[old_tv_nut]

Illinois vanity plates require a yearly renewal at a higher rate than regular. So do Arizona vanity plates. There are a whole slew of special interest plates, especially in Illinois: everything from state University to supporting wildlife or prevention of domestic abuse. Illinois also issues special event plates that are legal for a set number of days. I have a set from a Route 66 Association tour some years back.

Regarding vanity plates, it took me a long time to decide on something until someone told me my 2003 Mercury Marauder was "retro." I settled on RTRO RKT (Illinois will print them with a space, but they are in the system without it), and later transferred the plates to my 2013 Mustang. When I moved to AZ, RTRORKT was taken, so I now have "ITSMYRV."

While Illinois requires front and back for all plates, AZ supplies only the back for regular plates, but both front and back for vanities. Avid car enthusiasts get their knickers in a bind about required front plates, and you can find detachable frames so the fronts can easily be removed for shows and reinstalled for street use. (Your state may frown on this, I don't know.)