License Plate Graphic Question

Bonzo · 04-19-2011, 01:37 PM

Since this thread is not directly 370Z related, I put it in the Off Topic Lounge. I hope that's the right place for it.

Background
Here in Ohio our ex-governor made the worst decision of his life a few years back by letting his wife design our new license plate. Everyone I know who actually likes cars thinks it's absolutely hideous. It looks like something some goody-goody 2-shoes 3rd grader would make, and there is no way I will be caught alive with one of these on any car of mine. Just terrible. I have to assume it's why he wasn't re-elected.

Idea
So I presented an idea to my nephew about wrapping the plate with a new graphic, as he does with cars. This brought up the immediate question as to whether it was legal or not to do that. My first reply was that, I don't care, because that god awful disgusting thing is not going on the back of my new 370Z. But then I told him my idea was this; to actually print the graphic just like the older Ohio bicentennial plates (which are white, blue & red). I would use all the correct letters/numbers (or even cut them out so the real ones underneath show through), and use my real renewal sticker in the corner. We could even print it on white reflective stock. The way I see it, a cop would have to be very very picky to notice that it wasn't the real graphics.

Question
So the question is, since it will actually be my real plate with real renewal stickers, just with an "artificial" graphic covering the horrendous farm art, is it legal?

Another Question
Then my nephew brought up that guys with show cars redo their plates all the time. They even paint them to match the car color etc. Now this would be even cooler to do. If my 370Z were white, then a solid white plate with just black letters/numbers would be the best for sure. Of course I'd make it say Ohio and the county too just to be covered, but a white & black plate on a white car would look the best for sure (at least for me).

So, Any Input?
So does anyone know the law pertaining to all this for sure? I'm sure it varies from state to state, so I would most importantly want to know about Ohio. But, any input would be appreciated. I'd just like to know for sure.

Thanks for your input in advance ---- Bonzo

PS. Here is a picture of the 2 plates. The top one is the old plate I plan to imitate, while the one on the bottom is our new ridiculously ugly one.

ChrisSlicks · 04-19-2011, 02:33 PM

In most states it is going to be illegal. In Ohio they have a specific law banning plate covers, clear or tinted, so they could potentially nail you under that.

Alternately, as long as you follow the following rules you could argue some grey area.

Quote:

4503.21 Display of license plates and validation stickers or temporary license placard or windshield sticker.
(A) No person who is the owner or operator of a motor vehicle shall fail to display in plain view on the front and rear of the motor vehicle the distinctive number and registration mark, including any county identification sticker and any validation sticker issued under sections 4503.19 and 4503.191 of the Revised Code, furnished by the director of public safety, except that a manufacturer of motor vehicles or dealer therein, the holder of an in transit permit, and the owner or operator of a motorcycle, motorized bicycle, manufactured home, mobile home, trailer, or semitrailer shall display on the rear only. A motor vehicle that is issued two license plates shall display the validation sticker only on the rear license plate, except that a commercial tractor that does not receive an apportioned license plate under the international registration plan shall display the validation sticker on the front of the commercial tractor. An apportioned vehicle receiving an apportioned license plate under the international registration plan shall display the license plate only on the front of a commercial tractor and on the rear of all other vehicles. All license plates shall be securely fastened so as not to swing, and shall not be covered by any material that obstructs their visibility.

No person to whom a temporary license placard or windshield sticker has been issued for the use of a motor vehicle under section 4503.182 of the Revised Code, and no operator of that motor vehicle, shall fail to display the temporary license placard in plain view from the rear of the vehicle either in the rear window or on an external rear surface of the motor vehicle, or fail to display the windshield sticker in plain view on the rear window of the motor vehicle. No temporary license placard or windshield sticker shall be covered by any material that obstructs its visibility.

(B) Whoever violates this section is guilty of a minor misdemeanor.

Effective Date: 01-01-2004

4503.22 Specifications for license plates.
The identification license plate shall consist of a placard upon the face of which shall appear the distinctive number assigned to the motor vehicle as provided in section 4503.19 of the Revised Code, in Arabic numerals or letters, or both. The dimensions of the numerals or letters and of each stroke shall be determined by the director of public safety. The license placard also shall contain the name of this state and the slogan “BIRTHPLACE OF AVIATION.” The placard shall be made of steel and the background shall be treated with a reflective material that shall provide effective and dependable reflective brightness during the service period required of the placard. Specifications for the reflective and other materials and the design of the placard, the county identification stickers as provided by section 4503.19 of the Revised Code, and validation stickers as provided by section 4503.191 of the Revised Code, shall be adopted by the director as rules under sections 119.01 to 119.13 of the Revised Code. The identification license plate of motorized bicycles and of motor vehicles of the type commonly called “motorcycles” shall consist of a single placard, the size of which shall be prescribed by the director. The identification plate of a vehicle registered in accordance with the international registration plan shall contain the word “apportioned.” The director may prescribe the type of placard, or means of fastening the placard, or both; the placard or means of fastening may be so designed and constructed as to render difficult the removal of the placard after it has been fastened to a motor vehicle.

Effective Date: 09-27-1996

4503.231 Unique license plates for motor vehicles whose standard plates have been impounded.
(A) No motor vehicle registered in the name of a person whose certificate of registration and identification license plates have been impounded as provided by division (B)(1) of section 4507.02 of the Revised Code, and no vehicle that may be operated pursuant to an immobilization waiver order issued pursuant to section 4503.235 of the Revised Code, shall be operated on any highway in this state unless it displays restricted license plates that are a different color from those regularly issued and carry a special serial number that may be readily identified by law enforcement officers. The registrar of motor vehicles shall designate the color and serial number to be used on restricted license plates, which shall remain the same from year to year and shall not be displayed on any other motor vehicles.

The bureau of motor vehicles shall adopt rules providing for the decentralization of the issuance of restricted license plates under this section. The rules shall provide for the issuance of the restricted license plates by at least one agency in each county.

No person operating a motor vehicle displaying restricted license plates as described in this division shall knowingly disguise or obscure the color of the restricted plate.

(B) If a person has been granted limited driving privileges with a condition of the privileges being that the person must display on the vehicle that is driven under the privileges restricted license plates that are described in this section, the person may operate a motor vehicle that is owned by the person’s employer only if the person is required to operate that motor vehicle in the course and scope of the person’s employment. Such a person may operate that vehicle without displaying on that vehicle restricted license plates that are issued under this section if the employer has been notified that the person has limited driving privileges and of the nature of the restriction and if the person has proof of the employer’s notification in the person’s possession while operating the employer’s vehicle for normal business duties. A motor vehicle owned by a business that is partly or entirely owned or controlled by the person with the limited driving privileges is not a motor vehicle owned by an employer, for purposes of this division.

(C) Whoever violates this section is guilty of a minor misdemeanor.

Effective Date: 01-01-2004; 09-16-2004; 2008 SB17 09-30-2008

For people that have old plates that are beat up, this place sells reproduction vintage plates.
Custom USA State Plates, customize your embossed metal state license plate

Cmike2780 · 04-19-2011, 03:02 PM

You can't tamper with the plates in any way. You could always go for a "special plate"

I felt the same way when they changed the NY plates. It doesn't look too bad on a black car, but I like the old one better.

shadoquad · 04-19-2011, 03:30 PM

I hate the new MD plates. It's the only reason I haven't ordered new ones.

The old ones are elegant, black text on white background. The new ones have an American flag and some bs "War of 1812" nonsense on it.

BrickyardZ · 04-19-2011, 04:53 PM

I live in Ohio and like you, absolutely hate the newer OH plate. Even though my plates are old (2 generations back) and I should replace them, I won't put the new pos on my car either. The specialty plates still have the ugly background on them. I'll wait until OH comes out with a new plate design.

Even though I bought a Stillen front bracket, I am running without a front plate. Send a note to Kaisch and ask him to eliminate the requirement for a front plate.

Bonzo · 04-19-2011, 05:21 PM

Thanks ChrisSlicks, this is very informative.

Quote:

4503.22 Specifications for license plates.
The identification license plate shall consist of a placard upon the face of which shall appear the distinctive number assigned to the motor vehicle as provided in section 4503.19 of the Revised Code, in Arabic numerals or letters, or both. The dimensions of the numerals or letters and of each stroke shall be determined by the director of public safety. The license placard also shall contain the name of this state and the slogan “BIRTHPLACE OF AVIATION.” The placard shall be made of steel and the background shall be treated with a reflective material that shall provide effective and dependable reflective brightness during the service period required of the placard. Specifications for the reflective and other materials and the design of the placard, the county identification stickers as provided by section 4503.19 of the Revised Code, and validation stickers as provided by section 4503.191 of the Revised Code, shall be adopted by the director as rules under sections 119.01 to 119.13 of the Revised Code.

If I read this, technically I could still get nailed.

But, if I stick with my original plan, use the real numbers, a real sticker, and just make the wrap look like the old red/white/blue one (with "birthplace of aviation" according to this law above), and I print it on white reflective vinyl stock, I think the odds of actually getting busted are small. My wife has a Pontiac Solstice and she has never had her front plate on since the fall of 2005. She's up to 50,000 miles and one pull over, and nothing yet. I would think no front plate is more out of line than just making my plate look like the older model that is still totally acceptable. But, that's just me of course, trying to lean things my way.

Since I will also be going "sans" front plate, I'm either in for a double whammy (with a picky cop) or nothing (with a cool cop). I'll take my chances, because this car is too good looking for the farm yard crap on the back, let alone on both the front & back.

BrickyardZ, we saw Strickland at a hotel bar in Columbus about a month ago where they were having some Democratic meeting thing. He walked up and started talking to the table next to us. I told my wife that if he came over to our table I was going to let him have it about the new plates and his wife's terrible design.

Too bad he wussed out and didn't come over.

Problem is, my wife has read that tons of people love the new plates and they had a hard time keeping them in stock in the beginning. (No offense to anyone, but no real men can be digging this plate, can they? I mean I have to assume it's more women that actually like it for what ever reason? No? I'm not sexist, just trying to figure out who actually wants this POS) I'm afraid that if they get enough plate lovers they'll decide to keep making it for years to come. What I do know is it will be my only choice come this summer if I get my Z.

wilsonp · 04-19-2011, 06:54 PM

Why not get one of the special interest plates?

BrickyardZ · 04-20-2011, 09:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wilsonp

Why not get one of the special interest plates?

The problem is that in Ohio when you order a Special plate, they still maintain the basic crappy border/background and simply add the special logo to the plate. No way to get a decent looking plate in OH at this time.

PapoZalsa · 04-20-2011, 09:58 AM

AAA

Alcoholics Anonymous Association...

c41006 · 04-20-2011, 10:09 AM

you could move to a different state

Bonzo · 04-20-2011, 03:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by c41006

you could move to a different state

Bonzo · 04-20-2011, 03:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wilsonp

Why not get one of the special interest plates?

Quote:

Originally Posted by BrickyardZ

The problem is that in Ohio when you order a Special plate, they still maintain the basic crappy border/background and simply add the special logo to the plate. No way to get a decent looking plate in OH at this time.

Well, they are better for sure, because they lose the farm crap on the bottom. And there are 3 I could probably live with, the Bald Eagle, the Leaders In Flight, and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. See pics attached.

I still like the old plate better.

But my real issue with these specialty plates is that they charge you an extra $25 each and every year you have them, and that's a government scam. Like on the $50 extra per year custom vanity plates, I can see a one time up front charge because they are making you a custom plate. But after that first year, the charge should be no more than a regular plate. Other than the government ripping you off, it makes no sense. I used to have vanity plates for years, but dropped them last year because our Governor significantly upped the rates and I was tired of getting cheated.

Thanks for everyone's input.

Decisions decisions......

Good to have options.

Bonzo · 04-20-2011, 04:41 PM

Well, I take it back a bit. I did a more thorough reading of the plates site.

The yearly charge for the vanity plates is still total B.S. According to the site this extra charge basically goes to the cops to help better patrol our highways. Yeah, that's what I need, more cops to give me tickets. Great.

The extra fee for the "specialty plates" is actually more like a donation to your favorite organization. For example, if you get a OSU plate, it goes to their scholarship fund. If you do a Red Cross plate, you just made a donation to the Red Cross. So I guess that's not so bad when you look at it that way. I can live with that.

Maybe I will just get one of those......

04-19-2011, 03:02 PM	#3 (permalink)
Cmike2780 A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Long Island Posts: 5,059 Drives: slowwww Rep Power: 29	You can't tamper with the plates in any way. You could always go for a "special plate" I felt the same way when they changed the NY plates. It doesn't look too bad on a black car, but I like the old one better. __________________ [09][MB][6-Spd MT][Touring][Stillen Gen III][K&N][Borla CBE][Evo-R] [ArchitTEK Photography]

04-19-2011, 06:54 PM	#7 (permalink)
wilsonp A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Virginia Posts: 1,134 Drives: 2009 Touring Sp Nav Rep Power: 17	Why not get one of the special interest plates? __________________ 2014 Cayman S PDK Sport Chrono White/Black Was 2009 370Z Touring Sport+Nav 7AT Metallic Black/Persimmon Was 1991 NSX Auto Black/Black

04-20-2011, 09:58 AM	#9 (permalink)
PapoZalsa A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Not in Sunny Florida Posts: 6,358 Drives: 16 Nismo w/Tech Pack Rep Power: 4500	AAA Alcoholics Anonymous Association... __________________ 2009 370Z MB Base w/Sport Package 6MT Modshack's Custom Air Intakes /3M Clear Bra/ Illuminated Kick Plates / F. I CBE w/12" resonators / EVO-R Front Lip / Rear Hatch Wing / Tein S-Tech Springs /Ilegal Tint in the Rep. of VA/4x20mm Z1 Spacers/ Vinyl Roof/Liquid Carbon Designs

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shadoquad A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: . Posts: 42,608 Drives: . Rep Power: 3886	I hate the new MD plates. It's the only reason I haven't ordered new ones. The old ones are elegant, black text on white background. The new ones have an American flag and some bs "War of 1812" nonsense on it.

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BrickyardZ Base Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Cincinnati Posts: 123 Drives: 2010 40th Anniv Rep Power: 15	I live in Ohio and like you, absolutely hate the newer OH plate. Even though my plates are old (2 generations back) and I should replace them, I won't put the new pos on my car either. The specialty plates still have the ugly background on them. I'll wait until OH comes out with a new plate design. Even though I bought a Stillen front bracket, I am running without a front plate. Send a note to Kaisch and ask him to eliminate the requirement for a front plate.

04-20-2011, 10:09 AM	#10 (permalink)
c41006 A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Atlanta Posts: 9,034 Drives: '10 G37 Coupe BO 7AT Rep Power: 114	you could move to a different state

04-20-2011, 04:41 PM	#13 (permalink)
Bonzo Track Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Ohio Posts: 690 Drives: Finally, a 370Z!!! Rep Power: 3372	Well, I take it back a bit. I did a more thorough reading of the plates site. The yearly charge for the vanity plates is still total B.S. According to the site this extra charge basically goes to the cops to help better patrol our highways. Yeah, that's what I need, more cops to give me tickets. Great. The extra fee for the "specialty plates" is actually more like a donation to your favorite organization. For example, if you get a OSU plate, it goes to their scholarship fund. If you do a Red Cross plate, you just made a donation to the Red Cross. So I guess that's not so bad when you look at it that way. I can live with that. Maybe I will just get one of those......