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United States license plate designs and serial formats

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Main article: Vehicle registration plates of the United States

In the United States, the appearance of license plates is frequently chosen to contain staples, cultures, or slogans associated with the issuing jurisdiction, which are the 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia, each of which independently registers motor vehicles.

Formats for license plate numbers, which usually are alphanumeric, are chosen to provide enough unique serials for all motor vehicles a jurisdiction expects to register. Most states have issued plates using three letters followed by three numbers (ABC-123), but several either do not require this many plates or have outgrown this allocation. For example, less-populous states such as Delaware and Rhode Island are able to use six-digit all-numeric serials, while several populous states use seven-character formats of three letters and four numbers, including 1ABC234 in California and ABC-1234 in Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas,[1] Virginia, and Washington, while Florida uses ABC-D12, Illinois uses A12-3456, and Maryland uses 1AB2345.

Serial coding

License plate numbers are usually assigned in ascending order, beginning with a starting point such as AAA-001. Thus an observer familiar with the sequence can determine roughly when the plate was issued. In a few cases, numbers have been assigned in descending order. For example, when Virginia switched to seven characters for its standard issue in 1993, numbers beginning with AAA-1000 were already in use for extra-cost, optional-issue plates; therefore, the new standard license plates were issued in descending order from ZZZ-9999. Virginia's "400th Anniversary" plate series, issued from 2003 until 2007, was numbered in ascending order from JAA-1001, commemorating the colony at Jamestown.

Expiration date

In some states, the month of expiration or the county of registration is incorporated into the plate's serial. The last number on a Massachusetts license plate indicates the month the vehicle's registration expires (for example, 1234 AB would expire in April, the fourth month; 0 indicates October expirations; and X and Y were used for November and December expirations, respectively, on commercial plates and pre-1978 passenger plates), as does the first number or letter on West Virginia plates (1 to 9 and O, N, and D for January through September and October, November, and December expirations, respectively).

County of issuance

Although increasingly few states place the full name of the county of registration explicitly on their standard-issue plates but not as part of the plate serial, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Kentucky, Mississippi, and Tennessee continue the practice.

In Alabama, Montana, Nebraska, South Dakota, and Wyoming, a one- or two-digit number representing the county of issue begins a license plate number. Standard-issue Idaho license plate numbers begin with a single-letter or a number-letter code representing the county of issue. County codes have been based on historical population figures, the county names in alphabetical order, or some combination thereof.

Only three places in the United States use letters to designate a residence where a vehicle was registered. In Hawaii, the license plates have a unique letter designation based on the island counties that residents purchased or registered the vehicles from; the first letter starting with A-G, J, N, P, or R-Z are issued to residents who live in The City and County of Honolulu, while H is registered in Hawai‘i County, K is issued to vehicles in Kaua‘i County and M for vehicles registered in Maui County. in the State of Idaho the first one or two characters are used to designate the county of residence/registration. For example all vehicles registered in Ada county start with 1A, vehicles in Twin Falls County start with 2T and vehicles in Valley county start with V (as there is only one county that starts with the letter V). In the US territory of Guam, the license plates use the first two letters that are coded by village of issuance, for example, "TM-1234" refers to a vehicle that was registered by a person who lives the village of Tamuning.

Florida allows its residents to choose either "Sunshine State" or "In God We Trust" slogans instead of their county, and in Miami-Dade County, all plates are issued with one of these slogans due to the targeting for crimes of cars registered there in the early 1990s. Florida also terminated a practice by which plates registered to rented vehicles had the letter Y or Z as their first digit, which also led to targeting of cars for theft due to the ease of replacement and the softer hit on the affected driver. The Georgia, as of 2011, allows drivers to choose the slogan "In God We Trust" in place of the county name where the vehicle is registered.

Indiana and Ohio display two-number county codes, while Kansas plates display two-letter county codes, but none of these three is a part of the plate serial and instead are placed in the corner of the plate in a smaller font size. Texas places the county name on the windshield registration sticker, but it likewise is not part of the plate serial.

Vehicle type

In most states, plates for vehicles, other than passenger cars, such as trucks and trailers, may use different numbering formats, either with or without the vehicle type appearing explicitly on the plate.

Persons with disabilities

In the states, special plates displaying the International Symbol of Accessibility are issued to persons with disabilities that entitle them to special parking privileges. Alternately, a placard, which in some jurisdictions can be hung from the rear view mirror, is issued and has the advantage of being transferred from vehicle to vehicle.

Current standard-issue passenger plate designs and serial formats

The following tables give information on license plates currently being issued, with 2013 or later expiration dates, for private (non-commercial) use on passenger vehicles by the governments of the fifty U.S. states, the District of Columbia, and the U.S. territories. Information on serial numbering patterns is also given. Older designs and serial formats previously issued may still be valid for continued usage in certain jurisdictions; these are noted in a separate table below.

In addition to "regular" passenger plates, all jurisdictions also provide plates for other types of vehicles that may only be roughly similar in design and layout. Additionally, there has been a recent explosion in the field of what are called "specialty" plates to promote specific causes or interests. These plates are usually offered at an additional cost when the motorist registers his or her vehicle. To keep this table as simple as possible, most of these alternate types of plates will not be noted. More information may also be found within the individual articles for each state, as linked within the table. Exceptions to this guideline may be made for specialty plates that are available at no extra cost to the motorist, as these tend to be seen more commonly on the roads.

Jurisdiction First issued Type/slogan Design Plate style Serial format Image
Alabama January 2, 2014 standard type:
black screened serial with lake and forest graphic 		Screened serial
Reflective sheeting 		Numerically coded by county:[2]
  • 0AB1234 (single-digit counties)
  • 00AB123 (double-digit counties)[3]
October 2013[4] optional type:
God Bless America 		black screened serial on reflective white; stylized U.S. flag at top Screened serial
Reflective sheeting 		1234AB5
Alaska January 2010[5] The Last Frontier Blue on gold with state flag Embossed serial
Reflective sheeting 		ABC 123
American Samoa 1999 Centennial 2000 blue on reflective white Embossed serial
Reflective sheeting 		1234
Arizona 2008 Grand Canyon State black on desert landscape Screened serial
Reflective sheeting 		ABC1234[6]
Arkansas 2006 The Natural State black on a diamond background, representing Crater of Diamonds State Park in Murfreesboro[7] Embossed serial
Reflective sheeting 		123 ABC[8]
California late 2011 dmv.ca.gov dark blue on white with red state name graphic and slogan printed in red at the bottom Embossed serial Reflective sheeting 1ABC234[9]
Colorado 2000 dark green on reflective white grey and green Rocky Mountains scene graphic Embossed serial
Reflective sheeting 		123-ABC File:2003 Colorado License Plate.jpg
Connecticut 2000 Constitution State dark blue on blue and white gradient fade Embossed serial
Reflective sheeting 		1AB•CD2 (2014–present)
1ABCD2 (2013)
123•ABC (2000-2013)[10]
Delaware 1969 The First State gold on navy blue Screened serial
Reflective sheeting 		123456 (variable number of digits)
District of Columbia July 2013 standard type:
Taxation without Representation; jurisdiction name displayed as "District of Columbia" 		blue on reflective white with red flag separator Screened serial
Reflective sheeting 		AB-1234
2001 optional type:
www.washingtondc.gov[11] 		Screened serial
Reflective sheeting
Florida December 2003 standard type:
myFLORIDA.com with county name[12] or "Sunshine State" 		green on reflective white with state map and citrus orange graphic Embossed serial
Reflective sheeting 		ABC D12 (2009–present)
123 ABC (2006 to 2009)
A12 3BC (2003 to 2009)
October 1, 2008 optional type:
myFLORIDA.com with "In God We Trust" slogan 		Embossed serial
Reflective sheeting 		123 4AB
Georgia May 2012 standard type:
Peach State with county name or "In God We Trust" sticker 		black on reflective blue with hills, peach tree, and peaches Screened serial
Reflective sheeting 		ABC1234
May 2012 optional type:
GEORGIA with county name or "In God We Trust" sticker 		black on reflective white Screened serial
Reflective sheeting
Guam February 27, 2009 Tano Y Chamorro black on reflective white with grey latte stone and three red bougainvillea flowers at center[13] Embossed serial
Reflective sheeting 		Coded by municipality of issuance:
AB 1234
Hawaii 1991 Aloha State black on reflective white with rainbow graphic Embossed serial
Reflective sheeting 		Coded by county of issuance:
Idaho 2008 Famous Potatoes black on reflective white with red gradient and dark blue mountain scene Screened serial
Reflective sheeting 		Coded by county of issuance:
  • A 123456 (variable number of digits following space)
  • 0A 12345 (variable number of digits following space)
  • 0A B1234 (following exhaustion of above format)
  • 0A BC123 (following exhaustion of above format)
  • 0A 1B234 (following exhaustion of above format)
  • 00A 1234 (variable number of digits following space)
 File:ID 2008 S.jpg
Illinois July 2001 Land of Lincoln red on blue gradient fade with Abraham Lincoln portrait graphic in center Embossed serial
Reflective sheeting 		A12 3456 (2006–present)
123 4567 (2001-2006)[14] 		File:2001 Illinois License Plate.jpg
Indiana January 2013 standard type:
Bicentennial 1816-2016 		black on white with yellow gradient and blue outline of state, stars, and "200" Screened serial
Reflective sheeting 		123A
123AB
123ABC
optional type:
In God We Trust 		black on white with American flag graphic Screened serial
Reflective sheeting 		ABC123
Iowa late 2011 black on reflective white farm scene foreground and city skyline background Screened serial
Reflective sheeting [15] 		ABC 123 (December 2012 – present)
123 ABC (2011-2012) 		File:IowaLicensePlate2011.gif
Kansas April 2007 dark blue on light blue gradient with state seal graphic and county code sticker Embossed serial
Reflective sheeting 		123 ABC File:Kansas license plate.jpg
Kentucky 2005 standard type:
Unbridled Spirit 		dark blue on light blue graident with county name sticker Embossed serial
Reflective sheeting 		123 ABC File:2011 Kentucky License Plate.jpg
2011 optional type:
In God We Trust
Louisiana 2014 www.louisianatourism.com
Bicentennial, Battle of New Orleans, 1815-2015 		blue on reflective white with silhouette of Andrew Jackson on horse at left Embossed serial
Reflective sheeting 		ABC123
Maine 1999 Vacationland black on reflective white with a chickadee and pine tassel graphic at left Embossed serial
Reflective sheeting 		1234 AB (variable number of digits preceding space)
Maryland June 2010 War of 1812 blue on reflective white with Star-Spangled Banner flying over Fort McHenry at left[16] Embossed serial
Reflective Sheeting 		1AB2345
Massachusetts 1988 The Spirit of America red on reflective white Embossed serial
Reflective sheeting 		Coded by month of expiration:
  • 1ABC 23
  • 1AB 234
  • 123 AB4
  • 12A B34
  • 123 ABC
Michigan 2013 standard type:
Pure Michigan 		blue on reflective white with blue wave at bottom Embossed serial
Reflective sheeting 		ABC 1234
2013 optional type:
The Mackinac Bridge 		white on orange and blue with stylized Mackinac Bridge in background Embossed Serial
Reflective sheeting 		ABC 123
Minnesota June 2009 Explore Minnesota.com, 10,000 Lakes black on reflective white with lake scene graphic Screened serial
Reflective sheeting 		123-ABC
Mississippi October 2012 "Birthplace of America's Music" dark blue on guitar graphic and "Celebrating Mississippi's Creative Culture" with county name Embossed serial
Reflective sheeting 		ABC 123
Missouri June 2008 Show Me State dark blue on light blue gradient fade with state outline and bluebird graphic Embossed serial
Reflective sheeting 		Coded by month of expiration:
AB1 C2D
Montana January 2010 standard issue:
Treasure State 		white on blue with white state outline Screened serial
Reflective sheeting 		Coded by county of issuance:
  • 0-12345A (variable number of numbers following divider)
  • 00-1234A (variable number of digits following divider)
optional issues:[17]
replica 1989 Centennial base
replica 1991 "Big Sky" base
replica 2000 base
replica 2006 "Big Sky Country" base 		blue on white with gold and maroon graphics ABC123
black on light blue gradient with multicolor state outline Coded by county of issuance:
  • 0-12345A (variable number of numbers following divider)
  • 00-1234A (variable number of digits following divider)
black on light blue with blue and tan graphics
black on light blue gradient with multicolor state outline
Nebraska January 2011 nebraska.gov green on white with Western Meadowlark and goldenrod Screened serial
Reflective sheeting 		ABC 123[18]
Or coded by county of issuance:[19]
  • 0-A1234 (variable number of digits following letter)
  • 0-AB123 (following exhaustion of above format; variable number of digits following letter)
  • 00-A123 (variable number of digits following divider)
  • 00-AB12 (following exhaustion of above format; variable number of digits following divider)
Nevada January 2001 The Silver State dark blue on sunset graphic Embossed or screened serial
Reflective sheeting 		123•ABC
New Hampshire January 1999 Live Free or Die green on Old Man of the Mountain graphic Embossed serial
Reflective sheeting 		123 4567 (2000–present)
123 456 (1999)[20] 		File:2000 New Hampshire License Plate.jpg
New Jersey 2007 Garden State black on yellow gradient fade Embossed serial
Reflective sheeting 		D12-ABC (2010–present)[21]
ABC-12D (2007-2010)
New Mexico 1989 Land of Enchantment red on yellow with turquoise yucca graphics and red zia Embossed serial
Reflective sheeting 		123-ABC File:Nmyellow90s.png
2010 upper: Centennial 1912-2012
lower: Land of Enchantment 		yellow on turquoise with large yellow and red zia Embossed serial
Reflective sheeting 		ABC-123 File:New Mexico Centennial License Plate 2010.jpg
New York 2010 Empire State dark blue on reflective gold Embossed serial
Reflective Sheeting 		ABC-1234
North Carolina 2011[22] First in Flight blue on white with Wright Flyer graphic Embossed serial
Reflective sheeting 		ABC-1234
North Dakota 1993 Discover the Spirit black on light blue gradient fade with prairie scene graphic Embossed serial
Reflective sheeting 		ABC 123
Northern Mariana Islands 1989 Hafa Adai dark blue on white with seal in center Embossed or Screened serial
Reflective sheeting 		ABC 123
Ohio June 7, 2010 Birthplace of Aviation blue on white various slogans in gray with a red border Embossed serial
Reflective sheeting 		ABC 1234
Oklahoma 2009 Native America dark red on white and blue with photograph of Sacred Rain Arrow sculpture[23] Screened serial
Reflective sheeting 		123ABC File:2010 Oklahoma License Plate.jpg
Oregon 1990 dark blue on fir tree and mountain graphic Embossed serial
Reflective sheeting 		123 ABC (2004–present)
ABC 123 (1990-2004)
Pennsylvania 2006 visitPA.com blue on white with yellow and blue bars Embossed serial
Reflective sheeting 		ABC-1234
Puerto Rico 2011 Puerto Rico Does It Better/Puerto Rico Lo Hace Mejor black on white with green gradient at bottom and grey building in background Screened serial
Reflective sheeting 		ABC-123
Rhode Island 1996 Ocean State dark blue on stylized grey and white ocean wave graphic Embossed serial
Reflective sheeting 		123-456 (2007–present[24]
AB-123 and 12345 (1996-2007)
South Carolina summer 2008 standard type:
travel2sc.com 		black on orange, white, and blue gradient with palmetto tree in center Screened serial
Reflective sheeting 		ABC 123
February 14, 2003 optional type:
In God We Trust 		black on multicolored background Embossed or screened serial
Reflective sheeting 		123 4AB
South Dakota 2006 Great Faces. Great Places. blue on Mount Rushmore graphic Screened serial
Reflective sheeting 		Coded by county of issuance:
  • 0AB 123
  • 0AB C12 (following exhaustion of above format)
  • 00A 123
  • 00A B23 (following exhaustion of above format)
  • 00A BC3 (following exhaustion of above format)
Tennessee 2011 www.tnvacation.com black on mountain scene with county name sticker Screened serial
Reflective sheeting 		A12-34B
Texas July 2012 The Lone Star State black on white with 5-point star in the upper left corner. Screened serial
Reflective sheeting 		ABC-1234[1]
Utah late 2007 Greatest Snow on Earth and Life Elevated dark blue on skier graphic[25][26] Embossed serial
Reflective sheeting 		A12 3BC
Life Elevated dark blue on graphic of Delicate Arch Embossed serial
Reflective sheeting 		A12 3BC[27]
Vermont 1985 Green Mountain State white on green with small white tree in top left corner Debossed serial
Reflective sheeting 		ABC 123 (1990–present)
12AB3 (1989)
1AB23 (1988)
123A4 (1986-1987)
1A234 (1985)
U.S. Virgin Islands 2005 America's Caribbean black on beach scene graphic Embossed serial
Reflective sheeting 		Coded by island of issuance:[28]
ABC 123
Virginia March 1, 2004 Virginia Is for Lovers blue on white Embossed serial
Reflective sheeting 		ABC-1234[29]
Washington 1987 Evergreen State dark blue on white with light blue Mount Rainier graphic Embossed serial
Reflective sheeting 		ABC1234 (2010–present)
123-ABC (1987-2010)
West Virginia 2006[30] Wild, Wonderful blue on white with state name in dark blue bar Embossed serial
Reflective sheeting 		Coded by month of expiration:
  • 0AB 123 (1 through 9 for January through September, respectively)
  • ABC 123 (O, N, and D for October, November, and December, respectively)
Wisconsin June 2000 America's Dairyland black on reflective white with stylized lake and farm graphic Embossed serial
Reflective sheeting 		123-ABC File:2007 Wisconsin License Plate.jpg
Wyoming 2008 black on Grand Tetons graphic Screened serial
Reflective sheeting 		Coded by county of issuance:
  • 0-12345 (variable number of digits following divider)
  • 0-1234A (following exhaustion of above format; variable number of digits following divider)
  • 00-12345 (variable number of digits following divider)

Plate types no longer issued but still valid

Plates with the following designs and serial formats are no longer being issued but may still be valid for use in certain instances. This table does not include year of manufacture registrations.

Jurisdiction Dates issued Type Plate style Serial format Status Image
Alabama
early 2007-October 2013 optional type:
God Bless America 		dark blue on American flag background AB12345
12345AB[3] 		Being replaced upon expiration, October 2013 to October 2014.
Alaska 1981—late 2004 "The Last Frontier"; blue on gold with state flag Embossed serial
Reflective sheeting 		ABC 123 Valid.
late 1997—late 2004 "Gold Rush Centennial" Embossed serial
Reflective sheeting 		ABC 123
January 2, 2008 – December 31, 2009 "Celebrating Statehood 1959-2009"; dark blue on mountain landscape background Embossed serial
Reflective sheeting 		ABC123[31]
American Samoa
none
Arizona 1980—1996 white on maroon Embossed serial
Reflective characters on nonreflective background 		ABC-123 Valid.
1996—late 2007 desert scene with embossed serials Embossed serial
Reflective sheeting 		123•ABC
Arkansas
none
California 1963—1969 yellow on black Embossed serial
Non-reflective background 		ABC 123 Valid.
1969—1980 yellow on blue Embossed serial
Non-reflective background 		123 ABC
1980—January 1987 1ABC234
January 1987—October 1987 "The Golden State" Embossed serial
Reflective sheeting
October 1987—1995 blue on white with red embossed state name Embossed serial
Reflective sheeting
1995-1998, 2000-2011 Embossed serial
Reflective sheeting 		blue on white with red screened state name
1998— 2000 "Sesquicentennial - 150 Years" Embossed serial
Reflective sheeting
Colorado 1978—2000 embossed mountain scene Reflective embossed serial
Non-reflective background 		Coded by county of issuance: AB-1234, ABC-123, ABC1234 Valid.
File:1995 Colorado License Plate.jpg
Connecticut
none
Delaware white on black up to 12-345 Valid.
silver on black up to 123456
yellow on blue without slogan up to 123456
District of Columbia "A Capital City" 123-456 Valid.
"Celebrate & Discover" 1991-November 2000 AB-1234 (1997-2000)
123-456 (1991-1997)
2001 blue on reflective white with red flag separator and "WWW.Washingtondc.gov" Embossed serial
Reflective sheeting 		BB-1234
2001-July 2013 blue on reflective white with red flag separator and "Taxation without Representation" with jurisdiction name displayed as "Washington, D.C." Screened serial
Reflective sheeting 		AB-1234
Florida December 2003—early 2009 green on reflective white with state map, citrus orange graphic, and myFLORIDA.com with county name Embossed serial
Reflective sheeting 		A12 3BC Being replaced on a ten year rolling basis.
December 2003—2006 green on reflective white with state map, citrus orange graphic, and myFLORIDA.com with "Sunshine State" slogan
Georgia 1997—December 2003 "...on my mind" 123 ABC
12345 QA
1234 AB
1234 ABC 		Valid.
December 2003—May 2007 www.GEORGIA.gov ABC 1234
May 2007-May 2012 GEORGIA.gov ABC 1234
Guam black on reflective white with map graphic in center, "Tano Y Chamorro" Coded by municipality of issuance:
  • ABC1234 (variable number of digits following space)
  • ABC123A (following exhaustion of above format)
 Valid.
Hawaii
none
Idaho dark blue on reflective white with red gradient and dark blue mountain scene, "Famous Potatoes" Embossed serial
Reflective sheeting 		Coded by county of issuance:
  • A 123456 (variable number of digits following space)
  • 0A 12345 (variable number of digits following space)
  • 0A B1234 (following exhaustion of above format)
  • 0A BC123 (following exhaustion of above format)
Illinois
none
Indiana
none
Iowa 1997-late 2011 blue on reflective white farm scene foreground and skyline background Embossed or screened serial
Reflective sheeting[15] 		123 ABC[32] Valid.
Kansas January 2001-April 2007 state capitol Embossed serial
Reflective sheeting 		ABC 123 Valid.
Kentucky
none
Louisiana 1993-2001, 2004-2005 "Sportsman's Paradise" without pelican Embossed serial
Reflective sheeting 		ABC 123 Valid.
January 2002-early 2004 "Louisiana Purchase Bicentennial 1803-2003" written in early 18th-century lettering and has the Louisiana Purchase Bicentennial logo as the separator[33] Embossed serial
Reflective sheeting
2005-2011, 2013 "Sportsman's Paradise"; black on yellow-pink gradient with pelican graphic in center Embossed serial
Reflective sheeting
2011-2013 "200 Years" Embossed serial
Reflective sheeting 		ABC123
Maine
none
Maryland February 1986—early 2005 no slogan 1AB C23 (2004-2005)
ABC 123 (1986-2004) 		Valid.
early 2005-June 2010 www.Maryland.gov black on reflective white with state crest in center 1AB C23
Massachusetts green on white (coded by month of expiration)
"The Spirit of America" (coded by month of expiration) 		123-450
120-ABC 		Valid.
Michigan 1996-2007 optional type:
"Great Lakes Splendor" 		1AB C23[34] Valid File:Michigan Great Lakes Splendor License Plate.JPG
1996 optional type:
"World's Motor Capital" 		Embossed Serial - Reflective Sheeting ABC 12
12 ABC 		Valid
2007-2013 optional type:
"www.Michigan.gov" 		Embossed Serial - Reflective Sheeting ABC 1234[35] Valid
optional type:
Spectacular Peninsulas 		Green and Blue with Great Lakes Outline on Reflective White with Black Characters Embossed Serial
Reflective sheeting 		1AB C23 File:Michigan Spectacular Peninsulas license plate.jpg
Minnesota circa 2000—2008 blue on reflective white with lake scene graphic, "Explore Minnesota; 10,000 lakes"; second slogan displayed in small blue gradient across bottom of plate Embossed serial
Reflective sheeting 		ABC-123 Being replaced on a seven-year rolling basis.
2008—2009 black on reflective white with lake scene graphic, "Explore Minnesota; 10,000 lakes" Screened serial
Reflective sheeting 		123-ABC
Mississippi
none
Missouri
none
Montana 2006—2009 black on grey and white gradient with mountain graphic; "Big Sky Country" Screened serial
Reflective sheeting 		Coded by county of issuance:
  • 0C-12345 (variable number of digits following divider)
  • 0C-1234A (following exhaustion of above format; variable number of digits following divider)
  • 0-12345A (variable number of digits following divider)
 Valid if permanently registered.
Nebraska
none
Nevada white on blue A12345, AB1234, ABC123, 123ABC
New Hampshire
none
New Jersey 1959—1969, 1970—1973 black on tan, non-reflective, state abbreviated "N. J." ABC-123 Valid.
1969—1970 black on tan, reflective, state abbreviated "N. J." ABC-123
1973—1977 black on tan, non-reflective, state abbreviated "N. J." 123-ABC
1977—1979 black on tan, non-reflective, full state name 123-ABC
1979—1985 buff on blue, non-reflective 123-ABC
1985 ABC-123
1985—1992 ABC-12D
1992—1993 black on yellow and white gradient, reflective, sticker boxes ABC1234
1993—1999 AB-123D
1999–2007 black on yellow and white gradient with sticker boxes ABC-12D[36]
New Mexico 1999–2010 Land of Enchantment
hot air balloon 		Embossed serial
Reflective sheeting 		NM1234
1NM234
12NM34
123NM4
1234NM'
AB 123
ABC123 		Valid.
New York 2001-2010 dark blue on reflective white with blue bars (upper blue bar has the state name over a skyline of Niagara Falls, the Adirondack Mountains, and New York City; lower bar includes the words "The Empire State" in white) Embossed serial
Reflective sheeting 		ABC-1234[37] Valid.
North Carolina 2007-2011 red on reflective white with blue and red graphics, "First in Flight" ABC-1234 Valid.
North Dakota
none
Northern Marianas Islands
none
Ohio 1996-1998 dark blue on gold gradient fade "The Heart of it All" ABC 1234 Valid.
1998-2001 dark blue on gold gradient fade "The Birthplace of Aviation" ABC 1234
2001-2003 red, white, and blue "Ohio Bicentennial" AB12CD
2004-2010 dark blue on reflective white with state seal ("Sunburst") graphic and red and blue bars ABC 1234
2010-2013 "Beautiful Ohio": Dark blue on rolling hills with farm, distant skyline, and airborne biplane ABC 1234 File:OH 2010.jpg
Oklahoma
none
Oregon 1956-1959 gold on blue 1A-1234 Valid.
1959-1964 gold on blue with "Pacific Wonderland" slogan
1964-1974 gold on blue ABC 123 (A-M corresponds to January–December, skipping I)
1974–1988 blue on gold ABC 123 (A-M corresponds to January–December, skipping I; N and later series had no month correlation)
1988–1990 blue on light green tree graphic ABC 123 (A-M corresponds to January–December, skipping I, N-series had no month correlation)
Pennsylvania 1999-2004 blue on blue, white and yellow gradient, "www.state.pa.us" ABC-1234 Valid.
Puerto Rico 1986-2007 standard issue:
black on reflective white with Fortaleza graphic, "Isla del Encanto" 		Embossed serial
Reflective sheeting 		ABC 123 valid
optional issue:
black on reflective flag graphics, "Cincuentenario 1952-2002" 		Embossed serial
Reflective sheeting 		ABC 123
2007-2011 standard issue:
black on reflective blue with Fortaleza graphic, "Isla del Encanto" 		Screened serial
Reflective sheeting 		ABC 123
ABC-123
Rhode Island
none
South Carolina
none
South Dakota
none
Tennessee 2006-2011 black on mountain scene with "The Volunteer State" and county name sticker Screened serial
Reflective sheeting 		123-ABC valid
Texas 2009-2012 black on Davis Mountains and sky background with a lone star and streaks of red and blue in the upper-left corner Screened serial
Reflective sheeting 		AB1-C234 Valid.
U.S. Virgin Islands
none
Utah 1972-1985 black on white Embossed serial
Reflective sheeting 		ABC 123
ABC-123 		Valid.
1985—2008 blue on white with skier graphic, "Ski Utah!", and "Greatest Snow on Earth" Embossed serial
Reflective sheeting 		123 ABC
1992—2008 dark blue on Delicate Arch background; "Centennial" Embossed serial
Reflective sheeting 		123 ABC[27]
2002 2002 Winter Olympics commemorative plate with snowflake logo above "Salt Lake 2002" and the Olympic rings; "Olympic Winter 2002"[38] Embossed serial
Reflective sheeting 		123A4
Vermont
none
Virginia 1979-1994 dark blue on white with blue state name in sentence case Embossed serial
Reflective sheeting 		ABC-1234 (1994)
ABC-123 (1979-1993) 		Valid.
1994-July 2002; 2007-February 28, 2014 dark blue on white with blue state name in all capital letters Embossed serial
Reflective sheeting 		ABC-1234[39]
July 2002-2006 400th Anniversary Embossed serial
Reflective sheeting 		ABC-1234
2006-6007 Jamestown
America's 400th Anniversary 		Embossed serial
Reflective sheeting
Washington
none
West Virginia December 2002—early 2006 blue on reflective white with state name in dark blue bar, "Wild, Wonderful / www.callwv.com" Coded by month of expiration:
  • 0AB 123 (1 through 9 for January through September, respectively)
  • ABC 123 (O, N, and D for October, November, and December, respectively)
 Valid.
Wisconsin
none
Wyoming
none

See also

References

  1. ^ a b [1]
  2. ^ "Alabama County Codes". 15q.net. 2010-10-03. Retrieved 2011-04-14.
  3. ^ a b "License Plates". Licenseplates.cc. 2014-02-06. Retrieved 2014-02-06.
  4. ^ http://revenue.alabama.gov/motorvehicle/gba.cfm
  5. ^ Same style also was issued from late 2004 until December 2007.
  6. ^ "License Plates". Licenseplates.cc. 2010-10-10. Retrieved 2011-04-14.
  7. ^ "Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration" (PDF). State.ar.us. Retrieved 2011-04-14.
  8. ^ "License Plates". Licenseplates.cc. 2010-10-10. Retrieved 2011-04-14.
  9. ^ 12345A1 issued to trucks
  10. ^ Plus remakes of serials issued on previous bases: 1234, 12345, 123•456, A•123, AB•123, AB•1234
  11. ^ "District of Columbia: Department of Motor Vehicles - Services - Plates - Taxation without Representation Plates". Dmv.dc.gov. Retrieved 2011-04-14.
  12. ^ except Miami-Dade County
  13. ^ "DRT launches new license plates" [dead link]
  14. ^ Plus 12 345, 123 456, AB 1234, ABC 123, A12 345 as remakes of serials issued on previous bases.
  15. ^ a b [2]
  16. ^ "In The News". Starspangled200.org. 2010-06-14. Retrieved 2011-04-14.
  17. ^ }https://doj.mt.gov/driving/license-plates/
  18. ^ In Douglas, Lancaster, and Sarpy Counties.
  19. ^ all other counties
  20. ^ Plus 1234, 12345, and ABC123 as remakes of serials issued on previous base.
  21. ^ "ALPCA Garden State Region » Blog Archive » New Format Plate Spotted in the Wild!". Alpcagardenstate.org. 2010-07-16. Retrieved 2011-04-14.
  22. ^ Also issued 1982-early 2007.
  23. ^ "Plate Retention Program 2008". Tax.ok.gov. Retrieved 2011-04-14.
  24. ^ http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/projo/access/1192776441.html?dids=1192776441:1192776441&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Jan+10%2C+2007&author=Bruce+Landis%3BJournal+Staff+Writer&pub=The+Providence+Journal&edition=&startpage=A.1&desc=State%27s+new+license+plates+go+by+the+numbers [dead link]
  25. ^ "Deseret news article on new Utah plates". Deseretnews.com. 2007-01-26. Retrieved 2011-04-14.
  26. ^ Frey, David. "New West news article on new Utah plates". Newwest.net. Retrieved 2011-04-14.
  27. ^ a b First letter progressing backwards from Z.
  28. ^ C: St. Croix, J: St. John, T: St. Thomas
  29. ^ Progressing forward from VAA-1001.
  30. ^ Also issued 1995-December 2000.
  31. ^ "License Plates". Licenseplates.cc. 2010-10-10. Retrieved 2011-04-14.
  32. ^ [3]
  33. ^ Regulation License Plate to Commemorate Louisiana Purchase Bicentennial.
  34. ^ A12 34B issued to light trucks.
  35. ^ AB 12345 issued to commercial vehicles.
  36. ^ "Jim Moini's License Plates". Moini.net. Retrieved 2011-04-14.
  37. ^ Plus ABC-123, 1AB-234, A1B-234, A12-3BC, AB1-23C as remakes of serials issued on previous bases.
  38. ^ http://dmv.utah.gov/license-plates/standard-issue-plates
  39. ^ Progressing backwards from ZZZ-9999.

Organizations

Information resources

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