Tracking a car by the license plate!

67Dart273 said
I think you'll find this is not all true. WA state the plates stay with the car. "I think" CA is the same, I did not check.................

According to this, AK stays with car, also CA, Delaware, Michigan, I did not check further

Transfer of Plates - AAA Digest of Motor Laws

LocuMob said
MN plates go with the car. Collector plates can stay with the owner if they want. Simple as take them off and let new owner register their own plates. Vanity plates can be kept also.

In California the plates go with the car unless they’re vanity/collector/specialty plates of some kind. Basically, if the owner is paying additional registration for those specific plates they can keep them. Otherwise they go with the car.

As for getting owner info from the DMV from a plate number, not anymore. Used to be able to do it, but that changed a few years back for security reasons. LEO’s and some registered dealers etc can get that info within their own policies/procedures, but not a private citizen.

But again, it differs by state/province, so, that’s just California and a few others, not a nationwide standard.