3 Reasons Sellers of Used Cars Conceal Their License Plates

This ‘fact’ was supposed to justify the premium he was asking.

Being the curious Throttle that I am, I flipped back to the photos, eager to see the license plates and decide whether what he was saying was true.

Nothing.

I flipped through all the photos he had shared publicly: no luck. Nothing. He had removed the license plates on the vehicle before taking the photos. Without the licence plates, it was a longer route to verifying his claim of recent importation, at least, immediately.

This made me pause and think hard: why weren’t the license plates displayed, especially since the vehicle was openly displayed for sale?

Then, it hit me like a thunderbolt: most used cars advertised for sale are done so without their license plates. If you’ve been attentive, it must have come to your attention too, and you must have wondered why sellers of used cars conceal their license plates.

I reached out to a friend who is a car dealer for his opinion on the matter. Together, we reasoned, and below is the summary of that conversation.

As it turned out, I was neck deep into the reality myself, but somehow, as the proper human that I am, I believed that it wasn’t a ‘me’ affair. Who doesn’t always prefer blaming ‘them’?

1. Privacy Concerns

Privacy is perhaps the number one reason why many folks who are selling used cars either remove the license plates, don’t show them, or outrightly cover them.

I once had the responsibility of selling my wife’s car  (the blue 2002 Camry shared in this article), and I made sure the first thing I did was remove the license plates, even before advertising it.

Why?

The vehicle was displayed at a place where her colleagues at work could see it, and they were all interested but were offering nothing close to its value.

To take the matter off her hands, I jumped in, took the car to the roadside, displayed it, but ensured the plates were removed. 

That way, her colleagues were not sure if it was her car, and the vehicle was sold in peace, for a fair price. 

Relatedly, some folks equate selling a vehicle to being broke…and don’t appreciate rumors flying around (regarding their ‘new’ financial status).

It makes sense for such people to refuse to display their license plates when the vehicle is offered for sale.

2. Stolen Vehicles

Not all vehicles with hidden license plates belong to privacy-conscious owners…for some, they are stolen vehicles — plain, short, and simple.

If you stole a vehicle and wanted to sell it, would you show the world its license plates?

3. Confusion

Finally, for some, it’s plain confusion: they simply see most folks doing it, and when it’s time for them to sell, they instinctively jump on the bandwagon and also cover their plates or even remove them completely.

If you ask them, frankly, they’ll have no reason in the world to offer you (or, worse, justify their ‘strange’ action)!

Covered License Plates…Now What?

Granted, there are a ton of vehicles offered for sale in the market today that display their license plates without a hint of worry, both online and off.

But what happens when the particular car you’re interested in doesn’t have the license plates (and somehow, you need that piece of information to make an informed decision)?

It isn’t that difficult: here are your options.

1. Ask for the License Plates (And Paperwork)

Irrespective of where/how a vehicle is displayed, if the license plates aren’t visible, you can (and should) ask for them. Usually, the plates are in the trunk (as was the case with the Camry earlier mentioned).

Where the plates are doesn’t matter (as making sure that they are available and actually presented on request).

Note that in some jurisdictions, the license plates are tied to the owner of the vehicle and not the car. In such cases, the owner/seller may show the plates and paperwork, but ultimately, detain them (or refuse to ‘transfer’ them after the subsequent sale).

On presentation of the paperwork, go through it carefully and ensure that the details tally what is physically represented on the plates.

If the plates can’t be produced, and instead it’s one nice story after another, best to leave the vehicle alone.

2. Request for the VIN

Another way around the issue of license plates is to ask for the VIN or see if the VIN is displayed or visible in any of the shared photos (for online displays).

Known in some jurisdictions as the ‘chassis number’, this number is usually tied to the registration of a vehicle and carries with it a lot of information relating to the vehicle.

For example, with the VIN, you can tell if a vehicle is stolen (largely) and determine (again, largely) the service records and, by extension, the overall health of the vehicle.

Since the VIN is usually longer than the license plate and follows a vehicle from the factory to the bone yard, a seller should have no challenge revealing it, even online.

If you have a seller who wouldn’t reveal the VIN online (or off) even after a request, then there’s something that they’re hiding, especially if/when the plates aren’t also displayed publicly.

3. Leave the Damn Car Alone!

It isn’t always that you make efforts at/with a car that has the license plates hidden, especially if/when the seller exhibits some reluctance in sharing the requested information with you, even after express request.

In such a case/cases, the best option remains to walk away, quietly.

At this point, it’s instructive to note that buying property from one who doesn’t have a title at the time of the sale (to pass) is considered a crime in many jurisdictions around the world.

It’s always better to be safe (than sorry).

Wrap Up

While there are good and valid reasons for concealing a license plate when selling a vehicle, the plates could also be missing on the vehicle for less than ideal reasons.

If you’re in the market for a used vehicle, always make certain that you dig the actual reason why a license plate is removed (if it is) and seek to physically see it before proceeding.

Proceed only after seeing the physical plates and verifying that they match the vehicle’s paperwork, and importantly, after verifying that the seller has title to it or at least, express authority to sell.

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