Why Are Custom Plates So Expensive in TX?

[RogueUSMC]

Disabled veterans pay $2 for their plates but registration is free for your first vehicle. after that, the plates are free but you pay registration...

[Abraham]

What's wrong with ordinary plates?

Here's a tip: When I see someone's favorite saying, expression, etc., I don't stop and think "Wow" - How profound or hoo-boy, I'm super impressed with that cool guy's perspective. Man oh man, what an honor and a privilege.

Why am I so, ummmm, uncaring about other people's perspective?

(before you read any further, assuming you do, understand I'm a grumpy, old curmudgeon)

The world is filled with people who think they're special snowflake philosophy or pet cause is something way cool, and when other people see it, they'll be inspired to adopt the same philosophy. Uh-huh...

Nah, I'm only inspired to think, ho hum, another in a long line of those who think they've got something special to say with their garden variety outlook about (fill in the blank) something we should unreservedly admire ....

I came to this realization a long time ago. The world doesn't care if you love to sail, love your doberman, rex cat, stamp collection, or worship the 2nd Amendment.

Let the world wonder what you find delightful.

It's none of their business.

[HKMike]

My ordinary front plate catches just as many bugs as the custom plates, and I save money to buy more ammo.

[surprise_i'm_armed]

I've had the same 6 character vanity license plates in both Georgia, 1989-1995,
and Texas, 1995-present. My message is American patriotism, though I won't
detail the 6 characters here.

When I got to Texas, IIRC, I only had to pay a onetime $25 app fee, and since that
time I only pay about $40 a year to keep my vanity plates.

When I got mine in 1995 the State of Texas issued them directly.
Then around 2006 or so, they outsourced the personalized plates to a private firm
from a foreign country. They jacked the prices up sky high and the first private firm
went out of business in short order, without issuing very many.

Then the state awarded the vanity plate business to the entity behind myplates.com.
Although I am a dedicated number plate watcher, and like the wide variety of plates
now seen on Texas vehicles, the prices are now outrageous.

My original Texas vanity plates were a plain white background with navy blue characters.
At some point the plain white background remained, but they switched to black characters,
which in my opinion, didn't hold as sharp an image as the previous navy blue letters.

Since I have the original Texas vanity plate style issued directly by the State I am kind
of "grandfathered in" to paying a more reasonable price.

By the way, did you know that "general issue" Texas license plates never use vowels?
That's right, no A, E, I, O, or U.

With regard to North Carolina vanity plates, the state used the extra fees to plant
the highway medians/shoulders with flowers. When they raised the price from the
original amount to something higher, fewer Tarheels got them, resulting in fewer
roadside flowers.

SIA

[earlwb]

It looks like the personalized custom plates got expensive because of demand. So they kept raising the cost until demand slacked off. Then they stuck to that price. ref http://www.dmv.org/tx-texas/special-lic ... kgtype=SEM

I am going to get the Amateur Radio Operator plates for my car. I just passed the exam last weekend, so I am all set for it now. They do not charge you for the plates either. Nice.

[RoyGBiv]

It looks like the personalized custom plates got expensive because of demand. So they kept raising the cost until demand slacked off. Then they stuck to that price. ref http://www.dmv.org/tx-texas/special-lic ... kgtype=SEM

I am going to get the Amateur Radio Operator plates for my car. I just passed the exam last weekend, so I am all set for it now. They do not charge you for the plates either. Nice.

I decided against the radio plates because it's too easy to lookup my call and find my address. YMMV

[ScottDLS]

I had NC plates "SCOTT '88" on my '88 Chevy and TX plates BLK-VT on my 2002 Black Corvette (moved to TX in '90).

[NTexCopRetired]

A friend of mine couldn't afford vanity plates so he had his name legally changed to MXK-1476.

[txglock21]

So.... Would a "Don't Tread On Me" plate be a magnet for criminals searching for guns?

That's why I don't have one, or an NRA, or Glock sticker on my car.

I've read stories about thieves targeting cars with those indicators.

I've had a NRA sticker on every vehicle I have ever owned since I've been driving (over 33 years). I have only had one vehicle broken into and it was by a druggie neighbor to get some tools to pawn. He got busted and arrested and I got my tools back. This is just my opinion, but I think it has more to do with location of the vehicle and how nice the vehicle is. Nobody has ever tried to break into my old beat up pick up truck. Heck, half the time, I don't even lock the doors.
As far as personalized plates, a bumper sticker is cheaper to get your point across.
As always...YMMV.

[RoyGBiv]

As far as personalized plates, a bumper sticker is cheaper to get your point across.
As always...YMMV.

There is much truth in that...

[surprise_i'm_armed]

As an alternative to both vanity plates or bumper stickers, you can get
license plate FRAMES customized to say anything you want from a
the website www.traffictalk.com.

Their website gives you a wide array of frames in metal or plastic, different
colors, and fonts.

They are familiar with the Texas legal requirement that no part of the word
"Texas" on our plates can be obstructed, so they have frames which are skinnier on the top.

They are reasonably priced and the service is quick. Their physical location
is in North Carolina. Their order form also has a freeform text area, so that you can
clearly specify any special instructions you have.

SIA