old license plates? (sell, Texas, USA, cars)

[sportsfangal]

I have 2 sets of old, expired license plates. What should I do with them? I don't want to keep them, and I'm not sure if it's safe to just throw them in the trash? Can someone do something harmful with them? (as in identity theft)
Any hints would be great! thanks!

[jtur88]

Nope. No risk. Millions of license plates are discarded every year. Half the cars in wrecking yards still have plates on them. There's a report that a DMV employee in Texas took a whole box of plates out the back door, to sell to collectors on EBay, and they just wrote them off as a gap in the numbers.

Throw them in your trunk, they take up zero space, and could come in handy as a a makeshift shovel or some other useful tool.

[TheViking85]

I'd cut them up just to be sure, but other than that, I'd just toss them.

[sportsfangal]

ok, thanks! You just never know nowadays!!!

[rbohm]

you can always walk the plates into the local dmv office if you like.

[Lolipopbubbles]

Right Rbohm. They should be returned to the DMV in case someone else gets them because they could be used in a crime while the plates are registered in the OP's (owners) name.

[us66]

Hang them up on the wall. I get new ones every year.

[chiroptera]

I've mailed my old plates back to relatives in Europe - for their kids, who think USA plates are cool.

[VirtualAmerican]

A lot of people collect those. Sell them on eBay, as long as they're expired, everything's fine.

Source = I'm a collector and used to be a member of ALPCA (Automobile License Plate Collectors Association) - ALPCA - The Automobile License Plate Collectors Association

[ShelbyGirl1]

Depending on how old...sell them! I bought a set of old plates (era correct) for our 67 Vette. They are now registered in our name in the State of Texas. There are entire companies who sell nothing but old plates. Depending on the State, the plate and the condition, some go for big bucks! Especially if you have a set.