I'm curious how license plates in the US are issued? In Alberta the plate is registered to the car, but follows the owner. In other words, if I sell my car, I keep the plate and put it on whatever I purchase (I must of course have the registry change the vehicle information the plate is attached to). The purchaser must provide their own plate at the time of delivery. No one can take my plate and make it theirs. Watching some of the threads, it seems that in the US (or at least several States), the plate stays with the vehicle and the owner information changes. Is this correct?

Varies somewhat by State, but in GENERAL, the plates stay with the car. Some States allow the owner to retain or send on their plates upon vehicle sale, based on their own choice.

Thanks. That'* sort of what I suspected. Interesting the different approaches by various governmental bodies.

Interesting, I always figured the plates stayed with the owner and never with the car. The plates on the Honda (legally my father'*) were the plates that were on the SSE, and originally started out life on an '85 Toyota Cressida.

Having plates staying with the car seems to make more economical sense in a way. Here in Ontario a lot of drivers seem to get BRAND NEW plates for EVERY car they purchase, new or used. We run out of letter and number combinations FAST. If you contrast my plates, and say, Jim W'* plates on his GTP, you can see the pace we've been going at since 1994.

In most states plates stay with the owner.

My plate has been on a 1993 SSEi, 1994 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme, 1993 SSEi and now my 1997 SSEi, and has almost always been used seasonally only as well..generally it expires Dec.31 and doesnt get renewed until March or so.

Ah, yes... You are one of those 'W' people Mine always expires the end of January.

stays with the car in MN

Stays with the owner in MO