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3w ago

California DMV Moves to Cancel 'IAMISIS' Vanity Plate as Owner Plans to Appeal

Regulators say the configuration could be read as support for ISIS under state rules that bar messages tied to violence.

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After a few years of having a license plate that reads I AM ISIS, a woman has now received a letter telling her that she has to change it. (KCRA/CNN Newsource)
After a few years of having a license plate that reads I AM ISIS, a woman has now received a letter telling her that she has to change it. (KCRA/CNN Newsource)
After a few years of having a license plate that reads I AM ISIS, a woman has now received a letter telling her that she has to change it. (KCRA/CNN Newsource)

Overview

  • The DMV letter deems the plate non-compliant under Title 13, Section 206, saying 'IAMISIS' could be construed as 'I am Islamic State of Iraq and Syria' and creates a risk of inciting violence.
  • Isis Wharton has held and renewed the personalized plate since 2022 without prior objections and says the reversal left her surprised and hurt.
  • The agency has given her until Sept. 27 to request an administrative hearing or the personalized configuration will be canceled and standard plates issued.
  • Legal scholars say personalized plates are generally treated as private speech protected by the First Amendment, citing Supreme Court guidance and past rulings.
  • A 2020 federal case striking down California’s earlier plate restrictions is cited as precedent, and the DMV action affects only the custom configuration, not her ability to drive.