how to get a license plate personalized?

[ZippyDan]

i have an old license plate (a special state university license plate) that has a once-but-no-longer-valid-but-boring tag number. as a gift i would love to be able to flatten the old tag number and get it repressed with a new customized tag. is there any one who would have the tools to do this?

 

[XZeroII]

Go to the DMV and order the new plate for yourself. After you get the new plate, go back to the DMV and change your plates again. Take the first set off and give them to your friend and put the second set legally on your car.

Done!

 

[BoomerD]

I'm not quite sure how you think that could be done...the metal is "stretched" where the numbers were stamped. Do you know of an "unstretcher" that would shrink the metal back into its original shape? you could always take a sledge hammer and pound it flat...then you'd have a flattened piece of junk...

The short answer then, is no, there are no special tools that will do this for you.

 

[ZippyDan]

Originally posted by: BoomerD
I'm not quite sure how you think that could be done...the metal is "stretched" where the numbers were stamped. Do you know of an "unstretcher" that would shrink the metal back into its original shape? you could always take a sledge hammer and pound it flat...then you'd have a flattened piece of junk...

The short answer then, is no, there are no special tools that will do this for you.

sure, with enough pressure on both sides of the plate, it would be sqashed flat and close to how it was originally

i actually already know someone who can press new tags onto a blank plate... i just need to get it "blank" first

 

[pyonir]

Originally posted by: ZippyDan

Originally posted by: BoomerD
I'm not quite sure how you think that could be done...the metal is "stretched" where the numbers were stamped. Do you know of an "unstretcher" that would shrink the metal back into its original shape? you could always take a sledge hammer and pound it flat...then you'd have a flattened piece of junk...

The short answer then, is no, there are no special tools that will do this for you.

sure, with enough pressure on both sides of the plate, it would be sqashed flat and close to how it was originally

i actually already know someone who can press new tags onto a blank plate... i just need to get it "blank" first

You missed his point. Yes, you have a friend that can make a new tag from a blank plate, but Boomer is saying that you can't make one that has already been stretched, into a blank plate again and have it look right.

 

[BoomerD]

Once the plate has been stamped, it's never gonna be made to look new again, and no one except the issuing authority can make a new license plate. Any one who does it for you is most likely committing a felony...and probably so would you.
I'm sure the state of New York would take a dim view of someone "remanufacturing" license plates...

 

[ZippyDan]

Originally posted by: BoomerD
Once the plate has been stamped, it's never gonna be made to look new again, and no one except the issuing authority can make a new license plate. Any one who does it for you is most likely committing a felony...and probably so would you.
I'm sure the state of New York would take a dim view of someone "remanufacturing" license plates...

its not a NY plate, the individual who does the stamping is located out of the states, the tag/tag id combo will not be valid, and there is no intention of using it as a tag. ive seen many places where i can buy tags novelty tags that look real so im not really concerned about making my own.

anyway, the metal a plate is made of is clearly soft and malleable as metals go, they would want it such for the stamping process. im not sure how it is difficult to understand that it could be reflattened with enough pressure. yes it might be stretched in some places and not look exactly right.