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Emoji license plates could become a real thing if this Vermont bill passes

It's vanity plates for a whole new generation.

Shelby Brown Editor II
Shelby Brown (she/her/hers) is an editor for CNET's services team. She covers tips and tricks for apps, operating systems and devices, as well as mobile gaming and Apple Arcade news. Shelby also oversees Tech Tips coverage. Before joining CNET, she covered app news for Download.com and served as a freelancer for Louisville.com.
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  • She received the Renau Writing Scholarship in 2016 from the University of Louisville's communication department.
Shelby Brown
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Which emoji would you pick for your license plate?

Angela Lang/CNET

A new piece of legislation before the Vermont House of Representatives aims to allow drivers to spice up their license plate with emoji. The draft bill introduced by Rep. Rebecca White, a Democrat from Windsor, Vermont, proposes creating a registration plate that lets drivers add one of six emojis in addition to the number assigned by the commissioner of motor vehicles. An emoji could also be added to a set of numbers or letters selected by the driver for a vanity plate, according to the bill's text

Vermont would reportedly be the first state to enact such legislation in the US, but NBC 5, which earlier reported the news, noted that Queensland, Australia, already has emoji license plate legislation in place. As of 2019, Queensland drivers can have the laughing, smiling, winking, "love" or sunglasses emoji on their plates. The plates cost about $336 each.

Vermont's legislation doesn't specify price or which six emojis would be available for selection. There are about 3,178 recognized emojis as of 2019, according to Emojipedia

Originally published Jan. 24, 2020.
Correction, Jan. 27: This story originally misstated the state house where the legislation is being considered.

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