See main article: Vehicle registration plates of the United States.
In the United States, the appearance of license plates is frequently chosen to contain symbols, colors, or slogans associated with the issuing jurisdiction, which are the 50 U.S. states, the District of Columbia, the five inhabited U.S. territories, and Native American tribes, each of which independently registers motor vehicles. Regular-issue license plates for passenger vehicles typically have six or seven characters, with vanity plates having up to eight characters in a few states.
Formats for license plate numbers are consistent within the state. For example, Delaware is able to use six-digit all-numeric serials because of its low population. Several states, particularly those with higher populations, use seven-character formats of three letters and four digits, including 1ABC234 in California, 1234ABC in Kansas and ABC-1234 (with or without a space or dash) in Georgia, Michigan, Mississippi, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin. Other seven-character formats include Connecticut and Illinois, which use AB-12345, and Maryland, which uses 1AB2345.
Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, and New Jersey use four letters and two numbers: Arkansas uses an ABC-12D format, Colorado and Florida an ABC-D12 format, and New Jersey an A12-BCD format. Several less-populous states—Alaska, Hawaii, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Maine, Minnesota, Mississippi, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, and Vermont—use a three-letter, three-number format, namely ABC-123 or 123-ABC.
Arizona uses a distinctive format with six characters. Except for the fourth character in each serial, which is always a number, the characters in a serial can be either letters or numbers.[1]
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.[2]
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). The same applies to the first number or letter on West Virginia plates (1 to 9 for January through September, and O, N, and D for October, November, and December expirations, respectively). Additionally, the first letter of Missouri passenger plates denotes the month of expiration. The month's position within the calendar year corresponds to the letter's position within the alphabet; i.e. the letters progress from "A" and "B" for January to "Y" and "Z" for December.
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; for example, 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). County codes have been based on historical population figures, the county names in alphabetical order, or some combination thereof. In Montana, for example, the county codes were assigned around 1930 and have not changed since.[3] Other states like Indiana and Tennessee also once used the practice, with Tennessee discontinuing in the 1980s and Indiana in 2008.
Four jurisdictions 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; a vehicle with a registration number beginning with H or Z is registered in Hawai‘i County, one beginning with K is registered in Kaua‘i County, one beginning with M or L is registered in Maui County, and one beginning with any other letter (and not containing H, K, L, M, or Z) is registered in the City and County of Honolulu. In the U.S. 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. In the U.S. Virgin Islands, a vehicle with a registration number beginning with C is registered in St. Croix, J in St. John, and T in St. Thomas.
Several states do require vehicles to display county codes, but these codes are not part of the serial. Indiana and Ohio display two-number county codes, while Kansas plates display two-letter county codes, but these codes are placed on a sticker or are printed in the corner of the plate in a smaller font size. Texas places the county name only on the windshield registration sticker, where the car's license plate number is also printed. Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Kentucky, Mississippi, Ohio, and Tennessee place the full name of the county of registration explicitly on their standard-issue plates, although not as part of the serial. However, Florida allows its residents to choose either "Sunshine State" or "In God We Trust" in place of the county name, and Georgia allows drivers to choose the slogan "In God We Trust" in place of the county name.
For various reasons related to visibility and readability, some states and territories exclude certain letters from use in their license plate serial formats. The most commonly skipped characters are I, O, and Q, with some states using only one or two of the three while others will skip all three of these letters. Other states, such as Colorado, Georgia, and South Carolina have gradually adopted one or more of these letters over a course of years after previously skipping them in order to accommodate the demands of population growth and depletion of available serial combinations. The most common argument behind skipping I, O, and Q is that they can be too easily confused with 0, 1, and other characters, particularly when there isn't adequate spacing or divider between numbers and letters.
California only uses I, O, and Q in between two other letters, for example "1AQA000". A unique example of character use is Texas, which skips all vowels along with the letter Q on passenger plates.
In amateur radio license plate issues, some states use a unique slashed zero character in place of the standard "0" character due to lack of spacing between letters and numbers. Iowa is a unique example in the use of this character, which began using the slashed zero beginning in 2012 on all standard passenger plates as opposed to the traditional symbol for zero to differentiate it from the letter "O" which is also used. In Pennsylvania, the die used for the number "0" is different than the one used for the letter "O" since the state's number dies are taller and narrower than its letter dies.
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, may be issued; the placard has the advantage of being transferred from vehicle to vehicle.
The following tables give information on license plates currently being issued, with 2014 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, the five inhabited U.S. territories, and Native American tribes. 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 an increasing trend in the field of "specialty" plates to promote specific causes or interests. 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 | Image | First issued | Type & slogan | Design | Plate style | Serial format |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | January 3, 2022 | Standard issue Heart of Dixie (in small print) | Bay and sky graphic with www.alabama.travel at the bottom | Screened serial; Reflective sheeting | Numerically coded by county:[4]
| |
| Alaska | January 2010[6] | Standard issue The Last Frontier | blue on gold with state flag | Embossed serial; Reflective sheeting | ABC 123 | |
| American Samoa | 2011 | Standard issue Motu O Fiafiaga | black on reflective graphic featuring Fatu Rock | Embossed serial; Reflective sheeting | 1234 | |
| Arizona | 1996 (embossed) 2008 (screened) | Standard issue Grand Canyon State | dark green on desert landscape | Screened serial; Reflective sheeting | CEA 1DB | |
| Arkansas | 2006 | Standard issue The Natural State | black on a diamond background, representing Crater of Diamonds State Park in Murfreesboro[7] | Embossed serial; Reflective sheeting | ABC 12D[8] | |
| California | Mid 2011 | Standard issue 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 | Standard issue | Dark green on reflective white gray and green Rocky Mountains scene graphic. Some versions have full color | Embossed serial; Reflective sheeting | ABC-D12 | |
| Connecticut | 2000 | Standard issue Constitution State | dark blue on blue and white gradient fade | Embossed serial; Reflective sheeting | AB•12345 (2015–present) 1AB•CD2 (2013–2015) 1ABCD2 (2013) 123•ABC (2000–2013)[10] | |
| Delaware | 1969 | Standard issue The First State | gold on navy blue | Screened serial; Reflective sheeting | 123456 (variable number of digits) | |
| District of Columbia | April 2017 | Standard issue End Taxation without Representation; jurisdiction name displayed as "Washington, DC" | blue on reflective white with red flag separator | Screened serial; Reflective sheeting | AB-1234 | |
| Florida | December 2003 | Standard issue myFLORIDA.com with county name[11] or "Sunshine State" | green on reflective white with state map and citrus orange graphic | Embossed serial; Reflective sheeting | current: ABC D12 12A BCD | |
| October 1, 2008 | Optional issue myFLORIDA.com with "In God We Trust" slogan | current: AB1 2CD | ||||
| Georgia | May 2012 | Standard Alternate issue Peach State with county name or "In God We Trust" sticker | black on reflective white peach graphic in center | Screened serial; Reflective sheeting | ABC1234 | |
| May 2012 | Standard issue GEORGIA with county name or "In God We Trust" sticker | black on reflective white | ||||
| Guam | February 27, 2009 | Standard issue Tano Y Chamorro | black on reflective white with gray latte stone and three red bougainvillea flowers at center[12] | Embossed serial; Reflective sheeting | Coded by municipality of issuance AB 1234 | |
| Hawaii | 1991 | Standard issue Aloha State | black on reflective white with rainbow graphic | Embossed serial; Reflective sheeting | Coded by county of issuance:
| |
| Idaho | 2008 | Standard issue Famous Potatoes | black on reflective white with red gradient and dark blue mountain scene | Screened serial; Reflective sheeting | Coded by county of issuance:
| |
| Illinois | January 1, 2017 | Standard issue Land of Lincoln | Reflective gradient blue-to-white with white Chicago and Springfield skyline and gray Abraham Lincoln graphic at far left; state name screened in black at top | Embossed serial; Reflective sheeting | AB 12345 (2017–present) AB1 2345 (2017)[13] | |
| Indiana | January 2017 | Standard issue Dark blue serial on reflective country scene graphic featuring a covered bridge; expiration date, year, county number and recycling symbol in corners clockwise from top left | Screened serial; Reflective sheeting | 123A 123AB 123ABC | ||
| 2012 | Optional issue In God We Trust | black on white with American flag graphic | ABC123 | |||
| Iowa | April 2018 | Standard issue black numbers on reflective graphic plate with blue sky, white city skyline, farm and wind turbine, and green grass field; "IOWA" screened in white centered at top; county name screened in black centered at bottom | Screened serial; Reflective sheeting | ABC 123 | ||
| Kansas | (Embossed) (Flat) | April 2007 (Embossed)August 15, 2018 (Flat) | Standard issue Black characters on a light blue gradient with state seal graphic as the background, county code sticker on the top left and registration sticker on the top right. | Screened serial; Reflective sheeting | 123 ABC 1234ABC | |
| Kentucky | 2020 | Standard issue | Dark blue on light blue gradient with county name sticker below serial and state outline left of serial | Screened serial; Reflective sheeting | A1B234 ABC123 | |
| 2020 | Optional issue In God We Trust | |||||
| Louisiana | 2005 to 2010; 2013, and 2016 | Standard issue "Sportsman's Paradise"; black on yellow-pink gradient with pelican graphic in center | Embossed serial; Reflective sheeting | ABC 123 (through 2016) 123 ABC (2016–present) | ||
| Maine | 1999 | Standard issue Vacationland | black on reflective white with a chickadee and pine tassel graphic at left | Embossed serial; Reflective sheeting | 123•ABC 1234 AB (variable number of digits preceding space) | |
| Maryland | September 2016 | Standard issue Maryland Proud | Black on reflective white with Maryland flag graphic | Embossed serial; Reflective sheeting | 1AB2345 | |
| Massachusetts | 1988 | Standard issue The Spirit of America | red on reflective white | Embossed serial; Reflective sheeting | Coded by month of expiration:
| |
| Michigan | 2013 | Standard issue Pure Michigan | blue on reflective white with blue wave at bottom | Embossed serial; Reflective sheeting | ABC 1234 | |
| 2024 | Optional issue Water Wonderland | White on green | 12ABC3 | |||
| 2021 | Optional issue Water-Winter Wonderland | Maize on dark blue | 1ABC23 | |||
| 2014 | Optional issue The Mackinac Bridge | White to yellow fade and blue with stylized Mackinac Bridge in background with black characters | ABC 123 | |||
| Minnesota | June 2009 | Standard issue Explore Minnesota.com, 10,000 Lakes | black on reflective white with lake scene graphic | Screened serial; Reflective sheeting | 123-ABC ABC-123 Numbers and letters switch sides on a seven year cycle[14] | |
| Mississippi | January 2024 | dark blue on white with magnolia blossom against a blue circle as separator | Embossed serial; Reflective sheeting | ABC 123 | ||
| Missouri | October 15, 2018 | Standard issue Bicentennial | dark blue on white with red and dark blue waves, light gray state seal, and dark blue "1821 * 2021" | Embossed serial; Reflective sheeting | Coded by month of expiration AA1 B2C | |
| Montana | January 2010 | Standard issue Treasure State | white on blue with white state outline | Screened serial; Reflective sheeting | Coded by county of issuance:
| |
| Optional issues:[15] 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:
| |||||
| black on light blue with blue and tan graphics | ||||||
| black on light blue gradient with multicolor state outline | ||||||
| Native American tribes | Varies | Varies | Varies | Varies | Varies | |
| Nebraska | January 2023 | dark blue on reflective white with the "Genius of Creative Energy" mosaic from the Nebraska State Capitol in the background; state name in dark blue at top | Screened serial; Reflective sheeting | ABC 123[16] Or coded by county of issuance:[17]
| ||
| Nevada | November 1, 2016 | Standard issue Home Means Nevada | black numbers and state-shaped separator on sky blue plate; stylized multi-colored mountain range at bottom; "NEVADA" screened in black serifed letters centered at top | Embossed serial; Reflective sheeting | current: 345·2A1 12A·345345·A12123·ABC | |
| New Hampshire | January 1999 | Standard issue Live Free or Die | green on Old Man of the Mountain graphic | Embossed serial; Reflective sheeting | 123 4567 (2000–present) 123 456 (1999)[18] | |
| New Jersey | 2007 | Standard issue Garden State | black on yellow gradient fade | Screened serial; Reflective sheeting | D12-ABC (2010–present)[19] ABC-12D (2007–2010) | |
| New Mexico | 1989 | Standard issue Land of Enchantment | red on yellow with turquoise yucca graphics and red Zia sun symbol | Embossed serial; Reflective sheeting | 123-ABC | |
| 2010 | Standard issue upper: Land of Enchantment lower: New Mexico USA | yellow on turquoise with large yellow and red Zia sun symbol | ABC-123 | |||
| 2017 | Standard issue upper: Chile Capital of the World lower: Land of Enchantment | yellow on black with green and red chile peppers at left | ABCD12 | |||
| New York | 2020 | Standard issue Excelsior | dark blue on reflective white with Niagara Falls, Adirondack Mountains, the Statue of Liberty, Manhattan skyline, and the Montauk Point Light on the bottom. | Embossed serial; Reflective sheeting | ABC-1234 | |
| North Carolina | 1982 | Standard issue First in Flight | blue on reflective white with Wright Flyer graphic | Embossed serial; Reflective sheeting | ABC-123 (1982–1985)[20] ABC-1234 | |
| July 2015 | Standard issue First In Freedom[21] | blue on reflective white | Embossed serial; Reflective sheeting | ABC-1234 | ||
| July 2019 | Standard issue National/State Motto[22] | blue on reflective white | Embossed serial; Reflective sheeting | ABC-1234 | ||
| North Dakota | November 2016 | Standard issue Legendary; Peace Garden State | black on light blue gradient fade to sunrise with prairie scene and buffalo graphic | Screened serial; Reflective sheeting | 123 ABC | |
| Northern Mariana Islands | 1989 | Standard issue Hafa Adai | dark blue on white with seal in center | Embossed on screened serial; Reflective sheeting | ABC 123 | |
| Ohio | 2021 | Standard issue Sunrise in Ohio, county name sticker in black to be centered at bottom | Dark blue serial on sunrise scene featuring a skyline, hills, river, wheat, field and a child swinging from the tree, with Wright Flyer, state shape and read banner with "Birthplace of aviation" at top. | Screened serial; Reflective sheeting | ABC 1234 | |
| Oklahoma | January 2017 | Standard issue TRAVELOK.COM | Screened black serial with state-shaped separator on reflective graphic plate with white scissor-tailed flycatcher against blue landscape featuring mountains, badlands and water. | Screened serial; Reflective sheeting | ABC-123 | |
| Oregon | 1990 | Standard issue dark blue on Douglas Fir tree and mountain graphic | Embossed serial; Reflective sheeting | 123 ABC (2004–present) ABC 123 (1990–2004) | ||
| Pennsylvania | 2006 | Standard issue visitPA.com | blue on white with yellow and blue bars | Embossed serial; Reflective sheeting | ABC-1234 | |
| Puerto Rico | 2023 | Standard issue Isla del Encanto | black on white with fort graphic, similar to the 1986 series | Screened serial; Reflective sheeting | ABC 123 | |
| Rhode Island | January 2023 | Standard issue Ocean State | Screened navy blue serial on reflective light blue plate with five-wave graphic; "Rhode Island" screened in navy blue centered at top; navy blue anchor screened at top left | Screened serial; Reflective sheeting | 1AB 234 | |
| 2020 | Beautiful Rhode Island (top), Ocean State (Bottom) | white on dark blue with the Reliance in the upper left corner | Screened serial; Reflective sheeting | N/A | ||
| South Carolina | February 2016 | Standard issue While I Breathe, I Hope. | black on white and blue background with palmetto tree in center | Screened serial; Reflective sheeting | ABC 123 123 ABC | |
| January 2016 | Optional issue In God We Trust | black on white with American and South Carolinian flags on the left. | Screened serial; Reflective sheeting | 1234AB | ||
| South Dakota | January 2023 | Standard issue Great Faces. Great Places. | blue on Mount Rushmore graphic | Screened serial; Reflective sheeting | Coded by county of issuance:
| |
| Tennessee | Late 2023 | Standard issue The Volunteer State | blue with "The Volunteer State" on the left and the outline of the state around "Tennessee" with county name sticker and the Tri-Star logo in the center | Screened serial; Reflective sheeting |
| |
| Texas | July 2012 | Standard issue The Lone Star State | black on white with 5-point star in the upper left corner. | Screened serial; Reflective sheeting | ABC-1234 | |
| Utah | Late 2007 | Greatest Snow on Earth and Life Elevated | dark blue on skier graphic[23] [24] | Embossed serial; Reflective sheeting | A12 3BC | |
| Life Elevated | dark blue on graphic of Delicate Arch | A12 3BC[25] | ||||
| 2017 | In God We Trust; United We Stand | dark blue on white | 1ABC2(2023–present) 1A2BC(2018–2023) | |||
| Vermont | 1985 | Standard issue 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 | March 1, 2023 | Standard issue 175th Emancipation | black on white with teal band at top, orange band at bottom | Screened serial; Reflective sheeting | Coded by island of issuance:[26] ABC 123, ABC 123 (for St. John) | |
| Virginia | March 1, 2014 | Standard issue Virginia is for Lovers | blue on white | Embossed serial; Reflective sheeting | ABC-1234[27] | |
| Washington | July 1998 | Standard issue 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 | July 2023 | Standard issue Wild, Wonderful | blue on white with state name in dark blue bar with state outline as separator | Screened serial; Reflective sheeting | Coded by month of expiration:
| |
| Wisconsin | June 2000 | Standard issue America's Dairyland | black on reflective white with stylized lake and farm graphic | Embossed serial; Reflective sheeting | ABC-1234 (2017–present) 123-ABC (2000–2017) | |
| Wyoming | January 2016 | Standard issue | Screened black numbers and Bucking Horse and Rider on graphic plate featuring the Green River Lakes and Squaretop Mountain against a cloudy blue sky; golden yellow rope border around plate | Screened serial; Reflective sheeting | Coded by county of issuance:
| |
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 | Image | Dates issued | Type | Plate style | Serial format | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | early 2007 – October 2013 | Optional issue God Bless America | dark blue on American flag background | AB12345 12345AB | 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[28] | |||
| 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 | |||
| 2008–2020 | desert scene with screened serials | Screened serial; Reflective sheeting | ABC1234 | |||
| 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 1983 – October 1987 | "The Golden State" | Embossed serial; Reflective sheeting | ||||
| October 1987 – 1995 | blue on white with red embossed state name | |||||
| 1995–1998; 2000–2011 | blue on white with red screened state name | Embossed serial; Reflective sheeting | ||||
| 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. | |
| 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 | Optional issue: | blue on reflective white with red flag separator and "WWW.Washingtondc.gov" | Embossed serial; Reflective sheeting | BB-1234 | ||
| 2001 – July 2013 | Standard issue | 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:
| 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:
| |||
| Illinois | July 2001 – early 2017 | "Land of Lincoln": red on blue gradient fade with Abraham Lincoln portrait graphic in center | Embossed serial; Reflective sheeting | AB1 2345 (2016-17) A12 3456 (2006–2016) 123 4567 (2001–2006)[29] | Originally valid for 10 years, but new plates were not issued until January 2017. | |
| Indiana | none | |||||
| Iowa | January 1997 – April 2018 | Embossed blue, screened blue or screened black serial on reflective white skyline on blue background and black hand drawn farm scene foreground, screened "Iowa" in a small caps serif font and sticker with/or screened county name in uppercase in blue or black as the serial | Embossed or screened serial; Reflective sheeting[30] | 123 ABC except for "D" series and beginning of current ABC 123[31] | Even though one of the 2017 license plate contestant plates lost the competition, it became a vanity plate, and the 1997 series plate is still valid. | |
| Kansas | January 2001 – April 2007 | state capitol | Embossed serial; Reflective sheeting | ABC 123 | Valid. | |
| Kentucky | August 2005 – September 2020 | dark blue serial on white and light blue gradient plate; screened blue and red Kentucky Tourism logo; "Bluegrass State", "Unbridled Spirit" | Embossed serial; Reflective sheeting | 123 ABC ABC 123 | Valid. | |
| 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[32] | Embossed serial; Reflective sheeting | ||||
| 2011 – 2012 | "200 Years" | Embossed serial; Reflective sheeting | ABC123 | |||
| 2014 – 2015 | 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 | ||||
| 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. Maybe subject to replacement if found to be illegible during annual motor vehicle safety inspection. | |||
| Michigan | 2007–2013 | Optional issue "www.Michigan.gov" | Embossed serial; Reflective sheeting | ABC 1234[33] | Valid | |
| 2007–2021 | Optional issue Spectacular Peninsulas | green and blue with Great Lakes outline on reflective white with black characters | 1AB C23 | |||
| 2013–2014 | Optional issue The Mackinac Bridge yellow to orange fade and blue with stylized Mackinac Bridge in background with white characters. | Embossed serial; Reflective sheeting | ABC 123 | |||
| 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 gray and white gradient with mountain graphic; "Big Sky Country" | Screened serial; Reflective sheeting | Coded by county of issuance:
| Valid if permanently registered. | |
| Nebraska | none | |||||
| Nevada | 1969 – 1984 | Debossed white serial on reflective blue plate with border line | A12345, AB1234, ABC123, 123ABC | |||
| 1984 – 2000 | Embossed blue serial on reflective white and silver mountain graphic | 123·ABC | ||||
| January 2001 – mid 2017 | Dark blue serial on mountain graphic against a yellow and orange gradient sky | Embossed: 2001–06; 2015–16 Flat: 2006–15 | 123·ABC 12A·345 | |||
| 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 | ABC-12D[34] | |||||
| 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[35] | Valid. | |
| 2010-2020 | dark blue on reflective gold | Embossed serial; Reflective sheeting | ABC-1234 | Valid. | ||
| North Carolina | 2007–2011 | red on reflective white with blue and red graphics, "First in Flight" | ABC-1234 | Valid. | ||
| North Dakota | 1993–2015 | black on light blue gradient fade with prairie scene graphic, "Discover The Spirit" | Embossed serial; Reflective sheeting | ABC-123 | Valid through 2016 | |
| Northern Marianas Islands | none | |||||
| Ohio | 1996–1998 | dark blue on gold gradient fade "The Heart of it All" | ABC 1234 | Validated until 2022 | ||
| 1998–2001 | dark blue on gold gradient fade "The Birthplace of Aviation" | ABC 1234 | ||||
| 2001–2003 | red, white, and blue "Ohio Bicentennial" | AB12CD | Valid. | |||
| 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 | ||||
| 2013–2021 | "Ohio Pride": embossed dark blue serial on word cloud background and red triangle resembling an airplane wing | ABC 1234 | ||||
| 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) | ||||
| 1988–1989 | blue on light green Douglas Fir tree and mountain 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 if retained by current owner on current vehicle. May not be transferred to new vehicle. | ||
| Puerto Rico | 1986–2007 | Standard issue black on reflective white with Fortaleza graphic, "Isla del Encanto" | Embossed serial; Reflective sheeting | ABC 123 | valid | |
| 2002–2003 | Optional issue black on reflective flag graphics, "Cincuentenario 1952–2002" | Embossed serial; Reflective sheeting | ||||
| 2007–2023 | Standard issue black on reflective blue with Fortaleza graphic, "Isla del Encanto" | Screened serial; Reflective sheeting | ||||
| Rhode Island | October 1996 – December 2022 | Standard issue dark blue on stylized gray and white ocean wave graphic, "Ocean State" | Embossed serial; Reflective sheeting | 123456 (2007–2015)[36] AB-123 and 12345 (1996–2007; 2015-2020) 1AB 234 (2020–2022) | Valid through December 2024 | |
| South Carolina | July 2008 – February 2016 | Standard issue travel2sc.comblack on orange, white, and blue gradient with palmetto tree in center | Screened serial; Reflective sheeting | ABC 123 | ||
| South Dakota | none | |||||
| Tennessee | none | |||||
| 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 | |||
| 2002 | 2002 Winter Olympics commemorative plate with snowflake logo above "Salt Lake 2002" and the Olympic rings; "Olympic Winter 2002"[37] | 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[38] | |||
| July 2002 – 2006 | 400th Anniversary | Embossed serial; Reflective sheeting | ABC-1234 | |||
| 2006–2007 | 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:
| Valid. | ||
| Wisconsin | none | |||||
| Wyoming | none | |||||
Diplomatic license plates are issued by the United States Department of State to accredited diplomats.
Prior to 1984 license plates for diplomatic vehicles were provided by the jurisdiction where the foreign mission was located. The District of Columbia provided license plates for missions headquartered in the capital, and New York provided plates for members of the United Nations, etc. Upon passage of the Foreign Missions Act in 1984 registration authority for foreign mission vehicles was centralized with the U.S. Department of State.[39] [40] [41] [42]
From 1984 until August 28, 2007, all plates issued followed the pattern of a letter identifying the status of the owner, followed by the two-letter country code, followed by a random three or four-digit number (S AB 1234). For member countries of the Organization of American States (OAS), a subset of that numbering pattern was allotted to vehicles based at those countries' missions to the OAS. Plates issued to cars based at the headquarters of the United Nations in New York City were issued in the reverse format, with the three or four-digit number first, followed by the two-letter country code, followed by the status code (1234 AB S).
The location of the status codes, either as the first or last character, allows the city of assignment to be easily identified because representatives of certain countries are limited to travel in a certain radius from their base. The status codes used until 2007 were "C" for Foreign Consul; "D" for Diplomat; "S" for Non-Diplomatic Staff; and "A" for the OAS. Status codes used for U.N. personnel until 2007 were "A" for the U.N. Secretariat; "D" for U.N. missions and diplomatic personnel; and "S" for U.N. Staff. The rights of the driver and car under diplomatic immunity are defined by this status code.
The country codes are unique to each particular country, but do not correlate to ISO Country Codes or other standards format. For example, in the system used until 2007, France is "DJ" rather than "F", and Australia is "XZ" rather than "AUS".
| Jurisdiction | Image | Dates issued | Type | Plate style | Serial format | Status | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| U.S. Dept. of State | 1984 – December 31, 2008 | Standard issue; red, white, and blue background with "DIPLOMAT", "CONSUL" or blank at top, and black serial centered on a white background | Embossed serial; Reflective sheeting | A AB1234 A 12345 1234AA A 12345 A | Expired | ||
| U.S. Dept. of State | Unknown – December 31, 2008 | Standard issue; red, white, and blue background with "DIPLOMAT", "CONSUL" or blank at top, and blue serial centered on a white background | Screened serial; Reflective sheeting | A AB1234 A 12345 1234AA A 12345 A | Expired | ||
| U.S. Dept. of State | August 28, 2007 - Current | Standard issue; black serial on sky blue background, concave curved red top with the Dept. of State seal, "DIPLOMAT", "CONSUL" or blank at top center, and Office of Foreign Missions (OFM) logo | Embossed serial; Reflective sheeting | ABC 1234 A 123456 1234 ABC 123456 A | Valid |
Congo
Uzbekistan
Japan
Madagascar
Panama
Cape Verde
Uganda
Israel
South Africa
Solomon Islands
Iraq
Cambodia
Ethiopia
Marshall Islands
Namibia
Afghanistan
Bhutan
Botswana
Myanmar
Cameroon
Burundi
China
Colombia
Costa Rica
Cuba
Cyprus
Dominican Republic
Ecuador
France
Greece
India
Denmark
Bangladesh
Slovakia
Palau
Central African Republic
Ireland
Lebanon
Kenya
Liberia
Libya
Malta
Morocco
Philippines
Netherlands
Qatar
Sri Lanka
Sierra Leone
Suriname
Sweden
Ukraine
Azerbaijan
Zambia
Turkey
Albania
Vanuatu
Chile
Tonga
Argentina
Saint Lucia
Andorra
Mongolia
Belgium
Guatemala
Benin
Guinea-Bissau
Haiti
Honduras
Kuwait
Mauritius
Nigeria
Portugal
Somalia
Chad
Tunisia
Togo
Slovenia
Croatia
Monaco
Eritrea
Georgia
Equatorial Guinea
Hungary
Lithuania
Fiji
Jordan
Jamaica
Gabon
Luxembourg
Malaysia
Mexico
Saudi Arabia
Seychelles
Sudan
Germany
United Kingdom
Djibouti
Comoros
Bahamas
Maldives
Oman
Papua New Guinea
Paraguay
Romania
Angola
Austria
Barbados
Belize
Belarus
Czech Republic
Norway
Zimbabwe
Yemen
Burkina Faso
Bulgaria
Latvia
Lesotho
Malawi
Mozambique
New Zealand
Nicaragua
Niger
Poland
Pakistan
Indonesia
Rwanda
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Senegal
Uruguay
San Marino
Dominica
Mali
Algeria
Canada
Egypt
Liechtenstein
El Salvador
Iceland
Nepal
Mauritania
Italy
Guyana
Guinea
Ghana
Gambia
Finland
Grenada
Peru
Bahrain
Estonia
Spain
Thailand
Switzerland
Brazil
Singapore
Swaziland
Nauru
United Arab Emirates
Samoa
Australia
Armenia
Tajikistan
Kazakhstan
Turkmenistan
Kyrgyzstan