MERCED, Calif. — A California motorist’s attempt at creativity landed him in legal trouble after officers discovered a hand-drawn license plate on his vehicle, authorities said.
According to the California Highway Patrol (CHP), an officer in Merced noticed something unusual about a Nissan Sentra’s rear plate during a routine patrol. Upon pulling the car over, the officer quickly realized the license plate was not state-issued at all — but carefully sketched by hand.
“We’ll give this driver points for creativity,” the CHP wrote in a Facebook post on October 10, sharing details of the unusual incident. Despite the artistic effort, the homemade plate violated California law, which requires all registered vehicles to display official, state-issued plates.
The driver reportedly told authorities that his original plate had been lost. However, the explanation did little to help his case. “While we appreciate the effort to stay compliant after losing the original plate, California law requires vehicles to display state-issued plates only,” the CHP post read.
The agency also offered practical guidance for motorists who find themselves in similar situations: “If your plates are lost or stolen, you can easily get replacements through the DMV instead of breaking out the art supplies.”
The driver was issued a $197 citation, according to the Los Angeles Times. The incident quickly gained attention online, both for its humor and its reminder about proper vehicle registration procedures.
California, known for its inventive spirit, has seen a fair share of unusual driving encounters this year. In a separate case in Santa Fe Springs, a CHP officer stopped a vehicle in the carpool lane after spotting what appeared to be a second passenger — only to discover it was a life-sized plastic mannequin with a goatee.
“The driver was the only occupant in the vehicle with their plastic friend. The goatee was sharp… just a little too sharp,” the CHP quipped in an Instagram post.
That driver, too, was cited for multiple carpool violations. “We’ve gotta give it to them — the appearance is next-level modeling, but at the end of the day… plastic is plastic,” the agency added.
Both cases highlight a uniquely Californian blend of creativity and rule-bending — and serve as a lighthearted reminder that while ingenuity has its place, it doesn’t extend to license plates or traffic laws.