DELAWARE- If you live in Delaware, you may be familiar with black and white vintage license plate tags that are seen on select cars.
The Delaware Department of Transportation says these tags are exclusive, very limited and only a select number of people can obtain them. Sometimes, people bid thousands of dollars just to obtain them, and these exclusive tags are even left for family members in wills.
DelDOT spokesperson C.R. McLeod says these plates are coveted because they are low in number, and are an indication of the department's earliest tags, which began in the early 1900's.
In the 1950's McLeod says the state transitioned to dark blue and yellow tags, which are more common today.
But DelDOT says these tags are only available to some, and you can only obtain them if the number you are issued at the DMV falls below a specific number, often this number does not exceed 86999, though there are certain exceptions.
But DelDOT's McLeod says more and more, people are bypassing these parameters and they are ordering these license plates from unauthorized vendors like Ebay, Amazon, or Etsy, and doing so is illegal.
"Registration and enforcement can become more difficult, there is a certain reflective quality to plates as well making sure they are visible from a distance so that law enforcement is able to see them," McLeod said.
Most of these tags are stainless steel or porcelain and have certain parameters with numbers and lettering. According to DelDot's only authorized vendor, Delaware Historic License Plate Company:
For porcelain plates:
Passenger License Plates Cannot Exceed 86999. Commercial License Plates Cannot Exceed C9999. Dealer License Plates MUST be ordered at your local DMV facility. DO NOT order a Dealer plate online. Motorcycle License Plates Cannot Exceed M/C9999
**Our motorcycle plates now measure 4"x7". This is smaller than our previous version because many people had difficulty mounting the larger plate. The new plate dimensions are the same size as your state issued blue and gold MC plate.
For stainless steel:
Passenger License Plates Cannot Exceed 200000. Commercial License Plates Cannot Exceed C50000. PC License Plates Cannot Exceed PC9999. Dealer License Plates MUST be ordered at your local DMV facility. DO NOT order a Dealer plate online. Farm Truck License Plates Cannot Exceed FT9999. Trailer License Plates Cannot Exceed T9999.
But more and more people are bypassing these guidelines to either buy them at a cheaper rate, or to customize them, which makes the tags illegal. DelDot says buying illegal tags can result in a fine of up to $50.