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Hooniverse Asks- What’s the Fugliest U.S. State License Plate?

Robert Emslie July 20, 2011 Hooniverse Asks

A downside to our nation’s fiduciary tribulations has been all the attempts at non-tax revenue generation by those in positions of governance – not typically a bastion of throbbing intellect. That means that a lot of states have tried to make money off of car owners through the sale of vanity plates, special interest plates, and plates celebrating whatever war or high school you might have somehow survived. And that has resulted in some fugly plates.

It’s not just the special plates that can cause in-traffic regurgitation - some states have just plain dumb-ass looking license plates. California -land of some of the most beautiful vistas in the world – have tainted those same over the years with rainbow-besotted and whale fluking plates that indisputably look like ass.

It hasn’t always been like that. We used to have clean yellow over blue plates that evoked our almost year-round fun in the sun lifestyle, while before that the yellow and black scheme spoke to our attractiveness both day and night. Yeah, I’m making all that up, but still either of those options would be preferable to the current blue and white reflective plates – which looks like they’re wearing ’80s spandex. And Cali’s plates aren’t the worst. What, in your opinion, is the worst?

Image source: [i-am-bored.com]

Currently there are "91 comments" on this Article:

Joe Btfsplk says:
July 20, 2011 at 7:12 am
New York's retro orange and blue scheme looks like crap with today's car colors. This change was originally initiated in order to soak NY motorists an extra $25 to fix a budget hole. Our county clerk, Patti Ritchie protested with an online petition…she is now a state senator.
Reply
- paxman356 says:
  July 20, 2011 at 7:59 am
  While I think the plate has some funkyness, I also like the design. Indiana's last plate was for the dogs:
  http://olavsplates.com/submissions/usa-in_29x2305…
  So much so some non God fearing citizens went with this:
  http://www.depauw.edu/photos/PhotoDB_Repository/2…
  And while I'm on ugly Indiana plates, here's two more.
  http://www.hydroponicsonline.com/store/img-hydrop… http://media.amw.com/multimedia/fileRepository/db…
  Reply
- paxman356 says:
  July 20, 2011 at 8:20 am
  <img src="http://olavsplates.com/submissions/usa-in_29x2305.jpg">
  <img src="http://www.depauw.edu/photos/PhotoDB_Repository/2008/9/In%20God%20We%20Trust%20Plate.jpg">
  <img src="http://www.hydroponicsonline.com/store/img-hydroponics/1984-indiana-r-v-license-plate_160577541504.jpg">
  <img src="http://media.amw.com/multimedia/fileRepository/db/472/149/IndianaLicensePlate_cte.jpg">
  And New York's, for good measure:
  <img src="http://carphotos.cardomain.com/ride_images/4/380/381/38447690026_large.jpg">
  Reply
  - Smells_Homeless says:
    July 20, 2011 at 11:13 am
    "Amber Waves" wasn't too bad, but the "Wander" era left us with holes in our souls. <shiver>
    Reply
    - FuzzyPlushroom says:
      July 21, 2011 at 3:10 am
      I have two Indiana license plates – neither of which are any of those. ('Back Home Again' and 'Hoosier Hospitality', for the record.) You guys just can't stick with one slogan for more than three consecutive years, can you? Mind you, the slogan is about the only thing New Hampshire has going for it, since the image on our plates collapsed three years after the current design was introduced.
      <img src="http://www.frontporchrepublic.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/New-Hampshire-License-Plate.jpg">
      Reply
  - dukeisduke says:
    July 20, 2011 at 1:12 pm
    I remember a pictorial piece on license plates in Car and Driver years ago, and a letter to the editor a couple of months later, where the reader explained the meaning of "WANDER":
    1) What Indiana drivers' minds do when they should be paying attention to their driving, and;
    2) What their cars do (crossing over the lane markers), while their minds are also wandering.
    Reply
  - Mad_Hungarian says:
    July 20, 2011 at 7:48 pm
    Interesting, almost any Indiana plate I see is this extremely boring style:<img src="http://www.in.gov/bmv/images/histplate_2008-11.jpg">What is that thing on the left anyway, that looks like a cross between Tinkerbell and a Tiki Torch?
    Reply
    - paxman356 says:
      July 21, 2011 at 4:33 am
      That's the state symbol. It's on the flag, too:
      <img src="http://www.50states.com/flag/image/nunst021.gif">
      Reply
- Paul_y says:
  July 20, 2011 at 9:25 am
  I too dislike the current NY plate – happily, I moved away while they were being phased in.
  The current CA plate isn't horrible, however:
  <img src="http://acimg.auctivacommerce.com/imgdata/0/0/0/8/8/6/webimg/228200.jpg">
  Edit: It's not horrible as long as your vanity plate doesn't include <3 (because you can do that, and it makes me want to stab people).
  I do enjoy this proposed replacement, however: http://www.dailymonster.com/344_loves_you/2010/06…
  Reply
P161911 says:
July 20, 2011 at 7:20 am
Delaware always seemed strange to me because the plates weren't embossed, just printed on. Don't know if they are still that way or not.
I could mention plates supporting college sports rivals too.
Reply
- pj134 says:
  July 20, 2011 at 8:48 am
  I think Delaware plates are pretty cool. The interesting aspect of it being the lower your plate number the longer you've been a part of the state. Or the more willing you are to spend half a million dollars on a single digit license plate. Because of the low population they don't have letters and license plates are given out in serial. The gold and blue doesn't look great, but it is simple and rather clean. I do like the black and white centennial plates they produced from 08 to 09. http://www.autoblog.com/2008/02/21/delaware-man-s…
  Reply
  - dukeisduke says:
    July 20, 2011 at 1:19 pm
    They're called "digital plates" (and no, I don't know why). Here in Texas, they've gone to digital plates, which is easier because no stamping is required, and it's also enabled them to go from six to seven characters. I can remember when everyone here had to get new plates every year, and the crush at the county tax offices at the end of March (you had January, February, and March to get your plates). Renewals were cheap (either $12.30, $22.30, or $30.30 per year, depending on how much your car weighed). Back then (in the '60s), even numbered year plates were white-on-black, and odd numbered year plates were black-on-white, until '69, when the first reflectorized plate debuted.
    Reply
  - topdeadcentre says:
    July 20, 2011 at 2:29 pm
    The way Delaware works is pretty cool, actually. If the number on your plates dates to the long-ago time when plates were state issued with porcelain enamel, then you can use one of those on your vehicle. These include the really low numbers. If your number dates to the stamped-steel plate era, you can use one of those on your vehicle. Current issue has printed digits.
    I believe you can also just ask the DMV if any low numbers are free, and they give you one if available. Here in MA, where we fanatically collect low-number registrations, the only way these days to get a low-number plate is to inherit it, or to win one in the annual Plate Lottery.
    Reply
muthalovin says:
July 20, 2011 at 7:38 am
It works really, really well on turquoise vehicles. Everything else just looks kinda silly.
<img src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_pjuD1rO-Gc8/SoXvgxul-PI/AAAAAAAABUo/CgcK-6esXEg/s320/NMCentennialLicenseproof.gif">
Reply
- vwminispeedster says:
  July 20, 2011 at 9:05 am
  Qataris in Ferraris? http://i4.asntown.net/ferrari_599-t2p3.jpg
  Reply
- dukeisduke says:
  July 20, 2011 at 1:21 pm
  It's easier to read than the yellow, orange and red on white plates (I'll bet the cops just love those).
  Reply
OA5599 says:
July 20, 2011 at 7:39 am
I don't know what Arizona was thinking when they came up with this one.
<img src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/2164HUcWvCL.jpg">
Reply
citroen67 says:
July 20, 2011 at 7:40 am
IMHO the new Michigan plates blow. The blue lettering on white back is just terrible. I really miss the old blue plate.
Reply
- Clashtastic says:
  July 20, 2011 at 8:03 am
  I came here to make the same comment. I miss the old Blue Plate, I had to go get new plates for the Alfa yesterday, semi tempted to pay 5 dollars to get a different plate design, but then I decided that the state didn't need any more of my money. If they let me pay extra to keep the old blue plate though, I would do that.
  Reply
B3NN3TT says:
July 20, 2011 at 7:50 am
The new "Beautiful Ohio" designs look like something my grandmother would have bought in the Cracker Barrel gift shop, to hang in her kitchen…
<img src="http://i.min.us/jcoFrg.jpg" >
Reply
- RichardKopf says:
  July 20, 2011 at 8:59 am
  While the new design is tacky, it's not as bad as the previous plates, which looked horribly plain:
  <img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j129/hoopd87/3f9cc877.jpg" >
  Reply
  - RichardKopf says:
    July 20, 2011 at 9:02 am
    Also, the retro NY plates look like Ohio's DUI plates, which are affectionately known as party plates:
    <img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j129/hoopd87/0767d871.jpg">
    Reply
    - B72 says:
      July 20, 2011 at 11:01 am
      Ok…what's a DUI plate?
      Reply
      - Smells_Homeless says:
        July 20, 2011 at 11:14 am
        Just what it sounds like. Get a dui in Ohio and wear the yellow badge of shame.
        Reply
        JeepyJayhawk says:
        July 20, 2011 at 12:43 pm
        Interesting idea, you know who to avoid at 10PM on friday then…
        Reply
        dragon951 says:
        July 20, 2011 at 1:02 pm
        I imagine anyone with those plates bums a ride on weekend nights, lest they get pulled over by every cop in town for a 'chat'.
        Reply
      - hoonguest says:
        July 20, 2011 at 11:34 am
        Depending on the circumstances of the DUI conviction, those yellow plates are issued to the driver, they are mandatory based on prior convictions or high BAC levels.
        Reply
    - muthalovin says:
      July 20, 2011 at 11:55 am
      Funnily enough, the DUI plate looks like New Mexico's old plates.
      Reply
      - Alff says:
        July 20, 2011 at 1:24 pm
        I think that says something about New Mexicans
        Reply
        vwminispeedster says:
        July 20, 2011 at 1:34 pm
        What about the Old Mexicans?
        Reply
        Alff says:
        July 20, 2011 at 2:12 pm
        Old Mexicans can hold their liquor.
        Reply
    - topdeadcentre says:
      July 20, 2011 at 2:31 pm
      I've also heard them referred to as "ketchup and mustard".
      Reply
  - B3NN3TT says:
    July 20, 2011 at 12:53 pm
    I'm actually a big fan of the red/white/blue design; plain is okay in my book. It's what I have on my car right now.
    The ones from before THAT had a nasty tan gradient at the bottom, so they always looked dirty
    Reply
  - From_a_Buick_6 says:
    July 20, 2011 at 2:39 pm
    I don't like the new plate, but I HATED the last one. Fortunately, the gold-fade and Bicentennial plates are still valid, thanks to Ohio continually cheaping out doing a general reissue (Our now ex-governor felt that two bucks was "Too much of a burden on motorists," so about a million of those silly "Beautiful" plates – that his wife helped design, no less – sat in storage for a year).
    Unfortunately, I had to get the new plates this spring when I returned from my two year exile to Georgia (a state whose plates are actually pretty decent, if not very interesting). I got a set of collegiate plates for my nice car, since it deletes the hokey bottom half of the graphic, which makes the flat serial somewhat tolerable in comparison.
    Reply
    - B3NN3TT says:
      July 21, 2011 at 6:30 am
      Ha! If the state is "cheeping out", they should REALLY think about dispensing with the front plate law. Imagine the savings if they only had to stamp half as many!
      Ohio is exceedingly stupid sometimes.
      Reply
Alff says:
July 20, 2011 at 7:59 am
Nebraska's new plates truly capture the exciting nature of the state…
<img src="http://www.doobybrain.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/nebraska-license-plate.jpg"width=500>
Reply
- pj134 says:
  July 20, 2011 at 8:51 am
  At least its clean and doesn't detract from the car.
  Reply
- salguod says:
  July 20, 2011 at 8:55 am
  Actually, that's rather nice. No busy graphics and understated colors that won't clash with whatever your car's color is.
  Reply
- CHDS PNY says:
  July 20, 2011 at 10:12 am
  thats not the new plate, that is the one that would have won but College Humor fucked it up and now we have this fugly one
  [img Reply

CHDS PNY says:

July 20, 2011 at 10:13 am

http://www.doobybrain.com/wp-content/uploads/2009…

Alff says:
July 20, 2011 at 1:27 pm
I stand corrected…
<img src="http://www.doobybrain.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/the-new-new-nebraska-license-plate.jpg">
Not picking on Neb, 'cause other states do it too, but I abhor the practice of placing a state URL on the plate. Arkansas aside, it's fair to assume that every state government is on the web.
Reply
- FuzzyPlushroom says:
  July 27, 2011 at 7:40 am
  Agreed. What every state really needs is a badass slogan. "Live Free or Die", man.
  Reply

TurboBrick says:

July 20, 2011 at 10:50 am

It has kind of a penal colony vibe to it.

rtfact32 says:

July 20, 2011 at 8:16 am

Rhode Island. Hands down. The "wave" plate just looks amazing, and it's been voted as such numerous times.

I'd embed, but I'm still clueless as to how to go about doing it.

paxman356 says:
July 20, 2011 at 8:23 am
I invested a little time today to learn embedding.
<img src="http://www.ri.gov/img/facts/License_Plate.jpg">
Reply

LTDScott says:

July 20, 2011 at 9:24 am

I don't have any ones I particularly hate, but what I do hate is the trend of states changing from stamped numbers to flat plates with number decals. AZ and NV did it recently and it makes the plates look cheap and counterfeit. I hope California doesn't get rid of their stamped plates.

mdharrell says:
July 20, 2011 at 9:35 am
WA switched to flat vanity plates a few years ago. I've heard the plan is to switch everything in the state eventually. We're required to replace our plates every seven years (officially this is because the reflective coating deteriorates quickly), so this would mean that embossed plates will become a thing of the past, except on special-interest vehicles with in-period vintage plates, which are exempt from mandatory replacement.
This also means each vehicle gets a new plate number every seven years, unless the owner pays an extra $20 for a new plate with the old number on it.
Reply
- LTDScott says:
  July 20, 2011 at 9:45 am
  I love the fact that the plate stays with the car in California. In fact, on pre-'72 cars (or close to that year), you can use old original year of issue plates as long as the plates are not in the system. In other words, if you have a '70 car that has newer plates, and you procure a pair of '70 plates that the DMV doesn't have in the system, you can then use those plates on your car.
  I was really surprised to learn CA DMV allowed that considering how strict and/or bass ackwards they are in other aspects.
  Reply

vwminispeedster says:

July 20, 2011 at 9:45 am

It looks like the plate is rusting away. It would go perfect with a lot of decaying oregonian cars then.

Macko says:
July 20, 2011 at 5:31 pm
Cars in Oregon, in my experience, tend not to be rusty, but rather they tend to moulder into oblivion.
Reply
- MrHowser says:
  July 20, 2011 at 5:44 pm
  Unless your uncle gets caught racing, and your grandfather leaves the '62 300H in the garage for 25 years without any thought to rust protection. Hello, ruined trunk and floorboards!
  Reply

mdharrell says:

July 20, 2011 at 9:51 am

I was born and raised in Oregon and must admit that plate has never made any sense to me. I just assumed it was a representation of an historic pictograph, but that they chose such a close-up view as to render it unrecognizable. Turns out it's not. According to the DMV:

"The colorful abstract design was selected after an open competition that had over one hundred entries from Oregon artists. The plate was designed by Kelly Kievit, a fine artist represented by Portland's Froelick Gallery. Rather than attempting to represent 'culture' through specific images, or emphasizing one cultural sector over another, the Oregon Cultural Trust chose a design that is bold, abstract and distinctive."

It is, of course, itself a "specific image" despite their claim to the contrary. Oh, well. At least they've also brought back a (slightly screwed up) version of Oregon's best plate, the blue-with-yellow Pacific Wonderland.

Macko says:
July 20, 2011 at 5:32 pm
I actually saw one in Fort Worth texas the other day and nearly crashed off the road.
Reply

Tanshanomi says:

July 20, 2011 at 10:04 am

Missouri has some pretty lousy affinity plates, but the worst is the Missouri Travel plate.
"Come to Missouri; an explosion of randomly thrown-together clip art!"
<img src="http://dor.mo.gov/motorv/plates/images/travel.gif">

And, what is with this one? A Missouri Razorback plate? Seriously?
<img src="http://dor.mo.gov/motorv/plates/images/arkalumni.gif">

dragon951 says:
July 20, 2011 at 1:10 pm
<img src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_mwKQwVJ0UNU/Sh16Ymm4EjI/AAAAAAAAAFg/1_I94osB5tc/s320/Abe+Simpson.bmp" width= 200 />
"I'll be deep in the cold, cold ground before I recognize Missourah!"
Reply
GTXEliminator says:
July 20, 2011 at 1:47 pm
I like how we changed ours. Lets take the old plate and add a bird and an outline of the state.
Reply
P161911 says:
July 21, 2011 at 11:40 am
In Georgia you can get ALL the colleges in the state, PLUS University of Tennessee, Clemson, University of Alabama, University of Florida, and Florida State. The out of state ones are supposed to support local alumni associations.
Reply

TurboBrick says:

July 20, 2011 at 11:12 am

Texas dumped the stamped three-color plates in favor of the printed flat plates, and then decided to start selling vanity plate designs left and right. You can even get a "Freebirds Burrito" or "ReMax" advertising plate now. I understand it's easy money for the state but I just don't think that ads belong on license plates. What's next, coupons for "Earl Campbell's Hot Links" in the envelope when they mail your registration renewal form to you?

LTDScott says:
July 20, 2011 at 11:41 am
I thought you were joking. You're not. Wow.
But hey, I do think the Ford plate is cool for obvious reasons
Reply
- TX_Stig says:
  July 20, 2011 at 12:01 pm
  I bought into that for a year, the first year that they did the "T for Texas" thing, with a black and white plate that looked pretty cool. Then the fee to register it went from $30 a year to $155. I promptly went back to a generic plate.
  Reply
  - njhoon says:
    July 21, 2011 at 10:55 am
    But there is sooo much you could do with that…
    <img src="http://www.myplates.com/Images/Plates/PLPB202?plateText=BAG%20U2" width="600">
    Reply
    - TX_Stig says:
      July 21, 2011 at 11:04 am
      Nice. I had this one for a while.
      <img src="http://www.myplates.com/Images/Plates/PLPB202?plateText=X%20STIG" width="500">
      Though the sheer number of idiots out there that seem to be ignorant of the meaning of tea bagging is amusing to me.
      Reply

Maymar says:

July 20, 2011 at 12:58 pm

<img src="http://www.netstate.com/states/links/images/nj_license_plate.jpg" /img>
I assume New Jersey was going for an approximation of their air colour on the plate.

<img src="http://www.canplates.com/Canada/ab84.jpg" /img>
Alberta's current plate came out for 1984. It looks like it was woefully outdated by 1985. Still, at least they only require the rear plate.

Tanshanomi says:
July 20, 2011 at 1:26 pm
<img src="http://www.wycokck.org/uploadedImages/Departments/Treasury/KSPersonalized.jpg">
Kansas only requires a rear plate, and their new vanity plate background is actually pretty nice. The downside is that you have to live in Kansas. Although, I guess it's pretty much what you'd get if you defrosted Alberta, so it wouldn't be too bad in comparison.
Reply
- BlackIce_GTS says:
  July 20, 2011 at 2:42 pm
  Alberta is usually equated to Texas.
  Reply

CaptainZeroCool says:

July 20, 2011 at 2:08 pm

Alabama's current plate is fugly. I don't know if it is good or bad we have nearly 100 custom plates to pick from…

dukeisduke says:
July 20, 2011 at 2:24 pm
Bring back the old Heart of Dixie plates. Or even the Stars Fell on Alabama plates.
Reply
- P161911 says:
  July 21, 2011 at 11:29 am
  "Stars Fell on Alabama" and we forgot to duck.
  Reply

Snark says:

July 20, 2011 at 2:49 pm

Texas' new standard plates look like something Rick Perry shat out after eating a burrito full of terrible clip art:
http://www.escapeest.com/images/austinist/090603_…

Whoever designed this travesty needs to have whatever design degree they might have revoked on the spot and then be deported to Mobilehoma.

BrianTheHoon says:

July 20, 2011 at 4:14 pm

I'm curious if another state has more plate options than CA.
http://roadwarrior.blogs.pressdemocrat.com/12048/…

JayP says:
July 20, 2011 at 6:29 pm
Texas…
<img src="http://images.thecarconnection.com/med/texas-myplates-license-plates-auction_100337368_m.jpg">
Reply
- RealDonn says:
  July 24, 2011 at 4:49 pm
  Texas also outsourced some specialty plates to a private company. Supposedly our current standard plate was picked by internet vote, but I suspect it was to boost sales of vanity plates. http://www.myplates.com/
  It got me to make the switch, black on a black car looks good -.the regular tags just don't give off the proper "F you, we're from Texas" vibe,
  Reply
P161911 says:
July 21, 2011 at 11:35 am
I'm pretty sure Georgia has them beat. We have around 144 different ones. http://www.mvd.dor.ga.gov/motor/plates/platesampl…
You can even get one with pretty much every regular in Nascar plus Dale Earnhardt and Richard Petty. http://motor.etax.dor.ga.gov/motor/plates/nascar….
Reply

TurboNarwhal says:

July 21, 2011 at 8:01 am

The horrible kentucky plate with the happy sun isnt current. They phased it out quick because it was hated soo much. the current one is much much better.

hwyengr says:

July 21, 2011 at 3:06 pm

The new-ish script Illinois plates are bothersome for one significant reason. With the current random numbering of ### ####, Lincoln's head isn't centered in the space between the number sets. Always looks crooked.

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Hooniverse Asks- What’s the Fugliest U.S. State License Plate?

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