- California requires plates on the front and back of your vehicle.Cars and Parking Meters image by Towards Ithaca from Fotolia.com
Since 1905, California has required license plates on all vehicles. When you purchase a new vehicle, or replace stolen or damaged plates, standard California plates are issued. License plates identify the registration type of a vehicle and aid police in locating a vehicle's owner. If you don’t want the standard-issue plates, you can purchase special interest license plates; if you’re handicapped, you can apply for disabled person license plates. - If you drive an automobile or commercial vehicle, or use a trailer, the California government mandates that your license plate be 12 inches by 6 inches in size. If you are a motorcycle owner and purchased your plates before July 1, 1970, the license plates need to be 8 inches by 5 inches. Motorcycle plates purchased after that date must be 7 inches by 4 inches.
Your license plates should be securely affixed to your vehicle at all times and positioned so that they are visible. This includes keeping the license plates clean and readable. The license plate on the rear of your car must be fastened between 12 and 60 inches from the ground, while the front license plate cannot be placed more than 60 inches from the ground. (There are some very special cases in which these height requirements are different. See the California Department of Motor Vehicles website at Dmv.ca.gov for these exceptions.) - For an additional fee you can purchase special interest license plates for your car, commercial vehicle, trailer or motorcycle. The types of special interest license in California are: environmental, memorial, arts council, Costal Commission, collegiate, Lake Tahoe Conservancy, Yosemite Foundation, firefighters, Help our kids, Olympic Training Center and veteran’s organizations. You can apply for these special interest plates online at the DMV website or with a paper application from the DMV. You will need to provide your personal information, such as name and address, along with your current vehicle registration and a fee.
- Disabled person license plates allow you to park in handicapped spaces near entrances, next to blue street curbs, and at street parking meters for free. To qualify for disabled plates, though, you must have impaired mobility and certification of your disability from a qualified health care provider. If you do not have impaired mobility but do suffer from heart or circulatory disease, lung disease, documented visual problems, or have lost (or lost the use of) one or both legs, or both hands, you may be eligible for disabled parking license plates.
