Colorado Is Making Drivers Trade In Their Old License Plates. Your State Could Be Next

Spend a lot of time behind other cars while commuting, and you inevitably end up spending a lot of time staring at license plates. The designs, colors, and custom lettering are just some of the things you may notice in traffic—and, perhaps depending on the state you call home, whether a plate's lettering is raised.

Millions of Coloradans are certainly starting to take notice of that last point, especially those trading in their car for something new. As it turns out, drivers in the Centennial State with old embossed plates are now required to replace their tags with newer screened plates (that is, from raised letters to flat, screen-printed plates) when buying a new vehicle.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SVnOS-6Jl-M

The reasoning for the switch is simple. Over time, officials believe that wear and tear from the elements, driving, and even car washes cause the reflective finish of embossed plates to erode. Eventually, they can be worn all the way to the metal underneath, making them unable to be read by police and Automated License Plate Recognition (ALPR) technology used for toll roads, per KUSA.

Anyone who buys a new car will be required to get a new plate with a registration number. Colorado says that it will allow vehicle owners to keep their old number should they choose, though it will cost the same amount as if they purchased a customized plate: $93.06 after fees.