Vehicle registration plates of Alaska

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Since 1921, the U.S. state of Alaska has issued license plates for vehicles registered there.

State law requires two license plates, one on the front and on on the rear, to be displayed on a motor vehicle, with the exception of motorcycles and trailers. Only the rear plate is required to be stickered.^[1]

Contents 1 Passenger baseplates 1955 to present 2 The 1973 plate debacle 3 Non-passenger and optional types 4 References 5 External links

[edit] Passenger baseplates 1955 to present

In 1956, the U.S. states and Canadian provinces came to an agreement with the Automobile Manufacturers Association that fixed the size for all their passenger vehicle plates at six inches in height by twelve inches in width, with standardized mounting holes. The 1955 (dated 1956) issue was the first Alaska license plate that complied with these standards.

Image	Dates issued	Design	Slogan	Serial format	Serials issued	Notes
	1955	blue on white with embossed flag, 56 and tab slots	none	12345		renewed with metal tab
	1957	blue on yellow with embossed embossed flag, 58 and tab slots	none	12345		renewed with metal tab
	1959	blue on white with embossed flag, 62 and tab slots	none	12345		renewed with metal tab
	1961	blue on white with embossed embossed flag, 62 and tab slots	none	12345		renewed with metal tab for 1963 later with stickers
	1963	blue on white with embossed embossed flag	none	12345		renewed with stickers
	1965	yellow on blue with embossed totem pole	1867 The Great Land 1967	12345
	1967	blue on white with embossed flag	The Great Land	12345
	1971	blue on yellow with embossed flag	North to the Future	12345
	1972	blue on yellow with embossed flag in center	North to the Future	ABC-123	Not issued	Not issued
	1973	blue on yellow with embossed flag	North to the Future	12345
	1975	red on reflective white with standing brown bear graphic	ABC 123	AAA-100 to ASZ-999
	1981	blue on reflective yellow with screened flag graphic in center	The Last Frontier	ABC-123	BAA-100 to DJX-999	Briefly reused old sheeting for ERU-100 to ERV-4?? in 2005
	1997	black on reflective white and yellow gradient with screened mountain scene	Gold Rush Centennial	ABC 123	DJY-100 to ERT-999	Awarded "Plate of the Year" for best new standard-issue license plate of 1998 by the Automobile License Plate Collectors Association, the first and, to date, only time Alaska has been so honored. Co-recipient with Idaho.
	2005	blue on reflective yellow with embossed flag graphic in center	The Last Frontier	ABC-123	ERV-4?? to FGE-999	Leftover 1981 stock was used for ERU-100 to ERV-4??
	January 2, 2008 to December 31, 2009[1][2] [3]	blue on multicolored gradient with screened anniversary logo at left	Celebrating Statehood 1959-2009	ABC123	FGF100 to present	Also used for vanity plates.

All plates issued since 1981 remain valid with proper validation.

[edit] The 1973 plate debacle

In 1972, the 9000 pairs of new plates for 1973 were produced. For the first time they were going to be in an ABC-123 format, with the state flag acting as the separator. The stars on the embossed flag didn't look like stars and Governor William Allen Egan rejected the plates. 1973 stickers were issued and a new base plate was introduced the following year almost identical to the previous one. The rejected plates are considered prototypes and are common enough to be easily found among license plate collectors.

[edit] Non-passenger and optional types

Alaska offers a variety of optional plates that motorists may display upon the payment of an additional fee as well as non-passenger plate types that are displayed on vehicles for specialized uses.^[1]

Image	Type	First issued	Serial format	Notes
	Amateur Radio		call sign
	Charitable Exempt
	Church Exempt
	Children's Trust		KID 012 123 KID	KID-prefixed sequence started with 001.
	Collector's Car		HA 123
	Disabled Person		HAB 123
	Disabled Veteran		DAV 123
	Ex-Prisoner of War		POW 012	Started with 001.
	Farm Vehicle		1234 FA	"Farm" legend.
	Gold Star Family
	Historic Vehicle		HA 123
	Iditarod			Not yet available.
	I Support Our Veterans	2007		Available in personalized format.
	Low-Speed Vehicle	2007	LSV 012	Started with 001.
	Motorcycle		1234 AB
	National Guard		VAB 123
	Pearl Harbor Survivor		P/H 123	"PH" is stacked vertically and in center of plate.
	Personalized - Passenger			Three different designs.
	Prince William Sound Community College		PWS 123
	Purple Heart		VPH 123
	Support Our Troops!	2008		Available in personalized format.
	University of Alaska Anchorage		UAA 123 UAA123	Two styles; newer style available in personalized format.
	University of Alaska Fairbanks		UAF 123	Two styles; newer style available in personalized format.
	University of Alaska Southeast		UAS 123
	Veteran - Air Force		VAB 123
	Veteran - Army		VAB 123
	Veteran - Coast Guard		VAB 123
	Veteran - Marine Corps		VAB 123
	Veteran - Navy		VAB 123

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Alaska Division of Motor Vehicles—License Plate Information
• Alaska license plates 1969-present
• Royce's Alaskan License Plates

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