You know the feeling. You've had a car for years - maybe a decade, maybe longer. It's been on road trips, through breakdowns, across state lines. You've washed it on weekends, argued about parking spots for it, maybe even given it a name. Then the day comes when you have to let it go.
Selling a car you're attached to is oddly emotional. The new owner drives off and you're left standing in the driveway feeling like you just said goodbye to a mate. The photos on your phone help, but they end up buried in your camera roll within a week.
That's where a memorial plate comes in.
What's a Memorial Plate?
It's simple: a custom replica of your car's registration plate, made as a keepsake after you've sold the vehicle. Same text, same colours (or your own twist on them), displayed on your wall instead of a bumper.
Think of it like retiring a jersey number. The car's gone, but the plate lives on.
Why People Make Them
It might sound niche, but we see this more than you'd think. A few common scenarios:
The first car. Your beat-up Commodore or Corolla that got you through uni. It wasn't worth much, but it meant everything. A plate on the garage wall is a nod to where it all started.
The project car. You spent two years rebuilding it, drove it for three, then sold it because life changed. The rego was practically your identity for a while.
The family car. Dad's old Falcon. Mum's Camry. The car that did every school run, every holiday, every trip to Bunnings. When it finally goes, a plate on the wall keeps it in the family.
The dream car. You finally got one, drove it hard, loved every second - and then reality (or a growing family) forced the sale. A replica plate sits on the shelf as proof it actually happened.
How to Set One Up
Designing a memorial plate takes about two minutes in our 3D configurator:
- Enter your old rego as the plate text
- Pick your colours - match your state's scheme for authenticity, or go with something personal
- Choose a size - the Truck size (240×68 mm) looks great on a wall; the Standard (160×45 mm) suits a desk or shelf
- Select fixings - screw holes for a permanent wall mount, adhesive for easy stick-on, or none if you want it freestanding
The live 3D preview shows you exactly what you'll get before you order. No surprises.
Display Ideas
A memorial plate works anywhere you'd want a reminder of a car you loved:
- Garage or shed wall - the natural home. Line them up if you've owned a few. Our wall mounting guide covers how to fix them to timber, brick, or corrugated iron.
- Man cave or bar - a row of plates from every car you've owned makes a great conversation starter. See our man cave styling guide for more ideas.
- Office desk - a smaller plate on a stand adds personality without taking up much space.
- Shadow box frame - pair the plate with a photo of the car for a proper tribute piece. A standard shadow box is deep enough to hold a 3D printed plate, and the combination of photo + plate looks seriously good.
Memorial Pack: The Complete Tribute
If the shadow box idea appeals to you, we now offer a Memorial Pack that bundles the whole thing together. You get a custom plate, a shadow box frame (in Black, White, or Natural Wood), and your own photo of the car - all assembled and ready to hang.
Upload your photo directly in the Memorial Pack configurator and preview how it'll look alongside your plate in 3D before you order. Choose between portrait or landscape orientation for both the frame and your photo to suit the image you've got.
The frame is a proper 200×250 mm shadow box with a 30 mm deep moulding - deep enough to hold the plate with room to spare. Your photo sits above the plate behind a cream mat, with the whole thing framed and ready to go from $99.
It's Also a Cracking Gift
Know someone who just sold a car they loved? A replica plate of the rego is one of those gifts that actually lands. It shows you were paying attention, and it's something they'd never think to buy themselves.
Works especially well for:
- Blokes who've just sold a project car
- Parents whose kids sold their first car
- Mates who won't stop talking about "the one that got away"
- Retirement gifts for someone who drove the same work vehicle for decades
For more creative gift ideas using custom plates, we've got a whole post on that.
One Car, One Plate, One Memory
Cars come and go. Some you forget the moment you sign the papers. Others stick with you. A memorial plate is a small, affordable way to hold onto the ones that mattered - no storage unit required.
Make Yours
Design a replica of your old rego in our 3D configurator. Pick your text, colours, and size, preview it in 3D, and we'll print it to order in Melbourne. Starting from $15, it's the cheapest way to keep a piece of a car you'll never forget.
Want the full package? Build a Memorial Pack with your photo and plate in a shadow box frame, ready to hang from $99.