What Are Blackout License Plates & Will Maine Ever Get Them?

There seems to be a new trend in license plate designs here in the United States.  They call them “blackout” plates.

What do they look like?  Well, just as the name implies, they are all black license plates with white lettering.

According to KAAL TV, these plates are now available in Colorado, Iowa, Mississippi, California, and several other states.  Starting January 1, 2024, the plates will be available in Minnesota.

In Minnesota, they will charge vehicle owners an extra $30 per year for the privilege of having the specialized plates.  State officials estimate that somewhere around 200,000 people will get the plates in the first few years they are available.  That could mean an extra $6 million in revenue for the state.

Is there a real benefit to having them?  Well, they look cool.  They really make your car, truck, or SUV stick out.  But, other than that, there really is no benefit to the vehicle’s owner.

However, we can imagine that members of law enforcement must love them.  The contrast of the white lettering on a black background makes them incredibly easy to read.

Will we ever see blackout plates here in Maine?  Maybe.  As far as we know, there has been no real discussion about offering blackout license plates in the state of Maine.

Personally, while I think they look really cool, I can see some issues with the plates being allowed in Maine.  The biggest one is that the white on black would look very similar to the white on brown used by sheriff department vehicles in Maine.  The Maine State Police also use white lettering on a solid color.  Their use of white on blue should be easier to distinguish between the blackouts plates.

What do you think?  If Maine ever gets the plates, will you be getting one?

This guy decided to wrap his own license plate: