On our sister site a user recently used the term "tags" in relation to taxis in China.
I thought it might mean some kind of official authorization to operate a taxi.
But upon clarification I was told "tags" actually means "License plates and stickers that show the registration is currently valid".
I'm a native speaker of Australian English and I've travelled in almost every English speaking country and didn't know this use of "tags", though I guess this is not a topic that's come up in conversation in my travels often either.
In which countries would this sense be known?
- Just USA?
- USA and it's neighbours in Canada and Belize?
- All English speaking countries other than Australia?
- Even in Australia and I somehow remained ignorant of it despite having classic cars as a hobby for a number of years?
Best Answer
It has that meaning in the US, although it's a bit jargon-y. Most people will say "plates", but most will understand "tags" at least in context. When you buy a car at the dealer you pay a "tag and title" fee through the dealer to have the car registered and receive a license plate, and the shops that exist in some states to handle registration paperwork outside of the DMV offices are usually called "tag and title service". You might also hear a policeman report something about "a white Chevy with Michigan tags."
Despite how it may seem, "tags" does refer to the license plate, not specifically to the sticker or decal that's attached to the plate to show that the registration is current. Wiktionary is in agreement with me on this one (ety 1, n. 8.)