Talk:United States license plate designs and serial formats

There are numerous dead links to graphics in the table presenting different designs in different states. I don't have resources to fix that, but if someone could commit to fixing it, that would be great. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Kasper.hanus (talk • contribs) 17:44, 12 January 2019 (UTC)

Character vs Digit
In the "Visualization of the number of digits..." side bar, the legend breaks the map down by the number of "digits" used in the serial format. I changed the term to "character".

A digit is of the set {0,1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9}, but a character denotes "A written or printed symbol".

Also, I changed the term "number" (in the context used for a single digit) to digit.

I'm new, so any tips are welcome. Mrsuperboot (talk) 13:26, 19 May 2019 (UTC)

Proposal for renaming article
Wouldn't U.S. license plate designs and serial formats be more precise than U.S. license plate numbering and lettering? Qqqqqq (talk) 20:34, 30 March 2008 (UTC)
 * If there are no objections, I'd like to go ahead and rename this article. Qqqqqq (talk) 20:36, 11 April 2008 (UTC)


 * No objection here. --Plate King (talk) 23:51, 11 April 2008 (UTC)
 * I'm going to make the move now. Qqqqqq (talk) 17:21, 12 April 2008 (UTC)

Image licensing
It has been pointed out on Commons that nearly all license plates contain designs that are owned by their respective creators (i.e. the individual US states). As a result, the photographs appearing here cannot legitimately be released as PD, GFDL, or other free licenses, and must be used under fair use. Consequently, these license plate images now appearing on Commons will be removed. If you would like to continue using them on Wikipedia, please upload them locally and provide an appropriate fair use rationale. Dragons flight (talk) 02:34, 3 April 2008 (UTC)
 * The license plate design is not copyrighted, and by its very nature is public domain. The photo that someone takes of a license plate, that would be copyright to that person. --Plate King (talk) 23:53, 11 April 2008 (UTC)
 * This is simply wrong, the individual states automatically own a copyright on the designs they created. Dragons flight (talk) 00:03, 12 April 2008 (UTC)
 * As an observation: many license plate designs were created by individuals, not by government, and isn't intellectual property greated by a government agent fair-use, or is that only the federal government? Qqqqqq (talk) 01:09, 12 April 2008 (UTC)
 * Works of the federal government are in the public domain. Works of individual US states and works created for them on commission (i.e. works for hire) are the property of the individual states.  These designs can still be used here, but their use must be consistent with the policy on the use of non-free content.  Dragons flight (talk) 02:34, 13 April 2008 (UTC)
 * Well then, if you feel that way, you should take action and loccally upload them with the fair use provision. As an aside, I suspect that many of the images have been just taken off of websites and uploaded. --Plate King (talk) 23:20, 13 April 2008 (UTC)

With regards to this, if an article like say Vehicle registration plates of Alabama contains an image of a plate is it ok to link to it in this article? OoberMick (talk) 23:24, 3 November 2014 (UTC)

Maryland
I have a few issues with the Maryland section. First, I don't think that the distinction between trucks and commercial trucks is correct; rather; when Maryland changed its license plates in 1986, trucks were numbered in the 123 456 format until that format was exhausted, whereupon the 12A 345 format was introduced. Also, class-M multipurpose vehicles are now numbered as 12345M6, since 123456M, M123456, and 123M456 have all been exhausted. Finally, 123 45A is used for several classes of vehicles, as indicated by the letter. Doctor Whom (talk) 21:44, 19 June 2008 (UTC)

Image copyright problem with File:2008RegularIndiana.jpg
The image File:2008RegularIndiana.jpg is used in this article under a claim of fair use, but it does not have an adequate explanation for why it meets the requirements for such images when used here. In particular, for each page the image is used on, it must have an explanation linking to that page which explains why it needs to be used on that page. Please check


 * That there is a non-free use rationale on the image's description page for the use in this article.
 * That this article is linked to from the image description page.

This is an automated notice by FairuseBot. For assistance on the image use policy, see Media copyright questions. --02:40, 2 January 2009 (UTC)

Updating for 2009
I am undertaking a major edit to update and source this article, and will add photos of plates as available (from Commons, of course). This will take some time, as I want to make sure everything is as correct as possible. I'll work on the Canada and Mexico pages afterwards if I'm not entirely burned out by then. :) Duncan1800 (talk) 07:27, 16 February 2009 (UTC)
 * I appreciate the undertaking, if there is anything you would like me to help you with, please let me know. I have noticed several cases in which there are definitely updated plates that I have personally seen. Paraplegicemu (talk) 16:39, 24 September 2009 (UTC)

Fonts
No information on fonts and typefaces? --John (talk) 07:57, 24 January 2011 (UTC)

Indiana
Indiana seems to be missing from the still valid section. I would do it but I am learning. speednat (talk) 20:04, 28 July 2011 (UTC)

Pennsylvania image not actual license plate number
The image shown for a Pennsylvania license plate uses the letter "Q" in its serial number, a letter that is not used for standard-issue Pennsylvania license plates.

Pennsylvania does not use the letters I, O or Q on their regular-issue license plates, and also no longer uses the letter U. The last time the letter Q was used on a regular-issue license plate was on the 1960 "SUBURBAN" (station wagon) base, last used in 1964.

This is not a vanity license plate which is shown, because PennDOT uses a plain dash separator on vanity plates instead of the keystone separator which is used on regular-issue plates, and the keystone separator is shown on the plate which is used as a photo example of a Pennsylvania license plate.

As a lifelong Pennsylvania resident who has been collecting license plates since 1971, I can say without any hesitation that the license plate which is shown is either a computer-generated mockup or a counterfeit Pennsylvania license plate.Bill S. (talk) 05:25, 3 September 2011 (UTC)

Ohio 2013
Ohio has a new standard-issue plate, the Ohio Pride plate: http://bmv.ohio.gov/ohio_pride.stm I'm not sure in which table it should go, so I'll leave it up to someone else. Mapsax (talk) 14:16, 4 May 2013 (UTC)

Embossed/flat and reflectivity
Is this column useful to readers? Qqqqqq (talk) 23:32, 24 November 2013 (UTC)

External links modified
Hello fellow Wikipedians,

I have just modified 6 one external links on United States license plate designs and serial formats. Please take a moment to review my edit. If you have any questions, or need the bot to ignore the links, or the page altogether, please visit this simple FaQ for additional information. I made the following changes:
 * Added archive http://web.archive.org/web/20080328003936/http://www.licenseplates.cc:80/highs/? to http://www.licenseplates.cc/highs/
 * Added archive http://web.archive.org/web/20150104014650/http://www.providencejournal.com/news/government/20141017-r.i.-waves-goodbye-to-old-license-plates-says-hello-to-high-tech-design-poll.ece to http://www.providencejournal.com/news/government/20141017-r.i.-waves-goodbye-to-old-license-plates-says-hello-to-high-tech-design-poll.ece
 * Added archive http://web.archive.org/web/20110706215752/http://www.licenseplates.cc/highs/?where=Alaska to http://www.licenseplates.cc/highs/?where=Alaska
 * Added archive http://web.archive.org/web/20101126054351/http://netstate.com/states/links/images/ia_license_plate.jpg to http://www.netstate.com/states/links/images/ia_license_plate.jpg
 * Added archive http://web.archive.org/web/20090714074608/http://omv.dps.state.la.us:80/lapurchase.html to http://omv.dps.state.la.us/lapurchase.html
 * Added archive http://web.archive.org/web/20160123132452/http://englishnews.ftv.com.tw/read.aspx?sno=C0125BE205CADB89297DF62F62C3157A to http://englishnews.ftv.com.tw/read.aspx?sno=C0125BE205CADB89297DF62F62C3157A

When you have finished reviewing my changes, please set the checked parameter below to true or failed to let others know (documentation at ).

Cheers.— InternetArchiveBot  (Report bug) 14:47, 21 July 2016 (UTC)

Move images to 2nd Column
In order to more closely match the format used by the articles in the category "Vehicle registration plates of the United States," move the "Images" column from being last to being the 2nd column.

This change would make the images more prominent, allow for easier viewing on devices other than a desktop computer screen, and more closely match the format of the other prominent Wikipedia articles on license plates/auto tags/vehicle registrations.

If a consensus is reached that this is what should be done, I would gladly update this article.

Zcarstvnz (talk) 08:58, 28 August 2017 (UTC)

support – This would place the images next to the date ranges, which are rarely or never subject to rowspan, unlike some of the columns to the right. Seems like a much more intuitive flow. —jameslucas ▄▄▄ ▄ ▄▄▄ ▄▄▄ ▄  17:19, 28 August 2017 (UTC)

Test table
I have added a temporary "Test of Table Redesign" above the current "Current standard-issue passenger plate designs and serial formats" table.

This redesign incorporates the current "Jurisdiction" and "Image" columns into one column, and it also combines the current "Type & slogan" and "Design" columns together. These changes are proposed in order to reduce the number of columns, and they also allow some of the columns that require more text to have additional width. When complete, the table should be much shorter, and the majority of the states with long narrow entries should be much easier to read.

If a consensus is reached that this is what should be done, I would gladly update this full article with the proposed changes.

Zcarstvnz (talk) 09:56, 1 September 2017 (UTC)


 * Combining the state name and image columns is not a good idea. It makes things messy for states with multiple plates, especially if the table becomes sortable or is being read by a screen reader for someone with disabilities. —jameslucas ▄▄▄ ▄ ▄▄▄ ▄▄▄ ▄  13:45, 1 September 2017 (UTC)

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 * 2000 New Hampshire License Plate.jpg

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License Plate Age
Ok - Do any states still issue a new license plate every year? Or Just a sticker for corner to indicate paid for that Year? How are states For requiring a new plate after so long? Wfoj3 (talk) 18:15, 28 November 2020 (UTC)

Mexico
I’d love for there to be a Mexican version of this article with a color coded map by jurisdiction in Mexico of the letter and number patterns! Can I start one when I get home from Amazon today? Thomas J. Seymour (talk) 16:37, 27 December 2020 (UTC)

Coded issuance
Can someone update the map to make maybe yellow the color for 7-character coded issue plates in Alabama, Arizona, etc. and the red being used now for six-character coded issue plates? That would help a lot! Thomas J. Seymour (talk) 16:45, 27 December 2020 (UTC)

One last thing
The map should include territories like PR and Guam. Thomas J. Seymour (talk) 16:46, 27 December 2020 (UTC)

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Florida
When I lived in Florida, I learned that plates starting with X, Y, or Z were reserved for rental car companies. I say were because eventually carjackers learned that this was a quick and easy way to identify tourist victims (who always drive rental cars). This wasn't good for the state's tourism industry. By the time I left Florida the late 1990s, the rental car plate designation had been dropped. ~Anachronist (talk) 16:56, 12 June 2022 (UTC)

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 * NY excelsior plate.png

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