YouTube/Personalised Plates Queensland
- Drivers in Australia can now incorporate an emoji icon as part of their vehicle’s license plates.
- A choice of five emojis can be added to plates registered in the state of Queensland from March 1, 2019.
- People can only choose the emojis "laughing out loud," "winking face," "cool sunglasses," "heart eyes," and "smiley face."
- The state government-owned company Personalised Plates Queensland will offer the service, which will cost between $115 (AUS$160) and $358 (AUS$500).
Australia is letting drivers add an emoji to their official government issued license plates.
Drivers in the state of Queensland are able to add one of five emoji to the end of their usual state issued license plate numbers from March 1.
People can choose "laughing out loud," "winking face," "cool sunglasses," "heart eyes," and "smiley face" emojis.
The government’s personalization service, Personalised Plates Queensland, have been advertising sample plates, like these below on their Instagram page in the run up to March 1:
These new plates will still have the three-letter and two-number combination required by law, with the emoji coming next.
The price for the plates has not yet been announced on the government’s website, but are estimated to be between $160 AUD and $500 AUD, Daily Mail Australia reported.
Instagram/PersonalisedPlatesQueensland
The Royal Automobile Club of Queensland (RACQ) welcomed the scheme, which they noted was similar to customization schemes which already exist.
Read more: Here’s every single new emoji arriving in 2019
RACQ Spokeswoman Dr Rebecca Michael said: "You can support your favorite team or your favorite town with a symbol on your number plate and using an emoji is no different," Seven Network reported.
Shutterstock/KY CHO
Not everyone is happy with the development.
Bill Potts, president of the Queensland Law Society, criticised the move in an interview with the Brisbane Times, saying that "clearly the government is trying to sex up number plates."
"But the purpose of number plates is for the police to be able to identify vehicles."
"How do you write down the emoji in your number plate after an accident?"
The emoji on the plates will not be part of the official license identification process and is just illustrative, Personalised Plates Queensland noted on their website.
The proceeds from the sale of personalised plates helps support Queensland Government initiatives, including road safety, Queensland government wrote on its website.
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Source: Business Insider – feedback@businessinsider.com (Bill Bostock)