Printable License Plates for Art Projects
Put any text on a real state license plate design and print it at home. Pick the state, write what you want, and download a print-ready PDF. You choose the size it prints at.
This is what you print
A full plate on a single sheet, ready to cut out. The design comes from a real plate in your state, so it looks like the ones on the road outside rather than a clipart rectangle.
What people make
Wall and door displays
Garages, workshops, dens, and bedroom or playroom doors. At full size it reads as a real plate, which is the whole effect.
Framed gifts
New driver, retirement, a milestone birthday, an anniversary. Print it full size and it fits a standard license plate frame.
Party and event decor
Car-themed birthdays, race day, graduation tables, or a MARRIED plate on the gift table at a wedding.
Bikes, scooters and wagons
Print at 50% and the plate comes out 6 by 3 inches, small enough to fit. A popular one for kids' bikes and ride-on toys.
Models, dioramas and dollhouses
At 25 to 33% you get a plate two to four inches wide, which suits model cars, train layouts and miniature scenes.
Scrapbooks, shadow boxes and props
First-car keepsakes, photo shoots, costume pieces, and classroom name plates. A 12 by 6 plate lands neatly on a 12 by 12 scrapbook page.
How it works
- 1Pick a state. The design comes from that state's real plate, and we start on yours automatically.
- 2Choose your plate. Use one of the generated ideas, or open the plate editor and write exactly what you want.
- 3Download the print-ready PDF. It is legal size, 14 by 8.5 inches, with the plate laid out inside it.
- 4Set the scale in your printer dialog for the size you need, then print and cut along the outline.
One download, any size
The plate prints life-size by default. Change the scale in your printer dialog and the same PDF gives you whatever size your project needs.
| Print at | Plate comes out | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| 100% | 12 x 6 inches | Real plate size. Wall displays, doors, framed gifts, anything that should look like the genuine article. Needs legal paper. |
| About 78% | Roughly 9.5 x 4.75 inches | What you get choosing Fit to Page on letter paper. Still large, and the option if legal paper is not to hand. |
| 50% | 6 x 3 inches | Bikes, scooters, wagons and ride-on toys. Fits comfortably on letter paper. |
| 25 to 33% | 3 x 1.5 to 4 x 2 inches | Model cars, dollhouses, train layouts, gift tags and ornaments. |
Tips that help
- •Want a plate that is just a name, without upgrading? Type the name in, tick the box that includes it in the ideas, and leave every other field empty. With nothing else to work from, the generator leans on the name, and one of the ten is usually the name by itself, as long as it fits the state's limit.
- •Print on cardstock rather than paper. It holds its shape, and it is the difference between a decoration and a limp sheet.
- •Laminating, or a strip of clear packing tape across the front, makes it hold up outdoors or on a bike.
- •Turn off Fit to Page when you want an exact size. Set the scale percentage yourself, or the printer picks one for you.
- •Short text looks closest to a real plate. If a name or word will not fit, switching to a state with a higher character limit usually solves it.
- •Making a set is the usual pattern, whether that is one per child or one per guest. Generate once for ideas, or type each one in turn.
Common questions
Is this a real license plate?
No. It is a paper print of a plate design, made to look like the real thing for crafts, decoration and display. It is not a legal plate and must never be fitted to a vehicle driven on the road.
What size does it print at?
The PDF is legal size, 14 by 8.5 inches, with the plate at a true 12 by 6 inside it. Print at 100% for real plate size, or set a smaller scale in your printer dialog for anything smaller. The same file covers every size.
Can I put one on a bike?
Yes, but print it at 50% rather than full size. A real plate is 12 by 6 inches and far too big for a bike. At 50% it comes out 6 by 3, which fits, and it prints on letter paper.
Do I need legal size paper?
Only for a full-size plate. For anything smaller, letter paper is fine. Choosing Fit to Page on letter gives you a plate around 9.5 by 4.75 inches.
How many characters can I use?
Each state has its own limit and the plate editor follows it, because the text has to fit the plate design. Most states allow seven. If you need more room, pick a state that allows eight: New York, Indiana, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia or New Mexico.
Which states can I choose from?
All fifty. Each uses that state's own plate design, so you can print your home state or pick whichever looks best for the project.
Do I need an account, and what does it cost?
Generating is free and needs no account: you get three generations of ten plates, so thirty ideas, at no cost. Editing the text on a plate and downloading the print-ready PDF are both part of the paid upgrade, which is a one-time purchase rather than a subscription.
Somewhere to start
Picking the design is half the project. These help with the other half, deciding what the plate should say.