Vehicle registration plates of North Carolina
The U.S. state of North Carolina first required its residents to register their motor vehicles in 1907. Registrants had to provide their own license plates for display until 1913, when the state began to supply plates.[1]
Passenger baseplates
1913 to 1974
In 1956, the U.S. states and Canadian provinces came to an agreement with the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators, the Automobile Manufacturers Association and the National Safety Council that standardized the size for license plates for vehicles (except those for motorcycles) at 6 inches (15 cm) in height by 12 inches (30 cm) in width, with standardized mounting holes.[2] The 1955 (dated 1956) issue was the first North Carolina license plate that complied with these standards.
Image | Dates issued | Design | Slogan | Serial format | Serials issued | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1913 | White numbers on black porcelain plate; vertical "NC" at right and "EXPIRES JUNE 30-13" at bottom | none | 1234 | 6801 to approximately 8000 | Issued only to new registrants between April 1 and June 30, 1913, with serials following on from those on pre-state-issued plates.[3] | |
1913–14 | Red numbers on white porcelain plate; vertical "NC" at right and "EXPIRES JUNE 30-14" at bottom | none | 12345 | 1 to approximately 13000 | Issued to all registrants. | |
1914–15 | White numbers on green porcelain plate; vertical "NC" at right and "EXPIRES JUNE 30-15" at bottom | none | 12345 | 1 to approximately 17000 | ||
1915–16 | Black numbers on gray porcelain plate; vertical "NC" at right and "EXPIRES JUNE 30-16" at bottom | none | 12345 | 1 to approximately 25000 | ||
1916–17 | Embossed white numbers on dark blue plate with border line; "NC" monogram and "6-30 1917" at right | none | 12345 | 1 to approximately 40000 | First embossed plate. From the collection of Richard Watson. | |
1917–18 | Embossed dark blue numbers on white plate with border line; "NC" monogram and "6-30 1918" at right | none | 12-345 | 1 to approximately 65-000 | ||
1918–19 | Embossed white numbers on black plate; "NC" monogram and "6-30 1919" at right | none | 12-345 | 1 to approximately 80-000 | ||
1919–20 | Embossed black numbers on yellow plate with border line; "N.C. 6-30 1920" at left | none | 12-345 123456 |
1 to approximately 106000 | ||
1920–21 | Embossed white numbers on brown plate; white lines at top and bottom borders; "NC" monogram and "6-30 1921" at right | none | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 131-000 | ||
1921–22 | Embossed black numbers on white plate with border line; "NC" monogram and "6-30 22" at right | none | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 213-000 | ||
1922–23 | Embossed white numbers on green plate with border line; vertical "NC" at right and "6-30-23" centered at bottom | none | 123456 | 1 to approximately 181000 | ||
1923–24 | Embossed maroon numbers on light gray plate with border line; "N.C.-6-30-24" centered at top | none | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 262-000 | ||
1924–25 | Embossed white numbers on dark blue plate with border line; "NC" monogram and "6-30 25" at left | none | 123.456 | 1 to approximately 320.000 | ||
1925–26 | Embossed black numbers on orange plate with border line; diagonal "NC" and "6-30-26" at right | none | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 348-000 | ||
1926–27 | Embossed white numbers on black plate with border line; "NC" monogram and horsepower class at right; "6 30 27" at left | none | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 421-000 | Horsepower classes were A (over 35 hp), B (31-35 hp), C (26-30 hp) and E (25 hp and under); a block of serials was assigned to each class, with E having the biggest block. This continued until 1929. | |
1927 | Embossed red numbers on white plate with border line; vertical "NC" at left; horsepower class and "27" at right | none | 123-456 | 100-001 to approximately 496-000 | Issued only from July 1 through December 31, 1927. | |
1928 | Embossed white numbers on green plate with border line; vertical "NC" at right; horsepower class and "28" at left | none | 123-456 | 100-001 to approximately 556-000 | ||
1929 | Embossed white numbers on sky blue plate with border line; "NORTH CAROLINA-1929" at bottom | none | 123-456 | 100-001 to approximately 580-000 | First use of the full state name. Horsepower classes same as 1926–28 but no letter used for the 25 hp and under class; for the other classes, the letter was carried at the right of the plate. This happened again in 1930. | |
1930 | Embossed white numbers on maroon plate with border line; "NORTH CAROLINA–1930" at top | none | 123-456 | 100-001 to approximately 607-000 | ||
1931 | Embossed yellow numbers on black plate; horsepower class number used as separator; "NORTH CAROLINA–31" at bottom | none | 123-456 | 100-001 to approximately 483-000 | Last year of horsepower classes; same as 1926–30 but numbered 1–4 in decreasing order of power. | |
1932 | Embossed black numbers on yellow plate; "NORTH CAROLINA–32" at top | none | 123-456 | 100-001 to approximately 415-000 | ||
1933 | Embossed white numbers on dark blue plate; "NORTH CAROLINA–33" at bottom | none | 123-456 | 100-001 to approximately 464-000 | ||
1934 | Embossed yellow numbers on black plate; "NORTH CAROLINA–34" at top | none | 123-456 | 100-001 to approximately 493-000 | ||
1935 | Embossed silver numbers on black plate; "NORTH CAROLINA–35" at bottom | none | 123-456 | 100-001 to approximately 518-000 | ||
1936 | Embossed light green numbers on black plate; "NORTH CAROLINA–36" at top | none | 123-456 | 100-001 to approximately 545-000 | ||
1937 | Embossed yellow numbers on black plate; "NORTH CAROLINA–37" at bottom | none | 123-456 | 200-001 to approximately 651-000 | ||
1938 | Embossed black numbers on yellow plate; "NORTH CAROLINA–38" at top | none | 123-456 | 200-001 to approximately 646-000 | ||
1939 | Embossed silver numbers on maroon plate; "North Carolina 39" centered at bottom | none | 123-456 | 200-001 to approximately 686-000 | ||
1940 | Embossed maroon numbers on silver plate; "North Carolina 40" centered at bottom | none | 123-456 | 200-001 to approximately 705-000 | ||
1941 | Embossed golden yellow numbers on black plate; "North Carolina 41" centered at bottom | none | 123-456 | 200-001 to approximately 775-000 | ||
1942–43 | Embossed black numbers on golden yellow plate; "NORTH CAROLINA 42" at bottom | none | 123-456 | 200-001 to approximately 762-000 | Revalidated for 1943 with black tabs, due to metal conservation for World War II. | |
1944 | Embossed golden yellow numbers on black plate; "NORTH CAROLINA 44" at top | none | 123-456 | 200-001 to approximately 707-000 | ||
1945 | Embossed black numbers on tan plate; "NORTH CAROLINA 45" at bottom | none | 123-456 | 200-001 to approximately 703-000 | ||
1946 | Embossed golden yellow numbers on black plate; "NORTH CAROLINA 46" at top | none | 123-456 | 200-001 to approximately 748-000 | ||
1947 | Embossed black numbers on golden yellow plate; "NORTH CAROLINA 47" at top | none | 123-456 | 100-001 to approximately 682-000 | ||
1948 | Embossed golden yellow numbers on black plate; "NORTH CAROLINA 48" at top | none | 123-456 | 100-001 to approximately 760-000 | ||
1949 | Embossed black numbers on golden yellow plate; "NORTH CAROLINA 49" at bottom | none | 123-456 | 100-001 to 760-000 | From the personal collection of Richard Watson. | |
W-12345 | W-1001 to approximately W-14000 | |||||
1950 | Embossed golden yellow numbers on black plate; "NORTH CAROLINA 50" at bottom | none | 123-456 | 100-001 to 760-000 |
Serials 760-001 through 999-999 reserved for trucks and farm vehicles; this practice continued until 1956.[4] Letters W and R used in the A-12345 format. | |
A-12345 | ||||||
1951 | Embossed red numbers on white plate; "NORTH CAROLINA 51" at bottom | none | 123-456 | 100-001 to 760-000 |
Letters W, R and N used in the A-12345 serial format. | |
A-12345 | ||||||
1952 | Embossed white numbers on red plate; "NORTH CAROLINA 52" at bottom | none | 123-456 | 100-001 to 760-000 |
Letters W, R and N used in the A-12345 serial format. | |
A-12345 | ||||||
1953 | Embossed golden yellow numbers on black plate; "NORTH CAROLINA 53" or "N.C.", slogan and "53" at bottom (see right) | none, or "DRIVE SAFELY" between state abbreviation and year | 123-456 | 100-001 to 760-000 |
Letters W, R, N and X used in the A-12345 serial format. | |
A-12345 | ||||||
1954 | Embossed black numbers on golden yellow plate; "NORTH CAROLINA 54" or "N.C.", slogan and "54" at bottom | none, or "DRIVE SAFELY" between state abbreviation and year | 123-456 | 100-001 to 760-000 |
Letters W, R, N and X used in the A-12345 serial format. | |
A-12345 | ||||||
1955 | Embossed golden yellow numbers on black plate; "NORTH CAROLINA 55" at bottom | none | 123-456 | 100-001 to 760-000 | Letters W, R, N, X, A and V used in the A-12345 serial format. | |
A-12345 | ||||||
1956 | Embossed black numbers on golden yellow plate with border line; "NORTH CAROLINA 56" at bottom | "DRIVE SAFELY" centered at top | A-1234 AB-1234 |
Serials progressed as follows: A-1 through A-9999, AA-1 through AZ-9999, B-1 through B-9999, BA-1 through BZ-9999, etc. This continued until 1973. Letters G, I, O and Q not used; this practice continued until 1969.[4] | ||
1957 | Embossed golden yellow numbers on black plate with border line; "NORTH CAROLINA 57" at bottom | "DRIVE SAFELY" centered at top | A-1234 AB-1234 |
|||
1958 | As 1956 base, but with "NORTH CAROLINA 58" at bottom | "DRIVE SAFELY" as on 1956 base | A-1234 AB-1234 |
|||
1959 | As 1957 base, but with "NORTH CAROLINA 59" at bottom | "DRIVE SAFELY" as on 1957 base | A-1234 AB-1234 |
|||
1960 | As 1956 base, but with "NORTH CAROLINA 60" at bottom | "DRIVE SAFELY" as on 1956 base | A-1234 AB-1234 |
|||
1961 | As 1957 base, but with "61 NORTH CAROLINA" at bottom | "DRIVE SAFELY" as on 1957 base | A-1234 AB-1234 |
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1962 | As 1956 base, but with "62 NORTH CAROLINA" at bottom | "DRIVE SAFELY" as on 1956 base | A-1234 AB-1234 |
|||
1963 | Embossed golden yellow numbers on black plate with border line; "NORTH CAROLINA 63" at top | "DRIVE SAFELY" centered at bottom | A-1234 AB-1234 |
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1964 | Embossed black numbers on golden yellow plate; "NORTH CAROLINA" at top; "64" centered at bottom | none | A-1234 AB-1234 |
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1965 | Embossed golden yellow numbers on black plate; "NORTH CAROLINA" at top; "1965" centered at bottom | none | A-1234 AB-1234 |
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1966 | Embossed black numbers on golden yellow plate with border line; "1966" centered at top; "NORTH CAROLINA" at bottom | none | A-1234 AB-1234 |
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1967 | Embossed green numbers on reflective white plate with border line; "1967" centered at top; "NORTH CAROLINA" at bottom | none | A-1234 AB-1234 |
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1968 | Embossed red numbers on reflective white plate with border line; "NORTH CAROLINA" at top; "1968" centered at bottom | none | A-1234 AB-1234 |
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1969 | Embossed green numbers on reflective white plate with border line; "NORTH CAROLINA" at top; "19" at bottom left and "69" at bottom right | none | A-1234 AB-1234 |
Letters G, I, O, Q and U not used; this practice continues today.[4] | ||
1970 | Embossed red numbers on reflective white plate with border line; "19" at top left and "70" at top right; "NORTH CAROLINA" at bottom | none | A-1234 AB-1234 |
|||
1971 | Embossed green numbers on reflective white plate with border line; "71" centered at top; "NORTH CAROLINA" at bottom | none | A-1234 AB-1234 |
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1972 | Embossed blue numbers on reflective white plate with border line; "NORTH CAROLINA" at top; "19" at bottom left and "72" at bottom right | none | A-1234 AB-1234 |
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1973 | Embossed red numbers on reflective white plate with border line; "19" at top left and "73" at top right; "NORTH CAROLINA" at bottom | none | ABC-123 | AAA-101 to approximately HVA-999 | ||
1974 | Embossed green numbers on reflective white plate with border line; "1974" centered at top; "NORTH CAROLINA" at bottom | none | ABC-123 | AAA-101 to approximately JBA-999 |
1975 to present
Image | Dates issued | Design | Slogan | Serial format | Serials issued | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1975–78 | Embossed red numbers on reflective white plate with border line; vertical "75" used as separator; "NORTH CAROLINA" at bottom | "FIRST IN FREEDOM" centered at top | ABC-123 | AAA-101 to approximately PMZ-999 | First base to be revalidated with stickers. Monthly staggered registration introduced 1981.[5] Plates from AAA-101 through JAY-999 replaced 1982; all other plates replaced by 1992. | |
1978–80 | As above, but without "75" and slogan | none | PNA-101 to approximately SXZ-999 | |||
1980–81 | As above, but with "1980" centered at top | SYA-101 to approximately XFZ-999 | ||||
1981–82 | As above, but with "NORTH CAROLINA" at top and "1981" centered at bottom | XHA-101 to approximately YJZ-999 | ||||
1982 | As above, but with "1982" centered at bottom | YKA-101 to approximately ZRZ-999 | ||||
1982 | Blue on reflective white with light blue Wright Flyer graphic | "First in Flight" screened at top | ABC-123 | ZSA-101 to ZZZ-999 | Awarded "Plate of the Year" for best new license plate of 1982 by the Automobile License Plate Collectors Association, the first and, to date, only time North Carolina has been so honored. | |
ABC-12 ABC-100 |
AAA-11 to ZZZ-100 | |||||
1982–85 | ABC-123 | AAA-101 to JAY-999 | ||||
1985 – April 2007 |
ABC-1234 | ANA-1001 to approximately WTF-1975 | A through M not used as second letters in serials (so AZZ was followed by BNA, BZZ was followed by CNA and so on); this practice continued until ZZZ-9999 was issued in 2010. OBX started to be issued in 1999 as a special series for Dare County, and continues to be issued as such today. | |||
April 2007 – October 2009 | Red on reflective white with light blue Wright Flyer graphic | "First in Flight" as above | ABC-1234 | WTF-1976 to approximately ZND-9999 | Mainly issued as replacements for earlier "First in Flight" plates with the ABC-123 and ABC-12 serial formats, plus the ABC-1234 format up to JZZ-9999.[5] | |
October 2009 – December 2010 | Blue on reflective white with light blue Wright Flyer graphic | "First in Flight" as above | ABC-1234 | ZNE-1001 to ZZZ-9999 | Blue serials reintroduced following complaints that the red serials were too hard to read from a distance. | |
December 2010 – present | AAA-1001 to FJN-9999 (as of September 29, 2018) | A through M used as second letters in serials (so AMZ was followed by BAA, BMZ was followed by CAA and so on); this practice should continue until at least NMZ-9999 is issued. | ||||
July 1, 2015 – present | Blue on reflective white with quill pen graphic | "First In Freedom" screened at top | ABC-1234 | PAA-1001 to PLA-9999 (as of July 22, 2018) | Alternative issue. Includes dates of May 20, 1775 and April 12, 1776 commemorating the adoption of the Mecklenburg Declaration and Halifax Resolves, respectively.[6] A through M used as second letters in serials (so PMZ will be followed by RAA, RMZ will be followed by SAA and so on). |
Non-passenger plates
Image | Type | Dates issued | Design | Serial format | Serials issued | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Apportioned Truck | 2006–present | Embossed blue on white with border line; "N.C. PERMANENT" at top; "APPORTIONED" at bottom | LA-1234 MA-1234 |
LA-1001 to MC-9999; MH-1001 to present |
||
For Hire | 2006–present | Embossed blue on white with border line; "NORTH CAROLINA" at bottom; "FOR HIRE" at top | ZA-1234 | ZB-1001 to present | ||
Manufacturer | Embossed blue on white with border line; "NORTH CAROLINA" at bottom; "MANUFACTURER" at top | MF-1234 | MF-1001 to present | |||
Motorcycle | 1999–present | Embossed blue on white with border line; "N.C." at top | 1A2345 | 1A0001 to present | Letter advances before leftmost number (so the progression is 1A-1Z, 2A-2Z, etc.). G, I, O, Q and U not used. | |
Multi-Year Trailer | 1993–present | Embossed black on white with border line; "NORTH CAROLINA" at top; "MULTI YEAR" at bottom | AA-12345 | AY-10000 to AZ-99999; AA-10000 to present |
Permanent trailer plate obtained for a one-time fee. | |
Taxi | 2006–present | Embossed blue on white with border line; "NORTH CAROLINA" at bottom; "TAXI" at top | TA-1234 | TA-1001 to present | ||
Trailer | 1995–present | Embossed red on white with border line; "NORTH CAROLINA" at bottom; "TRAILER" at top | AB-12345 | AN-10000 to AX-99999; BA-10000 to present |
Temporary plates
- 1997
- 2003
- 2009, motorcycle
References
- ↑ "Old North Carolina License Plates". LeatherLicensePlates.com. Retrieved May 24, 2017.
- ↑ Garrish, Christopher (October 2016). "Reconsidering the Standard Plate Size". Plates. Vol. 62 no. 5. Automobile License Plate Collectors Association.
- ↑ "North Carolina Archive". PorcelainPlates.net. Retrieved May 24, 2017.
- 1 2 3 "North Carolina License Plates". allaboutlicenseplates.com. Retrieved August 17, 2015.
- 1 2 Kretschmer, Rick. "A Pictorial History of North Carolina License Plates: Passenger car plates dated 1956 to present". RicksPlates.com. Retrieved February 8, 2016.
- ↑ Siceloff, Bruce (July 1, 2015). "Second to none, NC now offers choice of 2 'First' license plates". The News & Observer. Raleigh. Retrieved December 21, 2015.
Further reading
External links
Media related to License plates of North Carolina at Wikimedia Commons
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