Private Number Plates for Cars

Private Number Plates - A vehicle registration plate, usually called license plate or number plate (often referred to simply as a plate, or colloquially tag) is a small metal or plastic plate attached to a motor vehicle for official identification purposes. On many vehicles, they appear in pairs, with one attached to the front and another attached to the rear, although certain jurisdictions and vehicle types only require one plate—usually the rear. The plate has a serial number on it which is the same on all plates attached to the vehicle, the purpose of which is to identify the vehicle uniquely from others on roads, usually within the same country. In certain jurisdictions, having a current license plate can be evidence of a vehicle being licensed for use on a public highway, or of a tax having been paid in connection with the vehicle.

In some places, such as the United Kingdom where they are known as number plates, one set of plates usually remains with a vehicle following its initial sale as the information displayed on the plates is static throughout the vehicle's life. In others, such as some U.S. states where they are known as license plates, they are required to be changed periodically (though, for cost-saving purposes, the recent tendency has been to simply replace a small decal on the plate's surface). Additionally, some jurisdictions follow a "plate to owner" policy, meaning that when a vehicle is sold, the seller removes the current plate(s) from the vehicle and the buyer must either obtain new plates from his jurisdiction of residence, or attach plates that he already holds from that jurisdiction, as well as formally registering the vehicle, under his name and the plate number, with the appropriate authorities. If the person who sold the car then purchases a new car, he can apply to have the old plates put onto this car. Otherwise, depending on the local laws involved, he must turn them in, destroy them, or simply keep them if he wishes.