Motor Vehicle Agency (MVA) product designs should be considered intellectual property of the MVA and be prohibited from reproduction or reuse without express written consent from the issuing motor vehicle agency or if expressly authorized by law. MVA products may include, but are not limited to, license plates, driver licenses and identification cards, disability parking placards, validation stickers, title certificates, inspection reports, oversize and overweight permits, and registration certificates.

Because replicas that are designed to closely resemble the product, such as having a similar size, shape, characteristics, construction, and design, they may be mistaken for a legitimate product and provide potential for fraudulent use. Therefore, replica MVA products should be prohibited from being used for the intended purpose of an official MVA product. Likewise, if the jurisdiction allows the MVA product to be used for novelty use, it should also be prohibited from being used for the intended purpose of the MVA product. For example, officially issued license plates may be offered for sale at retail as repurposed novelty items. These would be prohibited from being used as evidence of vehicle registration.

Jurisdictions should consider laws to prohibit:

1. the unlawful use of any officially issued motor vehicle agency product,
2. the creation of replica products designed to closely resemble, and which could be mistaken for the genuine, officially issued MVA products, and
3. the use of such replica products in the same manner as official MVA products.

[Adopted September 2023]