How easy is it to change your car license plate?

Question

I remember long time ago my father and I saw a man assaulting a woman at a parking lot. My father ran to the perp's vehicle to get a look at his license plate to ID to police.
That got me thinking: if that guy wanted to avoid getting arrested by changing license plate number, how easy is it to do so? Does the auto department require keeping a record of who changed their license and so on?

Obi Wan Knievel · Answer

It's extremely easy to change plates on a vehicle, something even an idiot could do in one visit to the DMV (or whatever the DMV is called where you live).

It's also extremely stupid, because cops can find someone using plate numbers that are no longer valid even faster.  They just type the old plate number into the central database, and all the registrant's info is displayed for them.  That's why only law enforcement has access to that database, and even they need a court-approved reason to look it up.

StephenWeinstein · Answer

It is easy, but it would not keep him from getting arrested.  They keep a record of what plate number has been assigned to whom.  Even if he has gotten a new license plate, the police would find out who had the plate number that your father reported, even if he no longer had that plate number.

Anonymous · Answer

Yes in the UK and USA the car plates are registered. You can still be using fake plates but police know that the plate number and make of the car so if the check and it does not match then that is one reason to pull a car over.

John R · Answer

Unless the license plates your father took a picture of were stolen, the police would still be able to track the registered owner of the car.. Changing the plates afterward would do nothing.

? · Answer

Of course they keep records of license plate numbers.

Anonymous · Answer

Getting new plates can be done in several ways.  Yes, of course the DMV will have a record of the changes.

? · Answer

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How easy is it to change your car license plate?

7 Answers