PA PLATES (Pennsylvania License Plates)

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Pennsylvania License Plate Images

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The photos on this website, whether provided by me or other contributors, are intended for use solely on this website, and may not be used without permission.

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GENERAL PLATE DISPLAYS

Antique, Classic, etc.

Bus, Limo, Taxi, etc.

Dealer & MV Business

Miscellaneous & Passenger

Official Plates

Political Plates

Veterans Plates

SPECIALTY & SPECIAL ORG.

College, University, etc.

Fire, EMS & Police

Fraternal, Non-Profit, etc.

NASCAR

Special Fund Plates

Pending/Proposed Plates

UNUSUAL & UNIQUE PLATES

Governor & Related Plates

Mystery, Oddball, DCNR, etc.

Special Event Plates

Front Plates

Sample Displays, R. Dragon

REFERENCE MATERIAL

Historic Plate Documents

Plate Codes

Plate History (Misc.)

Plate History (Special Org.)

Validation Stickers

Vehicle Code

ARCHIVED HOME PAGES

2006 Archives (from 7/22)

Weekly Posting 1/22/2012

Here's the first image of a DeSales University plate. These just hit the streets a few weeks back, and there are only about 6 plates in use so far.

Here's a pair of 'first' images from Tom Perri. He along with Jordan Irazabal found and photographed this pair of Lower Frederick Fire Company plates.

Here's the image of the number 1 Support our Troops plate from Tom Perri.

Two images were needed to complete the history section on Handicapped Person / Person with Disability plates, and fellow ALPCA member Geroge Kunsman offered to help by allowing me to photograph these plates. Based on a discussion with George, I also reversed the order of Version 4 and 5 with the ^HP96110 being issued prior to ^HP3342. Read the description of the versions for a better understanding of how the alpha-numeric progression evolved.

Also watch for more plate images from George over the next week or two.

Here's another gem from George Kunsman. I've been searching for an image of a Version 1 Salvage Yard, with silk screened Salvage Yard plate legend. This feature was replaced with an embossed plate legend in later plates.

It is unknown if there was a yellow on blue base after Version 2 which used the standard font for the state name in place of the "You've got a Friend" Pennsylvania font. If so, it would likely have been above WL-10000, such a change was seen in Version 3 of Rep / Ser Towing plates. Anyone have a Salvage Yard plate above WL-10000?

Here's a vey nice Lion Member sample image, courtesy of George Kunsman.

And the same for this well-preserved Lafayette College plate image with a 12/92 sticker, also from George Kunsman.

Last but not least is this undated first issue Purple Heart plate image, again courtesy of George Kunsman.

Weekly Posting 1/15/2012

Steve Noll sent details about House Bill 2101 introduced in the PA House on 12/20/11. (You may recall back in August Steve provided information on an effort to address funding and look at future transportation funding.) This bill extends the registration period to every other year and eliminates registration stickers. It also grants a two-year exemption from inspection for current model-year vehicles newly registered in PA with under 5,000 miles on the odometer, stating that a certificate of exemption will be affixed to the windshield. Driver license renewals go from every four to every eight years.

HB 2099 is of interest as well — it has the proposed structure of fees for various registrations. Passenger goes from $36/year to $49… so $98 every two years. The one-time vanity charge goes from $20 to $30.

Brendan Sherry provides this Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc. image.

Shawn Bergan provides this nice grouping of high resolution validation stickers. Note that they are all PA0000 stickers except the 72 SAMPLE image. Between 1959 and 74 these were used on newly issued plates. The PA0000 would indicate that the plate was a "natural". Renewal stickers had a serial number. Today they still seem to be in limited use but I can’t explain their current use.

While we're on the subject of stickers, here is a pair of Snowmobile registrations and validations for 2009 and 2012.

Here's grouping of historic Tractor Dealer plate images. While this plate type dates back to 1916, I have no early images. The 1935 is really a BMV artist's depiction or design of what that plate was to look like. The colors should be yellow on dark blue. The '64 plate was borrowed from eBay and uses a TX prefix with a keystone separator after the 3rd character. The 1966 plate image was taken from an old BMV document, as was the 1971 plate image. These last two are likely samples. Note each plate uses a different format. Actually a total of six images was added. Unfortunately several are from non-traditional sources. If anyone has images they would be willing to share, they would be very welcome.

Weekly Posting 1/8/2012

I spent Saturday afternoon at Temple University for a basketball game with my son Jim. (His alma mater (Dayton) had a game with Temple and a great win.) It was also a good day for plate spotting. We parked near the Temple Police Dept. so their cars made great photo ops. This first grouping of Temple University Official plates show a nice low number plate. Actually there is an image of the # 1 plate in the ALPCA Archives (members only).

This next group of images shows the front and rear combination. Temple University Official is one of only a handful of PA plate types issued in pairs. Very few vehicles actually had two plates.

And finally a new Temple University Official high. I actually saw T0219U but was unable photograph it. I also noticed that Temple has quite a few vehicles without official plates. Many were using standard passenger or truck plates. I can’t explain this. Could Temple have discontinued using official plates or could PennDOT have stopped issuing them?

Sticker Shock — the image on the far left was provided by Jordan Irazabal, and has the most stickers I've seen. The other plate is a close second.

Here is another, but only the second image of an NRA Foundation plate. Image was taken at night and provided by Tom Perri.

Added this first generation Emergency Medical Services sample tag to the Special Organizational Plate History Page.

This Marine Corps League plate image has also been added to the Special Organizational Plate History Page. This image was provided by Jordan Irazabal.

Happy New Year

Weekly Posting 1/1/2012

This unusual looking Flagship Niagara plate image was provided by Jerry McCoy. There seems to be a number of these 5-digit (4-digit is normal) Flagship plates in collections but not on the street. I’ve also seen F/N00052, 00053 and 00285. None have wear marks around the bolt holes, so it would appear that none were ever registered. This plate has a sticker but since the sticker date is 3-04 and these plates were discontinued in 1997, there should be evidence of more stickers. This is likely some kind of test plate.

Here's an example of the first version of Municipal plates. This first series dates back to 1971 and is on the Plate History Page. Plate image was provided by Tom Perri.

Here's a pair of older (1st generation) Temple University Alumni plates. These plate images have been added to the the Special Organizational Plate History Page.

This 1st generation U.S Air Force Reserve sample plate has also been added to the Special Organizational Plate History Page.

Here's another pair of Person with Disability plates that depicts the spacing variations on some of the latest plates. Tom Perri provides these images. It is Tom's opinion (and I would agree) that the change happened at 23000 PD. In his photo archives he has 24258^PD, 24672^PD, 24777^PD, 25886^PD, 26559^PD, and 27491^PD, all confirming the shift to the left.

Merry Christmas

Weekly Posting 12/25/2011

Compare and contrast these two Person with Disability plates. Nick Tsilakis provided the pictures and points out a spacing variation between the plates. There is a noticeable shift of the 5-digit number to the left on the higher number plate, while the wheelchair symbol is located in the same place on both.

While these eye-catching plates are still in use, they are no longer issued, and they seem to have become orphans. They almost never appear on eBay. Years from now will they be sought after, or not? Did PA not have the interest in NASCAR plates that some states have to sustain production? While these plates were available from late 2004 until early 2010, a number of types never sold. Apparently some drivers were not very popular. Others sold only 1 or 2. All together PA produced over 50 types or type variations. They were also not cheap at $54 each. This NASCAR 24 Jeff Gordon plate image was provided by Clayton Moore.

This is not such a great image but it shows a NASCAR 88 Dale Jr. plate issued for the '08 and '09 racing seasons. You may recall that there was a previous NASCAR 88 Dale Jarrett plate issued during '04, '05 & '06. There was also another Dale Earnhardt, Jr. plate issued from '04 to '07 and used number 8. Confusing . . . yea.

This 59 Bus Validation Sticker image was provided by Vern Kreckel, III.

And this 62 Suburban Validation Sticker image was also provided by Vern. For anyone not familiar, Suburban plates were used on station wagon type vehicles between 1960 and 64.

And finally this 63 Bus Validation Sticker image was provided by Vern Kreckel.

This Presque Isle high number plate image was provided by Brendan Sherry. Presque Isle is a beautiful vacation spot with a light house out in Lake Erie.

As announced recently, the Sanatoga Fire Company (Montgomery County Station 58) will have their own specialty plates soon.

As mentioned in the 12/11 posting, Harcum College is one of the latest to sponsor a specialty license plate. This facility is located in Bryn Mawr, Montgomery County.

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Images and photos are always welcome. Please send to:

John McDevitt, Walnutport, PA

ALPCA #4376