Vehicle registration plates of Connecticut

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The U.S. state of Connecticut first required its residents to display license plates on their motor vehicles in 1905. Since then the state has used a variety of license plate designs and has issued different designs for passenger, non-passenger, and, more recently, optional plate types that often require the payment of an additional fee.

Plates are issued in pairs, one each for the rear and front of the vehicle, for most classes of vehicles. For most classes of vehicles, plate validation stickers, or metal date tabs in earlier decades, were discontinued in favor of windshield stickers beginning in September 2006. Vehicles that do not have a windshield, or are part of fleets that frequently rotate plates among vehicles, continue to receive plate stickers.

Connecticut as a rule skips the number 0 as a leading digit in its plates, with the exception of dealer plates.

Contents 1 Passenger plates 1905 to 1956 2 Passenger plates 1956 to present 3 Current plate types 3.1 Non-passenger types 3.2 Optional issues 3.3 Annual types 3.4 Political types 4 Municipality codes 5 External links

[edit] Passenger plates 1905 to 1956

1905-1936: Annual dated plates.

1937-1947: First multi-year base: black on natural aluminum with "CONN" embossed at lower right. Validated annually with metal tabs.

1948-1956: Black on reflective off-white with "CT" embossed at lower right. Validated annually with metal tabs.

[edit] Passenger plates 1956 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 1956 (dated 1957) issue was the first Connecticut license plate that complied with these standards.

1957-1974: White on blue with "CONNECTICUT" embossed at bottom left, the first time the full state name has appeared on plates. Validated annually with metal tabs from 1957 trough 1963 and with stickers from 1964 through approximately 2001, although issuance of this base ceased in 1974.

1974-1976: Blue on reflective white. The slogan "Constitution State" made its debut on this base, but the plates did not hold up well and were recalled in 1990. Validated with stickers.

1976-1987: Reflective white on blue with full state name at bottom and "Constitution State" at top. These plates were retired during the period September 2000 through August 2002. Validated with stickers.

1987-2000: Reflective white on blue with state name at top, slogan at bottom, and a map of the state in the top left corner. These were retired during the same period as their predecessors. Validated with stickers.

2000-present: Navy on screened blue, white, and navy with state name at top, slogan at bottom, and a map of the state in the top left corner. Validation stickers issued through August 2006 for expirations through at least August 2008. Windshield stickers were issued beginning September 2006. The current Connecticut base plate was first issued in January 2000 to new registrants. In September 2000, motorists with existing white-on-blue plates were issued new plates bearing their previous plate number, meaning that numbers first issued as early as 1957 can be seen on the current base plate.

From 1980 until 1987 all passenger plates were issued as single plates. Beginning in 1987, all passenger plates were again issued in pairs.

Image	First issued	Description	Slogan	Serial format	Serials issued
	1956	White reflective (glass beads) on blue.	none	123·456 AB·1234	100·000 to 999·999 AA·1000 to NZ·9999
	1957	White reflective (glass beads) on blue	none	123·456 AB·1234	100·000 to 999·999<br<AA·1000 to NZ·9999
	1974	Blue on reflective white.	Constitution State	AB·12341	PA·1000 to TM·9999
	1976	White reflective (glass beads) on blue.	Constitution State	AB·12341	TM·1000 to ZZ·9999
	1980			123·ABC1	100·AAA to 999·EVX
	1987	White reflective (glass beads) on blue, state outline in upper left.	Constitution State	123·ABC1	100·EVY to 999·NZM
	2000	Dark blue on reflective blue gradient fade.	Constitution State	123·ABC2	100·NZN to present, excluding C, I, L, O, Q, and V series

Notes

• 1 Plus remakes of serials issued on previous bases: 123-456 and AB-1234^{[clarification needed]}
• 1 Plus remakes of serials issued on previous bases: 123-456, AB-1234, and 123-ABC (serials from 100-AAA to 999-NZM)^{[clarification needed]}
• 2 Plus remakes of serials issued on previous bases: 123-456, AB-1234, and 123-ABC (serials from 100-AAA to 999-NZM)^{[clarification needed]}

[edit] Current plate types

[edit] Non-passenger types

Image	Type	Serial format	Design	Notes
	All Terrain	G·1234	Motorcycle-sized.
	Amateur Radio	(various)	Embossed lightning bolt divider in serial.
	Amateur Radio - Preserve the Sound	(various)	"Constitution State" legend; embossed lightning bolt divider in serial.
	Ambulance	123 1234
	Apportioned	12345·A	Red serial.
	Bus	1234
	Camp Trailer	123·456	"Camp Tr." legend.
	Camper	12345 123·456
	Combination	12C·A34	"Constitution State" legend; "COMB" embossed vertically at right.	Previously CA·1234, C·12345, 12345, 123·CAB, 1C·2345, 12C·345 on past bases remade on the current base; 12345·C and 1CA·234 on the current base.
	Combination - Handicapped	123·R 123·S 123·T	"Constitution State" legend. Wheelchair embossed to right of serial; "COMB" embossed vertically to right of wheelchair.
	Commercial	A·12345	"Constitution State" legend with "COMM" embossed vertically at left. Red serial.
	Connecticut News Photographer	12·C/N/P	"Constitution State" legend.
	Construction	1234	Red serial.
	Early American - Motorcycle	1234	Black on white.
	Early American - Passenger	12345	Black on white.
	Factory	1234	Blue serial through at least 1821; red serial from at least 2399.
	Farm	1234 12345	Red serials through at least 37638; blue serials by at least 44132.
	Fire Apparatus	1234	Red serial.
	Handicapped - Passenger	123·A 1234·Z	"Constitution State" legend. Wheelchair embossed at right.
	Hearse	U·123 U·8123
	Interstate	Z1234Z
	Medical Doctor	MD·1234		MD·0001 to MD·0999 followed MD·1000 to MD·9999
	New York Press	NYP·123		NYP·001 to NYP·099 followed NYP·100 to NYP·999.
	Livery	L1234L
	Medal of Honor	1
	Motorcycle	123·456
	Motorcycle - Handicapped	123·M	Wheelchair embossed to right of serial.
	Municipal	1·AB 12·AB 123·AB 1·ABC 12·ABC 123·ABC		Letters signify municipality.
	Municipal - Preserve the Sound	1·AB 12·AB 123·AB 1·ABC 12·ABC 123·ABC	Uses a "MUNICIPAL CT" sticker in place of validation sticker.	Letters signify municipality.
	Official	1
	School Bus	12S34 12A34
	School Bus/Livery Bus	1SL23
	Service Bus	12345
	Snowmobile	12345	Motorcycle-sized.
	State Service Bus	123
	Taxi	T1234T
	Trailer	V·12345	Red serial.
	Transporter	1234	All-embossed red on yellow.
	Vanpool	1234
	Wrecker	1234 12345	All-embossed black on orange.

[edit] Optional issues

Image	Type	Serial Format	Design	Notes
	Optional Issues - Passenger	123·ABC 1ABC2		Types confirmed as using 1ABC2 format: Blue Knights, Combat Wounded, Ducks Unlimited, Fraternal Order of Police, Garden Clubs, Greenways, Laos War Veteran, Meriden, Norwich, Olympic Spirit, Silent Service, UCONN. Letters I, O, and Q are used in any letter position. Elks previously used 123-ELK; UCONN 1999 NCAA National Champions: 123·PEP; Olympic Spirit: 123·WIN; Penn State University: 123·PSU.
	Special issues - Combination	1CAB2
	Caring for Pets	123·PET 123·DOG 123·CAT 123·TLC 123·WAG 123·WOF 1ABC2
	Keep Kids Safe	123·ZZY		Previously 123·KID, 123·TOT, 123·ZZZ.
	Olympic Spirit	123·WIN 1ABC2
	Police Memorial	123·OFC 1ABC2
	Preserve the Sound - Passenger	123·LAA		LAK, LAL, LAM, LAN, LAO, LAP, LAR, LAS, and LAT series use Maine dies.
	Preserve the Sound - Camp Trailer
	Preserve the Sound - Camper	123·LA	"CAMP" embossed vertically.
	Preserve the Sound - Combination	123·LA	"COMB" printed vertically to left of serial.	Serials issued in descending order from 999·LZ.
	Preserve the Sound - Combination Handicapped	123L	"COMB" printed vertically to left of serial.
	Preserve the Sound - Commercial	123·CA	"COMM" printed vertically to left of serial; red serial.	Previously 000·LA, for which the high is 269·LC.
	Preserve the Sound - Handicapped	123L
	United We Stand - Passenger	1BAC2		Original format was 000·USA.
	United We Stand - Combination	1BCA2	"CO" and "MB" embossed vertically above and below separator dot.	Original format was USA·123.
	Veteran - Passenger	123·VAA		Originally 123·VET, then VAA and up.
	Veteran - Camper
	Veteran - Combination	123·VSA	"CO" and "MB" embossed vertically above and below separator dot.	Originally 123·VET.
	Veteran - Combination Handicapped	1V·23	Wheelchair embossed at right of plate. Format of 1V23 followed by "COMB" embossed vertically through at least 1V13; switched to format of 1V·23 with "CO" and "MB" embossed vertically above and below a separator dot at 3V·56 or lower.
	Veteran - Commercial	123·VZA
	Veteran - Handicapped	1V·23	Wheelchair embossed to left of serial.	Previously 000·V
	Veteran - Motorcycle		"Veteran - MC" legend.
	Veteran with V/E/T	123 V/E/T
	Veteran - POW	123 P/O/W
	Volunteer Firefighter - Passenger	123·AB	"Constitution State" slogan with small logo at right.
	Volunteer Firefighter - Combination	123·CA	"Constitution State" slogan with small logo at right.

[edit] Annual types

Type	Serial format	Design	Notes
Dealer - Motorcycle New	MXA·0, MXAA·0, MXA·00, MXAA·00, MXA·000	"Dealer" legend.	Numerical suffix signifies the dealership, which receives plates with sequential letters following the X.
Dealer - Motorcycle Used	MDA·0, MDAA·0, MDA·00, MDAA·00, MDA·000	"Dealer" legend.	Numerical suffix signifies the dealership, which receives plates with sequential letters following the D.
Dealer - Passenger New	XA·0, XAA·0, XA·00, XAA·00, XA·000, XAA·000, XA·0000	"Dealer" legend.	Numerical suffix signifies the dealership, which receives plates with sequential letters following the X.
Dealer - Passenger Used	DA·0, DAA·0, DA·00, DAA·00, DA·000, DAA·000, DA·0000	"Dealer" legend.	Numerical suffix signifies the dealership, which receives plates with sequential letters following the D.
Dealer - Special	SX·0000	"Dealer" legend.	Issued sequentially, not coded by dealership.
Dismantler	DA·0000	"Dismantler" legend.
Repair	RA·000, RA·0000	"Repair" legend.	Numerical suffix signifies the repairer, which receives plates with sequential letters following the R.

[edit] Political types

On both flat blue on white and Preserve the Sound bases:

• Assistant Majority Leader
• Assistant Minority Leader
• Deputy Majority Leader
• Deputy Minority Leader

[edit] Municipality codes

Code	Municipality
AS	Ansonia
AV	Avon
BD	Bloomfield
BPT	Bridgeport
BR	Branford
CH	Cheshire
CN	Canton
DA	Danbury
DU	Durham
EG	East Granby
FA	Fairfield
FN	Farmington
GR	Granby
HFD	Hartford
LFD	Litchfield
MDC	Metropolitan District Commission, a non-profit municipal corporation that provides water to most of Hartford County
MDN	Madison
ME	Meriden
MFD	Milford
MTV	Montville
NB	New Britain
NH	New Haven
NT	Newtown
NHN	North Haven
OR	Orange
PY	Plymouth
SI	Simsbury
SO	Southington
ST	Stamford
TH	Thomaston
VE	Vernon
WH	West Hartford
WIN	Windsor
WF	Wallingford
WFD	Waterford
WN	West Haven
WOO	Woodbridge
WR	Winchester (Winsted)

[edit] External links

• Connecticut license plates 1969-present

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