Can anyone give me some insight as to how ordering custom plates in Texas works? I believe I read somewhere that Texas only accepts requests for custom plates up until March. Is this true? If not, can custom plates be ordered via the dealer when I actually take delivery on my car or do I need to order them separately through my county tax collector? Any wisdom y'all can share would be greatly appreciated

 

http://www.dot.state.tx.us/vtr/sppla...ate.htm?nbr=77

ftp://ftp.dot.state.tx.us/pub/txdot-...tr/vtr-35a.pdf

You can order plates without actually having the car. You get three choices, but there's no way to check what's taken online. I understand that you can call the regional office and they may be able to tell you.

 

You can order custom plates at any time, and without actually having a car to put them on. Go to http://www.dot.state.tx.us/vtr/sppl...late.htm?nbr=77 for the details, and download the application form.

Send the form with your $40 check to TxDOT, and they'll either write you back saying that all three of your choices are taken, or you'll receive a letter saying that your plates are being sent to your county tax assessor's office.

You then take your letter, title, and proof of insurance down to the county offices, pay a pro-rated registration fee to take you up to 12 months hence, and they hand you the plates and a new sticker.

Unfortunately there's no way to check what's available online, but if you call your regional office (http://www.dot.state.tx.us/vtr/rego.../regoffices.htm) they'll usually look up a few for you if you ask nicely.

Unfortunately your plates will be the new flat laser-printed "digital" plates like my wife's Miata. Personally I reckon they look cheap and nasty, and I'm glad mine are the old embossed style, but the new cheap ones all they offer these days.

 

What if all three are taken? do they send the check back? Do you get another chance?

 

They return your form and check, and you send 'em another with three new choices. If you think yours are likely to be taken already, call your local district office (link in my previous post) and ask them nicely if they'd mind checking if they're available.

Don't forget that you can use 1's as I's or l's, and 0's as O's. We wanted POLLEN for the wife's Miata (a yellow car in "allergy central USA") but that was taken already. We opted for PO11EN.