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I have personally seen this- all in front of the courthouse cars with plates that read, "judge", in big letters, without any other identifier. And I have seen minister as well, and now that I think about it, something related to 'funeral procession'.
I also know 1st hand of a case around where I was at the time of some folk plating their own cars with the "minister", intending to claim the same right. They kept being harrassed by the police and even thrown in jail for the night, I was led to understand. When they finally got in front of the right judge, he dismissed the case with the comment to the effect of "...I have a judge plate myself and if this rule isnt valid then I would have to get my car registered"... something like that.
And these "ministers" were able to continue on their mission, without further problems from that quarter.
Maybe it isn't written law but rather customary, which has the force of law. Also there is the fact of diplomatic immunity, which creates an exception; and I am sure the popemobile had private plates.
I do count on the basic nature of laws being substantially similar everywhere; and I also know for a fact that in other countries it is clearly openly marked on the equivalent DMV form/registration card the possibility of 'deactive registration for transit purpose', basically 'putting down' the active account in exchange for a use which is clearly labeled, 'transit'.
And after all how does a non resident buy a car in one state and take it to another without violating the registration laws. Do I buy the car, some how arrange for tags and wait till this is all ready before I can take the car on the road? Isnt that an interference with interstate commerce? And there are temporary tags as well, which reminds me that as recently as 20 years ago I remember it was customary to stick a hand-written sign in the rear window, "waiting for tags", when aquiring a car. Registration took some time and the tags were not instantly available.
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