NJ MVC's Substitution Rules

[Jersey Mike]

A few days after ensuring availability, ordering & paying for a personalized plate, I received an email from NJ MVC denying my selection. They stated the following:
"Reason for Denial: We do not substitute the number 0 for the letter O and therefore we cannot process your transaction."


**According to an NJ LEO friend, he's seen zeros used in place of Os on NJ license plates before. Have you? Do you know of any currently?** I'll try calling Trenton to appeal, but without being certain of any other successful cases, I'm not overly optimistic I have a leg to stand on.

[WildBillyT]

Might be a new policy.

[sweetbmxrider]

I'm sure you weren't the first one to want FAGG0T

[unstable bob gable]

Why are you spelling "PIMP" with an O?

[Jersey Mike]

Originally Posted by WildBillyT

Might be a new policy.

That's my gripe, I guess. I couldn't find anything published to that affect.

I read through the guidelines & restrictions before making my selection and I didn't find anything supporting their Reason for Denial. I'd like to figure out if I just got unlucky, or if there is a policy, beyond the one quoted below, that explicitly says a zero cannot be "substituted" for an O.

http://www.state.nj.us/mvc/pdf/Vehicles/SP-2.pdf

Originally Posted by MVC

COMBINATIONS YOU MAY SELECT
Personalized license plate combinations are limited to a minimum of three letters and a maximum of seven characters (letters, or letters
and numbers). No punctuation marks or symbols, such as the silhouette of New Jersey, can be used. The plate can accommodate
seven characters or spaces and each character takes a full space. The same combination can be issued for more than one vehicle if
owned or leased by the same person, provided no more than six spaces are used in the combination. The additional sets of plates will
have a smaller dash number, -2,-3, etc., following the registration number (KEVIN-2, JOAN-3, etc.). A separate application and $50.00
fee is required for each additional set. Combinations having three letters and the number 1 through 20 are “Courtesy plates” and the
Senator of your election district must approve your request before it is submitted. The fee for a “Courtesy plate” is $30.00.

[WildBillyT]

Apply for SEAWORD.

Do it

Do it

[Jersey Mike]

Originally Posted by wildbillyt

apply for seaword.

Do it

do it

08-23-2016, 07:58 pm

Originally Posted by wildbillyt

seaword

j/k of course

[WildBillyT]

No longer joking.

DO IT

[LS1ow]

Rolldta
flipws6
ih8turns
b5ws6
powrpuf

[Blackbirdws6]

NVRRACES

[LS1ow]

SHONOGO

[BonzoHansen]

[unstable bob gable]

Originally Posted by WildBillyT

Apply for SEAWORD.

Do it

Do it

Since I'm not the sharpest crayon in the drawer can someone 'splain to me the significance of "SEAWORD?"

[Jersey Mike]

Originally Posted by unstable bob gable

Since I'm not the sharpest crayon in the drawer can someone 'splain to me the significance of "SEAWORD?"

C Word.
Now back to helping me with this:

Originally Posted by Jersey Mike

NJ MVC ... stated the following:
"Reason for Denial: We do not substitute the number 0 for the letter O and therefore we cannot process your transaction."


**According to an NJ LEO friend, he's seen zeros used in place of Os on NJ license plates before. Have you? Do you know of any currently?**

[V]

Like I said before, since the one version with all letters wasn't available, meaning it was previously issued, they probably wouldn't allow the substitution since it would be too easy to confuse them.

[BonzoHansen]

Ez pass and such cameras probably cannot differentiate between O & 0

[Jersey Mike]

I understand the speculations, and they're more-or-less reasonable, but I'm looking to arm myself with something more than conjecture when I call Trenton.

Ideally, either the official specifications for acceptance/rejection, or first hand recollections of NJ plates where a "zero was substituted for an O."

[LS1ow]

I agree that on plates that contain both 0 and O, especially next to eachother, shouldnt be allowed. That can create some problems. i even typed out i plate that had 0 and O next to each other and it was very hard to tell.

But is for just subbing a 0 for an O or visa versa i think should be allowed. Why would they allow regular plats like D04-GVD but not CAMAR0. maybe to LE its easier because they have trained eyes, but to my i would have just as much trouble figuring out D04-GVD vs. DO4-GVD on the road

[ThoR294]

on the old plates, the 0 and O were very similar. With the new "flat" printed plates, you can very easily tell the difference between 0 and O on a license plate.

There goes my "Sl0balt" plate lol

[Jersey Mike]

Originally Posted by ThoR294

on the old plates, the 0 and O were very similar. With the new "flat" printed plates, you can very easily tell the difference between 0 and O on a license plate.

There goes my "Sl0balt" plate lol

I've attached a screenshot comparison of the number 0 vs letter O, since everyone is curious about that. The example is "zer0voh"

Also, the automated system does not reject sl0balt (note: slobalt is taken). The point of this thread is to find out if someone at MVC has the written justification from the State to reject sl0balt or if it is decided arbitrarily, based on who is working that particular shift.

[ThoR294]

does anyone have a new plate with a 0 or an O we can compare vs. the computer generated? I remember it being pretty noticeable in person.

Originally Posted by Jersey Mike

I've attached a screenshot comparison of the number 0 vs letter O, since everyone is curious about that. The example is "zer0voh"

Also, the automated system does not reject sl0balt (note: slobalt is taken). The point of this thread is to find out if someone at MVC has the written justification from the State to reject sl0balt or if it is decided arbitrarily, based on who is working that particular shift.

good call, i wonder if its auto or not

[LS1ow]

Originally Posted by ThoR294

does anyone have a new plate with a 0 or an O we can compare vs. the computer generated? I remember it being pretty noticeable in person.

I think the new plates are actually harder to tell. They are the same size and shape, only difference being the 0 is curved edges and the O is 45* angles

[LS1ow]

[Jersey Mike]

So, after a phone call with Trenton, I was told to write an explanation letter & send it to them for consideration. I'm not optimistic, but I suppose it's better than being complacent.

Tune in next week for part 2 of Jersey Mike v. The State Of New Jersey

[maroman88]

from what ive seen, zeros are used in the regular number sequence of plates, and letter O's are not, letter O's are used as the fist character in special plates... like livery cars start with "OL..." ambulances start with "OA..."

ive seen vanity plates with zero's but i dont recall seeing any with O's