Does anyone know, if you previously had a personalized plate, but didn't renew it yet didn't transfer to new owner (often in CA plates go with the car), are you still able to re-claim it, or does that combination go back into the pool after a while?
In our case, the car was a trade-in to Tesla, they said we could keep the personalized plate if we wanted to use it on the new car. Before delivery, they said they would be able to register the new Tesla with the personalized plate; however, at delivery they couldn't because the car purchase was in my name, while the plate was in my wife's name.
But they let us take the plates, so we still have them. It's been a few years, but I can't go to DMV to inquire by myself, and my wife just hasn't found the time for us to go together.
EDIT: And oh, come to think of it, I had a set of personalized plates as well, but that car got totaled. Same question regarding those, except I never got to take the personalized plates off the car.