Italy Allows Personalized License Plates in Revenue Push

By Salma El-Sakka

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni announced on Wednesday that motorists will be allowed to personalize their vehicle number plates as part of the government's 2027 budget law, a measure aimed at raising revenue ahead of a general election due next year.

Cost and Revenue Uncertainty

Personalized plates will cost approximately €600 for cars and €360 for motorbikes, according to a decree. A Treasury official declined to estimate how much revenue the policy is expected to generate. Current Italian registration plates follow a format of two letters, three numbers, and two letters; the extent of permitted customization remains unclear.

Public Reaction and Mockery

The reform sparked a wave of social media memes and jokes, with one depicting Meloni as Marie Antoinette offering plates with the phrase "Let them eat personalized plates." Concerns were raised that custom plates could open the door to insults and profanities. Taxi drivers welcomed the measure, saying distinctive plates could help identify legitimate operators and combat illegal services.

Opposition Criticism

Centre-left opposition parties dismissed the initiative as a distraction from more pressing issues unaddressed in the budget. Francesco Silvestri, a lawmaker from the Five Star Movement, said: "Meloni should know that Italians have already chosen their personalized plate, and it reads: 'Meloni, go away'."