"Vanity license plates are cheaper than tattoos, and motorists can remove them by taking out the screws!  Vanity plates are creative, fun, affordable, long-lasting Valentine's Day gifts," said Stefan Lonce, author of the forthcoming book, LCNS2ROM – LICENSE TO ROAM: VANITY LICENSE PLATES AND THE GR8 STORIES THEY TELL.

"Vanity plates allow motorists to tell GR8 love stories, in eight or fewer characters, like this one: 'Alison Masry is always with her husband, Rudolph, even when they're miles apart.  That's because, in 2003, Ally donated a kidney to Rudy, who suffered from end stage renal failure.  Ally's New York vanity plate is DONOR, and Rudy's is DONEE,'" Lonce said. 

"However, gift-givers should carefully consider the messages they choose for vanity plates.  One New York motorist received vanity plates that said 4MYLOVE from her husband, as an anniversary gift; unfortunately, the husband was having an affair at the time, and the couple is now divorced," Lonce explained. 

Every state (and D.C.) issues vanity plates, which allow motorists to "vanitize" with messages they create, of four to eight characters, depending on the jurisdiction.  Virginia charges the lowest vanity plate fee ($10), and Minnesota charges the highest fee ($100).  In 34 states, motorists can order vanity plates for an additional fee of $40 or less (excluding application fees charged by some states). 

In the tri-state area, Connecticut charges a one-time $90 fee for vanity plates, New Jersey charges a $50 one-time fee, and New York charges $25 per year (plus a $43 application fee). 

There are 9.3 million vanitized motor vehicles in the United States, and 440,000 vanitized vehicles in Canada, according to the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators – LCNS2ROM Vanity License Plates Survey.  AAMVA represents the American and Canadian departments of motor vehicles. 

The complete results of the Vanity License Plates Survey, and links to the websites for every American and Canadian DMV are listed on the LCNS2ROM website, www.lcns2rom.com.  Many states allow motorists to order vanity plates online.

"LCNS2ROM combines prose, photography and graphics to explain the vanitizing phenomenon and to recount some of the great stories that motorists have told on their vanity plates.  Anyone looking for a durable, affordable gift for a creative motorist should consider buying vanity plates, which are minimalist poetry in motion," Lonce said.  LCNS2ROM is Lonce's actual New York vanity plate.