By Peyton Saunders | Guest Writer
Drive on the roads of Lynchburg and you may notice a vanity plate on just about every car you pass.
If you’ve done a lot of traveling across the country, you may notice that vanity plates are much more common in Virginia than in other states. Adriane Broady, manager of a local Department of Motor Vehicles office, stated, “I don’t know why people get them. They just do.”
So, let’s get into why people, and Virginians in particular, love their vanity plates so much.
Gloria Coyle, a nurse at the Veterans Affairs Clinic of Lynchburg, says that she chose to customize her license plate to celebrate a personal achievement.
“I am very proud of the fact that I have been a nurse for 20ish years, working my way from being a Nursing Assistant upon graduating high school, then a LPN, and now a RN and choose to celebrate it multiple ways including on my personalized license plate that also includes a stethoscope and a heart,” Coyle said. “For me, I don’t see it as vanity as much as celebrating my accomplishments.”
The assumption of many people, including Daniel Goshorn and Paula Randolph of the VA Clinic, is that the cost of a personalized plate does not seem like a sound investment to them. While vanity plates are little more than decorative, it is important to note that Virginia has the lowest rates for personalized plates among all states in the US.
The state of Virginia charges just $10 for custom plates, while other states like Illinois and Nevada charge over $80 for customized plates. Texas has one of the highest custom license plate fees in the country, with fees starting at $150.
Despite the popularity of vanity plates in the state, some find it irresponsible or dangerous to have a personalized license plate. Daniel Rupe of the VA clinic says he is against creating his own license plate.
“In an effort to be safe, I try not to personalize any public information including my house, mailbox, and license plate,” Rupe said.
With the common association of vanity plates with irresponsibility and danger, it may be surprising to note that baby boomers have the highest rates of vanity plate ownership.
Data shows that baby boomers make up 40 percent of U.S. adults who have purchased vanity plates, while millennials make up only 21 percent.
While vanity plates may not be for everyone, Virginians have a deep love for their customized plates. To learn more about getting your personalized plates, visit Create a Plate.
