Custom Plates

For a long time, prisoners have made our license plates. You won’t believe who made them before that...

 

The production of license plates has come a long way since the turn of the century. Originally, drivers paid about $2 a year for a number and had to make the plate themselves! It could be made of wood, metal or leather, with the numbers painted on. Once they started being issued by states, they were generally made from wood, leather or porcelain and occasionally tin. It wasn’t until about 1920 that most states started producing the metal variety – behind bars.

Cons are still churning out plates in most states – although some have contracted the job out to private companies.

Source: State of Washington Department of Licensing