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.
Contents |
| 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 |
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 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 a broken bell in place of a dash in the centre of the plate with and 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 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 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 and classic cars.
All passenger types issued from 1999 onwards are valid for display in Pennsylvania.[1]
Notes
| 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 | ||
| Implement of Husbandry | IMP-1234 | ||
| Korean Defense Service Medal | 12345 K/D | ||
| Korean War Veteran | K/V 12345 | ||
| Limousine | LM-12345 | ||
| Lincoln University | L1234U | ||
| 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 | ||
| 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.
Pennsylvania offers dozens of optional "special organizational" license plates.[2]