Texas Switching License Plate Designs...Again
By: Dylan Brooks
Updated: July 18, 2012
AUSTIN -- Yet another license plate pattern has been rolled out in Texas.
Some counties in southeast Texas have now started distributing black and white license plates. The plates are named "The Texas Classic."
The "Texas Classic" plates came to fruition after law enforcement complained that the current plate pattern -- known as the "Lone Star Texas" plates -- is too difficult to spot and too easy to fake.
The current "Lone Star Texas" pattern was first introduced in Texas in 2009, featuring screen printed numbers and a seven digit pattern of numbers and letters.
However, the prominent red, white and blue on the plates reportedly made it difficult for law enforcement officers to identify plates.
Law enforcement also say it's too easy to make fake license plates in the "Lone Star Texas" design.
In response, Texas Department of Public Safety officials embedded two high-visibility security threads into the plate sheeting of the new plates.
The security threads make the new plates nearly impossible to fake.
According to Texas D.P.S. officials, Texas is the first state to have security strips embedded into license plates.
The new plates will also have bigger letter and numbers than previous models.
Identification patterns will consist of 3 letters followed by 4 numbers, which differs greatly from the mix-and-match pattern of numbers and letters on previous plates.
The new plates are being rolled out at Texas county tax offices on a county-by-county basis, and they'll only be added to inventories after unused "Lone Star Texas" plates are distributed.
The "Texas Classic" plates will be added to owners of existing vehicles when their current plates expire. In Texas, plates expire 7 years after distribution.
For more information on the "Texas Classic" license plates, click here.
Some counties in southeast Texas have now started distributing black and white license plates. The plates are named "The Texas Classic."
The "Texas Classic" plates came to fruition after law enforcement complained that the current plate pattern -- known as the "Lone Star Texas" plates -- is too difficult to spot and too easy to fake.
The current "Lone Star Texas" pattern was first introduced in Texas in 2009, featuring screen printed numbers and a seven digit pattern of numbers and letters.
However, the prominent red, white and blue on the plates reportedly made it difficult for law enforcement officers to identify plates.
Law enforcement also say it's too easy to make fake license plates in the "Lone Star Texas" design.
In response, Texas Department of Public Safety officials embedded two high-visibility security threads into the plate sheeting of the new plates.
The security threads make the new plates nearly impossible to fake.
According to Texas D.P.S. officials, Texas is the first state to have security strips embedded into license plates.
The new plates will also have bigger letter and numbers than previous models.
Identification patterns will consist of 3 letters followed by 4 numbers, which differs greatly from the mix-and-match pattern of numbers and letters on previous plates.
The new plates are being rolled out at Texas county tax offices on a county-by-county basis, and they'll only be added to inventories after unused "Lone Star Texas" plates are distributed.
The "Texas Classic" plates will be added to owners of existing vehicles when their current plates expire. In Texas, plates expire 7 years after distribution.
For more information on the "Texas Classic" license plates, click here.
