for first-time buyers, there are often some aspects of purchasing a vanity plate that are overlooked, and what was a fun decision suddenly becomes unnecessary over time.
Let’s take a few things you need to know as a first-time vanity plate buyer and the common mistakes that are often made.
Choosing a Plate That’s Too Trend-Driven
Trendy phrases, memes, pop culture references, or slang are all popular for vanity plates because they feel current and socially recognisable. And for the most part, they carry some meaning to the purchaser. But the truth is, choosing a vanity plate on this basis will date fast. Trends expire quickly, and people change, and what once felt like a clever decision can really quickly feel like a mistake and become outdated or awkward in the not-so-distant future.
A vanity plate shouldn’t be chosen like this, and it needs to survive changing tastes, not depend on temporary popularity.
Overlooking State Rules and Restrictions
Vanity plate approvals are governed at a state level. And there are regulations covering language, spacing, duplication conflicts, character combinations, and prohibited terms. And where first-time buyers of private number plates hit trouble is designing their plates before checking what isn’t allowed or the limits around vanity plates within their state.
This oversight leads to rejections if you unintentionally duplicate someone else’s plate, use prohibited language or characters, or the combination you chose is offensive, misleading, or ambiguous.
Delays from rejections can increase costs, introduce processing delays, and create unnecessary frustration.
Forgetting Long-Term Ownership Factors
Most vanity plate purchases are done so for a specific vehicle. Users might not always realise what happens when that vehicle is sold or ownership changes.
Some states allow transfers with fees, others impose restrictions or require reapplication, but for the most part, the vanity plate usually always stays with the buyer, not the vehicle. You need to inform the DMV you’re selling the vehicle by filing a Notice of Transfer and Release of Liability, and then follow state-specific rules if you choose to keep it or transfer it.
Vanity plates are public-facing and will be seen by many people on a daily basis, even if you’re not actively using your vehicle. This means strangers, colleagues, and law enforcement could come across your vanity plate. And this evidently leaves your message open to interpretation. Some might find it offensive, some might find it humorous, or it might be misunderstood or misinterpreted.
Ambiguous phrasing, inside jokes, or edgy humour can attract unwanted attention or negative assumptions. And this matters if you use your vehicle for professional activities, as the plate may influence perception and give off a poor impression before people even meet you or come into contact with your business.
