You may have read Winter- Water- Wonderland and recall seeing navy blue license plates with bright yellow letters slowing increase in popularity among Michigan vehicles this year. Something else you may have noticed is the older license plates on plenty of vehicles peeling or being unable to make out the characters on the plate because the blue paint is no longer in tack. It has become common, so much so that Michigan driver Del Alston sees a vehicle in such condition almost every day, especially since she has noticed her plate peeling. Alston believes the peeling began about a year ago and says, "I really started paying attention to it because you can barely see the letters." According to the Michigan Legislative Sec. 225.2, the plate shall be maintained free from foreign materials that obscure or partially obscure the registration information and in a clearly legible condition.

In other words your license plate must be clean, free of coverage, untampered with and no repaint jobs. You can be pulled over for an obscure license plate and even ticketed for driving with a peeling license plate. Fines start at $135. Alston who was lucky enough to replace her plate before ever being pulled over said, "My tag renewal is next month and that made me think about it more, because I figured I need to get rid of this plate before anything happen as far as me getting pulled over." Alston who initially planned to renew online decided to go into an Secretary of State office about the manner and get it resolved. While in the Secretary of State office, Alston encountered another individual who was in line for the same reason.

"They are saying something is defective in the paint," said Alston. Research also found that digital manufacture has played a part in the bubbling, cracking, and peeling of plates as well. This problem is also in other states. Who is responsible for paying for the plate replacement? Alston informed us that, "They will replace it for free if you get the same type of plate that you already had, but if you want a graphic plate then they are charging $5.00." Alston only had her plate for six years. According to the Secretary of State's website, Michigan requires plates that are 10 years old or older to be replaced upon renewal.

Officers have seen and noticed the increase in defective license plates. They more than often give a warning and encourage those to get a new plate from the Secretary of State. Plates that are rusted, damaged, or illegible due to age or wear and tear should be replaced. A replacement plate can be obtained at any Secretary of State office or on ExpressSOS online. While replacing the plate may be an inconvenience, so would court or paying an unexpected ticket. Be proactive. When was the last time you took a good look at your car's license plate?