Vehicle registration plates of New Hampshire explained

Slogan Label:	Slogan
Slogan:	Live Free or Die
Size:	12x
Material:	Aluminum
Serial Format:	123 4567
Issuer:	New Hampshire Department of Safety, Division of Motor Vehicles

The U.S. state of New Hampshire first required its residents to register their motor vehicles and display license plates in 1905., plates are issued by the New Hampshire Department of Safety through its Division of Motor Vehicles. Front and rear plates are required for most classes of vehicles, while only rear plates are required for motorcycles and trailers.

Passenger baseplates

1905 to 1972

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 6inches in height by 12inches in width, with standardized mounting holes.^[1] The 1955 (dated 1956) issue was the first New Hampshire license plate that complied with these standards.

Image	Dates issued	Design	Slogan	Serial format	Serials issued	Notes
	1905–11	White serial on green porcelain plate; "N.H." centered at bottom	none	1234	1 to approximately 7200
	1912	Embossed green serial on white plate; vertical "NH" and "1912" at left and right respectively	none	1234	1 to approximately 5700
	1913	White serial on green porcelain plate; vertical "NH" and "1913" at left and right respectively	none	1234	1000 to approximately 7800
	1914	White serial on green porcelain plate; vertical "NH" and "1914" at left and right respectively	none	1234	1000 to approximately 9700
	1915	Green serial on white porcelain plate; "N. H." and "1915" centered at top and bottom respectively	none	12345	1000 to approximately 13500
	1916	White serial on green porcelain plate; vertical "NH" and "1916" at left and right respectively	none	12345	1 to approximately 17600
	1917	Green serial on white porcelain plate; "N. H." and "1917" centered at top and bottom respectively	none	12345	100 to approximately 23100
	1918	White serial on green porcelain plate; "N H" and "1918" centered at top and bottom respectively	none	12345	100 to approximately 24700	Some later plates manufactured on fiberboard.^[2]
	1919	Dark green serial on white flat metal plate; "N H" and "1919" centered at top and bottom respectively	none	12345	100 to approximately 30000
	1920	White serial on dark green flat metal plate; "N H" and "1920" centered at top and bottom respectively	none	12345	100 to approximately 35000
	1921	Dark green serial on white flat metal plate; "N H" and "1921" centered at top and bottom respectively	none	12345	100 to approximately 42500
	1922	Embossed white serial on dark green plate with border line; "N.H. 1922" centered at bottom	none	12345	100 to approximately 48500
	1923	Embossed dark green serial on white plate with border line; "N H" and "1923" centered at top and bottom respectively	none	12.345	100 to approximately 60.000
	1924	Embossed white serial on dark green plate with border line; "N H" and "1924" centered at top and bottom respectively	none	12-345	100 to approximately 72-000
	1925	Embossed dark green serial on white plate with border line; "N H" and "1925" centered at top and bottom respectively	none	12-345	100 to approximately 81-000
	1926	Embossed white serial on dark green plate with border line; embossed white Old Man of the Mountain graphic at left; "N H" and "1926" centered at top and bottom respectively	none	12-345	100 to approximately 89-000
	1927	Embossed dark green serial on white plate with border line; "N H" and "1927" centered at top and bottom respectively	none	12-345	100 to approximately 95-000
	1928	Embossed white serial on green plate with border line; "NH-28" centered at top	none		100 to approximately 103-000
	1929	Embossed green serial on white plate with border line; "NH-29" centered at top	none		1 to approximately 109-000
	1930	As 1928 base, but with "NH-30" at top	none		100 to approximately 111-000
	1931	As 1929 base, but with "NH-31" at top	none		100 to approximately 112-000
	1932	As 1928 base, but with "NH-32" at top	none		100 to approximately 107-000
	1933	As 1929 base, but with "NH-33" at top	none		100 to approximately 107-000
	1934	As 1928 base, but with "NH-34" at top	none	12-345	100 to approximately 91-000
	1935	As 1929 base, but with "NH-35" at top	none	12-345	100 to approximately 94-000
	1936	As 1928 base, but with "NH-36" at top	none	12-345	100 to approximately 97-000
	1937	As 1929 base, but with "NH-37" at top	none		100 to approximately 101-000
		As 1928 base, but with "NH-38-9" at top	none	12-345	100 to approximately 98-000
	1939–40	As 1929 base, but with "NH-39-40" at top	none		100 to approximately 104-000
	1940–41	As 1928 base, but with "NH-40-41" at top	none		100 to approximately 108-000
	1941–42	As 1929 base, but with "NH-41-42" at top	none		100 to approximately 110-000
	1942–44	As 1928 base, but with "NH-42-43" at top	none		100 to approximately 104-000	Revalidated through March 31, 1944, with white rectangular tabs, due to metal conservation for World War II.
	1944	As 1929 base, but with "NH 44" at top	none	12-345	1 to approximately 89-000
	1945	Embossed black serial on white plate with border line; "NH 45" centered at top	none	12-345	1 to approximately 98-000
	1946	Embossed white serial on black plate with border line; "NH 46" centered at top	none	12-345 123456	1 to approximately 109000
	1947	As 1945 base, but with "NH 47" at top	none	12-345 123456	1 to approximately 114000
	1948	As 1946 base, but with "NH - 48" at top	none	12-345 123456	1 to approximately 120000
	1949	Embossed forest green serial on white plate with border line; "NH - 49" centered at top	none	123	County-coded
	1950	Embossed white serial on forest green plate with border line; "NH - 50" centered at top	none	123	County-coded
	1951	As 1949 base, but with "NH - 51" at top	none	123	County-coded
	1952	As 1950 base, but with "NH - 52" at top	none	123	County-coded
	1953	As 1949 base, but with "NH - 53" at top	none	123	County-coded
	1954	Embossed white serial on forest green plate with border line; "NEW HAMPSHIRE" at bottom; "1954" centered at top	none	AB123	County-coded	First use of the full state name.
	1955	Embossed forest green serial on white plate with border line; "NEW HAMPSHIRE" at bottom; "1955" centered at top	none	AB123	County-coded
	1956	Embossed white serial on forest green plate with border line; "NEW HAMPSHIRE" at bottom; "1956" centered at top	none	AB123	County-coded	First 6" x 12" plate.
	1957	Embossed forest green serial on white plate with border line; "NEW HAMPSHIRE" at bottom; "19" at top left and "57" at top right	"SCENIC" centered at top	AB123	County-coded
	1958	Embossed white serial on forest green plate with border line; "NEW HAMPSHIRE" at bottom; "19" at top left and "58" at top right	"SCENIC" centered at top	AB123	County-coded
	1959	As 1957 base, but with "59" at top right	"SCENIC" as on 1957 base	AB123	County-coded
	1960	As 1958 base, but with "60" at top right	"SCENIC" as on 1958 base	AB123	County-coded
	1961	As 1957 base, but with "61" at top right	"SCENIC" as on 1957 base	AB123	County-coded
	1962	As 1958 base, but with "62" at top right	"SCENIC" as on 1958 base	AB123	County-coded
	1963	As 1957 base, but without border line, and with "63" at top right	"PHOTOSCENIC" centered at top	AB123	County-coded
	1964	As 1958 base, but with "64" at top right	"SCENIC" as on 1958 base	AB123	County-coded
	1965	As 1957 base, but with "65" at top right	"SCENIC" as on 1957 base	AB123	County-coded
	1966	As 1958 base, but with "66" at top right	"SCENIC" as on 1958 base	AB123	County-coded
	1967	As 1957 base, but with "67" at top right	"SCENIC" as on 1957 base	AB123	County-coded
	1968	As 1958 base, but with "68" at top right	"SCENIC" as on 1958 base	AB123	County-coded
	1969	As 1957 base, but with "69" at top right	"SCENIC" as on 1957 base	AB123	County-coded
	1970	As 1958 base, but with "70" at top right	"SCENIC" as on 1958 base	AB123	County-coded
	1971	As 1957 base, but with "71" at top right	"LIVE FREE OR DIE" centered at top	AB123	County-coded	First use of the state motto on regular passenger plates. The motto had first been used on vanity plates on the 1970 base.
	1972	As 1958 base, but with "72" at top right	"LIVE FREE OR DIE" centered at top	AB123	County-coded

1973 to present

In 1977, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that vehicle owners may cover up the mottos that a state places on its license plates. The case began in 1974 when George Maynard, a Jehovah's Witness from Claremont, New Hampshire, and his wife taped over the "Live Free or Die" motto on their plates. Maynard, who argued that the motto violated his religious beliefs, subsequently spent 15 days in jail for refusing to pay the $75 fine imposed for covering up the motto . Justice Burger stated, "The First Amendment protects the right of individuals to hold a point of view different from the majority and to refuse to foster, in the way New Hampshire commands, an idea they find morally objectionable."^{[3] [4]}

Image	Dates issued	Design	Slogan	Serial format	Serials issued	Notes
	1973–74	Embossed forest green serial on white plate with border line; "NEW HAMPSHIRE" at bottom; "73" at top right	"LIVE FREE OR DIE" centered at top	AB123 1234	County-coded	Revalidated for 1974 with stickers. Four-digit serials with stacked county codes introduced in counties that had exhausted their three-digit allocations.
	1975–76	Embossed white serial on forest green plate with border line; "NEW HAMPSHIRE" at bottom; "75" at top left	"LIVE FREE OR DIE" centered at top	AB123 1234	County-coded	Monthly staggered registration introduced, with each plate expiring in the same month as the registrant's birthday.
	1977			AB123 AB1234		Narrow dies introduced, allowing for six-character serials with full-size county code letters.
	December 1977 – July 1978	Embossed red serial on white plate with border line; "NEW HAMPSHIRE" at bottom	"LIVE FREE OR DIE" centered at top	XB1234	XA1 to XF9999	Interim plates issued only to new registrants. Elements changed from red to green in response to concerns of confusion with Massachusetts plates of the time; unissued red plates were recalled and repainted accordingly before issue.
	July 1978 – December 1978	As above, but with elements in green rather than red			XG1 to approximately XN7000^[5]
	January 1979 – December 1983	Embossed forest green serial on reflective white plate with border line; "NEW HAMPSHIRE" centered at bottom	"LIVE FREE OR DIE" centered at top	123456	1 to 999999
	December 1983 – December 1986			12345A	10000A to approximately 59000G
	January 1987 – March 1989	Embossed forest green serial on reflective white plate; "NEW HAMPSHIRE" screened in pale green centered at top, with a graphic of the Old Man of the Mountain in a circle between the two words	"Live Free or Die" screened in pale green centered at bottom	123456	1 to 999999
	March 1989 – December 1998	As above, but with dark green serial, state name and graphic	"LIVE FREE OR DIE" screened in dark green centered at bottom		AAA-001 to approximately DEX-500
	January 1999 – present	Embossed dark green serial on reflective graphic plate with Old Man of the Mountain and Cannon Mountain against pale blue sky; screened dark green "New HAMPSHIRE" centered at bottom, with cursive "New" above serifed "HAMPSHIRE"	"LIVE FREE OR DIE" screened in dark green centered at top	12345	1 to 99999	Old Man graphic at right (also the style for vanity plates).
				123 456	999 999 to 100 000	Serials progressed backwards.^[6] Old Man graphic in center.
				123 4567	100 0000 to 528 0052 ^[7]	Old Man graphic slightly to left of center.
				D1234	D1000 to unknown	Old man graphic at right. Empty 3"x3" square at left for placement of a decal purchased separately from a legislatively approved organization or charity.^[8]

County coding

From 1949 to 1979, passenger plates in New Hampshire featured a two-letter code indicating the county in which the vehicle was registered, as follows:^[9]

County code allocations

County	Letter blocks
Belknap	BA–BZ
Carroll	CA–CZ
Cheshire	EA–EZ, ZA–ZH (from 1972)
Coös	OA–OZ
Grafton	GA–GZ
Hillsborough	HA–HZ, LA–LZ, IA–IZ (from 1959), JA–JZ (from 1968)
Merrimack	MA–MZ, NA–NZ (from 1967)
Rockingham	RA–RZ, KA–KZ (from 1955), PA–PZ (from 1968)
Strafford	FA–FZ, DA–DZ (from 1970)
Sullivan	SA–SZ

Alphabetical cross-reference

Letter blocks	County
BA–BZ	Belknap
CA–CZ	Carroll
DA–DZ	Strafford
EA–EZ	Cheshire
FA–FZ	Strafford
GA–GZ	Grafton
HA–HZ	Hillsborough
IA–IZ	Hillsborough
JA–JZ	Hillsborough
KA–KZ	Rockingham
LA–LZ	Hillsborough
MA–MZ	Merrimack
NA–NZ	Merrimack
OA–OZ	Coös
PA–PZ	Rockingham
RA–RZ	Rockingham
SA–SZ	Sullivan
ZA–ZH	Cheshire

In addition, XA–XN were used on interim plates issued to new registrants between December 1977 and December 1978, while the serial AC 000 was and still is used on sample plates.

Non-passenger plates

Image	Type	Dates issued	Design	Slogan	Serial format	Serials issued	Notes
	Commercial		As 1987–89 passenger base	"Live Free or Die" centered at bottom	AB1234	AA0001 to approximately AB9999	Possibly discontinued 2007.^[10]
		1989–present	As 1989–98 passenger base	"LIVE FREE OR DIE" centered at bottom		AC0001 to approximately AE8800
	Construction Equipment	1999–present	As current passenger base, with Old Man of the Mountain graphic at right; "CONSTRUCT EQUIP" screened vertically over graphic	"LIVE FREE OR DIE" centered at top	12345	00001 to 33447
	Motorcycle	1987–94	Embossed green serial on white plate with border line; green Old Man of the Mountain graphic screened at top left with 'N' and 'H' on either side; "MOTORCYCLE" screened at bottom	none	12345	1 to 99999
		1994–2004			1234A	1000A to approximately 2000T
		2004–08	As above, but without border line			2001T to 9999Z
		2008–present			A1234	A1000 to V8226
	Trailer	? to 2004	As 1989–98 passenger base	"LIVE FREE OR DIE" centered at bottom	TB1234	TA0001 to TZ9999
		2004–present			T123456	T100000 to T700867	Same serial dies as current passenger base.

External links

• New Hampshire license plates, 1969–present

Notes and References

1. Garrish . Christopher . October 2016 . Reconsidering the Standard Plate Size . Plates . . 62 . 5.
2. Web site: Taylor . Eric Robert . New Hampshire Archive . PorcelainPlates.net . October 14, 2017.
3. News: Justices uphold right to cover car-tag motto . . April 21, 1977 . 6 .
4. News: Foes of Auto Tag Messages Gain . . April 21, 1977 . 18 .
5. Web site: Tanner . Eric N. . New Hampshire Passenger License Plates . allaboutlicenseplates.com . February 25, 2021.
6. Web site: licenseplates.cc New Hampshire highs page . Sage, Kit . Tanner, Eric . June 24, 2009.
7. Web site: New Hampshire License Plates . 2023-06-15. www.licenseplates.cc.
8. Web site: Decal Plates . 2022-08-26 . NH Division of Motor Vehicles . en.
9. Web site: Reback . Brian P. . New Hampshire - county codes . bprlicenseplates.com . https://web.archive.org/web/20150402103651/http://www.bprlicenseplates.com/New%20Hampshire%20-%20county%20codes.htm . April 2, 2015 . May 6, 2013.
10. Web site: Tanner . Eric N. . New Hampshire Truck/Commercial License Plates . allaboutlicenseplates.com . July 5, 2021.