When I lived in California they were using the blue plates, which I will always associate with California for the rest of my life. 2 questions: since I lived in L.A. in the early 80's, which was 20 years ago, is there any value to saying a car is a "blue plate" car? Would seem so. 2nd, is it possible to get black plates and just put them on your car? How do you know you're really getting a black plate car? Is the tag# on the title and/or registration? Mark Terry & Andree Hoeman wrote: > is this to say that whatever plate you were issued is still on the car and > you are not required to get new plates every few years?? WOW. We are > required to get new plates all the time. Give us something new and ugly to > look at and complain about!.. > > You are actually happy to have a new plate that hasn't been beaten around > for years as a rule. Some of the used ones get pretty tired.