License Plate Game

1941 Fire Engine

License plates where invented in France in 1889 and in 1903 the United States started using license plates.  All states required license plates as more cars appeared on the roads, then followed drivers licenses, registrations, and traffic regulations. Some say that the “license plate game” began in 1903 in Massachusetts.

Each state has different license plates some are customized, some represent an organization and some are just plain.  The traditional game focuses on just license plates from different states.  Even those license plates are different as states upgrade old designs.  To familiarize you with those plates I added a fun interactive link. License Plates of the United States of America.  The link opens to flags of all the states, another game within the game. 

I recommend printouts of all the states including Alaska, Hawaii and even Puerto Rico.  For European license plates click here European License Plates

How to play the License Plate Game:

• A printout of the United 50 States

• For Europeans customize for your travel

• Crayons, markers, pencils, or whatever writing instrument you prefer

• As you see a state shout it out, and cross it off the list or add to the list

• Game playing: a whole vacation, a day trip, or a summer adventure

• In addition, one can keep the game active with friends using digital images

Scoring:

• License plates from US give yourself 1 point

• License plates that represent organizations give yourself 2 points

• If you see a license plate from Europe on US roads give yourself 3 points

• If Europeans see US license plates give yourself 3 points.

Let your creativity shine, create games, and invent your own rules. Example of a game will call it Texas; everywhere you go you can see Texas divers license plates with daring Texas drivers. Give yourself extra points for NOT flipping off the driver.

Please buckle-up, don’t drink and drive, arrive safe and sound to and from your destinations.  Have fun...