Vehicle registration plates of Pennsylvania

The U.S. state of Pennsylvania first issued vehicle registration plates in 1906. Until 1979, the embossed date or sticker on the plate represented the date of issue, as opposed to the rest of North America, where it represented the date of expiry. Beginning in 1956, the plates, except those for motorcycles, were standardized throughout North America to a size of 6 by 12 inches, with universal placement of mounting holes. In Pennsylvania, only rear license plates are used.

Passenger baseplates 1930 to present

Image	First issued	Design	Slogan	Serial format	Serials issued	Notes
	1930	Blue embossed lettering and border on yellow base	none	12B34		State name abbreviated "PENNA." Keystone logos on either side of date and state name.
	1956	Yellow on blue with yellow state outline	none	1AB23
	1957	Blue on yellow with yellow state outline	none	1AB23
	1958	Yellow embossed lettering and infill around state border on blue base	none	12345 123-456 A12-345 123-45A 1A2-345		Keystone logo in center of lettering. Sticker validation through 1964.
	1965	Blue on yellow with blue state outline	none	123-456 A12-345 123-45A 1A2-345 12A-345	000-001 to 999-999 A00-000 to Z99-999 000-00A to 999-99Z 0A0-000 to 9Z9-999 00A-000 to ?
	1971	Yellow on blue	Bicentennial State '76	123-456 A12-345 123-45A 1A2-345 12A-345 123-A45	000-001 to 999-999 A00-001 to Z99-999 000-00A to 999-99Z 0A0-000 to 9Z9-999 00A-000 to (middle nnn-Hxx series)	Awarded "Plate of the Year" for best new license plate of 1971 by the Automobile License Plate Collectors Association, the only time Pennsylvania was so honored to date.
	1977	Blue on reflective yellow	Keystone State	123-456 A12-345 123-45A 1A2-345 ABC-123	000-001 to 999-999 A00-000 to Z99-999 000-00A to 999-99Z 0A0-000 to ? AAA-000 to GZZ-999 (changeover to ABC-123 format occurred in 1980)
	1983	Reflective yellow on blue	You've Got a Friend in	ABC-123	HAA-000 to RZZ-999
	1986	Reflective yellow on blue	Keystone State	ABC-123 ABC-1234	SAA-000 to ZZZ-999 AAA-0000 to Cxx-nnnn series - high approximately CEJ-nnnn.
	1999	Dark blue on reflective white	WWW.STATE.PA.US	ABC-1234	DAA-1000 to approximately FYC-9994
	2004	Dark blue on reflective white	visitPA.com	ABC-1234	GBA series to present

History

In 1958, the state issued its first plate intentionally valid for multiple years, as the 1942 issue was revalidated with metal tabs due to wartime materiel restrictions. It was on this base plate that between 1960 and 1964 that special number plates for station wagons as well as passenger trucks such as the International Harvester Travelall, were issued classed as "Suburban," as was the practice in other states such as New York and Delaware.

1965 marked the issuance of a new base plate superseding the one first issued in 1958. There were no separate class of plate for station wagons on this base plate. This also was the final plate issued by the state that featured the outline of the state. These plates were valid until their replacement in March 1971 (it was then illegal to display the 1971 base until March 15, 1971, and illegal to display the 1965 base after March 31, 1971).

The commemoration of the bicentennial of the American Revolution was marked with the issuance of the 1971 base plate five years ahead of the actual event. The yellow on blue plates featured a representation of the Liberty Bell in place of a dash in the center of the plate with an embossed "BICENTENNIAL STATE ‘76" on the bottom, which caused a bit of confusion as to the actual expiry of the plate.

Beginning in 1977, a new base plate was issued, superseding the previous one. It was blue on yellow with an outline of a keystone used as a dash and "KEYSTONE STATE" replacing the anniversary motto on the previous issue. During the issue of this base, PennDOT changed from a March 31 expiration for all passenger cars to a staggered registration as the 1979 stickers expired in March 1980, which resulted in as few as 6 months registration (September 1980) to as much as 18 months (September 1981), and the fee was prorated for the actual length of the registration period. Unlike previous plates, these used reflective Scotchlite sheeting. These plates, when used over time, saw the yellow paint fade away.

Mid-1983 marked the introduction of a controversial plate, as it used a tourism slogan with implied religious ties to the Society of Friends, more commonly known as the Quakers. The slogan on the yellow on blue plates was "You've Got a Friend in Pennsylvania." Issuance of these plates was quickly dispatched with once Bob Casey, Sr. took office and replaced them with ones saying "KEYSTONE STATE" as well as the old "Pennsylvania" font (this dating back from the 1977-1983 plates); however, the plates were not recalled. These plates used a "filled in" keystone as opposed to the "hollow" keystone on the 1977-1983 plates. These yellow on blue bases plate also were reflective, however it was the embossed areas that were. This was done using glass beads in the paint as opposed to the Scotchlite sheeting of the previous base plate. In 1991, a fourth digit was added after the plates reached ZZZ-999, resetting itself to AAA-0000 and saw the use of a smaller keystone to make room for the extra digit. The keystone was recycled from both the 1958-1964 and the 1965-1971 plates as a divider.

In 1999, a new base plate was issued replacing all plates issued from 1977 onwards, starting with replacing the 1977-83 yellow base, then progressing through vanity plates, then blue 1983-2002 plates by ZIP Code, starting with towns whose ZIP Codes ending in an even number (such as 18974) then towns whose ZIP codes end in an odd number (such as 17003). The last plates that were to be phased out carried an 8-02 expiration, with the exception of the limited-issue "We the People" 1987 plate, which continues to be valid with registration renewal. However, a very small number of blue-base plates somehow escaped PennDOT replacement and continue to be used with renewal.

The plates were similar to those issued by other states in their use of a gradient fade background (in this case blue on top, white in the center, and yellow on the bottom). The state placed its governmental website in place of a slogan, making the state the first government of any kind to issue license plates with a web address on the plate. This baseplate also used reflective sheeting.

At the time, the Pennsylvania General Assembly passed legislation requiring that a statewide replate be undertaken every 10 years because the previous base license plates had been on the road as much as 22 years, and had deteriorated to the point of being unreadable. Due to the Great Recession at the end of the first decade of the 21st century, that law was repealed in 2008 just in time to avoid the 2009 replate in order to save money.

In 2004, the base plate was tweaked by eliminating the gradient fade, changing the typeface used on the state name and slogan and switching from the state's official website to the state tourism website. A slightly larger, more defined keystone was introduced at that time. A slight change to some of the letters in the plate number, such as "B", "P" and "R", was made which made the letters slightly more narrow and the serifs more pronounced.

As of 2008, the old "Pennsylvania" type font used from 1965-1999 (except for the 1983-1986 "Friend" years) is still used on specialty plates such as emergency vehicles.

All passenger types issued from 1999 onwards are valid for display in Pennsylvania.

Notes

• 1 Plus remakes of serials issued on previous bases

Non-passenger and optional types

Image	Type	Serial format	Notes
	Amateur Radio	call sign
	Antique Historic Car	1 12 123 1234 A123 AB12 12AB
	Antique Motorcycle	1 12 123 A12 1A1 12A AB1 A1B
	Antique Vehicle	A12B
	Apportioned Bus	BN-12345
	Apportioned Truck	AE (or) AF-12345
	Bus	BA-12345
	Circus-Carnival Truck	B12345 Z
	Classic Car	12345, C12345
	Classic Motorcycle	C/L 123
	Collectible Motorcycle	CM123
	Collectible Vehicle	CV 1234
	Commonwealth Court	C/C 1
	Congressional Medal of Honor	ABC-CMH	Letters are initials of honoree
	Dealer	H (or) J12-345H (or) J	Both letters are same. "K" series plates expected by end of 2011.
	Dealer - Farm Equipment	FE1234A
	Dealer - Multi Purpose	MP1234A
	Disabled Veteran	DV-12345
	Emergency Vehicle	EV-12345	Some plates have "Emergency Vehicles" legend.
	Expeditionary Forces	E/F 1234
	Farm Truck	FT-1234A
	Fire Department	FD-12345	All Fire Department plates have been recalled by PennDOT and replaced with Emergency Vehicle plates. No longer valid.
	Fleet Transporter	FL1234A
	Flagship Niagara2	F/N 1234 F/N 123A	Awarded "Plate of the Year" for best new optional license plate of 1995 by the Automobile License Plate Collectors Association, the second time Pennsylvania was so honored. Co-recipient with Texas. No longer issued due to poor visibility, but is still valid.
	Gold Star Family	G/S/F 1234
	Handicapped	P/D 1234A
	Handicapped Motorcycle	P/D A12B
	Hearing Impaired	HE-12345
	Heritage Jeep Alliance	12345H/R
	Implement of Husbandry	IMP-1234
	Korean Defense Service Medal	12345 K/D
	Korean War Veteran	K/V 12345
	Little League Baseball	12345L/L
	Limousine	LM-12345
	Lincoln University	L1234U
	Livery	LV-12345
	Mass Transit	MT-12345
	Moped	AB123
	Moped Dealer	1234
	Motor Home	HA-12345
	Motorcycle	ABC12 12ABC
	Motorcycle Dealer	123A
	Motorcycle Vanity	varies
	Municipal Government	MG-12345 12345-MG MG-1234A
	Municipal Motorcycle	MG123 MG 12A
	National MS Society	12345 M/S
	No Fee/Exempt	NX12345
	Planned Parenthood of Pennsylvania	12345 P/P
	Official Use	PA-12345 12345-PA PA-1234A
	Omnibus	OB-12345
	Operation Enduring Freedom Veteran	12345 E/F
	Operation Iraqi Freedom Veteran	12345 I/F
	Passenger Vanity	varies
	Pearl Harbor Survivor	P/H S1234
	Pennsylvania State University	A12-34P
	Permanent Trailer	PT-1234A
	Persian Gulf War Veteran	P/G 12345
	Press photographer	PP 123
	Prisoner of War	POW-123
	Purple Heart	P/H 12345
	Repair Towing	RT-12345
	Repossessor	RE-12345
	Retired Legislator	P/A 12345
	Salvage Yard	WL-12345
	School Bus	SC-12345
	School Vehicle	SV-12345
	Special Mobile Equipment	SME-123A
	State Representative	H/R 123
	State Senator	P/A 12
	Steel Worker	S/W 12345
	Street Rod	1234 S/R
	Superior Court	S/C 12
	Supreme Court	S/U 12
	Taxi	TX-12345
	Temple University	T1234U
	Temporary In-transit	1234-567
	Trailer	XAB-1234
	Trailer Dealer	TD-1234A
	Transporter	DT-12345
	Truck	YAB-1234, ZBC-1234	Truck plates started with YAA-0000, reached YZZ-9999 in early 2011, new format started with ZBA-0000.
	U.S. Congress	U/S C 1
	U.S. Senate	U/S S 1
	University of Pittsburgh	U1234P
	Veteran	12345 U/S
	Veteran Motorcycle	V1234
	Vietnam War Veteran	V/W 12345
	Watercraft Trailer / Dealer	WD12345
	We The People2	U/S 12345	Limited edition issued in 1987 only, but still valid with renewal.
	World War II Veteran	W/W 12345

²No longer issued, but remain active for drivers who had the plates before they were dropped.

Optional types

Pennsylvania offers dozens of optional "special organizational" license plates.

External links

• Pennsylvania license plates 1969-present
• Official website of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
• Official Pennsylvania tourism site