Old San Jose, CA bicycle license. I've never been able to find any information on these that would suggest how old it might be.

This Seattle bicycle license, applied to the '71 Raleigh International in question some time after it was repainted in metallic purple, will always be a reminder of my trip down there to by train to pick up the bike for my girlfriend (might've also hit some brewpubs):

Early adopter (got #000298 ). It's a Frankenbike, but nicely kitted out in 1970s Japanese bits, with some Italian flourishes such as the presumably original '<C>' Record headset, Nuovo Record seatpost, and early 70s Cinelli stem (featuring a distinctive 7mm hex bolt).

Nice lugs, too:


Whole bike shot, as requested:

I grew up in buffalo ny in the 70's. I remember going to the police station w/my bike and registering it. a cop came out and recorded the serial number. he gave me a sticker that he put on the downtube by the bb. It said something like this bicycle is registered in zip code xxxxx po station #17 serial number and date.

There are approximately a bazillion of the small, metal license plates for sale on Etsy. For example (no affiliation):

Vintage Belgian European bicycle metal license by MadameRosaline


and:

Vintage Bicycle License Plate Miniature by ProsserBrosVtg

When I was a kid my brother & I got our first 10-speeds, Schwinn Varsity bikes with 24" wheels. We dutifully rode to the police station and each purchased a bike license. I think it was 50 cents in 1976.

The city didn't exactly get a lot of revenue out of it, but the term "license" wasn't properly applied. It was basically a registration in case of theft.

I went to college in Missoula, Montana and had a Japanese Bianchi Special at the time. I had it locked up outside the dorm for a few days when I first arrived my freshman year and someone went around putting obnoxious orange stickers on bikes informing you that the city requires you to have a bike license, which I never bought. It wasn't easy to get that off the frame.

I remember taking my first bike down to the fire dept. in Oakland, CA, and getting that CA sticker. They also took a punch and beat a number into the seat tube. I was about to cry.