Vehicle registration plates of Rhode Island

Current Rhode Island license plate with "low" three-digit serial

The U.S. state of Rhode Island first required its residents to register their motor vehicles and display license plates in 1904.

Politicians have distributed low-numbered license plates since 1904 (when the first black and white porcelain plates were issued by the state) as a way to reward supporters or associates. Such plates have become a status symbol, similar to the culture surrounding low-numbered plates in Delaware.[1] State officials made Rhode Island one of the few states to allow the owner to transfer license plates to other family members in their will.[2] Additionally, an official license plate lottery was implemented in 1995 through the Governor's Office[3] for "preferred plates".[4] A plate's value depends on its category, with the traditional "Ocean State" legend plate (or "wave plate") being the most valuable. The Division of Motor Vehicles also allows a motorist to choose the two letters at the beginning of the plate serial, provided that such a combination is available on-hand and is not considered a "preferred plate".

Passenger baseplates

1904 to 1960

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.[5] The 1956 (dated 1957) issue was the first Rhode Island license plate that complied with these standards.

Image Dates issued Design Slogan Serial format Serials issued Notes
1904–08 White numbers on black porcelain plate; "REGISTERED IN R.I." at top none 1234 1 to approximately 3300
1908–12 White numbers on black porcelain plate; "RI" at right none 1234 3301 to approximately 8700
1912–17 Black serifed numbers on white porcelain plate; vertical "RI" at left none 12345 1 to approximately 35000
1918 White numbers on black flat metal plate; "R.I. 1918" centered at bottom none 12345 1 to approximately 30000 First dated plate.
1919 Black numbers on white flat metal plate; "R.I. 1919" centered at bottom none 12345 1 to approximately 32000
1920 White numbers on black flat metal plate; "R.I. 1920" centered at bottom none 12345 1 to approximately 37000
1921 Embossed black numbers on white plate with border line; "R.I. 1921" centered at bottom none 12345 1 to approximately 43000 First embossed plate.
1922 Embossed white numbers on black plate with border line; "R.I. 1922" centered at bottom none 12345 1 to approximately 50000
1923 Embossed black numbers on white plate with border line; "R.I. 1923" centered at bottom none 12-345 1 to approximately 62-000
1924 Embossed white numbers on black plate with border line; "R.I. 1924" centered at bottom none 12-345 1 to approximately 86-000
1925 Embossed black numbers on white plate with border line; "R.I. 1925" centered at bottom none 12-345 1 to approximately 85-000
1926 Embossed white numbers on black plate with border line; "R.I. 1926" centered at top none 12-345 1 to approximately 90-000
1927 Embossed black numbers on white plate with border line; "27 R.I." centered at top none 12-345 1 to approximately 97-000
1928 Embossed white numbers on black plate with border line; "R.I. 1928" centered at bottom none 123-456 1 to approximately 108-000
1929 Embossed black numbers on white plate with border line; "29–R.I." centered at bottom none 123-456 1 to approximately 109-000
1930 Embossed white numbers on black plate with border line; "RHODE ISLAND 1930" at bottom none 123-456 1 to approximately 115-000 First use of the full state name.
1931 Embossed black numbers on white plate with border line; "31 RHODE ISLAND" centered at bottom none 123-456 1 to approximately 116-000
1932 Embossed white numbers on black plate with border line; "RHODE ISLAND 1932" centered at top none 123-456 1 to approximately 113-000
1933 Embossed black numbers on white plate with border line; "33 RHODE ISLAND" centered at top none 123-456 1 to approximately 117-000
1934 Embossed white numbers on black plate with border line; "1934 RHODE ISLAND" centered at bottom none 123-456 1 to approximately 125-000
1935 Embossed black numbers on white plate with border line; "RHODE ISLAND 35" centered at bottom none 123-456 1 to approximately 130-000
1936 Embossed white numbers on black plate with border line; "1636 RHODE ISLAND 1936" centered at top "300TH YEAR" centered at bottom 123-456 1 to approximately 140-000 Commemorated the 300th anniversary of the settlement of Rhode Island.
1937 Embossed black numbers on white plate with border line; "1937 RHODE ISLAND" centered at bottom none 123-456 1 to approximately 148-000
1938 Embossed white numbers on black plate; "R.I. 1938" at bottom none A1234 B1 to approximately P9000
1939 Embossed black numbers on white plate; "R.I. 39" at top none A-1234 B-1 to approximately R-5000
1940 Embossed white numbers on black plate; "R.I. 40" at bottom none A-1234 B-1 to approximately T-4000
1941 As 1939 base, but with "R.I. 41" at top none A-1234 B-1 to approximately W-9000
1942–43 As 1940 base, but with "R.I. 42" at bottom none A-1234 B-1 to approximately W-8000 Revalidated for 1943 with windshield stickers, due to metal conservation for World War II.
1944–46 Embossed white numbers on black plate; "R.I." at bottom, offset to left, with tab slots to right none A-1234 B-1 to approximately W-5000 Validated for 1944 with orange tabs, for 1945 with green tabs, and until July 31, 1946 with red tabs.
1946–47 Embossed black numbers on silver plate; "RHODE ISLAND" at bottom, with tab box between the two words none A1234 B1 to approximately Y9999 Validated until December 31, 1946 with silver tabs, then for 1947 with white tabs.
1948–50 Embossed black numbers on white plate; "RHODE ISLAND" at bottom, with tab slots between the two words none A1234 B1 to Z9999 Tab-slot plates validated each year with white tabs. All-numeric serials from 1 through 10000 were reserved, while 10001 through 19999 were used on replacement plates.
12345 30001 to approximately 59000
1950 As above, but with "50" instead of tab slots 59001 to approximately 71000
1951 Embossed white numbers on black plate; "RHODE 51 ISLAND" at bottom none A1234
12345		 1951 plates revalidated for 1952 with windshield stickers. 1952 plates issued only to new registrants; later plates of this variant had tab slots either side of the "52", which were never used.
1952 As above, but with "52" instead of "51"

 1953–54 Embossed black numbers on white plate; "RHODE 53 ISLAND" at bottom none A1234
12345		 Revalidated for 1954 with black tabs.
1955–56 Embossed white numbers on black plate; "RHODE 55 ISLAND" at bottom none A1234
12345		 Revalidated for 1956 with white tabs.
1957–58 Embossed black numbers on white plate with border line; "RHODE ISLAND 57" at top none AB123 AA1 to
WW999		 Letters I, Q and U not used in serials, and X, Y and Z used only on replacement plates.[6] Revalidated for 1958 with black tabs.

 1959–60 Embossed white numbers on black plate with border line; "RHODE ISLAND 59" at top none AB123 AA1 to
WW999		 Unused and replacement serial letters same as on 1957–58 base. Revalidated for 1960 with white tabs.

1961 to present

Image Dates issued Design Slogan Serial format Serials issued Notes
1961–66 Embossed black numbers on white plate with border line; "RHODE ISLAND" at top, offset to left none AB123 AA1 to
WW999;
AI1 to approximately KX500		 Validated each year with stickers, placed to the right of the state name. Letters I, Q, U, X, Y and Z used in standard serials from 1965 after the original allocation was exhausted.[6]
1967–71 Embossed black numbers on non-reflective white plate with border line; "RHODE ISLAND" centered at bottom "DISCOVER" centered at top AB·123 AA·100 to
ZZ·999 (see right)		 Revalidated with stickers until 1980. After serial KZ·999 was issued, the letters I, Q, U, X, Y and Z were not used until WW·999 was reached in 1969, after which all serials with Q, U, X, Y and Z in the first position were issued.[6]
1972–79 As 1967–71 base, but reflective "OCEAN STATE" centered at top AB-123 Unused and reissued 1967–71 serials Issued only to new registrants. During 1977, some plates were manufactured in New York, using that state's number dies (with the letters taller than the digits) and omitting the slogan.
1980–86 Embossed blue numbers on reflective white plate with border line; "RHODE ISLAND" embossed in blue block letters centered at bottom; blue anchor embossed in top left corner and last two digits of year of issue in top right corner "OCEAN STATE" embossed in blue block letters centered at top AB-123 AA-100 to ZZ-999 (see right) On all variants of this base, serials were issued and reissued in random order, as existing registrants generally retained the serials from their previous plates (including 1967–79 plates) when receiving new ones. During 1992, plates were manufactured in Massachusetts, using that state's dies.
1986 As above, but with "Rhode Island" screened in blue serifed letters centered at bottom "Ocean State" screened in same letters as state name; centered at top
1987–93 As 1980–86 all-embossed plates, but without year of issue "OCEAN STATE" as on 1980–86 all-embossed plates
1993–95 As above, but with state name (still all upper case) and anchor screened "OCEAN STATE" as above, but screened
1995–96 As 1987–93 plates "OCEAN STATE" as on 1987–93 plates

 1996–present Embossed navy blue numbers on reflective white plate with gray wave graphic; "Rhode Island" screened in navy blue serifed letters centered at top; navy blue anchor screened in top left corner "Ocean State" screened in same letters as state name, centered at bottom 12345 (variable number of digits)


AB-12 and AB-123
123-456

 1 to 99999


AA-00 to ZZ-999
(1996-2007, 2015-Present)

710-001 (issued in reversed sequential order)
(2007 to 2015)

 Colloquially referred to as "wave plates"

Optional types

Image Dates issued Design Slogan Serial format Serials issued Notes
1992–present Embossed blue numbers on reflective white plate; gray sailboat graphic screened in the center; "RHODE ISLAND" screened in red serifed letters centered at top, with five red stripes to left and right; blue bar screened at bottom containing thirteen white stars "Ocean State" screened in blue serifed letters centered between sailboat and blue bar as requested by registrant: 12345
AB-12
AB-123

References

  1. ↑ Irazabal, Jordan. "The Delaware 3000". TheDelaware3000.org. Retrieved November 25, 2014.
  2. ↑ "Transfer at Death". State of Rhode Island Division of Motor Vehicles. RI Division of Motor Vehicles. Retrieved November 24, 2014.
  3. ↑ "Plates: Overview". State of Rhode Island Division of Motor Vehicles. RI Division of Motor Vehicles. Retrieved November 24, 2014.
  4. ↑ Passenger plates with one letter and up to three numbers, two letters with up to two numbers, or an all-numeric plate with up to five numbers; commercial or motorcycle plates with up to four digits, combination plates with up to four digits, war veteran's plates with up to three digits, and Rhode Island National Guard plates with up to two digits
  5. ↑ Garrish, Christopher (October 2016). "Reconsidering the Standard Plate Size". Plates. Vol. 62 no. 5. Automobile License Plate Collectors Association.
  6. 1 2 3 "Rhode Island License Plates". allaboutlicenseplates.com. Retrieved November 10, 2015.
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