California Black Plate Tags

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After almost three months, I finally got the tags for my California black plates that I bought for my 912.  I bought the plates on eBay and then set an appointment to register them with the DMV.  Much to my surprise (but then again this is government at work) I needed to also purchase a valid 1966 license plate stick that corresponds to the year of manufacturer (YOM) for my car.  Originally when I started researching black plates and their eligibility for use in July of 2009, I never recalled I needed to buy the sticker.  The man stuck it to me and $55 duckets later on eBay, I had the sticker too.

I went to get these assigned in August.  I did it the day before I left for Pebble Beach figuring that I would simply bring the plates and the sticker in and they would update me with 2010 tags.  No so.  The woman at the counter (who was a sweetheart from NJ) took my money and said that Sacramento needed to approve the transfer of plates and they would send me the tags and “directions” how to apply the new stickers.

“What about my sticker I just paid sixty bucks for?”  I asked.

“I’m not sure what they will do with that, but you will not be able to use the plates until they send you the proper stickers and information.” counter woman said.  “Here is your temporary tag to tape in your window. You can not use the plates on the car, it may take up to 90 days.”

“Excuse you?”  “Really, 90 days?  Crap.  I wanted to have these on my car for the concours weekend.”

Which of course, I did anyway.

I opened up the DMV envelop yesterday to find a March sticker and the 2010 sticker.  They also included two metal plates to affix the stickers (shown here from the 356 Registry website.)  No directions, no instructions… just a bunch of “you think you should know.”

Remember the $55 dollar 1966 sticker from eBay?  Nothing on the registration paperwork reports that number.  Yes, the counter woman copied down that number and it was “needed” but it didn’t show up anywhere, so what gives?  Are you guys jiving me?

I kinda did some figurin’ and realized that the tags needed to go above the plate like the 356 picture, so one day I will look stylin’.  But what to do with the black plate area itself.  Do I apply the 1966 sticker while the other ones go on the metal tabs?  I don’t know.  I don’t really care.  First things first… fix the broken engine and get this ride back on the road.

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