Some states have been forced to discontinue marking their rental car license plates due to the visible advantage that it gives criminals, seeking to prey off of tourists. Your safety is at stake if you are driving a vehicle targeted as a rental car. However, some states still do mark their rental cars in various ways, depending upon the state. It is advisable to ask the rental car company if they mark their rental cars before renting and request an unmarked rental. Rental cars that can still be identified are usually marked in three ways.
Step 1
Watch for sticker color variations on license plates. For example, Virginia rental cars use standard passenger plates, but use a white on orange sticker to denote that the car is a rental car.
Step 2
Look for a license plate frame or placard that advertises a rental car company. Some companies use the frames instead of markings on the license plates themselves.
Step 3
Watch for symbols on the license plates that may seem unusual. For example, Idaho has the symbol of a small heart near the bottom of the rental car license plates.
Tip
Contact the Department of Motor Vehicles in your state to find out if or how your state marks its rental car license plates.