Cheap, plastic license plate frames printed with the names of car dealerships may be useful as a marketing tool, but well-chosen, high-quality license plate frames can also serve more practical purposes. The right license plate frame can protect your vehicle's license plate from damage, prevent damage to paint caused by the license plate itself, and add a personalized touch to the most utilitarian vehicle. 

This combination of uses makes custom license plate frames very suitable for street legal off-road vehicles, which must be fitted with license plates even when they are slogging through knee-deep swamps. However, not every license plate frame is suitable for rugged all-terrain use. If you are looking for a custom license plate frame for an off-roading vehicle, keep the following guidelines in mind:

Choose Physically Durable Materials

Plastic license plate frames are very cheap, but they are also fragile and will shatter under heavy impacts. Most plastic frames will also become more fragile and brittle over time due to constant sunlight exposure. It goes without saying that they are hardly ideal for off-road vehicles, especially vehicles traversing rocky or heavily wooded terrain.

For lasting durability in challenging conditions, you should opt for a metal or carbon fiber license plate frame. While they are significantly more expensive, these frames are extremely durable and can protect your license plate from heavy impacts and collisions without becoming damaged and unsightly themselves.

Look For Rust Resistance

Metal and carbon fiber license plate frames are also immune to the weakening effects of sunlight exposure. However, metal frames made of chromed, coated, or painted steel are vulnerable to rust and corrosion, which can badly damage the frame and undermine the protection it provides. A visibly rusty frame can also be an eyesore, especially when you're back on the road.

Rust and metal corrosion are caused by exposure to moisture, so a frame that rusts easily is hardly suitable for off-road vehicles that frequently traverse wet, muddy terrain. Carbon fiber frames are still ideal, but you should also consider stainless steel or aluminum frames. These frames combine the physical durability of metal with complete immunity to corrosion and are an excellent long-term investment for any off-road vehicle.

Check For Adequate Spacers

License plates have a tendency to vibrate at high speeds when your vehicle is traversing rough terrain. Most license plate frames are fitted with a backboard that fits behind the license plate itself; these backboards prevent vibrations from damaging the paint and bodywork beneath the license plate. 

Any license plate frame you buy for an off-road vehicle must be fitted with a backboard. However, you should also make sure that the frame's backboard is relatively thick and fitted with spacers that prevent vibrations from traveling through the backboard. Adequate spacers also prevent moisture from becoming trapped behind the license plate, a common cause of body rust.

For help selecting a frame, including a Ford license plate frame, contact a supplier in your area.