One of the worst things about going to the DMV is waiting hours to complete small, simple tasks.
You expect certain services to take awhile. For example, getting your driver’s license or Real ID always takes more than a few hours—sometimes, you can find yourself in the DMV for an entire day trying to complete those tasks.
But with straightforward services, like registering your vehicle, it shouldn’t take that long. Yet, still, you can easily find yourself waiting in a long DMV line or sitting in a crowded room until sundown, expecting someone to call your ticket number.
What makes this situation worse is when you book an appointment, believing your proactive nature will save you time. Despite your motivated approach, you may still end up at the DMV for hours. This agency is notoriously slow, and if employees are running behind, your appointment gets pushed back.
However, it becomes even more frustrating when you’re only at the DMV to get new license plates. On the surface, this task seems so simple. You register your vehicle and fill out an application, and in return, someone hands you your license plates.
But this straightforward process is far from the norm. It’s true that you do have to take a couple of steps. Yet, the time it takes to complete those steps is the discouraging part.
What’s interesting, though, is that there was a time when you didn’t need to go through the DMV at all to get new license plates.
The history of getting new license plates
New York was the first state to require vehicles to have license plates. On April 25th, 1901, Governor Benjamin Odell Jr. signed a bill that demanded owners of motor vehicles to get license plates.
However, instead of going through a state agency, people could handcraft their own. Most owners used leather or iron to create their license plates and lettering. But others chose a simpler route and just painted the letters directly on their motor vehicles.
Many people were happy with these identifiers and had no objection to producing the plates on their own. In fact, when the law passed, the Times reported that 17 drivers applied for new license plates in May.
By September, that number jumped to 715. And in the following year, there were 1,566 license plates on people’s vehicles. These new commodities afforded drivers equal rights with those who were still getting around on horses.
As a result, the number of license plates continued to increase throughout the state, and New Yorkers happily handcrafted their plates until 1910. They were unbothered by the time they had to spend making them. While it wasn’t a 10-minute process, it was still a simple one.
It didn’t require long lines, waiting rooms, unhelpful employees, or appointments. There wasn’t a DMV to visit. All anyone had to do was get the tools, find the material, and start building.
When did the DMV start issuing license plates?
In 1903, almost two years after New York’s bill passed, Massachusetts became the first state to provide state-issued plates. These license plates were iron and covered in porcelain enamel. Their background color was cobalt blue, and their lettering was in white.
While first to provide state-issued plates, Massachusetts set an example for other states. Governors across the U.S. started to distribute license plates to their citizens. And by 1918, every state in the U.S. was providing state-issued plates. Drivers were no longer allowed to make them on their own.
Today, the DMV handles this responsibility. This is the only agency that’s allowed to provide new license plates to drivers. However, there are some exceptions to this rule.
For fleets with federal vehicles or cars owned by foreign diplomats, a federal government agency provides license plates. Moreover, some Native American tribes in the West issue their own license plates and registration to members.
Why you shouldn’t use the DMV
When the DMV started issuing license plates, the agency opened the door to personalized plates. For example, in New York, you can get license plates that fall in one of the following categories:
- Historical
- I Love NY Adventure Plates
- Sports
- Colleges
- Sororities
- Fraternities
- Causes
- Military and Veterans
- Organizations
- Professions
While the opportunity to get custom license plates is a great idea and a benefit that many people enjoy, obtaining them is not always easy. When the DMV started issuing new license plates, they unintentionally created a tiring process to get them.
As discussed above, getting your license plates at the DMV can take a long time. But most DMV agencies don’t tell you this information. In fact, many of their websites only outline a few simple steps: register your motor vehicle, submit an application, pay a fee, and get your license plates.
None of them suggest the hours you might sit or stand at a DMV office or the frustration that’ll likely build during your wait time.
How to get new license plates without the DMV
Thankfully, modern times and technology have created new ways for you to work around the DMV. If you want to complete simple tasks, like getting new license plates, you no longer have to rely on this state agency.
In fact, you can get new license plates without ever leaving your house. Companies Barry Risk Management, Inc. makes this possible.
Instead of waiting in long lines, you can work with a representative from Barry Risk Management, Inc. to get your license plates easily and efficiently. After registering your car, all you need to do is contact an agent, and they’ll help you fill out the application for license plates.
The representative will help you over the phone. There’s no need to meet somewhere in-person or go to an office. You never have to leave the comfort of your home to complete this task because it happens online.
All you have to do is call Barry Risk Management, Inc. and gain access to a computer. Once you do those two things, you’ll get your new license plates in the short amount of time that it should actually take.
Ready to get new license plates? Contact a representative with Barry Risk Management, Inc. today to get started!
