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Author Topic: Maryland general issue license plate  (Read 27919 times)

mcmc

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Maryland general issue license plate
« on: July 28, 2015, 06:44:23 AM »

Maryland expatriate here. Now that the five year issuing window for the War of 1812 license plate has run its course (June 2010-June 2015), has Maryland resumed issuance of the pre-2010 black-on-white crest plates? I believe that this was the plan, but would be interested to know what has actually happened.
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cpzilliacus

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Re: Maryland general issue license plate
« Reply #1 on: July 28, 2015, 08:44:52 AM »

Maryland expatriate here. Now that the five year issuing window for the War of 1812 license plate has run its course (June 2010-June 2015), has Maryland resumed issuance of the pre-2010 black-on-white crest plates? I believe that this was the plan, but would be interested to know what has actually happened.

I think that may be the case.

Just yesterday, I saw what looked like a brand-new black-and-white tag with an alphabetic prefix of FZZ, which I had never seen before.  Originally, that series started with NAA, then "wrapped around." 

Maryland's Motor Vehicle Administration could solve that problem for a long time to come by issuing tags with four alphabetic characters and three numerics, like Ontario does.
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BrianP

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Re: Maryland general issue license plate
« Reply #2 on: July 28, 2015, 10:07:10 AM »

A neighbor of mine just got new plates and they were still 1812 plates.  They were the first C plates I've seen.  As in the two small letters on the plates were CA. 
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mattpedersen

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Re: Maryland general issue license plate
« Reply #3 on: July 28, 2015, 07:43:13 PM »

Today I saw a 5CB in Charles County.
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cpzilliacus

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Re: Maryland general issue license plate
« Reply #4 on: July 30, 2015, 04:16:43 PM »

Today I saw a 5CB in Charles County.

Wonder if some places in the state are issuing the 1812 plates until they run out, then everyone will go back to the black-on-white tags, which I really like better.
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The Nature Boy

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Re: Maryland general issue license plate
« Reply #5 on: August 23, 2015, 01:28:41 AM »

A good friend of mine just moved to Carroll County and got the 1812 plates.
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mcmc

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Re: Maryland general issue license plate
« Reply #6 on: November 26, 2015, 05:50:37 AM »

It's been nearly six months since the 1812 plates were to have been phased out. Has anyone seen the return of black-on-white crest plates?
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mattpedersen

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Re: Maryland general issue license plate
« Reply #7 on: November 26, 2015, 11:13:25 PM »

I saw a 1CExxxx today in Charles County. I have not seen any new series ones yet.
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mariethefoxy

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Re: Maryland general issue license plate
« Reply #8 on: December 02, 2015, 01:59:54 AM »

I never liked that 1812 design, the older one was simple but really recognizable as a Maryland plate by the crest in the middle.
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mattpedersen

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Re: Maryland general issue license plate
« Reply #9 on: March 17, 2016, 11:01:46 AM »

My coworker bought a "new" car last weekend at Carmax, and she got the War of 1812 with a prefix of CG. So they are still floating out there.
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cpzilliacus

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Re: Maryland general issue license plate
« Reply #10 on: March 17, 2016, 11:56:16 AM »

My coworker bought a "new" car last weekend at Carmax, and she got the War of 1812 with a prefix of CG. So they are still floating out there.

I really hope that the supply is used-up soon.  I do not like the 1812's at all.
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PHLBOS

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Re: Maryland general issue license plate
« Reply #11 on: March 17, 2016, 02:43:50 PM »

Maryland's Motor Vehicle Association is still showing the 1812 plate design on its website.
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tckma

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Re: Maryland general issue license plate
« Reply #12 on: March 17, 2016, 03:33:08 PM »

Maryland expatriate here. Now that the five year issuing window for the War of 1812 license plate has run its course (June 2010-June 2015), has Maryland resumed issuance of the pre-2010 black-on-white crest plates? I believe that this was the plan, but would be interested to know what has actually happened.

I think that may be the case.

Just yesterday, I saw what looked like a brand-new black-and-white tag with an alphabetic prefix of FZZ, which I had never seen before.  Originally, that series started with NAA, then "wrapped around." 

Maryland's Motor Vehicle Administration could solve that problem for a long time to come by issuing tags with four alphabetic characters and three numerics, like Ontario does.

License plate collector here.  MVA was supposed to revert to the "our state flag is louder and busier than yours" crest plates last year, but they are still issuing the 1812 plates, currently in the nC/Gnnnn series.  The highest crest plate issued prior to the 1812 plate was nGD-Ann.  Your nFZ-Znn either is a very clean older plate, or some MVA branch that found and issued some old stock.  Personally I prefer the 1812 plates; the state crest plates are plain and boring.  1812 didn't come out until after I moved to the state, so I opted for Chesapeake Bay plates.

MVA software can currently handle plates with up 7 alphanumerics, but the dies used at the Jessup state prison are sized such that 7 characters take up the whole plate, not allowing for graphics.  Hence the stacked letters on the 1812 plate, so as not to block the Fort McHenry graphic on the left, and nnnnn (crest) S/G or (crest) S/G nnnnn, nnnnn (crest) L/G or (crest) L/G nnnnn on local and state government plates.  ABCD-nnn a la Ontario would not work here unless Jessup moves to narrower dies, or they continued to use stacked letters when moving back to the crest plates.  My thought is they will just pick up where they left off in the nGD-Ann series.

Further, some special organizational plates use a four letter stack.  Port of Baltimore, for example, uses P/O/R/T nnn.  In MVA software that is considered a plate number of PORTnnn.  I haven't seen many of these with four letter stacks, usually they are three letters (M/E/S nnnn for Maryland's Eastern Shore, as an example, or O/C/M nnnn for Ocean City Tourism)  An ABCD-nnn format would force skipping all of these four letter prefixes to avoid plate number duplications.
« Last Edit: March 17, 2016, 03:41:32 PM by tckma »
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mattpedersen

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Re: Maryland general issue license plate
« Reply #13 on: March 17, 2016, 05:31:37 PM »

I saw a second CG series 1812 plate today in Upper Marlboro.
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mattpedersen

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Re: Maryland general issue license plate
« Reply #14 on: March 18, 2016, 09:52:38 AM »

I saw a second CG series 1812 plate today in Upper Marlboro.
Maryland expatriate here. Now that the five year issuing window for the War of 1812 license plate has run its course (June 2010-June 2015), has Maryland resumed issuance of the pre-2010 black-on-white crest plates? I believe that this was the plan, but would be interested to know what has actually happened.

I think that may be the case.

Just yesterday, I saw what looked like a brand-new black-and-white tag with an alphabetic prefix of FZZ, which I had never seen before.  Originally, that series started with NAA, then "wrapped around." 

Maryland's Motor Vehicle Administration could solve that problem for a long time to come by issuing tags with four alphabetic characters and three numerics, like Ontario does.

License plate collector here.  MVA was supposed to revert to the "our state flag is louder and busier than yours" crest plates last year, but they are still issuing the 1812 plates, currently in the nC/Gnnnn series.  The highest crest plate issued prior to the 1812 plate was nGD-Ann.  Your nFZ-Znn either is a very clean older plate, or some MVA branch that found and issued some old stock.  Personally I prefer the 1812 plates; the state crest plates are plain and boring.  1812 didn't come out until after I moved to the state, so I opted for Chesapeake Bay plates.

MVA software can currently handle plates with up 7 alphanumerics, but the dies used at the Jessup state prison are sized such that 7 characters take up the whole plate, not allowing for graphics.  Hence the stacked letters on the 1812 plate, so as not to block the Fort McHenry graphic on the left, and nnnnn (crest) S/G or (crest) S/G nnnnn, nnnnn (crest) L/G or (crest) L/G nnnnn on local and state government plates.  ABCD-nnn a la Ontario would not work here unless Jessup moves to narrower dies, or they continued to use stacked letters when moving back to the crest plates.  My thought is they will just pick up where they left off in the nGD-Ann series.

Further, some special organizational plates use a four letter stack.  Port of Baltimore, for example, uses P/O/R/T nnn.  In MVA software that is considered a plate number of PORTnnn.  I haven't seen many of these with four letter stacks, usually they are three letters (M/E/S nnnn for Maryland's Eastern Shore, as an example, or O/C/M nnnn for Ocean City Tourism)  An ABCD-nnn format would force skipping all of these four letter prefixes to avoid plate number duplications.

I have University of Baltimore plates on my truck, and they are UB0xxx. I guess MVA didn't think that there would be a need for over 10,000 UB plates running around.
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F350

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Re: Maryland general issue license plate
« Reply #15 on: August 11, 2016, 12:01:36 AM »

Neighbor just got a new car. Received 1812 plates, 4CL.
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cpzilliacus

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Re: Maryland general issue license plate
« Reply #16 on: August 11, 2016, 12:44:59 AM »

I would love to see Maryland's Motor Vehicle Administration (MVA) go back to the Maryland "crest" tags.

What I would like to see is California-style numbering, starting with 1 AAA 001 and working up, would be great. 

MVA software can currently handle plates with up 7 alphanumerics, but the dies used at the Jessup state prison are sized such that 7 characters take up the whole plate, not allowing for graphics.  Hence the stacked letters on the 1812 plate, so as not to block the Fort McHenry graphic on the left, and nnnnn (crest) S/G or (crest) S/G nnnnn, nnnnn (crest) L/G or (crest) L/G nnnnn on local and state government plates.  ABCD-nnn a la Ontario would not work here unless Jessup moves to narrower dies, or they continued to use stacked letters when moving back to the crest plates.  My thought is they will just pick up where they left off in the nGD-Ann series.

Are tags being made at Jessup any  longer? 

The former House of Corrections in Jessup (where the tags were made for many years, perhaps from the start of Maryland-issue license plates) was shut-down quite a few years ago.  The inmates were sent to other state prisons, or in some cases to out-of-state lockups. For a while, Maryland tags were being made in New Jersey  using New Jersey's distinctive dies.

Regarding 7 character tags - the Class M tags that were issued to "MPV"-type vehicles (SUVs and  vans) were of formats like M123456, seven characters (though  without the Maryland crest).
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tckma

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Re: Maryland general issue license plate
« Reply #17 on: August 11, 2016, 09:55:24 AM »

What I would like to see is California-style numbering, starting with 1 AAA 001 and working up, would be great. 

California started with 1 AAA 001 when they had reached ZZZ 999 on their original ABC 123 style.

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Are tags being made at Jessup any  longer? 

The former House of Corrections in Jessup (where the tags were made for many years, perhaps from the start of Maryland-issue license plates) was shut-down quite a few years ago.  The inmates were sent to other state prisons, or in some cases to out-of-state lockups. For a while, Maryland tags were being made in New Jersey  using New Jersey's distinctive dies.

Regarding 7 character tags - the Class M tags that were issued to "MPV"-type vehicles (SUVs and  vans) were of formats like M123456, seven characters (though  without the Maryland crest).

Yes, ALL Maryland plates are made in Jessup, technically by a "company" called Maryland Correctional Enterprises (MCE) that "employs" the inmates.  The factory is at the corner of MD-175 and US-1.  There are a bunch of prisons along that stretch of 175.  As you drive toward US-1 from the truck stop, on the right, on the prison grounds, you'll see the MCE logo on the building just before the corner.  There's no sign on the other side of the building.

The only plates that were made in NJ are crest-style passenger plates from 1CN A01 to 1CN Z99 and crest-style MPV plates from 895M000 to 909M999.

MVA now issues the 1812 plates to passenger cars (formerly 1AB C23 series), MPVs (formerly 12345M6 series), and trucks (formerly 123 A45 series), using the 1 A/B 2345 format for all in a single series.  All other registration types still use the crest style plates.  I'm not sure what will happen if they return to the crest style -- if they'll use the same format for passenger car, MPV, and truck, or if they'll go back to the three different series.

Interesting factoid: Maryland and Delaware are the ONLY states that have a separate plate format/series/registration type for SUVs and minivans.

epzik8

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Re: Maryland general issue license plate
« Reply #18 on: August 13, 2016, 07:44:40 PM »

It looks like I'm in the minority with my opinion that the crest plates were boring. They were based on the 1984 350th anniversary plates. I think it was 1987 when they became the general-issue. I just think they were bland and generic with the white background. That's why I celebrated the release of the War of 1812 plates in 2010.

However, my favorite current Maryland plate is the Treasure the Chesapeake plate. My parents have made it a rule to request Bay Plates for every car they purchase. I wouldn't mind seeing the Bay Plates as the general-issue, but it's just that they would look out of place out in the mountains of Western Maryland. I think people as far west as Frederick could get away with them, though.
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cpzilliacus

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Re: Maryland general issue license plate
« Reply #19 on: August 14, 2016, 02:53:58 AM »

However, my favorite current Maryland plate is the Treasure the Chesapeake plate. My parents have made it a rule to request Bay Plates for every car they purchase. I wouldn't mind seeing the Bay Plates as the general-issue, but it's just that they would look out of place out in the mountains of Western Maryland. I think people as far west as Frederick could get away with them, though.

I disagree, for the most part.  There are only  a few places in Maryland  that are not in the Chesapeake Bay's watershed.  Western Garrett County  (west of the Eastern Continental Divide (ECD) is in the Ohio River watershed; parts of far eastern  Cecil County drains to the Christina River, and then to the Delaware Bay; and far eastern Worcester County drains either directly to the Atlantic Ocean or to the coastal bays there.
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7/8

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Re: Maryland general issue license plate
« Reply #20 on: August 15, 2016, 08:19:51 PM »

Google images is showing me two variations of the Treasure the Chesapeake plate:




Is the top one the current one?

cpzilliacus

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Re: Maryland general issue license plate
« Reply #21 on: August 15, 2016, 11:57:30 PM »

Google images is showing me two variations of the Treasure the Chesapeake plate:




Is the top one the current one?

Yes. 

I  have a tag from the series shown below on my pickup truck.
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mattpedersen

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Re: Maryland general issue license plate
« Reply #22 on: August 17, 2016, 11:21:28 PM »

Google images is showing me two variations of the Treasure the Chesapeake plate:




Is the top one the current one?

Yes. 

I  have a tag from the series shown below on my pickup truck.

They changed styles in 2002 or 2003. The older style plates had a $20 one time fee, the newer plates, then both styles had/have to pay $10 a year extra. (which nearly made me give up the plates on my mom's 2000 Camry, my Dodge Ram / GMC Sierra have University of Baltimore alumni plates, and my gone 2008 Honda Accord just had general issue crest plates)
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tckma

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Re: Maryland general issue license plate
« Reply #23 on: August 18, 2016, 04:37:36 PM »

Google images is showing me two variations of the Treasure the Chesapeake plate:




Is the top one the current one?

The style was switched in 2004.  The top one is current.  The bottom one is no longer issued, but can still be renewed and used.  There's a $10 per year extra fee for that plate (so, $20 on top of reg. fees, since we have two year registration), which goes to some organization that promotes cleanup of the Chesapeake Bay.

On the original style, there were separate letter series for passenger cars (class A registration), SUVs/minivans (class M registration - multi-purpose vehicle - MPV - which is what the M signifies on crest plates), and light trucks like pickup trucks.  I'm not sure if handicap or trailers were offered; I've never seen either.  On the current style, the same series is shared between cars, MPVs, and light trucks, with separate series for trailers and handicapped plates.

The top plate is the passenger car/MPV/truck series (12345 B/Y, then 12345 C/B, then 12345 C/A, then 12345 C/C through the current 12345 C/G).  The bottom plate is the MPV series (ABC-12D).

The original style also had an option to get a "BAY" number (123-BAY) for an additional ($50, I think) one-time fee, with the same option offered for MPVs (BAY-12A) and light trucks (1BY-234).

Original style:

Passenger cars: ABC-123 format
MPVs (SUVs and Minivans): ABC-12D format
Light Trucks: 1AB-234 format

Current style:

Passenger cars, MPVs, and light trucks: 12345 C/A format.  The top letter is always C except for the original B/Y series that was issued.  It was issued B/Y (for Bay), then C/B (for Chesapeake Bay), then C/A, then C/C forward.
Trailers: 12345 G/A format.  The top letter is always G (because trailers are class G registration).
Handiacp: (wheelchair symbol) 1234 D/A format.  The top letter is always D for Disabled, and we have just recently started the D/B series.

cpzilliacus

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Re: Maryland general issue license plate
« Reply #24 on: August 31, 2016, 12:40:50 AM »

Baltimore Sun: Hogan unveils new, Maryland-flag themed license plates



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Gov. Larry Hogan on Tuesday unveiled new Maryland-flag themed license plates.

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The new plates replace the War of 1812 plate commissioned by former Gov. Martin O'Malley.

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The Maryland Department of Transportation's Motor Vehicles Administration will begin issuing the plate Sept. 26.

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Vehicle owners will not be required to get the new license plates. Those who want to replace their existing plates with the new ones will be charged $20.
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