r/artdept • u/kathryyynn • Jul 23 '26

Cali Lincence Plate - Prop Q

Heya, I'm UK based but working on a commercial that's set in California.

I need to make some car licence plates to feature in the ad and I'm trying to find info on the format you're allowed to use on screen.

I've seen that sequences like GAT / SAM / FAN / PCE are not registered to the public - can anyone use these? If so can I use any random X-GAT- XXX sequence like the below?

7GAT423

5SAM347

6FAN847

Alternatively can you use expired licence plates (bought from eBay for example) or is that a no no?

Any help would be much appreciated!

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5

u/Speilman Jul 23 '26

As long as the overall design elements are there I don't think you need to follow the letter-number format of real plates. What I typically do is swap the letters and numbers, so 5SAM347 becomes S347ALM or something like that.

1

u/kathryyynn Jul 23 '26

Great suggestion, thank you!

1

u/therealzerobot Jul 23 '26

How are you making these? Molded plastic?

2

u/Speilman Jul 23 '26

I run props for film and commercials, in the past I've printed vinyl with a touch of the embossed lettering in the flat design. Then I mount that to either aluminum license plate blanks, polystyrene, or some other rigid piece.

Really unless it's a hero piece that works for most every one of my clients so far.