MissyMcBee
Member
ordered mine in May and just got the letter saying they are ready to pick up and i got my car in July
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CA Special Plates question
- Thread starter jgd108
- Start date
TT97
Active Member
Great, hopefully I will get mine soon too! I just made an appointment at the DMV in anticipation - earliest appointment Oct. 25th - WOO HOO?????
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The normal personalized plates (white ones) take 3 months; the legacy ones (black ones) take 4 months. You may want to make a few different staggered appointments with the DMV.
Heh and I thought my DMV was bad that I have to wait a week for appointment. BTW, when I got to the DMV, there were like 300 people in there waiting. Okay maybe closer to 200, but still a whole lot of people with only like 5 or 6 windows open out of the 15 to 20 windows. I have appointment so it only took me about 10 min in and out. But I think people walked in will have a 3 to 5 hours wait.. better have netflix on the phone!
TT97
Active Member
It's ridiculous - and the problem is since the plates are being sent to the office by me, I can't even select a different location that has a sooner appointment. I think the issue is the conversion to "Real ID" drivers licenses. If you want to fly anywhere after 2020, you need the new license (or bring your passport) and the only way to get it is by going in person. My DL doesn't expire until 2022 but figured since I need to make the appointment for the plates, I am going to convert my DL while there.
MissyMcBee
Member
the earliest appointment i could get at my DMV is september 4th! 
ugh! i may go in early one day and wait cause I refuse to put the plates Tesla sent on my car! No Bueno! Red Rover needs to be able to send Winglz right over...LOL!
ugh! i may go in early one day and wait cause I refuse to put the plates Tesla sent on my car! No Bueno! Red Rover needs to be able to send Winglz right over...LOL!When you trade in the plates, DMV gives you a new registration paper for the new license plate number and the HOV Decal # is on it listed under MISC #:.
Literally was in this exact same scenario the other day. I had a custom vanity plate that I wanted transferred to my model 3 (which I do not yet own) and switched to the legacy black and yellow styling.
I went through a AAA DMV, which is worth the $50/yr on its own, and was informed that there are 2 steps to make this happen.
1. Restyle your previous plates to "legacy" styling
2. Assign the plates to your new vin when you receive the vehicle
I went through a AAA DMV, which is worth the $50/yr on its own, and was informed that there are 2 steps to make this happen.
1. Restyle your previous plates to "legacy" styling
2. Assign the plates to your new vin when you receive the vehicle
I have a personalized legacy plate (black/yellow) with 7 characters and a half space...
My local AAA office recommended the reverse order. Assigned the plates to the M3 first, waited one full week (for DMV to catch up), and then ordered the new legacy plates. They said expect 4 months.
JPP
Active Member
FWIW I just ordered personalized CA legacy plates (P3DPLUS) without a VIN while I wait for delivery of my MCR P3D+. I assume that it will take 2-3 months for the plates to arrive at my local DMV. I already made an appointment at my local DMV for mid-November, expecting to have my Model 3 (and the plates that Tesla gets for me from the DMV when they register my car). I will then take the original plates and registration into the DVM at my appointment, swap the registration to the new legacy plates, and turn in the original ones. I won't even mount the 'standard' plates. I have 90 days to drive without plates, and only want to mount the legacy ones (and not b*tch up the plastic mounting holes in the rear of the 3). Yes, I am hoping that the planets align...
As the OP, I just saw in my USPS email this morning that my letter from DMV will be arriving today so that's great, almost 3 months from ordering. Too bad my appointment is 3 weeks away, right now my DMV office shows 2hrs of waiting.. let's see!
ceekz
Member
I ordered personalized plates back in May, expecting to be notified they are ready to be picked up in 90 days or so. I called the DMV this week (only waited an hour for a call back! Small victory!) and was told that they are working at a 5-month backlog, so I shouldn't expect to see them until some time in October. Double the waiting time you were led to expect. Elon Musk should offer some productivity improvement training to the prisoners at Folsom...
Also, the DMV ignores spaces and special characters, so unless you make more significant changes, you won't be able to order the "same" plate in a different style online, like vintage. BTW, my AAA membership has paid its weight in gold back by keeping me out of the DMV two times this month!
Hope the legislation pushes through the changes to reduce waiting time sooner than later. In one week in May, I had a 4.5 hour wait and then 5 hours another day at two different DMVs in NorCal. If it wasn't for Trivia Crack and two lollipops from the bank that I found in the bottom of my bag, I might have died there.
Also, the DMV ignores spaces and special characters, so unless you make more significant changes, you won't be able to order the "same" plate in a different style online, like vintage. BTW, my AAA membership has paid its weight in gold back by keeping me out of the DMV two times this month!
Hope the legislation pushes through the changes to reduce waiting time sooner than later. In one week in May, I had a 4.5 hour wait and then 5 hours another day at two different DMVs in NorCal. If it wasn't for Trivia Crack and two lollipops from the bank that I found in the bottom of my bag, I might have died there.
I take it back, turns out it was about the Red HOV decals and they have been extended to Jan 1 2022 as planned !
No plates yet.
ceekz
Member
I ordered the plates in May, expected in 90 days, was told by the DMV last week to expect in 5 months after order, not 3, and received notification today that they are ready to be picked up. Of course, the earliest available appointment is Sept 19, but that is a huge improvement over what I saw this summer (60-90 days out). And I don't have my car yet, so no hurry!
You just have to make sure you pick up the plates before 30 days is over from the 3rd post card's date.
Try no. 2, I will be receiving the letter today for the 1960 legacy plates!
3 months from ordering, not too bad (when the expectation is 4 months).
3 months from ordering, not too bad (when the expectation is 4 months).