Buying personalized number plates for your vehicle is a great way to identify your profession, organization or a personal cause. However, a personalized number plate can get the immediate attention of people that you may not want to be identified to. What you may find worth advertising on as personalized number plate may be objectionable to other people and attract attention to yourself that you may not want to encourage.

The pride the vehicle owner feels when they buy personalized number plates may make their vehicle appear unique but they shouldn’t invite trouble.

A personalized number plate can say volumes about the identity of the owner of the vehicle and reflects their personality. The most popular plates represent environmental causes and issues. The additional fees for these plates fund organizations and programs of interest to the vehicle owner. In many states such as the state of Maryland, hundreds of thousands of dollars are collected annually from the fees of personalized number plates for environmental causes.

They are also used to identify the vehicle owner’s profession such as doctors, teachers, and craft or trade professionals. Depending on the state where your vehicle is registered these personalized plates can be quite attractive. On the down side there is usually an added fee for the personalized number. Often this fee is $25 to $50 a year, every year. The fee insures that your number is reserved for you alone and the additional cost of making the plate. If you have more than one vehicle to register, these fees can become quite expensive.

In most states a veteran can get a veteran plate for an additional annual fee of $25. I believe there should be no fees for veteran plates. Some of these plates are further personalized with various medals the owner earned in combat. I always pay particular attention when I see these plates and offer the driver a nod in recognition of his or her service.

However, as a veteran of two wars I do not purchase the personalized veteran plates. It isn’t that I am opposed to them I just don’t care to draw the attention of those that have a different view point, political or other, regarding war or veterans.

Personalized number plates are considered a luxury item by most states. Once you have received the personalized number it is yours for life as long as you pay the annual fee. In some states you can sell your personalized registration number or bequeath it by will to someone.

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