Passenger plates were issued in pairs 1908 to present except for 1944, 1945, and 1946. New plates were issued every year until 1943 due to wartime restrictions. From 1943 until 1952 plates were issued yearly. Between 1953 to 1956 metal tabs were issued for revalidation of plates. In 1956 revalidation began with front windshield stickers, something that continues today. In 1999 the state tried revalidating plates with stickers in addition to the windshield sticker validation, but that scheme ended in 2004 with stickers issued to expire in 2005. Since then passenger plates have been revalidated with just the windshield sticker.
All bases of all classes of plates from 1959 to present are still valid for display in New Jersey.
| Image |
First issued |
Description |
Serial format |
Serials issued |
 |
1959 |
black on tan, non-reflective, state abbreviated "N. J." |
ABC-123 |
AAA-100 to RHZ-9991, 2 |
 |
1969 |
black on tan, reflective, state abbreviated "N. J." |
ABC-123 |
RIA-100 to SZZ-9991, 2, 5 |
|
1970 |
black on tan, non-reflective, state abbreviated "N. J.", identical to 1959 |
ABC-123 |
UAA-100 to YZZ-9991, 2, 5 |
 |
1973 |
black on tan, non-reflective, state abbreviated "N. J.", identical to 1959 |
123-ABC |
100-AAA to 999-HBZ1, 2, 5 |
 |
1977 |
black on tan, non-reflective, full state name |
123-ABC |
100-HCA to 999-KZZ1, 2, 5 |
 |
1979 |
buff on blue, non-reflective |
123-ABC |
100-LAA to 999-ZZZ1, 2, 5 |
 |
1985 |
buff on blue, non-reflective |
ABC-123 |
ZAA-100 to ZZZ-9992, 3, 5 |
 |
1985 |
buff on blue, non-reflective |
ABC-12D |
AAA-10A to HZZ-99Z2, 3, 5 |
 |
1992 |
black on yellow and white gradient, reflective, sticker boxes |
ABC1234 |
AAA1000 to ADJ99993, 4, 5 |
 |
1993 |
black on yellow and white gradient, reflective, sticker boxes |
AB-123D |
BA-100A to ZZ-999Z 3, 4, 5 |
 |
1999 |
black on yellow and white gradient, reflective, sticker boxes |
ABC-12D |
JAA-10A to VZT-99Z 3, 4, 5 |
|
2007 |
black on yellow and white gradient, reflective, no sticker boxes |
ABC-12D |
VZU-10A to ZZZ-99Z 3, 4, 5 |
Courtesy Plates are issued to individuals with political connections. The plates are in an ABC 1/ABC 12 or 1 ABC/12 ABC format and range from 1 to 20. The first letter is a county code, the second letter is the first initial of the vehicle owner's name, and the second letter is the initial of the last name of the vehicle owner.
