It’s not fair. My car never read The Scarlet Letter. So why does it have to wear a big red R? There isn’t even anything wrong. It’s the license plates that didn’t pass the inspection it received while I knitting (lots of knitting) last Friday.
My car is a perfectly fine, frugal Civic from the early ’90s, back when it was perfectly fine to have a single license plate on the back of the car. In the last few years, the state of Massachusetts decided it might be a good idea to have two plates. And somewhere along the way, they decided you had to have two plates in order to pass your inspection. Apparently, making the effort to notify people when it took effect was cut as a cost-saving measure.
To make a short story long, I spent a good half hour shooting penetrating oil into the screws holding the plate on until trails of rust were running down the white background in a sort of weeping clown effect. Finally, I got the screws to turn, and right in the parking lot of the RMV I took off the plate and walked in, all set to get the exchange over with. All I needed was to hand in my old plate, get my new plates, and let them update my records–and the computers were down.
Somebody just wants my car to wear a red letter R and a weeping plate.
Writing Every Day 
Help! I have a green plate also and I finally have memorized the number. Was your plate faded? I really don’t want to have to get two stupid red plates come July.
I don’t think it’s faded. They just said they it couldn’t pass inspection with a green plate. I wish I could wait until July to swap mine. I’m really not looking forward to crouching in an icy Registry parking lot trying to get rusted mounting posts to turn.
Hmmm….I think (hope) you were lied to/misinformed.
NOTE: Two plate exception for Green plates.
I also copied in the item about how to challenge.
http://www.mass.gov/rmv/faq/inspection.htm#23
# I was told my vehicle failed because I only have one plate. I am certain I was only issued one plate. What should I do?
Motor vehicles in Massachusetts must have two plates affixed to the vehicle, except for vehicles with the green and white passenger plate and Dealer, Repair, Owner-Contractor, and Farm plates. If you have lost your second plate, the easiest solution is to simply request new plates from the Registry, and then have your vehicle re-inspected with the new plates. If you have a vanity or reserve (low number) plate that you wish to keep, you may order a plate at any Registry branch. You will be provided with an order receipt which you must keep with your Registration until your replacement plate has arrived. Use of a substitute paper plate is permitted during this time.
NOTE: Many people think they received only one plate because they are stuck together. Be sure to check behind the plate that is on your vehicle now!
# I was told my vehicle failed because my plate was illegible.
By state law, Massachusetts license plates must be readable from 60 feet away. Any green or red passenger plate, which has lost its reflective coating or paint or has been damaged, must be replaced. You can also be cited by law enforcement for this violation. The RMV encourages vehicle owners to swap illegible plates for a set of red plates at no fee. Faded and illegible plates can be swapped at any of the RMV’s full serivce branch locations. A red plate that is lost or damaged can also be ordered at any branch or by calling the RMV Telephone Center at 617-351-4500. The cost of replacing these plates is $10 a plate and will be mailed to the registered owner.
I don’t think the inspector was correct in failing my vehicle. How can I challenge the results?
For both emissions related and safety issues, you can ask for a challenge test by calling the Vehicle Safety and Compliance Services Department in Quincy at (617) 351-9345, and you must complete an Inspection Station Complaint Form (PDF, 34k). A Registry official will review your request and may ask you to return with him or her to that inspection station or a neutral inspection station. If you pass the challenge test, the station that originally issued the Reject sticker to you will provide you with a Certificate of Inspection (sticker.) If you fail the challenge test, you will be charged $29.00 and your reject sticker will stay affixed to the windshield until the defects are repaired.
Thanks for looking that up. But it still looks to me like basically, I can fend off the hassle of exchanging my plate with the hassle of challenging my rejection. And the challenge is cleverly filled with things I hate, like phone calls and filling out forms. Call me lazy, but I’ll take the path of least resistance and get the red plates.