Assemblyman Mike Gatto Is Taking Los Angeles License Plates Back In Time

A few weeks ago we shared that there is an effort to take California license plates back to a more simpler, classic time by way reproducing plates from the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s. The effort is very small and would bring a very design friendly plate to California cars, allowing your car to make a statement without you actually having to do all that much at the DMV. It only makes sense that such a “cool” little effort was started by an LA person. Who is responsible for it? Assemblyman Mike Gatto, a native Angeleno who represents the 43rd District, an area that covers Silver Lake, Glendale, Atwater Village, Burbank, Los Feliz, and more.

Gatto is one of those “cool” politician who is fighting the good fight in all the best ways. Annoyed about getting a ticket on a broken parking meter? Mike Gatto just fixed that. Think we need more dog parks? Gatto’s on that. Annoyed you were a small batch food producer who couldn’t sell goods? Mike took care of that too. He definitely knows what civic issues to take care of and is doing some pretty wild things in his position. We had a quick chat with him about his latest effort—the Legacy License Plates—to learn more about where the idea came from and what he needs to make it a reality.

The Legacy License Plate project is something that has gotten a great response from people as they bring a vintage, minimal license plate aesthetic to modern and classic cars. What sparked the idea to bring them back?

California Government doesn’t do much for the thousands of car enthusiasts in our state, and most laws that apply to them tell them they can’t do certain things. The idea came to me after seeing all the different license plates legislators were pushing, things like “save the whales” plates and such. I tried to think of the one type of plate that car collectors really wanted, in original DMV form. So many collectors buy old plates at swap meets, only to find they are forgeries or not what they wanted. This is a way to get original DMV plates, personalized how a collector wants them, for their classic cars.

Do you feel that the project resonates with a specific type of Californian? Are you guys finding that the people supporting the project are a certain “type”?

This project is a natural fit for any Californian, since we are a state where car culture means a lot to us. There’s a lot of nostalgia for the great models and looks of the past.

What obstacles do you see coming the way of the Legacy project? It seems like such a cool, design friendly, “Duh!” project that surely will pass.

The only obstacle is reaching the 7,500 mark for each plate. So far the response has been good, especially for the black plate, with over 4,200 approved applications. We could see those in production as early as next January if the numbers stay consistent. But people should apply ASAP.

How have Angelenos been responding to the project? Do you imagine it has the potential to change the license plate landscape in the city?

At this point, we have no official breakdown of where the registrations are coming from, but I would imagine that Angelenos have been a major part of it. I attend car shows in the area from time to time, and I get some nice “thank yous” from area residents too!

How quickly could these plates start rolling out? The deadline is in 2015 but could they be released earlier if there is enough support?

If the registration keeps its current pace, we could see the black plates as soon as next January. This is one of those things where, the more word gets out, the better it is for everyone. Remember, the first guy who ordered has to wait for the 7500th to order, for the DMV to actually start making the plates, since it’s a cost issue. Thanks for your help in spreading the word!

This is all very exciting and we can most definitely see these becoming a “thing” amongst the LA design clique, becoming a marker of your forward thinking tastes. We hope so! Although we don’t think that they suit our really terrible 2001 Volkswagen New Beetle that we hate, we will likely be getting us these plates to help support the effort. Learn more about the Legacy Plates here and pre-order them from this form here. Be sure to check out Mike’s website here and follow him on Twitter for live updates

This article originally appeared in "Los Angeles I'm Yours."  You can read this article and more  HERE

Check these out! Sample vintage license plates from my AB 1658

Check these out! My AB 1658 last year allowed car buffs to order actual classic plates. These are samples.

For more information or to order your vintage license plate, visit: http://www.asmdc.org/members/a43/the-california-legacy-license-plate-program/

Mike Gatto is the Chairman of the Appropriations Committee in the California State Assembly.  He represents Burbank, Glendale, La Cañada Flintridge, La Crescenta, Montrose, and the Los Angeles neighborhoods of Atwater Village, East Hollywood, Franklin Hills, Hollywood Hills, Los Feliz, and Silver Lake.  www.asm.ca.gov/gatto 

Black Plate Special: California Revives Vintage License Plates

From "The Rodder's Journal"

The original California Yellow and Black plate issued 1956-1963, as seen on the
Lloyd Bakan '32 Ford Coupe, currently owned by Don Orosco, Monterey, CA
Photo from The Rodder's Journal

Last September, California passed a bill that established the state’s Legacy License Plate program. Officially launched January 1, 2013 the program revives the famous “California Black Plates,” originally issued in the ’60s, as well as the yellow plates from the ’50s, and blue plates from the ’70s. It was initiated by California Assemblyman Mike Gatto, a vintage car enthusiast who oversees the district just north of Los Angeles that includes Burbank and Glendale. Aaron Moreno, Legislative Director from the Office of Assemblyman Gatto, reports that DMV pre-orders for the specialty plates are doing well. However, a minimum of 7,500 of each plate style must be ordered and pre-approved by the state before production of any one style will begin.

The original Black and Gold plate, first issued in 1963, as seen on a
1932 Ford Roadster owned by Pat Ganahl, Glendale, CA
Photo from The Rodder's Journal

From our perspective, this is a worthwhile program that adds one more element of authenticity to our period-styled hot rods and customs. We hope that spreading the word will help make this effort a success, and that other states will consider following suit.

California originally issued black license plates with gold lettering in 1963. While most states require that license plates stay with the registered owner, California allows them to be transferred with the car from one owner to the next. There are still quite a few cars that retain these desirable black plates from the ’60s. Equally coveted are yellow plates with black lettering, issued from ’56 to ’63, and blue plates with yellow lettering issued from ’69 until the early-’80s.

The original Blue and Yellow plate issued 1969-1983 as seen on the
Jim "Jake" Jacobs '34 Ford coupe, currently owned by Jerry Slover of Peculiar, Missouri
Photo from The Rodder's Journal

The replica plates offered through the program are available in standard sequential alpha-numeric format or as vanity plates. The main difference from the original plates is that the replicas are “reflectorized” (chemically coated to reflect light) to comply with state law. Within the first month, 3,500 pre-orders were placed among all three license plate styles. The minimum of 7,500 pre-approved orders per plate must be received by January 1, 2015 for the program to move forward.

The pre-order cost is $50, and you can download your order form here. For a list of Frequently Asked Questions and payment information, visit Assemblyman Gatto's Website HERE.

Mike Gatto is the chairman of the Appropriations Committee of the California State Assembly. He represents Burbank, Glendale, La Cañada-Flintridge, La Crescenta, Montrose, and the Los Angeles neighborhoods of Los Feliz, Silver Lake, Atwater Village, and portions of the Hollywood Hills and East Hollywood.   www.asm.ca.gov/gatto