California first started thinking about alternatives to standard metal license plates in 2013 with the passage of SB 806. Digital license plates have been allowed in limited numbers since 2018. Now, the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) is allowing any vehicle owner to use digital plates.
This new step granted by the passage of the Motor Vehicle Digital Number Plates bill (AB-984) increases the number of vehicles allowed to use digital plates dramatically.Only 175,000 out of California's 40 million registered vehicles were eligible for digital plates--but now, that number has increased to 100 percent.
Tech firm Reviver is the only provider of digital plates for now and it says about 10,000 vehicles in California have already purchased digital plates. These early adopters were part of a pilot program with the California Highway Patrol, testing three digital plates before they are made available statewide.
The RPlate from Reviver is much more than just a digital license plate. The product allows vehicle owners to connect with their vehicles for visual personalization, location tracking, and security services, including reporting a stolen vehicle.
There are two versions of the product - a battery-powered one with a subscription of $19.95 per month and a hard-wired one, which is currently only available to commercial businesses at $24.95 per month. The battery-powered version is great for people who want portability, while the hard-wired version is perfect for businesses that need a more permanent solution.
California is not the only state where Reviver's digital license plates are legal for commercial fleet vehicles. Michigan, Arizona, and Texas also allow fleet vehicles to use digital plates and more than 10 US states are currently in various stages of adoption.
Source: Car and Driver
