History Pages →
Passenger
It should be noted that the state first issued plates in 1906, and plates from 1906 thru 1909 were assigned to the driver rather than the vehicle. The first year that registrations were issued was 1903, done by counties and a few individual cities. To see these earlier plates, see "Pre-State".
A big thank you to Eric Tanner's "All About License Plates website for a lot of the information presented on these Passenger pages.
1940 - 1949
1940
| Notes | Number Plate | Personalized Plate | Sample Plate |
|
Serial formats: - 10001 - 99999 - A100 - Z9999 ("B100" follows "A9999", etc.) - 1A00 - 9Z999 - 10A0 - 99Z99 - 000A - 999Z9 - 0000A - 9999Z - AA100 - ZZ999 - 1AA00 - 9ZZ99 - 10AA0 - 99ZZ9 Observed high: 19GN8 Plates measure: - 4 characters: 6" x 10" - 5 characters: 6" x 12" Manufactured in Pennsylvania prisons Issued in pairs Colors: dark blue on gold |
 From Tim Gierschick  From eBay (mg00000)  From Chuck Sakryd  From Eric Tanner |
Not offered on this format |  From Worthpoint via Eric Tanner |
1941
| Notes | Number Plate | Personalized Plate | Sample Plate |
|
Serial formats: - 10001 - 99999 - A100 - Z9999 ("B100" follows "A9999", etc.) - 1A00 - 9Z999 - 10A0 - 99Z99 - 000A - 999Z9 - 0000A - 9999Z - AA100 - ZZ999 - 1AA00 - 9ZZ99 - 10AA0 - 99ZZ9 Observed high: 72PY0 Plates measure: - 4 characters: 6" x 10" - 5 characters: 6" x 12" Manufactured in Pennsylvania prisons Issued in pairs Colors: gold on dark blue |
 From Tim Gierschick  From Runkle's Notary  From Worthpoint  From Worthpoint |
Not offered on this format |  From Jeff Hinkle |
1942
| Notes | Number Plate | Personalized Plate | Sample Plate |
|
Serial formats: - 10001 - 99999 - A100 - Z9999 ("B100" follows "A9999", etc.) - 1A00 - 9Z999 - 10A0 - 99Z99 - 000A - 999Z9 - 0000A - 9999Z - AA100 - ZZ999 - 1AA00 - 9ZZ99 - 10AA0 - 99ZZ9 Observed high: 19VH6* *Highest known number printed on a 1942 plate is "19VH6" but the tabs used in 1943 were placed on 1942 plates so additional 1942 plates were distributed in 1943 for new registrations. Therefore it is likely that "19VH6" is the highest issued number in 1943, not 1942 Plates measure: - 4 characters: 6" x 10" - 5 characters: 6" x 12" Manufactured in Pennsylvania prisons Issued in pairs Colors: dark blue on gold |
 From Tim Gierschick  From eBay (oldiesmuseum)  From Tim Gierschick  From eBay (nickelsndiamonds1013) |
Not offered on this format |  From Paul Bagnarol |
1943
| Notes | Number Plate | Personalized Plate | Sample Plate |
|
Serial formats: - 20000 - 999999 A1000 - Z99999 Observed high: H46102 Number etched into tab does not match plate number Tabs measure 1 7/8" x 2 1/8" Issued in pairs Colors: black on red |
 From Tim Gierschick  From Tim Gierschick |
Not offered on this format | Not offered on this format |
|
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION Looks like a 1943 Passenger Sample based on the expiration date of 3-31-44, but in place of the expected 1944 and PENNA legend, the word VICTORY appears. This image is thanks to Jeff Lesher who explains that this plate is actually printed onto cardboard, likely 3/16” thick and fully embossed. Jeff explains that as rumor has it, and this goes back 40 plus years, there were a few full size 1943 plates made for individuals that qualified to purchase a “new to them” first car in 1943. Jeff only ever saw one - in a collection in Kutztown likely 45 - 50 years ago and it was yellow - but he never held it so can’t say if it was cardboard or metal. This plate originally came out of Don Merrill’s collection. |
 From Jeff Lesher |
1944
| Notes | Number Plate | Personalized Plate | Sample Plate |
|
Serial formats: - 1001 - 99999 - A100 - Z9999 ("B100" follows "A9999", etc.) - 1A00 - 9Z999 ("1A000" follows "9A99", etc.) - 10A0 - 99Z99 ("10A00" follows "99A9", etc.) - 000A - 999Z9 ("100A0" follows "999A") - 0000A - 9999Z - AA10 - ZZ999 - 1AA0 - 9ZZ99 ("1AA00" follows "9AA9", etc.) Observed high: 4NB8 Plates measure: - 4 characters: 6" x 10" - 5 characters: 6" x 11" Manufactured in Pennsylvania prisons Issued in singles Colors: dark blue on gold |
 From Tim Gierschick  From Tim Gierschick  From eBay (fabboss7)  From Bestplates |
Not offered on this format |  |
1945
| Notes | Number Plate | Personalized Plate | Sample Plate |
|
Serial formats: - 1001 - 99999 - A100 - Z9999 ("B100" follows "A9999", etc.) - 1A00 - 9Z999 - 10A0 - 99Z99 - 000A - 999Z9 - 0000A - 9999Z - AA100 - ZZ999 - 1AA00 - 9ZZ99 Observed high: 9SP31 All plates measure 6" x 11" Manufactured in Pennsylvania prisons Issued in singles Colors: dark blue on gold |
 From Tim Gierschick  From Aimee Senott  From Peter Clericuzio  From Alex Zalkin |
Not offered on this format |  From Bob Connison |
1946
| Notes | Number Plate | Personalized Plate | Sample Plate |
|
Serial formats: - 1001 - 99999 - A100 - Z9999 ("B100" follows "A9999", etc.) - 1A00 - 9Z999 - 10A0 - 99Z99 - 000A - 999Z9 - 0000A - 9999Z - AA100 - ZZ999 - 1AA00 - 9ZZ99 - 10AA0 - 99ZZ9 Observed high: 36DD3 All plates measure 6" x 11" Manufactured in Pennsylvania prisons Issued in singles Colors: dark blue on gold |
 From John Willard  From unknown |
Not offered on this format |  From Paul Bagnarol |
1947
| Notes | Number Plate | Personalized Plate | Sample Plate |
|
Serial formats: - 1001 - 99999 - A100 - Z9999 ("B100" follows "A9999", etc.) - 1A00 - 9Z999 - 10A0 - 99Z99 - 000A - 999Z9 - 0000A - 9999Z - AA100 - ZZ999 - 1AA00 - 9ZZ99 - 10AA0 - 99ZZ9 Observed high: 30MK7 All plates measure 6" x 11" Manufactured in Pennsylvania prisons Issued in pairs Colors: dark blue on gold |
 From Tim Gierschick  From eBay (jeopardyboy1)  From eBay (southernstylenc) |
Not offered on this format |  From Paul Bagnarol |
1948
| Notes | Number Plate | Personalized Plate | Sample Plate |
|
Serial formats: - 1001 - 99999 - A100 - Z9999 ("B100" follows "A9999", etc.) - 1A00 - 9Z999 - 10A0 - 99Z99 - 000A - 999Z9 - 0000A - 9999Z - AA100 - ZZ999 - 1AA00 - 9ZZ99 - 10AA0 - 99ZZ9 Observed high: 44ZP6 All plates measure 6" x 11" Manufactured in Pennsylvania prisons Issued in pairs Colors: gold on dark blue |
 From Eric Tanner  From Eddspl8s  From John McDevitt |
Not offered on this format |  From Worthpoint via Eric Tanner |
1949
| Notes | Number Plate | Personalized Plate | Sample Plate |
|
Serial formats: - 1001 - 99999 - A100 - Z9999 ("B100" follows "A9999", etc.) - 1A00 - 9Z999 ("1A000" follows "9A99", etc.) - 10A0 - 99Z99 ("10A00" follows "99A9", etc.) - 000A - 999Z9 ("100A0" follows "999A") - 0000A - 9999Z - AA10 - ZZ999 - 1AA0 - 9ZZ99 ("1AA00" follows "9AA9", etc.) - 10AA0 - 99ZZ9 ("1AA00" follows "9AA9", etc.) - 000AA - 999ZZ Observed high: 665FF All plates measure 6" x 11" Manufactured in Pennsylvania prisons Issued in pairs Colors: dark blue on gold |
 From Worthpoint  From Shane Oake  From eBay (x1fstsolx) |
Not offered on this format |  From Paul Bagnarol |