I live in Davis, Ca. I am fairly certain that lincensing is required, or at least strongly encouraged enough on campus, I'm a student, that most are under the impression it is.
I've never heard of anyone who has felt that this registration system has garnered any benefits. Mostly, it is regarded as a means for the local police to streamline their ticket writing. TAPs of Davis (Transportation and Parking) tout the registration/licensing system as a means to recover stolen bicycles, any criminal worth his organs would peel the sticker off before selling to the fence of his choice...
These programs, from the inside, are a useless as them seem from the outside. A small source of revenue for the city and that's it.