License plates: the last bastion of self-expression. No longer simply for l33t puns or your stance on abortion, the whole streetscape can now know if you're an architect (at least in New York).
The New York State Department of Motor Vehicles lumps Registered Architects in the illustrious professional company of Ham Radio Operators, Veterinarians and Acupuncturists – all brought together by their entitlement to their own vanity license plates. For about a $60 one-time fee (plus annual renewal payments), these professionals can receive a license plate that proudly announces their credentials, often conveyed through a symbol and abbreviation. The Architect plate has no symbol, just the letters "AR" vertically oriented to the left of the plate numbers, and "ARCHITECT" spelled out at the bottom.
To qualify for the plate, architects must fill out the "Professional Series Custom Plates" form, and attach proof of registration from the New York State Department of Education – sorry out-of-state architects living in New York, no plates for you. And hilariously, the plates can only be ordered by mail.
The DMV issues specific vanity license plates for 28 different professional statuses, mostly in emergency response and medial fields. Listed in simply the "Other" category of professions, Registered Architects fall in the same group as CPAs, Engineers and members of the New York Press. Perhaps curiously, there is no plate for lawyers.
Presumably, a program like this exists, with most of the custom professional plates belonging to emergency and medical services, so as to make these professionals more visible in crisis scenarios. Other states' DMVs have similar programs, but none other than New York's seem to include architects. But who needs a CPA on the highway? I reached out to the New York DMV for comment, but was put on hold. Updates (hopefully) to come.
If you have one of these plates, please be in touch – why did you want to get it? Has it ever been called upon? What benefits could such a thing have? Downsides? I want to understand.
7 Comments
our emblem was missing.
+++best comment of the week, Orhan! Love you!
i did undergrad with a guy whose rich father had bought him an audi turbo with a customized new york license plate that read "IMNRCTCT" or some such nonsense. the word 'douchebag' was not in common usage back then, but it was practically invented for that guy.
btw, orhan's version is freaking awesome. a thousand cocktails to you, sir.
+ Orhan
New York state does seem to enjoy lumping odd professional endeavors together. My New York State marriage license wasn't issued at the big government building where more important work happened, but at the far-flung county office that only handled two things: dog licenses and marriage licenses.
But seriously, in an emergency situation on the highway is it important to allow an acupuncturist to get through?!
where's our board's title police to comment on the risks of driving across state lines or into Canada with this plate...
I wonder how many actually have been issued? Can you put SOM1 or KPF4FR on the plate even if you don't work there?
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