Mike Sarcona stands with his 1970 Chevrolet CST with original black license plates at Classic Cars West in Oakland, California, on Tuesday, June 23, 2015. Brandon Chew/The Chronicle.

Existing vehicle required. To transfer plates from one car to the next, a driver must own both vehicles. This may be more difficult if the old vehicle has already been sold or traded. Not road-legal.

And because I bought a ’48, I needed a 1948-vintage Michigan license plate -- Michigan is one of the states that greatly reduces registration fees for historical and vintage-plated cars ...

You can pony up a little extra for that vanity plate, but that's about all the choice you get when putting a license plate on your car—you can't grab one from another state, even if it looks better.

Return Plates in Private Party Sale. Q: I am planning to sell my car. What should I do with my old registration and license plates? A: If you are planning to sell your car in a private sale ...

"How many here have saved a license plate from an old car -- or your father's, or your grandfather's?" Even more hands went up. He anticipated this response, too, and he smiled.