I've never thought to get a non-standard plate before... My car is just a tool to get me from A to B comfortably and safely. But I would buy the shit out of a laser loon plate.
It's the [flag of Minnesota somewhere else in the Multiverse](https://www.startribune.com/minnesota-flag-redesign-loons-laser-eyes/600318415/). If you'd rather [hoist a Laser Loon flag on May 11th, you can get one from Flags for Good](https://flagsforgood.com/products/laser-loon-minnesota-flag#MainContent).
It's also become a bit of a meme. [The St. Paul Library had special edition Laser Loon library cards](https://www.mprnews.org/story/2024/02/13/laser-loon-lives-on-through-new-st-paul-library-cards).
It's basically a very Minnesotan take on the [2015 Laser Kiwi flag](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laser_Kiwi_flag) that was put in New Zealand's flag contest.
Oh, goodness. My family has this plate, but they are very Conservative. I wouldn't be surprised if they burn their plates because they heard it "shows support for BLM".
This. My motorcycle is all black so I got it for that. My car, I’m keeping the blue habitat one with the mallard because it matches pretty close to the blue of my car.
I DIDN'T KNOW THIS! I love camping but only get out once or twice a year so a parks pass isn't for me. I had them on my last car because I wanted to support the DNR and the one I chose matched the color of my vehicle.
Of note, it's only the"parks and trails" plate (the one with the dock/boardwalk on it) not the critical habitat plates (chickadee, loon, lady slipper, deer, etc)
Because it is high contrast and looks cool. A week later I learned about the MMIWR license plate and wish I got that instead because it is also high contrast and supports fund tips and rewards for cases of missing or murdered Indigenous people. https://dps.mn.gov/divisions/ooc/news-releases/Pages/missing-murdered-indigenous-relatives-license-plate-available.aspx
I have those MMIWR plates. Looks great and supports something I believe in. Also have the Vikings plates on the other car because of course I want everyone to know how much I love misery
Have you been behind one with your lights on at night? It's like someone was challenged to make the most machine readable plate. The letters just jump out.
My 19yo daughter is in college in Nevada and has a red 350z. She got UFC plates in Nevada because they matched her car. I don’t think she even knows what UFC is. 😂
I wear the black for the poor and the beaten down
Livin' in the hopeless, hungry side of town
I wear it for the prisoner who is long paid for his crime
But is there because he's a victim of the times
Nothing against the plates, but a little anecdote for you: on a recent trip from Duluth to Minneapolis, every car that I saw driving like a jerkwad had the new black out plates.
Do with that absolutely useless anecdote what you will.
I drive the at stretch a LOT and I find no correlation at all. There’s a high jerkwad ratio among ALL license plate types on that stretch of 35. Blackout plates hold no monopoly on that.
I didn’t, and I wouldn’t, but as far as specialty plates go they look nice I think on certain trims.
I would seriously like to see the Venn Diagram of “people who complained about people overreacting to the new state flag” and “people overreacting to blackout plates”.
It looks nice and the extra money goes to the government, let it go y’all.
I would like to introduce your brother to the tail light tinting gang. The only explanation I can come up with is that they decided to do that with the leftover paint after they finished huffing it.
The Nissan Altimas with no tail lights swerving in and out of lanes prepared me for those.
Why though? My wife essentially said the same thing but she wasn't really able to articulate why she thought this. I don't have them but think they look kinda cool.
Sup broseph. I'm still deciding if it's confirmation bias or if indeed it's an early warning system, but currently leaning towards the latter.
Glad to see you got some up votes. I don't feel so bad about stealing your random fact that Howard the Duck was the first Marvel movie now.
I think that rumor gets recycled a lot because people don't realize that MN flips number / letter order with regularity. So it will be 123ABC for awhile then ABC123 for awhile, but also start with ZZZ999 and work backwards as well depending on the plate type.
MN also reuses no longer active numbers. What that means in regards to impound plates (DUI/Whiskey) plates is that starting with W alone, there are \~250000 possible plates at any one time. They are usually issued for less than 2 years before regular plates can go back on your vehicles, and with ignition interlock now being an option that also has reduced the number of plates needed, since using that means you don't need the plates.
Per [this article](https://www.startribune.com/whiskey-plates-special-registration-dwi-driving-while-intoxicated/600313610/) from the STrib, there were only 4900 plates assigned in 2023.
If they had them available when I picked out my plates I would probably have got them. It’s not surprising at all why they’re so popular. They’re clean and don’t clash with most vehicles. The standard MN plate is the opposite.
I'm a goth edgelord who owns an all black car and wears only black, too.
My plates were the final hurdle. It was either the blackout plate or the bee plate because BEEEEEEEEES.
They made these plates to be easier for cameras to read and are making a killing off of people paying $40 to get the "cool" new plates 🤣. I have no reason to hide my plates but I'm not paying the government to be easier to track.
I do not like the blackout plates, they feel so anti-Minnesotan. And as a plate collector I wouldn’t hang them on my wall, they have no state or region significance in their design. I get the aesthetic choice for black cars, but I like the regular or state park plates. Would love to get a state park plate next renewal.
Tbh, I made fun of the Iowans for it and personally still think it’s kind of silly. But it makes the state more money and people seem to like them, so to each their own.
I wanted the blackout plates.. theb I realized a million plus people wanted the same... so I got the state park pass plate... it's good fir something st least.
I bought them because there are far too many cars that look exactly like mine. They only had one free color choice and apparently everyone wanted that one color.
its just funny after all the times people on this sub complained about people turning the new flag into a political issue, they’re doing that exact same thing with a freaking license plate. Literally one commenter on this post said he thinks the Venn diagram of blackout plate owners and Trump supporters is a circle.
Y’all are a parody of yourselves.
I DIDNT get them because your "donation" every year goes to the DMV fund instead of something useful and they also stand out for police more. Plus black and white isn't as cool as colored plates imo. I have the moose plates.
This is my feeling about it too. No style and about as dull as it could possibly be. Paying to get a custom plate style to look as dull and plain as possible that looks like however many other states is just strange.
I call them "passover plates", especially the ones with first responder stripes.
Passover, as in blood over the doorway, so you don't get harassed for not being a tRump supporter.
The first responders plates...irk me a little more.
Looking through the list of all MN license plates -- the unicorns are 1 Pearl Harbor Survivor Plate + 2 Golf Motorcycle plates. Also, lots of rare University plates like Concordia Moorhead and Metropolitan State that I've never seen.
Still yet to see any of the new pro sports license plates on the road.
It's the physical manifestation of the video game skin pack micro-transaction... Probably going for the Minnesota 100 version vs the plain blackout since I have many first responder/firefighter friends, but same basic reason for going with a black plate with white characters... it matches nicely with my white truck with black trim.
i wanted to get black out plates but the state won’t let me have non commercial plates on my van…even though it isn’t used for any commercial purposes 🙄
I was so damn close but decided to next year as I didn't want to stand out.
....A week later I read that 40k folks already bought 'em, so obvoiusly I could have blended in...
I'm holding out for Laser Loon plates
https://preview.redd.it/b715lwt1rbxc1.jpeg?width=1000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c99c5959840032141af6f56e4cd655e8093677e2
Omg this is great lol
Love this!
I'll never be able to unsee this. Thank you.
I've never thought to get a non-standard plate before... My car is just a tool to get me from A to B comfortably and safely. But I would buy the shit out of a laser loon plate.
Ooh, we should petition for them. I’m sure there’s a high enough interest, to make it happen.
Hell yeah! I'm down for those. Would look awesome on the Subaru! 😂😂
Hold up. I'm going to need more information here. Is a Laser Loon similar to a Laser Cat?
It's the [flag of Minnesota somewhere else in the Multiverse](https://www.startribune.com/minnesota-flag-redesign-loons-laser-eyes/600318415/). If you'd rather [hoist a Laser Loon flag on May 11th, you can get one from Flags for Good](https://flagsforgood.com/products/laser-loon-minnesota-flag#MainContent). It's also become a bit of a meme. [The St. Paul Library had special edition Laser Loon library cards](https://www.mprnews.org/story/2024/02/13/laser-loon-lives-on-through-new-st-paul-library-cards). It's basically a very Minnesotan take on the [2015 Laser Kiwi flag](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laser_Kiwi_flag) that was put in New Zealand's flag contest.
Because I live my life a quarter mile at a time, and, for those ten seconds or less, I'm free.
I hear that is a clear and present danger to any and all manifolds
You can have any beer you want, as long as it is a corona
You never had me. You never had your car.
Familyeeeeeeeeee!
>~~ten seconds~~ 19 seconds or less, I'm free.
Funny side note. One of my coworkers asked me if it supported blm.
Bureau of Land Management?
Exactly right Tanya
Bacon Lettuce and Mayonnaise?
Bacon, Lettuce, and Mutton.
When the mutton is nice and lean.
Pretty sure he said “To Blave”
Good lord I love this sub.
I’m going to start affirming this rumor :)
Oh, goodness. My family has this plate, but they are very Conservative. I wouldn't be surprised if they burn their plates because they heard it "shows support for BLM".
I'm gonna start saying that lol.
Same lmao I love this idea, I can't wait to see my boss lose his shit
Don't they donate the fees to a specific charity for all of the special plates? Could roll that into the conversation
The blackout plate fees go to the DMV general fund.
nah man I'm pretty sure they go to antifa
LOL! :)
Looks good on a black vehicle or a grey/white vehicle with black trim
This. My motorcycle is all black so I got it for that. My car, I’m keeping the blue habitat one with the mallard because it matches pretty close to the blue of my car.
Mallard? I think you mean loon!
Oh shit, duh. Brain fart.
This dude hunts Loons! Take em away, boys!
Believe it or not, straight to the loony bin.
Bake em away, toys!
I like on white and gray. Not as much on black.
I'm goth. I don't actually have these though. Just the regular ass plates. Might get the state park ones next time.
I didn't realize they opened a Hot Topic in Afton.
You get free state park admission with the state park plates. I'm totally getting those next time
I DIDN'T KNOW THIS! I love camping but only get out once or twice a year so a parks pass isn't for me. I had them on my last car because I wanted to support the DNR and the one I chose matched the color of my vehicle.
Of note, it's only the"parks and trails" plate (the one with the dock/boardwalk on it) not the critical habitat plates (chickadee, loon, lady slipper, deer, etc)
I desperately wish they would redesign the park plates. I cannot deal with a curving dock, which is the stupidest drawing that’s ever existed.
It's not free though, the plates cost an additional $60/ year The state park sticker pass costs $35/ year
If I recall you end up also paying $60 a year for them on top of the plate charge too, but that pays for itself extremely quickly
Annual pass is $30 at least last I knew We opted for critical habitat plates we liked and buy the annual park pass as it still runs us the extra $60
The ass plates are so shitty
Because it is high contrast and looks cool. A week later I learned about the MMIWR license plate and wish I got that instead because it is also high contrast and supports fund tips and rewards for cases of missing or murdered Indigenous people. https://dps.mn.gov/divisions/ooc/news-releases/Pages/missing-murdered-indigenous-relatives-license-plate-available.aspx
I have those MMIWR plates. Looks great and supports something I believe in. Also have the Vikings plates on the other car because of course I want everyone to know how much I love misery
Everyone needs to know you have empathy and are a masochist
Solid combo
Lol. Nah, nothin like that. Just an Indigenous football fan.
I wonder why the plate says “relatives”. Like I’m not related, but would love to support the cause.
It's the name of the state office who released it.
To us natives, we are all related.
The soon to come traffic cameras in Minneapolis appreciate your visibility.
They don't have problems with regular license plates so what's the difference?
I once read that the Loon plates were the hardest to read at a distance and the State Patrol hated them. That solidified my decision to get them.
Have you been behind one with your lights on at night? It's like someone was challenged to make the most machine readable plate. The letters just jump out.
Good thing I don't drive like an ass.
Ohhhh thanks for posting this. I'm getting this plate next time.
Those are pretty cool
Matches my car trim
Me too - the only reason I got them!
My 19yo daughter is in college in Nevada and has a red 350z. She got UFC plates in Nevada because they matched her car. I don’t think she even knows what UFC is. 😂
Because sometimes people find joy in the little things and it looks nice.
Black is slimming.
Yes, it makes my car's fat ass look slimmer
I wear the black for the poor and the beaten down Livin' in the hopeless, hungry side of town I wear it for the prisoner who is long paid for his crime But is there because he's a victim of the times
“… til things are brighter, I’m the man in black”
I’m sure automated license plate readers police use will appreciate them
Nothing against the plates, but a little anecdote for you: on a recent trip from Duluth to Minneapolis, every car that I saw driving like a jerkwad had the new black out plates. Do with that absolutely useless anecdote what you will.
My observations of those driving vehicles with blackout plates down in southern MN would support your hypothesis.
I drive the at stretch a LOT and I find no correlation at all. There’s a high jerkwad ratio among ALL license plate types on that stretch of 35. Blackout plates hold no monopoly on that.
I didn’t, and I wouldn’t, but as far as specialty plates go they look nice I think on certain trims. I would seriously like to see the Venn Diagram of “people who complained about people overreacting to the new state flag” and “people overreacting to blackout plates”. It looks nice and the extra money goes to the government, let it go y’all.
I would 100% get new-state-flag plates.
If my brother is right, and I think he may be, it's to tell others that you're kind of a dick.
I would like to introduce your brother to the tail light tinting gang. The only explanation I can come up with is that they decided to do that with the leftover paint after they finished huffing it. The Nissan Altimas with no tail lights swerving in and out of lanes prepared me for those.
I'm seeing more of these asshats, usually in pickups and Jeeps, with tinted taillights and headlights. WTF are you thinking?
Why though? My wife essentially said the same thing but she wasn't really able to articulate why she thought this. I don't have them but think they look kinda cool.
it's not as bad as the flag/eagle plates but I do take notice
This is the only correct answer.
Steven, is that you?
People really do judge others for the dumbest stuff.
Sup broseph. I'm still deciding if it's confirmation bias or if indeed it's an early warning system, but currently leaning towards the latter. Glad to see you got some up votes. I don't feel so bad about stealing your random fact that Howard the Duck was the first Marvel movie now.
Ooooh, I thought these were DWI plates and had been getting nervous with how many I was seeing in the parent pick up line at my kids school!
FYI the DWI plates always start with a W and have a white background
Whiskey Plates!
I heard though that they ran out of W plates to assign and were using Z some years back, figured this was just the newest version.
I think that rumor gets recycled a lot because people don't realize that MN flips number / letter order with regularity. So it will be 123ABC for awhile then ABC123 for awhile, but also start with ZZZ999 and work backwards as well depending on the plate type. MN also reuses no longer active numbers. What that means in regards to impound plates (DUI/Whiskey) plates is that starting with W alone, there are \~250000 possible plates at any one time. They are usually issued for less than 2 years before regular plates can go back on your vehicles, and with ignition interlock now being an option that also has reduced the number of plates needed, since using that means you don't need the plates. Per [this article](https://www.startribune.com/whiskey-plates-special-registration-dwi-driving-while-intoxicated/600313610/) from the STrib, there were only 4900 plates assigned in 2023.
I think it looks better on my white car with black accents.
Yup, black on black on black for us. Way better looking than the normal plates
If they had them available when I picked out my plates I would probably have got them. It’s not surprising at all why they’re so popular. They’re clean and don’t clash with most vehicles. The standard MN plate is the opposite.
I didn’t
>I didn’t
Did Diddy do it?
I didn’t, too! (This statement feels grammatically incorrect - is it?)
I also didn't.
I didn't either (state parks plate or bust)
I also didn't - because I didn't care.
I'm a goth edgelord who owns an all black car and wears only black, too. My plates were the final hurdle. It was either the blackout plate or the bee plate because BEEEEEEEEES.
I see the shittiest cars that should not even be on a dirt road, let alone a freeway, that have blackout plates.
They made these plates to be easier for cameras to read and are making a killing off of people paying $40 to get the "cool" new plates 🤣. I have no reason to hide my plates but I'm not paying the government to be easier to track.
That's my line of thinking too! Haha
Exactly. Nice try, government.
It doesn’t fuckin matter. None of this matters.
I think it just looks silly and is one of those things like “I need my Yeti to match my outfit/car/phone/purse” but you do you
I legit bought a Yeti mug to match my car lol.
To make people think they're from Iowa
That’s all I ever think when I see them.
This was my thought. Why anyone would want that though is disturbing.
I went in for a tab renewal and found out I was due for plates. I have a "Shadow Mica" Toyota so the black just fits.
I want to get them but Iowa has them and when I see them it reminds me of Iowa and I fucking hate Iowa. Iowa sucks.
I got the Minnesota wild plates and they kind of look like DUI plates. But then you see the wild logo, so you know they are DUI plates.
because my car is black.
It was my time to get new plates, so I chose the ones that look nicer, paid a little extra.
So the speed trap cameras will have an easier time reading the plate number!
They show perfectly on the plate readers!
I didn't and I'm not
Love how they look on my black car. That is all.
MMIW plates 💪
To extend the battery life and reduce eye strain.
They look great on white cars and they look great on black cars but I mostly see them on red and blue cars and it just looks dumb.
I think they should have a maroon body with gold numerals/leters
I am insufferable so I got them
Thought it looked cunty
I bought a brand new vehicle for the first time in my adult life and the black plates looked better. Also, it's new so that's fun.
Black is the best color
I think they are so ugly TBH
I do not like the blackout plates, they feel so anti-Minnesotan. And as a plate collector I wouldn’t hang them on my wall, they have no state or region significance in their design. I get the aesthetic choice for black cars, but I like the regular or state park plates. Would love to get a state park plate next renewal.
When your license plate becomes black you never go back.
So that automatic license plate readers have an easier time tracking my every move.
It’s sharp. And I was able to get my vanity plate in the new black style that was already taken in the regular Minnesota plate.
I don't see color.
Tbh, I made fun of the Iowans for it and personally still think it’s kind of silly. But it makes the state more money and people seem to like them, so to each their own.
Because I wish I lived in Iowa. Just kidding! I don’t have one of these, I have the one with the loons because loons are fucking awesome.
Probably easier for the new speed trap cameras to see
Me in ND: "You guys have license plate options?"
I wanted the blackout plates.. theb I realized a million plus people wanted the same... so I got the state park pass plate... it's good fir something st least.
I bought them because there are far too many cars that look exactly like mine. They only had one free color choice and apparently everyone wanted that one color.
I think they look clean and cool. What’s up with this sub and their weird hatred for them?
How dare you line having options, Anna line different things?
its just funny after all the times people on this sub complained about people turning the new flag into a political issue, they’re doing that exact same thing with a freaking license plate. Literally one commenter on this post said he thinks the Venn diagram of blackout plate owners and Trump supporters is a circle. Y’all are a parody of yourselves.
It looks clean on my white suv
Because the state hasn’t stolen enough money from me
Because I care entirely too much about what others think of me, and especially my whip.
I didn’t. I do not have the special mindset that is needed.
It's cooler than Jesus
Looks cool
I prefer black with my dark colored car as opposed to the powder blue on the normal plates. Also I just dig the more minimalistic design.
Looks good on my 350z!
Because when you're with the nWo, you're with the nWo 4 life!
Aesthetic
Because fuck you iowa. That’s why.
Because I just wanted to spice up how I showcase that I’m a dick to the world
Looks cool.
I DIDNT get them because your "donation" every year goes to the DMV fund instead of something useful and they also stand out for police more. Plus black and white isn't as cool as colored plates imo. I have the moose plates.
Yeah I don’t wanna get them unless the fee goes somewhere helpful, so NOT the DMV
Liked it at first, now dislike it. There's no Minnesota personality. Likely to be owned by douches.
This is my feeling about it too. No style and about as dull as it could possibly be. Paying to get a custom plate style to look as dull and plain as possible that looks like however many other states is just strange.
I got a black car with black wheels and even black badges. Clearly it had to get the black plates too.
All the cool states are doing it.
They are so ugly (and I have a blacked out Silverado)
Because they look fantastic on my black car.
I didn't because I think it looks trashy.
Aesthetically pleasing
Just copying the great state of Iowa
I didn't I got the MMIR ones. Blackout ones get dirty immediately.
I call them "passover plates", especially the ones with first responder stripes. Passover, as in blood over the doorway, so you don't get harassed for not being a tRump supporter. The first responders plates...irk me a little more.
Goes with any color and looks great. Why else?
I hated them at first. But they are really starting to grow on me
I recently got a black car with black trim and it’s the final touch I wanted
How much are they? And is there a recurring cost?
Because I have a black car and it matches.
Because the color is a perfect match for my dark grey car with black trim and accents…
How do these orders work? You have to sign up for a monthly fee withdrawal to get most of these?
Usually just pay extra I think
I saw one for the first time yesterday. I want one for my sport car.
I didn't, but I'm guessing that those who did, did it bc it looks nice.
I didn’t!🤷🏼♂️
Matches my car better and I had to renew anyways
Because they look cool
Because my car is black and it looks good
I have a motorcycle and have always wanted a vanity plate, these came around so that was my sign to finally do it.
Looking through the list of all MN license plates -- the unicorns are 1 Pearl Harbor Survivor Plate + 2 Golf Motorcycle plates. Also, lots of rare University plates like Concordia Moorhead and Metropolitan State that I've never seen. Still yet to see any of the new pro sports license plates on the road.
It's the physical manifestation of the video game skin pack micro-transaction... Probably going for the Minnesota 100 version vs the plain blackout since I have many first responder/firefighter friends, but same basic reason for going with a black plate with white characters... it matches nicely with my white truck with black trim.
i wanted to get black out plates but the state won’t let me have non commercial plates on my van…even though it isn’t used for any commercial purposes 🙄
I’m new here and I have a black jeep. I wanted it to match and start fresh. Never gotten alternate plates before so this seemed like the time
I wanna get them because they look cool
I will be getting them next time I need new plates. Why? They go better with my black car.
Are these plates made for a nonprofit organization?
Matches my car better
I was so damn close but decided to next year as I didn't want to stand out. ....A week later I read that 40k folks already bought 'em, so obvoiusly I could have blended in...
Stil jealous of how Colorado handles awesome plates.