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Pennsylvania License Plate Images

John McDevitt, Walnutport, PA

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REFERENCE MATERIAL |  Historic Plate Documents  |  PA Plate Coding  |  Plate History (Misc.)  |  Plate History (Special Org.) Validation Stickers  |  Vehicle Code

ARCHIVED HOME PAGES  |  2012 Archives  |  2011 Archives  |  2010 Archives  |  2009 Archives  |  2008 Archives  |  2007 Archives  |  2006 Archives

 

MISCELLANEOUS PLATES

PLATE TYPE (first year of issue)

PLATE FORMATTING

REFERENCE INFORMATION

 

PLATE PHOTOS & NEEDED IMAGES

UPDATES

SAMPLES AND PROTOTYPES

Amateur Radio

FORMAT 1: On www base, FCC Call Sign, beginning with A, K, N, or W.  Most PA Amateur Radio plates use the number 3 to designate the region.  The N0XOH call letter is used by someone who brought an existing call sign into PA when they moved.  The call letter is N0(zero)XOH.  In PA the number fonts are larger than the letters.  It's hard to distinguish this on the photo.  The WD5 call is the same situation.

 

 

 

 

 

If an owner desires a second Amateur Radio plate, it will be issued with the call sign plus a hyphen and the number two (-2).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

FORMAT 2: On visitPA base.  All other characteristics the same as FORMAT 1.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

from Jordan Irazabal

from Bruce Bufalini

 

 

from Nick Tsilakis

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Apportioned Truck (1982)

FORMAT 1: AE-00000 to AF-49999

On www base, with dash separator.

 

 

 

 

 

 

FORMAT 2: AF-50000 to current high

On visitPA base, with keystone separator.

 

 

 

 

 

from Jordan Irazabal

 

Circus-Carnival Truck (1990)

FORMAT:

B
Z

01500

 to current high

 

Vehicle Code Reference

from Jordan Irazabal

from Tom Perri

 

 

Commercial Implement of Husbandry

FORMAT: CI1500H to current high

 

 

 

 

Farm Truck

FORMAT: FM-0000A to current high

 

Vehicle Code Reference

 

 

 

from Jordan Irazabal

 

 

Hearing Impaired

FORMAT: HE-03000 to current high

Vehicle Code Reference

from Tom Perri

 

 

Implement of Husbandry

FORMAT: IMP-5000

on www base

Better image needed

 

Photocopy

 

 

Moped

FORMAT 1: BA000 to BM999

on www base

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

FORMAT 2: BN000 to current high

on visitPA base

Image added 9/21/07

 

Plate measures 4 x 7

 

Same format as the plates above.

 

 

 

 

from Jordan Irazabal

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Motor Home

FORMAT 1: HG-00000 to HG-05999

On www base with dash separator, uses different font than later plates, note the 'M'.

FORMAT 2: HG-06000 to HG-99999

On www base with dash separator, uses different font than earlier plates, note the 'M'

 

 

FORMAT 3: HH-00000 to current high

On visitPA base with keystone separator

Spotted 5/4/06

 

 

From Clayton Moore

 

from Jordan Irazabal

 

 

Motorcycle (www base) (1914)

FORMAT 1: AAA00 to NZZ99

On www base

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Motorcycle (visitPA base)

FORMAT 2: PAA00 to ZZZ99

FORMAT added 5/7/05

Plate measures 4x7

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

FORMAT 3: 0000A to current high

FORMAT added 5/28/09

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Motorcycle (LiveFreeRideAlive base)

FORMAT 4: 7600L or 7601L to between 7499L and 7699L

FORMAT added 4/3/10.  Supposedly released in 3/10.  These are part of a 60,000 plate run.  In Bulletin 10-09 PennDOT says "that the "Live Free Ride Alive" motorcycle registration plate is a limited edition . . . plate and is the current standard . . . motorcycle plate. PennDOT began issuing the redesigned . . . plate in March 2010. Agents . . . are required to issue the "Live Free Ride Alive" . . . plate in place of the regular . . . plate. Once inventory of [these] registration plates is exhausted, they will . . . return to the previous standard . . . plate design." As a side note, vanity plates on this base seem to be very rare.

 

 

 

 

FORMAT 5: Between 7500T and 7700T to current high.  Same as Format 3 above.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

from Jerry McCoy

from Bill Ceravola

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Motorcycle Vanity (old base)

 

 

 

 

Motorcycle Vanity (www base)

FORMAT 1: Up to 5 characters, one space or dash permitted but not both, on www base

Plate measures 4 x 7

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Motorcycle Vanity (visitPA base)

FORMAT 2: Same formatting as FORMAT 1 but on visitPA base. FORMAT added 5/7/05

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Motorcycle Vanity (Live Free Ride Alive base)

 

 

 

 

 

from Bruce Bufalini

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

from Bruce Bufalini

 

 

from Justin Davis

from Bruce Bufalini

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Passenger (www base) (1906)

FORMAT 1: DAA-0000 to FYC-9999 then switched to visitPA base above

Image at right is first of the www.state.pa.us plates.

 

High plate observed: FYC-9994 on WWW base.  From Eric Butler, 8/13/06.

 

 

Temporary Plate

 

with

 

Temporary Registration Permit (2001)

Note that this plate and permit go together until arrival of validation sticker at which time the Temporary Registration Permit is removed.

 

 

 

Temporary Plate

with

Temporary Registration Permit (2010)

Note that this plate and permit go together until arrival of validation sticker at which time the Temporary Registration Permit is removed.

 

 

 

Passenger (visitPA base)

FORMAT 2: GBA-0000 to current high

This image represents a revision to the www base and is similar in design to the new specialty plates.  PennDOT confirmed on 12/15/04 that they were planning to begin using the new visitPA.com base in place of the www.state.pa.us base on all plate types where the web address was normally used.  One source suggests they were first issued on 12/22/04.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Inversion Error

Reversal of plate legend and field characters

from Nick Tsilakis

from Jim Moini

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

from Jordan Irazabal

from Grant MacKenzie

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Passenger - old base

This plate type should have been replaced by 8/02, but is still in use with a 5/06 validation sticker.

 

Here is another plate from an later base than the one above but still wearing a current validation sticker.  Seen 9/16/06.

 

 

This plate, which was just recently replaced, had a valid registration card which did concur with the plate number. Somehow it missed getting replaced way back when. The answer many have something to do with the purchase of a new vehicle in 2001 and this yellow-on-blue plate being issued rather than a www base plate.

from Ed Coghill

 

from Nick Tsilakis

from Bill Adams

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Passenger - re-make of old bases

Re-Makes of 1977 Keystone State Base, yellow on blue. Plate could be 6-digit numeric or 5-digit with an alpha character in the 1st, 2nd or 6th position.

 

Note use of keystone separator.

 

 

 

 

Re-Make of 1983 You've Got a Friend Base

Originally issued starting in 1983 with the series HAA-000 to RZZ-999

 

 

Re-Make of 1987 Keystone State Base

Originally issued starting in 1987 with the series SAA-000 to ZZZ-999

 

 

Re-Make of 1991 Keystone State Base

Originally issued starting in 1991 with the series AAA-0000 to CEE-????.  Owner requested to keep old number on new base.  This then makes the plate a personalized plate.  However, note the use of a keystone separators in place of the dash separator.

See License Plate Replacement Fact Sheet for additional information.

from Salvatore J. Dodd, Sr.

From The Triborough Organization

from Nick Tsilakis

 

from Nick Tsilakis

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Passenger Vanity - old base

Not a current TYPE

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Passenger Vanity (www base)

FORMAT 1: Up to 7 characters, one space or dash permitted but not both.

At least two 8-digit plates have been confirmed ("HUMPBACK" and "MCERLANE").  At least the latter, if not both, have been recalled by PennDOT.

The GJS-MSON is actually an invert error plate.  Note the second S is upside down.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Passenger Vanity (visitPA base)

FORMAT 2: This plate with its visitPA.com tagline, represents a departure from the www base.  It is similar in design to the Specialty Plates except for the 'tag line'. 12/04

 

The plate to the right is actually reads 7 and the letter O, not seventy (70).  Letter characters are smaller than numbers.  The state coat of arms was added by the owner.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In spite of the Corvette Club logo, and masking off the visitPA plate legend, I believe this is just a vanity.

 

 

from Bruce Bufalini

 

from Nick Tsilakis

 

both above from Rob Macsi

 

 

from Bill Ceravola

 

from Chas Stokes II

 

 

 

 

 

from Bill Jesse

 

from Steve Ondik

from Bruce Bufalini

from Jordan Irazabal

from Tom Perri

from Tom Perri

from Jordan Irazabal

 

from Tom Perri

 

from Ned Flynn

from Grant MacKenzie

from Ned Flynn

from Grant MacKenzie

from Eric Conner

from Chas Stokes II

from Steve Ondik

 

 

from Jim McDevitt

 

from Nick Santiago

 

from Grant MacKenzie

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Passenger look-alike is actually a vanity

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Permanent Trailer (1997)

FORMAT 1: PT-0000A to PT-9999K on www base, dash separator.

 

 

 

 

 

 

FORMAT 2: PT-0000L to current high on visitPA base base, keystone separator.  First seen 3/2007.

 

 

from Jim Moini

 

from Jordan Irazabal

from Jordan Irazabal

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Image added 1/29

 

Person with Disability

FORMAT 1:

P D

0000A

to between

P D

5199A and

P D

5899A

On www base, font used for PD is taller than later plates, and wheelchair symbol is larger.

 

FORMAT 2: from between

P D

5200A &

P D

5900A to

P D

9999Y

Same as Format 1 except font used for PD is lower, and wheelchair symbol is smaller.

 

FORMAT 3:

P D

0000Z to

P D

9999Z

Type added 8/9/07.  See note under Type 4 below.  On visitPA base.

 

FORMAT 4:

00000

P D

to current high

Type added 5/24/07.  No other examples of this type variation were reported until 7/2008.  For reasons unknown, the Type 4 plates were seen prior to the Type 3 plates, then after a few months the Type 3 came out and the Type 4 were not distributed until the Type 3 plate were exhausted.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There is 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.  The change happened at 23000 PD.

 

Vehicle Code Reference

 

 

 

 

from Jordan Irazabal

from Nick Tsilakis

 

from Nick Tsilakis

from Nick Tsilakis

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Person with Disability, Motorcycle

The plate to the right is a standard motorcycle plate with a handicap sticker, making it a Person with Disability Motorcycle plate.  These plates are to be replaced by the plate below.

 

FORMAT: P00A to current high, the PD and wheelchair symbol which are flat screened are not part of the registration number.  The embossed P is part of the number but is a static, non-advancing character.

Type added 11/15/07, plates available 12/21/07.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Press Photographer

FORMAT 1:

P P

0,

P P

00,

P P

000

to current highIssued in pairs.  Only the rear plate gets a validation sticker.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

FORMAT 2: It is reported that at least one remake has been issued on the visitPA base.

from Sol Bress

Graphic depiction above

from Nick Santiago

from Nick Santiago

from Eric Butler

 

Image needed

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Plate issued 2/06.

 

 

Plate issued 7/06.

 

 

Plate issued 8/07

 

Special Mobile (Equipment) (1982)

FORMAT 1: SME-000D to current high

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Steel Worker (1997)

FORMAT:

S
W

00000 to current high

This is not a special organization plate but a special class of plate.  Note the colorized seal on the low numbered plate, not seen in higher number plates.

 

Vehicle Code Reference

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Temporary Intransit

FORMAT 1: 0000-000 to ~ 0499-999

Uses Commonwealth seal as watermark.

 

 

FORMAT 2: ~ 0500-000 to ~ 0999-999

Uses Commonwealth coat of arms as watermark.

 

FORMAT 3: ~ 1000-000 to 1499-999 or

1749-999.  Uses a repetition of square PennDOT logos as a watermark

 

FORMAT 4: ~ 1500-000 or 1750-000 to unknown. Uses Pennsylvania over Department of Transportation followed by a PennDOT keystone logo as a watermark.  Format added 1/15/10.

 

 

 

 

 

FORMAT 5: Range unknown.  Appears to be a run of cardboard plates using a different font.  Other characteristics appear to be the same.

 

 

FORMAT 6: Range unknown.  Appears to use the same background and font as Format 4.

 

 

 

FORMAT 7: Range unknown to current high.  Appears to use the same background and font as Format 3.

A contributor, Christopher Hainesport, noticed the recent postings of unusual looking Temporary Intransit cardboard plate images on this page. I had noted that the font on one plate was different and the other was 4 million past the current high. Chris explains that it's because they're counterfeit temp tags. It's a common practice of illegal immigrants and others who cannot obtain a drivers license, insurance, and/or registration by legal means. They print them up on a computer and paste it to cardboard. The incorrect font, incorrect number sequence, and use of the outdated PennDOT square box logo are the biggest giveaways. The tag 2031-244 (below) that is shown under Format 6 is the only one that appears genuine and it actually belongs in Format 4 since all the others in Formats 5, 6 and 7 are fake. Chris works for the Philadelphia Parking Authority and confiscates a bunch of these fakes each month.  In the near future I will remove the formats that are fake.

 

from Bruce Bufalini

 

 

 

from Jordan Irazabal

from Jordan Irazabal

from Jordan Irazabal

from Jordan Irazabal

from Jordan Irazabal

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Trailer

OLD BASE

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

FORMAT 1:XK-00000 to  XZ-99999

On www base with dash separator

 

 

 

FORMAT 2: XBA-0000 to XBZ-9999

On www base with dash separator

The XK-00000 to XZ-9999 series exhausted the usable combinations.  Series began with XBA.  XAA was skipped.  First seen May 2004.

 

FORMAT 3: XCA-0000 to current high

On visitPA base with keystone separator, first reported in early July 2005.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Truck (1914)

BICENTENNIAL COMMERCIAL BASE Apparently still in use.

 

OLD BASE The owner of this plate states that he received it when he bought a new 2000 pickup.  PennDOT has sent him validation stickers every year but no new plate.  He has been stopped several time but the plate registration is valid.

FORMAT 1: YAA-0000 to YRR-9810 or higher

On WWW base with dash separator.

www base high plate observed: YRR-9810

from Bruce Bufalini on 7/3/05.

 

FORMAT 2: YSA-0000 to current high

On visitPA base with keystone separator.

 

First seen 5/17/05

 

 

 

First seen 2/13/11

 

from Rick

 

 

From Grant MacKenzie

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We The People (Constitution) (1987)

FORMAT:

U
S

00000 to current high

Commemorates the 200th anniversary of US Constitution.  Plate type is still in use; however, only issued during a 3 month period in 1987, less than 5000 were issued.  This is the only remaining legal yellow on blue plate.

from Bill Ceravola

 

 

 

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