Vehicle registration plates of Colorado
The U.S. state of Colorado first required its residents to register their motor vehicles and display license plates in 1913.
Passenger plates 1913 to present
In 1956, the U.S. states and Canadian provinces came to an agreement with the Automobile Manufacturers Association that standardized the size for license plates for vehicles, except those for motorcycles, at six inches in height by twelve inches in width, with standardized mounting holes. The 1955 (dated 1956) issue was the first Colorado license plate that complied with these standards. However, the 1954 (dated 1955) issue was six inches in height by twelve inches in width, although the mounting holes were not in these standardized positions.
The basic design of Colorado's license plate (a row of mountains against an all-white or all-green background) has been in use since 1960, though not continually until 1978.[1] This makes it the second-oldest American plate design still in circulation, after that of Delaware. In 2000, a more detailed version of the mountain face replaced the previous monochrome one.
| Image | Dates issued | Design | Slogan | Serial format | Serials issued | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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1945 | white on black | none | |||
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1946 | yellow on black | none | |||
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1947 | black on yellow | none | |||
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1948 | black on white | none | |||
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1949 | yellow on black | none | |||
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1950 | green on white | Colorful | |||
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1951–2 | white on green | Colorful | Revalidated for 1952 with metal tabs. | ||
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1953 | green on yellow | Colorful | |||
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1954 | white on black | Colorful | |||
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1955 | black on white | Colorful | |||
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1956 | white on black | none | |||
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1957 | black on yellow | none | |||
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1958 | green on white with skier | Colorful | |||
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1959 | Colorful | AB-1234 | County-coded | ||
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1960–1 | none | AB-1234 | County-coded | Revalidated for 1961 with stickers. | |
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1962 | none | AB-1234 | County-coded | ||
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1963 | none | AB-1234 | County-coded | ||
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1964 | none | AB-1234 | County-coded | ||
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1965 | none | AB-1234 | County-coded | ||
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1966 | none | AB-1234 | County-coded | ||
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1967 | none | AB-1234 | County-coded | ||
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1968 | none | AB-1234 | County-coded | ||
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1969 | none | AB-1234 | County-coded | ||
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1970 | none | AB-1234 | County-coded | ||
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1971 | none | AB-1234 | County-coded | ||
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1972 | none | AB-1234 | County-coded | ||
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1973 | Colorful | AB-1234 | County-coded | ||
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1974 | Colorful | AB-1234 | County-coded | ||
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1975–76 | red on white and blue graphic | Centennial | AB-1234 | County-coded | First multi-year baseplate. Awarded "Plate of the Year" for best new license plate of 1975 by the Automobile License Plate Collectors Association, the first and, to date, only time Colorado has been so honored. |
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1976 | embossed red on white | Centennial | AB-1234 | County-coded | Issued at end of Centennial graphic supply. |
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1976–82 | embossed white on green with mountains at top | none | AB-1234 | County-coded | |
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1982–93 | ABC-123 | County-coded | |||
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1993–99 | ABC1234 | County-coded | |||
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1992 | Blue denim style | none | A0A0000 | optional graphic | |
| 2000 | Multi colored graphic mountain scene red & yellow 'C' in upper left | none | 000AAA | This is an optional plate for $25 extra per year | ||
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January 2000 – present | dark green on reflective white with grey, and green mountain scene graphic | none | 123-ABC | 001-AAA to present |
Non-passenger and optional types, 2000 to present
When the current passenger baseplate was introduced in 2000, the state simplified its non-passenger and specialty plates as well, issuing them in the same serial format—123-ABC—and with similar graphic elements.
Non-passenger types
2000 to present
The serials on non-passenger types are embossed unless noted.
| Image | Type | Notes |
|---|---|---|
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Apportioned Permanent Trailer | Red background; stacked "PRM" prefix. |
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Apportioned Tractor | Red background; stacked "ATR" prefix. |
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Apportioned Trailer | Red background; stacked "ATL" prefix. |
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Apportioned Truck | Red background; stacked "ATK" prefix. |
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Colorado State Patrol | Black background; surface-printed serials in a format of CSP 123. |
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Commercial Fleet | Red background; stacked "FLT" prefix. |
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Dealer | Blue background; stacked "DLR" prefix. |
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Dealer—Demo | Blue background; stacked "DMO" prefix. |
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Dealer—In Transit | Blue background; stacked "INT" prefix. |
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Depot | Blue background; stacked "DPT" prefix. |
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Disabled Person | Green background; wheelchair in center; surface-printed serials. |
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Farm Tractor | Green background; stacked "FTR" prefix. |
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Farm Tractor—Personalized | Green background; stacked "FTR" prefix; surface-printed serials. |
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Farm Truck | Green background; stacked "FTK" prefix. |
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Farm Truck—Personalized | Green background; stacked "FTK" prefix; surface-printed serials. |
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Government | Green background; stacked "GVT" prefix. |
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Gross Vehicle Weight Tractor | Red background; stacked "TVW" prefix. |
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Gross Vehicle Weight Truck | Red background; stacked "GVW" prefix. |
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Gross Vehicle Weight Truck—Personalized | Red background; stacked "GVW" prefix; surface-printed serials. |
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Manufacturer | Blue background; stacked "MFG" prefix. |
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Recreational Truck | Green background; stacked "RTK" prefix. |
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Special Mobile Machine | Green background; stacked "SMM" prefix. |
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Special Mobile Machine—Exempt | Green background; stacked "SMX" prefix; motorcycle-sized plate. |
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Trailer | Green background; stacked "TRL" prefix. |
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Transporter | Blue background; stacked "TPR" prefix. |
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Truck | Green background; stacked "TRK" prefix. |
Prior to 2000
| Image | Type | Design | Serial Format | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Disabled Person | Reflective white on green. | 12345 | |
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Fleet | Reflective gold on blue. | 1234IA5 |
Optional types
2000 to present
Specialty types have surface-printed serials. Some types are available in personalized format, in which case the type logo, which normally appears at the center of the plate between the numbers and the letters of the serial, is absent.
| Image | Type | Notes |
|---|---|---|
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10th Mountain Division | |
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"Adopt a Greyhound" | |
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"Advancing Clean Energy"—Motorcycle | |
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"Advancing Clean Energy"—Motorcycle—Personalized | No logo at center. |
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"Advancing Clean Energy"—Passenger | |
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"Advancing Clean Energy"—Passenger—Personalized | No logo at center. |
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Air Force Cross—Motorcycle | |
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Air Force Cross—Passenger | |
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Amateur Radio—Commercial | Stacked "CCL" prefix. Serial is callsign. |
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Amateur Radio—Passenger | Stacked "SCL" prefix. Serial is callsign. |
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American Indian Scholars—Motorcycle | |
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American Indian Scholars—Motorcycle—Personalized | No logo at center. |
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American Indian Scholars—Passenger | |
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American Indian Scholars—Passenger—Personalized | No logo at center. |
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"Broncos Country"—Motorcycle | |
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"Broncos Country"—Motorcycle—Personalized | No logo at center. |
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"Broncos Country"—Passenger | |
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"Broncos Country"—Passenger—Personalized | No logo at center. |
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Bronze Star—Motorcycle | |
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Bronze Star—Passenger | |
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Bronze Star of Valor—Motorcycle | |
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Bronze Star of Valor—Passenger | |
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Collector Truck/Tractor | |
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Collector Truck/Tractor—Personalized | No logo at center. |
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Collector Vehicle | |
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Collector Vehicle—Personalized | No logo at center. |
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Colorado College | |
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Colorado College—Personalized | No logo at center. |
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Colorado School of Mines | |
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Colorado School of Mines—Personalized | No logo at center. |
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Colorado State University | |
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Colorado State University—Personalized | No logo at center. |
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"Committed to a Cure"—Motorcycle | |
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"Committed to a Cure"—Motorcycle—Personalized | No logo at center. |
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"Committed to a Cure"—Passenger | |
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"Committed to a Cure"—Passenger—Personalized | No logo at center. |
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Denver Firefighter | |
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Designer—Passenger | Serial is embossed. |
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Designer—Passenger—Personalized | |
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Designer—Truck | Stacked "TRK" prefix; serial is embossed. |
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Disabled Veteran—Motorcycle | |
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Disabled Veteran—Passenger | |
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Disabled Veteran Handicapped—Motorcycle | |
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Disabled Veteran Handicapped—Passenger | |
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Distinguished Service Cross—Motorcycle | |
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Distinguished Service Cross—Passenger | |
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"Elks Care, Elks Share" | |
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Fallen Airman | |
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Fallen Guardsman | |
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Fallen Marine | |
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Fallen Sailor | |
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Fallen Soldier | |
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Fire Fighter | |
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"Growing Your Future" | |
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"Growing Your Future"—Personalized | No logo at center. |
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Honorably Discharged Veteran | |
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Honorary Consul | |
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Horseless Carriage | |
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Italian American—Motorcycle | |
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Italian American—Motorcycle—Personalized | No logo at center. |
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Italian American—Passenger | |
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Italian American—Passenger—Personalized | No logo at center. |
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Kids1st—Motorcycle | |
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Kids1st—Motorcycle—Personalized | No logo at center. |
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Kids1st—Passenger | |
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Kids1st—Passenger—Personalized | No logo at center. |
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Korean War Veteran | |
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Medal of Honor | |
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Member U.S. Congress | |
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Member U.S. Senate | |
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Mesa State College | |
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Mesa State College—Personalized | No logo at center. |
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Metro State College | |
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Metro State College—Personalized | No logo at center. |
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Motorcycle Collector—Motorcycle | |
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Motorcycle Collector—Motorcycle—Personalized | No logo at center. |
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National Guard | |
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Navy Cross | |
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NORAD | Issued July 1, 2008 through January 1, 2010.[2] |
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Pearl Harbor Survivor | |
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Pioneer | |
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Prisoner of War | |
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Purple Heart | |
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Regis University | |
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Regis University—Personalized | No logo at center. |
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"Respect Life" | |
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Respects Wildlife | |
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Passenger—Personalized | |
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Share the Road—Motorcycle | |
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Share the Road—Motorcycle—Personalized | No logo at center. |
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Share the Road—Passenger | |
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Share the Road—Passenger—Personalized | No logo at center. |
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Silver Star | |
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State Representative | R-000 serial format. |
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State Senator | S-00 serial format. |
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Street Rod | |
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Street Rod—Personalized | |
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Support Education—Motorcycle | |
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Support Education—Motorcycle—Personalized | No logo at center. |
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Support Education—Passenger | |
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Support Education—Passenger—Personalized | No logo at center. |
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Support the Troops—Motorcycle | |
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Support the Troops—Motorcycle—Personalized | No logo at center. |
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Support the Troops—Passenger | |
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Support the Troops—Passenger—Personalized | No logo at center. |
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University of Colorado | |
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University of Colorado—Personalized | No logo at center. |
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University of Denver | |
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University of Denver—Personalized | No logo at center. |
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University of Northern Colorado | |
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University of Northern Colorado—Personalized | No logo at center. |
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U.S. Air Force | Available only to veterans. |
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U.S. Air Force 50th Anniversary | Available to general public. |
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U.S. Air Force Academy | |
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U.S. Air Force Academy—Personalized | No logo at center. |
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U.S. Army | |
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U.S. Army Special Forces | |
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U.S. Coast Guard | |
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U.S. Marine Corps | |
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U.S. Navy | |
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Vietnam Veteran | |
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Western State College | |
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Western State College—Personalized | No logo at center. |
Prior to 2000
| Image | Type | Serial Format | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
|
10th Mountain Division | 12345E | |
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Collector Truck/Tractor | 12Z34 | |
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Collector Vehicle | 12N34 12R34 |
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Designer | Coded by county of issuance: A1B2345 |
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Firefighter | 12345F | |
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Honorably Discharged Veteran | 12345B | |
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Pioneers | 12345D | |
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Purple Heart | 012345 | |
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United States Air Force | 12345C |
References
External links
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