I was all set to hate on personalized license plates – you know, the ones where the configuration of numbers and/or letters have been personally chosen by the vehicle owner. And I had really good arguments defending how unhelpful these license plates are – a) much of the time you can’t even understand what the license plate says or is intended to say, and b) when you can understand them, they are super cheesy. Like the one I saw the other day “MOMSADR” – I do not care that you are a mom and a doctor. And, what happens when dad is driving the car? Or “SK8N247” – you can’t be skating 24/7 because you are driving right now, which means you are a liar. Unhelpful: 2, Helpful: 0.
But then I did some research and unearthed information about personalized and special interest license plates, and found out that they do actually do more than satisfy a driver’s vanity.
First of all, I found out that there are ten different license plate options available in California, and the extra fees collected from these customized plates go toward really great causes. They are:
Environmental: standard design California plates that are personalized, fees support environmental programs in California
Memorial: has an American flag in the background, fees fund scholarships for the children of Californians who died in 9/11
Arts Council: features palm trees and a setting sun, fees support the California Arts Council
Coastal Commission: has a whale tail in the background, fees help protect California’s coast and ocean via the California Coastal Commission
Collegiate (currently UCLA is the only plate available, woop woop! Apparently the state doesn’t think there is enough interest in a USC version): has a UCLA logo on the left hand side and says “BRUINS” at the bottom, fees fund need-based scholarships and grants at UCLA.
Lake Tahoe: has a blue lake and orange sky in the background and says “Protect Lake Tahoe” at the bottom, fees support the California Tahoe Conservancy
Yosemite: has snow-capped purple mountains in the background and says “Yosemite Memorial Park” at the bottom, fees go toward the Yosemite Foundation
Firefighters (only current or retired firefighters can get this one): features the silhouette of a firefighter in front of a blazing fire on the left hand side, fees are deposited into the California Firefighters’ Memorial Fund
Have a Heart, Be a Star, Help our Kids: has grass along the bottom in the background, and a hand, heart, star, or plus sign can be chosen in place of a letter or number, fees are deposited into the California Child Health and Safety Fund
Olympic Training Center: has an Olympic logo on the left hand side, fees support the U.S. Olympic Training Center in San Diego (woop2!)
Veterans’ Organizations: says “Honoring Veterans” at the bottom, fees are used by the California Department of Veterans Affairs
Not only that, but they are a lot more affordable than I thought. All but the Environmental, Have a Heart, and Veterans’ plates cost $98 initially and $78 to renew annually, and the three listed cost even less. That makes Unhelpful: 2, Helpful: 2. A tie! Be your own judge as to which direction the scales tip.
