License Plate News

[machias]

I *think* Arizona has switched back to 7-alphanumeric over the past two weeks or so. I'm seeing a lot of temporary plates with seven digits.

I feel like Arizona "fixed" something that wasn't broken, in terms of their standard plates. The ABC1234 series could have gone on for awhile, before switching to completely random stuff. For now, ALL new plates that aren't personalized are pretty random mix of 6 characters (or 7 characters)

SM-G975U

Agreed. The new six character plates with a space separating the two groups of three don't look bad, but as a new resident of Arizona, the jumbled up seven character plates, with their overabundance of the "A" character, look like they're trying to convey secret words or something. They just look strange.  They should have just continued with the AAANNNN format they had going on.

[mgk920]

Agreed.  Wisconsin switched from 'NNN-LLL' to 'LLL-NNNN' a couple of years ago because the former ran out of number combinations.  The last that I noticed a day or two ago, WisDOT is now up to plate numbers in the [AMB-xxxx] range.  With no changes, Wisconsin should be good on available plate numbers through the end of the century.

Mike

[OCGuy81]

I *think* Arizona has switched back to 7-alphanumeric over the past two weeks or so. I'm seeing a lot of temporary plates with seven digits.

I feel like Arizona "fixed" something that wasn't broken, in terms of their standard plates. The ABC1234 series could have gone on for awhile, before switching to completely random stuff. For now, ALL new plates that aren't personalized are pretty random mix of 6 characters (or 7 characters)

SM-G975U

Agreed. The new six character plates with a space separating the two groups of three don't look bad, but as a new resident of Arizona, the jumbled up seven character plates, with their overabundance of the "A" character, look like they're trying to convey secret words or something. They just look strange.  They should have just continued with the AAANNNN format they had going on.

Colorado was really bad for a while, too.  They were trying to exhaust combinations that used the letter "Q" in any position, I believe, and it led to a lot of random issues.

They seemed to have corrected things now with an ABC-D12 format that should keep them from running out for a long while.

[Scott5114]

I don't get why states with 7-character plates tend to do AAA NNNN instead of AAA NNNA. Provides 456,976,000 combinations as opposed to 175,760,000, and at less risk of spelling dirty words than AAAA NNN.

[kalvado]

I don't get why states with 7-character plates tend to do AAA NNNN instead of AAA NNNA. Provides 456,976,000 combinations as opposed to 175,760,000, and at less risk of spelling dirty words than AAAA NNN.

How much need for that extra capacity is actually there? NY is a fourth most populous state at about 20M. Current LLL-NNNN was started in 2001. 20 years later we're down to KLL-NNNN - i.e. there is another 20 years or so of sequences. Seems like a good run. NNNN-LLL can give another 30 years run, and I wouldn't be surprized if something changes so much over those decades that license plate format would be the least of legacy issues.

[Scott5114]

A large chunk of NY's population doesn't get assigned license plates, though.

Texas started at BBB-#### (they don't use vowels) in 2012, and I believe they're now at PNX-#### if I'm reading this license plate hobbyist site right.

[kalvado]

A large chunk of NY's population doesn't get assigned license plates, though.

Texas started at BBB-#### (they don't use vowels) in 2012, and I believe they're now at PNX-#### if I'm reading this license plate hobbyist site right.

Advantage of clear separation of letters anddigits.
Without vowels, extra letter would give less than 2x. Without B, and possibly G and D which can be confused with 8, 6 and 0 in NNNL, does it really buy enough combinations?

[OCGuy81]

Texas started at BBB-#### (they don't use vowels) in 2012, and I believe they're now at PNX-#### if I'm reading this license plate hobbyist site right.

What I'm curious about is that California has been using 1ABC234 since the early 80s, and are almost through the 8 series in that.  The current sequence is just a re-arranged ABC1234, but it's taken California nearly 40 years to get through it, where Texas has gone from B-P in about 9??

California still has a much higher population, so I'm curious why they've taken so much longer.

Separate issues for trucks? (though doesn't Texas do this too?)

More specialty plates in CA?

Or is it that Texas re-plates on certain intervals?

[mgk920]

Texas started at BBB-#### (they don't use vowels) in 2012, and I believe they're now at PNX-#### if I'm reading this license plate hobbyist site right.

What I'm curious about is that California has been using 1ABC234 since the early 80s, and are almost through the 8 series in that.  The current sequence is just a re-arranged ABC1234, but it's taken California nearly 40 years to get through it, where Texas has gone from B-P in about 9??

California still has a much higher population, so I'm curious why they've taken so much longer.

Separate issues for trucks? (though doesn't Texas do this too?)

More specialty plates in CA?

Or is it that Texas re-plates on certain intervals?

I believe that it is the later.  California has not replated existing cars since the 1960s, when their current number format began.  Texas completely replated over the past few years.  Also, California has a different number sequence for light trucks ('NLNNNNN').

What is California's current plan for when the '8LLLNNN' sequence is exhausted (they are up to [8WUJ---])?  Will they flip to '9LLLNNN'?  Continue to the Ontario format ('LLLLNNN')?  Something else?

Mike

[OCGuy81]

Texas started at BBB-#### (they don't use vowels) in 2012, and I believe they're now at PNX-#### if I'm reading this license plate hobbyist site right.

What I'm curious about is that California has been using 1ABC234 since the early 80s, and are almost through the 8 series in that.  The current sequence is just a re-arranged ABC1234, but it's taken California nearly 40 years to get through it, where Texas has gone from B-P in about 9??

California still has a much higher population, so I'm curious why they've taken so much longer.

Separate issues for trucks? (though doesn't Texas do this too?)

More specialty plates in CA?

Or is it that Texas re-plates on certain intervals?

I believe that it is the later.  California has not replated existing cars since the 1960s, when their current number format began.  Texas completely replated over the past few years.  Also, California has a different number sequence for light trucks ('NLNNNNN').

What is California's current plan for when the '8LLLNNN' sequence is exhausted (they are up to [8WUJ---])?  Will they flip to '9LLLNNN'?  Continue to the Ontario format ('LLLLNNN')?  Something else?

Mike

Hmmm, I thought Texas also had separate issues for light trucks?  I remember seeing Texas plates that said "TRUCK" and had a different format.

I'm not sure which way California will go when they exhaust the current series.  They could easily do an ABC1234.  Ideally, they'd space the letters and numbers for improved legibility.

[kalvado]

Texas started at BBB-#### (they don't use vowels) in 2012, and I believe they're now at PNX-#### if I'm reading this license plate hobbyist site right.

What I'm curious about is that California has been using 1ABC234 since the early 80s, and are almost through the 8 series in that.  The current sequence is just a re-arranged ABC1234, but it's taken California nearly 40 years to get through it, where Texas has gone from B-P in about 9??

California still has a much higher population, so I'm curious why they've taken so much longer.

Separate issues for trucks? (though doesn't Texas do this too?)

More specialty plates in CA?

Or is it that Texas re-plates on certain intervals?

looks like the later to some extent

As of November 1, 2016, the State of Texas will no longer automatically replace your plates after 7 years. However, you may still apply at your county tax office for replacement plates if the license plate needs to be replaced for cosmetic or readability reasons.

[Occidental Tourist]

Texas started at BBB-#### (they don't use vowels) in 2012, and I believe they're now at PNX-#### if I'm reading this license plate hobbyist site right.

What I'm curious about is that California has been using 1ABC234 since the early 80s, and are almost through the 8 series in that.  The current sequence is just a re-arranged ABC1234, but it's taken California nearly 40 years to get through it, where Texas has gone from B-P in about 9??

California still has a much higher population, so I'm curious why they've taken so much longer.

Separate issues for trucks? (though doesn't Texas do this too?)

More specialty plates in CA?

Or is it that Texas re-plates on certain intervals?

I believe that it is the later.  California has not replated existing cars since the 1960s, when their current number format began.  Texas completely replated over the past few years.  Also, California has a different number sequence for light trucks ('NLNNNNN').

What is California's current plan for when the '8LLLNNN' sequence is exhausted (they are up to [8WUJ---])?  Will they flip to '9LLLNNN'?  Continue to the Ontario format ('LLLLNNN')?  Something else?

Mike

I believe 9LLLNNN is doable for passenger cars.  Once they run out of those, presumably California will go to NNNLLA1.  That's what they did when commercial plates rolled over.  They reversed the sequence and went from 8ZNNNNN to NNNNNA1.  BTW, commercial plates ended at 8Z because the 9L series are reserved for tractor units.

[DRMan]

I *think* Arizona has switched back to 7-alphanumeric over the past two weeks or so. I'm seeing a lot of temporary plates with seven digits.

I feel like Arizona "fixed" something that wasn't broken, in terms of their standard plates. The ABC1234 series could have gone on for awhile, before switching to completely random stuff. For now, ALL new plates that aren't personalized are pretty random mix of 6 characters (or 7 characters)

SM-G975U

Agreed. The new six character plates with a space separating the two groups of three don't look bad, but as a new resident of Arizona, the jumbled up seven character plates, with their overabundance of the "A" character, look like they're trying to convey secret words or something. They just look strange.  They should have just continued with the AAANNNN format they had going on.

Yeah, they switched very quickly from 7 "random" characters to 6. Looks like the 3rd and 6th are sequential letters, starting with "??A ??A". They seem to be on "??A ??C" now. Specialty plates follow the same sequence but they may or may not have a space. I don't know why they switched, although I agree the new plates aren't as weird-looking.

[kphoger]

I've seen I and O in both the second and third position in the Axx—Exx range, but I haven't seen any I or O anywhere in the Fxx—current range.

I think I've seen a "FFI," but I haven't seen any "I" or "O" on any regular-issue Kansas plate. (Needless to say, those vowels are needed on personalized plates)

Yeah, FFI wouldn't be all that long after EVI, which I've seen.  It wouldn't surprise me.  But it does seem apparent that, sometime around then, they dropped those two letters from the pool.

Update:  I now realize I'm not seeing the letter Q on any license plates from the F series on.

I don't get why states with 7-character plates tend to do AAA NNNN instead of AAA NNNA. Provides 456,976,000 combinations as opposed to 175,760,000, and at less risk of spelling dirty words than AAAA NNN.

Advantage of clear separation of letters anddigits.

Behold!  Scott's preferred combination AND clear separation of letters and digits!



This is the series that all Mexican states are shifting to as each runs out of its allotted AAA-NN-NN combinations.

[NJRoadfan]

Plate combinations quickly get constrained in states that block out sequences/prefixes for certain plate types. NJ is one such state. They tried to do 7 digit AAA-NNNN general issues in 1992, but switched back to 6 digits due to readability issues. Now that they have gone with the 3M digital plate font, they can likely do 7 digits again. The current ANN-AAA sequence is up to "N" right now, so it'll be a few years until we see any change.

[machias]

Arizona update: I've been doing a lot of driving this weekend, and every temporary plate I've seen between Tucson, Globe, and Phoenix has been back to seven digits: six numbers and a letter. One was UNNNNNN, one was NNBNNNN, and the rest were all 3NNNNNB. The "alphabet soup" seems to moved onto to a lot of numbers and one letter.

[1995hoo]

Don't see this too often in Broward County! Parked next to us last night.

[kphoger]

Don't see this too often in Broward County! Parked next to us last night.

I'm surprised it's still got a current registration.  That base hasn't been issued since around 2007.  I haven't seen one in years–even in Mexico.

[andrepoiy]

Also, the Federal District doesn't exist anymore, if I remember correctly... It's just Mexico City now

[kphoger]

Also, the Federal District doesn't exist anymore, if I remember correctly... It's just Mexico City now

License plates switched from the one to the other with the 2016 issue.  But there were two bases between the one |1995hoo| spotted and that 2016 issue–besides which, the 2016 base isn't even the current one anymore.

Long story short:  that plate is four bases old (not counting minor variations).

[kphoger]

I've seen I and O in both the second and third position in the Axx—Exx range, but I haven't seen any I or O anywhere in the Fxx—current range.

I think I've seen a "FFI," but I haven't seen any "I" or "O" on any regular-issue Kansas plate. (Needless to say, those vowels are needed on personalized plates)

Yeah, FFI wouldn't be all that long after EVI, which I've seen.  It wouldn't surprise me.  But it does seem apparent that, sometime around then, they dropped those two letters from the pool.

Update:  I now realize I'm not seeing the letter Q on any license plates from the F series on.

I've now spotted EZI and FBQ.

[ThatRandomOshawott]

Kentucky's new flat plate designs continue to roll out. All plates are transitioning to flat plates with all the text right justified. The standard plates (there are two – with/without "IN GOD WE TRUST" ) have a Kentucky icon on the left.

https://secure.kentucky.gov/kytc/plates/web/#9b02e588-632a-4842-bc61-02cedfc3a2fb

More and more cars on the roads here have the new style of Kentucky license plate; about 1/3 of the KY-plate cars have them here. Oddly enough, though, when I received a license plate for my new car last October, it was done in the old embossed metal plate design.

[OCGuy81]

This morning I spotted a car with what looks to be a temporary license plate from California.

The plate was printed, and actually looks like a plate (it has the lipstick font and even expiration) which I don't recall being issued when I bought cars living there.

Anyway, the plate was BL95A02.  Not sure if this is a dealer number or if this is the actual plate number to be issued.  If the latter, it might be California's new sequence?

[Occidental Tourist]

The new California temporary license plates are all temporary numbers, not indicative of the vehicle's final plate number or the sequence in use. They are printed out at the dealership but the number is issued by the DMV.

[Roadwarriors79]

According to the ADOT website, newer Arizona license plates are going to have a new font.

https://azdot.gov/adot-news/aluminum-supply-chain-issues-temporarily-halt-license-plate-production

SM-G998U1