Yeah, that's really cool that you can pick your own license plate in the States! I wished we have the same thing here heh. I remember when I was in the States that a friend gave me his old plate as a souvenir, it was something with 'tennis' inside. He was a tennis lover and me too (that's why!)...
It's real! Of course the picture is generated from the DMV (Division of Motor Vehicles) web site, but here in Virginia that's a real plate. I even registered that domain name spelling in case people try it as is. Good stuff!