After reading Will’s vanity plate post on Friday, I decided to hunt down the CA DMV page on “special interest plates” to see how the whole thing works. It turns out they have a vanity plate generator that let’s you build and preview your very own custom plates. You can’t save them or share them via the site, but that’s nothing that a simple screen capture can’t solve!
A friend of mine ordered a custom plate from the DMV, and used their handy generator. Part of his plate was supposed to be “PIR8”, but when he ended up getting his plates it actually said “RIR8”, and unfortunately the plate he wanted had been registered for a couple years.
I love the disclaimer, “License Plate lettering, kids symbol and their placement may vary on actual plate.” Kind of defeats the point of a vanity plate if you ask me.
My good friend Jef at Acme Laboratories built a plate generator that spits out plates in easy-to-save JPGs with most of the popular Cali background designs.
Acme is also a purveyor of fine tools for label-making and conversation-heart making.
Of course it defeats the purpose, but bless their crusty hearts for trying so they can still collect their extra fees. Loved the faked vanity plate…though I think I saw them for sale at Venice recently….