Vehicle registration plates of Arizona
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The U.S. state of Arizona first required its residents to register their motor vehicles in 1912. Registrants had to provide their own plates for display. In 1914, the state began to supply license plates to registrants. The current Grand Canyon State slogan first appeared in 1940, appearing on all subsequent issues except for 1945.
Plates began to be county coded in 1922 and were issued to all vehicle types until 1929, when commercial vehicles were given their own class of plate.[1]
In Arizona, the license plate belongs to the vehicle owner. This allows for the transfer of a license plate from one vehicle to another.[2]
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[edit] Passenger plates 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 Arizona license plate that complied with these standards.
| Image | First issued | Design | Slogan | Serial format | Serials issued | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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1955 | black on white | Grand Canyon State | A-12345 | Coded by county of issuance. | |
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1958 | blue on white | Grand Canyon State | ABC-123 | AAA-001 to BZZ-999 | |
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1960 | blue on white | Grand Canyon State | ABC-123 | CAA-001 to DZZ-999 | |
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1963 | white on reflective blue | Grand Canyon State | ABC-123 | EAA-001 to FZZ-999 | |
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1965 | black on reflective white | Grand Canyon State | ABC-123 | HAA-001 to JZZ-999 | |
| 1968 | black on reflective yellow | Grand Canyon State | ABC-123 | KAA-001 to NZZ-999 | ||
| 1972 | green on tan | Grand Canyon State | ABC-123 | PAA-001 to WZZ-999 | ||
| 1980 | white on maroon | Grand Canyon State | ABC-123 | AAA-001 to NZZ-999 | ||
| 1997 | embossed green serials on desert scene graphic | Grand Canyon State | 123·ABC | 101·AAA to 999·ZZZ | Awarded "Plate of the Year" for best new license plate of 1996 by the Automobile License Plate Collectors Association, the first and, to date, only time Arizona has been so honored. | |
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2007 or 2008 | surface-printed black serials on desert scene graphic | ABC1234 | AAA0001 to present |
[edit] Non-passenger types
[edit] 1997 to present
| Image | Type | First issued | Design | Serial format | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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Alternative Fuel—Government | GA·12345 | Blue on sky and clouds graphic. | ||
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Alternative Fuel—Passenger | AF·1234 AF·123B AF·12A3 |
Blue on sky and clouds graphic. Earlier plates had lighter-colored background. | ||
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Alternative Fuel—hybrid vehicle | 2008 | 12L N34 | Blue on sky and clouds graphic. | Issuance ceased at 99L N99. |
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Amateur Radio | On passenger base. Starting in around 1997, a radio tower graphic appears to the left of the serial, and "GRAND CANYON STATE" is replaced with "AMATEUR RADIO OPERATOR". | call sign | ||
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Apportioned | On passenger base, but "APPORTIONED" legend replaces slogan. | AA·12345 AB·12345 AD·12345 |
Serials became surface-printed during AD series. | |
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Disabled Person | On passenger base. | -1ABC ABC12 |
Wheelchair embossed to left of serial. First series used older dies. | |
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Historic Vehicle | All-embossed red on copper. | 1A2 ABC1 |
Dated-1977 base issued continuously through the present. | |
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Manufacturer | On passenger base. | MT-1234 | ||
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Motorcycle | M/C1ABC | |||
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Transporter | On passenger base. | XP-123A |
[edit] 1980 to 1996
| Image | Type | Design | Serial format | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Apportioned | On passenger base, but "APPORTIONED" legend replaces slogan. | 12A-345 | |
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Trailer | On passenger base. | G·12345 |
[edit] Optional types
Arizona offers its motorists a number of optional issue designs that are available upon the payment of an additional fee.
| Image | Type | First issued | Serial format | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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Arizona Diamondbacks | April 4, 2007 | DB12345 | |
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Arizona Historical Society | June 2007 | AH123 | |
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Arizona State University | A1234 C1234 (series halted early for Pet plates) D1234 |
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Conserving Wildlife | W/A12345 | ||
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Donate Life/Be an Organ Donor | B1ABC | ||
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Early Detection Saves Lives | March 26, 2006 | JK1234 | |
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Environmental | E1234 1234E 123E4 12E34 1E234 EA·1234 (counting up from EV) |
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Former Prisoner of War | A12 | ||
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Fraternal Order of Police | L/E1234 | ||
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Freedom | January 14, 2007 | 1FR2345 | |
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Home of the Apache | March 2007 | C123E4 | |
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Honoring Fallen Officers | November 2007 | FP12345 | Serials are surface-printed. |
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It Shouldn't Hurt to Be a Child | AC·12345 | ||
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It Shouldn't Hurt to Be a Child—Disabled Person | AC·1234 | Wheelchair embossed to left of serial | |
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Live the Golden Rule | November 2007 | LM12345 | Serials are surface-printed. |
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Medal of Honor | 123 | ||
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National Guard | N1234 | ||
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Navajo Nation | September 2003 | B/A1234 | |
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Northern Arizona University | V1234 | ||
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Pets Enrich Our Lives | May 2005 | C1234 1234C |
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Professional Fire Fighters | F/F1234 | ||
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Purple Heart | 1234 | ||
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A State of Good Character | September 2005 | A12B34 | |
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Veteran | V/T1234 | ||
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Veteran—Disabled Person | V/T123 | Wheelchair embossed to left of serial. | |
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University of Arizona | 1 P1234 |
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University of Phoenix | F/A1234 | ||
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White Mountain Apache | November 2007 | WM123 123WM |
Serials are surface-printed. |
[edit] References
[edit] External links
- Arizona Department of Transportation, Motor Vehicle Division—Special License Plates and Placards
- Arizona license plates 1969-present
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