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Vehicle registration plates of Nebraska

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This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Klondike53226 (talk | contribs) at 03:24, 21 January 2021 (→Optional plates: after eight years of issuance, the Union Pacific plate had reached the CK series of serials by June 2020, according to LicensePlates.cc. And here's an image of one, too :)). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Nebraska
File:Nebraska license plate 2017 big counties.jpg
Current series
Slogan1867 * 2017
Size12 in × 6 in
30 cm × 15 cm
MaterialAluminum
Serial formatDouglas, Lancaster and Sarpy Counties:
ABC 123
All other counties (county-coded):
3-A1234
3-AB123
10-A123
10-AB12
IntroducedJanuary 2017 (2017-01)
Availability
Issued byNebraska Department of Motor Vehicles
History
First issued1915 (1915)

The U.S. state of Nebraska first required its residents to register their motor vehicles in 1905. Registrants provided their own license plates for display until 1915, when the state began to issue plates.[1]

Plates are currently issued by the Nebraska Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). Front and rear plates are required for most classes of vehicles, while only rear plates are required for motorcycles and trailers. All state-issued plates were made of steel until 1947 when aluminum plates were introduced.

Passenger baseplates

1915 to 1965

In 1956, the United States, Canada and Mexico came to an agreement with the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators, the Automobile Manufacturers Association and the National Safety Council that standardized the size for license plates for vehicles (except those for motorcycles) at 6 inches (15 cm) in height by 12 inches (30 cm) in width, with standardized mounting holes.[2] The 1955 (dated 1956) issue was the first Nebraska license plate that complied with these standards.

Image Dates issued Design Slogan Serial format Serials issued Notes
1915 Black on white; "NEB 1915" at right none 12345 1 to approximately 70000
1916 White on navy blue; "NEB 1916" at right none 123456 1 to approximately 101000
1917 Black on cream; "NEB 1917" at right none 123456 1 to approximately 148000
1918 Yellow on black; "NEB 1918 at right" none 123456 1 to approximately 171000
1919–20 Black on light green; "NEB 1919" at right none 123456 1 to approximately 273000 Revalidated for 1920 with dark blue tabs.
1921 White on black; "NEB 1921" at right none 123456 1 to approximately 272000
1922 Black on white; "NEB 1922" at right none 1-12345
10-1234 		Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10) First use of county codes.
1923 Green on black; "NEB 1923" at right none 1-12345
10-1234 		Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10)
1924 White on black; "NEB 1924" at right none 1-12345
10-1234 		Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10)
1925 Black on orange; "NEB 1925" at right none 1-12345
10-1234 		Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10)
1926 White on green; "NEB 1926" at right none 1-12345
10-1234 		Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10)
1927 White on maroon; "1927 NEB" at right none 1-12345
10-1234 		Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10)
1928 White on dark blue; "NEB 1928" at right none 1-12345
10-1234 		Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10)
1929 White on black; "1929 NEB" at right none 1-12345
10-1234 		Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10)
1930 Yellow on dark blue; "NEB 1930" at right none 1-12345
10-1234 		Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10)
1931 Red on gray; "1931 NEB" at right none 1-12345
10-1234 		Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10)
1932 White on blue; "NEB 1932" at right none 1-12345
10-1234 		Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10)
1933 Dark blue on orange; "1933 NEB" at right none 1-12345
10-1234 		Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10)
1934 White on dark green; "NEBRASKA – 34" at bottom none 1-12345
10-1234 		Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10) First use of the full state name.
1935 Black on gray; "NEBRASKA – 35" at bottom none 1-12345
10-1234 		Coded by county off issuance (1 or 10)
1936 Silver on black; "NEBRASKA – 36" at bottom none 1-12345
10-1234 		Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10)
1937 Black on gray; "37 – NEBRASKA" at bottom none 1-12345
10-1234 		Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10)
1938 Silver on black; "NEBRASKA – 38" at bottom none 1-12345
10-1234 		Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10)
1939 Black on gray; "NEBRASKA – 39" at top none 1-12345
10-1234 		Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10)
1940 Orange on turquoise with State Capitol graphic; "NEBRASKA 40" at bottom none 1-12345
10-1234 		Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10)
1941 Dark blue on orange with State Capitol graphic; "NEBRASKA 41" at bottom none 1-12345
10-1234 		Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10)
1942–44 Red on white; "NEBRASKA 42" at bottom none 1-12345
10-1234 		Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10) Revalidated for 1943 with dark blue tabs, and for 1944 with orange tabs, due to metal conservation for World War II.
1945 White on black; "NEBRASKA 45" at bottom none 1-12345
10-1234 		Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10)
1946–47 White on brick red; "46 NEBRASKA" at top none 1-12345
10-12345 		Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10) Revalidated for 1947 with brown tabs.
1948 Dark blue on unpainted aluminum; "19 NEBRASKA 48" at bottom none 1-12345
10-12345 		Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10)
1949 Maroon on unpainted aluminum; "19 NEBRASKA 49" at top none 1-12345
10-12345 		Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10)
1950 Dark blue on white; "19 NEBRASKA 50" at top none 1-12345
10-12345 		Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10)
1951 White on black; "NEBRASKA 51" at bottom none A1234A
AB123A 		Coded by county of issuance (A or AB)
1952–53 Black on golden yellow; "NEBRASKA 52" at bottom none 1-12345
10-12345 		Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10) Revalidated for 1953 with black tabs.
1954 Golden yellow on black; "NEBRASKA 54" at top none 1-12345
10-12345 		Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10)
1955 Black on golden yellow; "NEBRASKA 55" at bottom none 1-12345
10-12345 		Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10)
1956 White on black with border line; "19 NEBRASKA 56" at top The Beef State 1-123456
10-12345 		Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10) First 6" x 12" plate.
1957 Green on white with border line; "19 NEBRASKA 57" at top The Beef State 1-123456
10-12345 		Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10)

1958–59 Black on golden yellow with border line; "19 NEBRASKA 58" at top The Beef State 1-123456
10-12345 		Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10) Revalidated for 1959 with aluminum tabs.
1960–61 Golden yellow on black with border line; "19 NEBRASKA 60" at top The Beef State 1-123456
10-12345 		Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10) Revalidated for 1961 with stickers.
1962–64 Green on white with border line; "19 NEBRASKA" and green sticker box at bottom The Beef State 1-123456
10-12345 		Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10) Revalidated for 1963 and 1964 with stickers.
1965 Black on white with border line; "19 NEBRASKA 65" at bottom The Beef State 1-123456
10-12345 		Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10)

1966 to present

Image Dates issued Design Slogan Serial format Serials issued Notes
1966–68 Red on reflective white with state outline Centennial 1-A1234
1-AB123
10-A123
10-AB12 		Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10) Commemorated Nebraska's 100 years of statehood. Letters I, M, O, Q, W and X not used in serials; this practice continues today (except in Douglas, Lancaster and Sarpy Counties since 2002).[3] Revalidated for 1967 and 1968 with stickers.
1969–71 Black on reflective white with state outline Cornhusker State 1-A1234
1-AB123
10-A123
10-AB12 		Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10) Revalidated for 1970 and 1971 with stickers.
1972–75 Red on reflective white with state outline Cornhusker State 1-A1234
1-AB123
10-A123
10-AB12
5/9-A1234 		Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10) Revalidated for 1973, 1974 and 1975 with stickers. After reaching 59-ZZ99, Sarpy County introduced five-character serials with stacked county codes; these were used on each subsequent base until 2002.
1976–83 Red on reflective white with sky blue banner at bottom, Conestoga wagon graphic at top left and Native American chief graphic at top right 1776 BICENTENNIAL 1976 1-A1234
1-AB123
10-A123
10-AB12
2/1-A1234
5/9-A1234 		Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10) Only base on which Scotts Bluff County, as well as Sarpy County, used five-character serials with stacked county codes.
January 1984 – December 1986 Blue on reflective white none 1-A1234
1-AB123
10-A123
10-AB12
5/9-A1234 		Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10)
January 1987 – December 1989 Red on reflective white with yellow, orange and red sunset graphic at top none 1-A1234
1-AB123
10-A123
10-AB12
5/9-A1234 		Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10)
File:1991 Nebraska license plate 1-D6756.jpg January 1990 – December 1992 Black on reflective white with light blue, gold and black windmill graphic at top none 1-A1234
1-AB123
10-A123
10-AB12
5/9-A1234 		Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10) Early Lancaster County plates were manufactured in South Dakota using that state's serial dies.
January 1993 – December 1995 Blue on reflective white with blue and yellow graphic at top featuring Chimney Rock and city skyline none 1-A1234
1-AB123
10-A123
10-AB12
5/9-A1234 		Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10)
January 1996 – December 1998 Black on reflective white with black and orange graphic at top featuring Chimney Rock and city skyline none 1-A1234
1-AB123
10-A123
10-AB12
5/9-A1234 		Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10)
File:1999 Nebraska license plate 21-CU31.jpg January 1999 – December 2001 Red on reflective gradient blue and white with yellow Chimney Rock and light blue city skyline graphics none 1-A1234
1-AB123
10-A123
10-AB12
5/9-A1234 		Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10)
File:Nebraska ABC license plate.png January 2002 – December 2004 Black on reflective gradient yellow, orange and red with black prairie landscape graphic, three black silhouettes of sandhill cranes, and an orange sun www.state.ne.us ABC 123 NAA 001 to mid-'O' series ABC 123 serial format introduced in Douglas, Lancaster and Sarpy Counties, the three most populous, while the county-code system was retained in all other counties. Plates with the ABC 123 format were originally issued with stickers at the bottom displaying the county name; these were discontinued due to poor quality. Serials became screened in May 2004.[4]
File:2003 Nebraska license plate 5-B3813.jpg 3-A1234
3-AB123
10-A123
10-AB12
 Coded by county of issuance (3 or 10)
File:2005 Nebraska license plate SAM 123.jpg January 2005 –December 2010 Dark blue on reflective gradient blue and white with red state outline and Conestoga wagon graphic www.nebraska.gov ABC 123 Mid-'O' series to late 'R' series 'Q' series omitted in Douglas, Lancaster and Sarpy Counties.[3]
File:2005-2010 Nebraska License Plate.jpg 3-A1234
3-AB123
10-A123
10-AB12
 Coded by county of issuance (3 or 10)
File:Nebraska license plate 2011-2016.jpg January 2011 – December 2016 Dark green on reflective gradient white and yellow with Western meadowlark and goldenrod nebraska.gov ABC 123 Late 'R' series to mid-'U' series
File:2011 Nebraska license plate 20-AG65.jpg 3-A1234
3-AB123
10-A123
10-AB12
 Coded by county of issuance (3 or 10)
File:Nebraska license plate 2017 big counties.jpg January 2017 – present Black on reflective white with Sower statue from the Nebraska State Capitol; state name in gold on navy blue bar at top "1867" and "2017" ABC 123 Mid-'U' series to WPY 845 (as of January 17, 2021) Commemorates Nebraska's 150 years of statehood.
File:Nebraska License Plate 2017 from private collection of Ryan Smith..jpg 3-A1234
3-AB123
10-A123
10-AB12 		Coded by county of issuance (3 or 10)

Optional plates

Image Dates issued Design Slogan Serial format Serials issued Notes
File:Nebraska Union Pacific License Plate from private collection of Ryan Smith.jpg 2012 Yellow Union Pacific locomotive and train left, plowed wheat field and city skyline right Union Pacific Railroad Museum 123AB 001AA to 946CK (as of June 1, 2020) Awarded "Plate of the Year" for best new license plate of 2012 by the Automobile License Plate Collectors Association, the first time Nebraska was so honored.

Non-passenger plates

Image Type Dates issued Design Serial format Notes
Motorcycle 1999–2001 Embossed red on white; "NEB" at top left 1 M/C 12345
10 M/C 1234 		Coded by county of issuance.
2002–04 Embossed black on white; "NEB" at top left ABC 123
3 M/C 1234
10 M/C 1234 		ABC 123 serial format used in Douglas, Lancaster and Sarpy Counties.
2004 Screened black on white; "NEBRASKA" and "MC" at top left ABC 123
3-1234
10-1234 		Serials continued from where the 2002–04 plates left off.
2005–10 Screened blue on white; "NEBRASKA" and "MC" at top left ABC 123
3-1234
10-1234
2011–16 Screened dark green on white; "NEBRASKA" and "MC" at top left ABC 123
3-1234
10-1234
2017–present Screened black on white; "NEBRASKA" and "MOTORCYCLE" centered at top ABC 123
3-1234
10-1234

County coding

Nebraska counties by license plate prefix

Nebraska established a county-code system for its passenger and motorcycle plates in 1922, with one- or two-digit codes assigned to each county in order of the number of registered vehicles in the county at that time.[5] These codes remained constant through 1950.

For 1951, letter codes were used. One-letter codes were assigned to the first counties whose names began with those letters, while all other counties were assigned two-letter codes consisting of the initial letter and the next available letter in their names (the letters I, O and Q were not used). There were three exceptions: Douglas County, the most populous in the state, was assigned single-letter X to increase capacity; Otoe County was assigned Z as O was not allowed; and Dodge County was assigned DG instead of DD as double-letter codes were also not allowed.[6]

The numeric code system was reintroduced in 1952, with the codes the same as before. It remains in use, except in Douglas, Lancaster, and Sarpy Counties, which adopted an uncoded ABC 123 serial format in 2002.

County Numeric code Letter code, 1951
Adams 14 A
Antelope 26 AN
Arthur 91 AR
Banner 85 B
Blaine 86 BA
Boone 23 BN
Box Butte 65 BX
Boyd 63 BY
Brown 75 BR
Buffalo 9 BU
Burt 31 BT
Butler 25 BL
Cass 20 C
Cedar 13 CE
Chase 72 CH
Cherry 66 CR
Cheyenne 39 CY
Clay 30 CL
Colfax 43 CF
Cuming 24 CU
Custer 4 CS
Dakota 70 D
Dawes 69 DA
Dawson 18 DW
Deuel 78 DE
Dixon 35 DX
Dodge 5 DG
Douglas 1 X
Dundy 76 DU
Fillmore 34 F
Franklin 50 FR
Frontier 60 FN
Furnas 38 FU
Gage 3 G
Garden 77 GA
Garfield 83 GR
Gosper 73 GS
Grant 92 GN
Greeley 62 GE
Hall 8 H
Hamilton 28 HA
Harlan 51 HR
Hayes 79 HY
Hitchcock 67 HT
Holt 36 HL
Hooker 93 HK
Howard 49 HW
Jefferson 33 J
Johnson 57 JH
Kearney 52 K
Keith 68 KE
Keya Paha 82 KY
Kimball 71 KM
Knox 12 KN
Lancaster 2 L
Lincoln 15 LN
Logan 87 LG
Loup 88 LU
Madison 7 M
McPherson 90 MC
Merrick 46 ME
Morrill 64 MR
Nance 58 N
Nemaha 44 NE
Nuckolls 42 NU
Otoe 11 Z
Pawnee 54 P
Perkins 74 PE
Phelps 37 PH
Pierce 40 PR
Platte 10 PL
Polk 41 PK
Red Willow 48 R
Richardson 19 RC
Rock 81 RK
Saline 22 S
Sarpy 59 SA
Saunders 6 SU
Scotts Bluff 21 SC
Seward 16 SE
Sheridan 61 SH
Sherman 56 SR
Sioux 80 SX
Stanton 53 ST
Thayer 32 T
Thomas 89 TH
Thurston 55 TU
Valley 47 V
Washington 29 W
Wayne 27 WA
Webster 45 WE
Wheeler 84 WH
York 17 Y

References

  1. ^ "Old Nebraska License Plates". LeatherLicensePlates.com. Retrieved May 25, 2017.
  2. ^ Garrish, Christopher (October 2016). "Reconsidering the Standard Plate Size". Plates. Vol. 62, no. 5. Automobile License Plate Collectors Association.
  3. ^ a b Tanner, Eric N. "Nebraska Passenger License Plates". allaboutlicenseplates.com. Retrieved November 11, 2020.
  4. ^ Turnbull, Andrew. "March of the Flats". The Andrew Turnbull Network. Retrieved May 25, 2017.
  5. ^ "History Of Nebraska Passenger Vehicle License Plates". Nebraska Department of Motor Vehicles. Retrieved October 29, 2015.
  6. ^ Reback, Brian P. "Nebraska - county codes". bprlicenseplates.com. Archived from the original on March 12, 2015. Retrieved March 11, 2016.
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