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This page covers historical information related to all or most types of Maryland license plates. Latest noteworthy updates to this page
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I created this page as a place for information that didn't clearly belong on any single Maryland plate history page. I expect that I will occasionally add new topics to this page.
My "Pictorial History" pages are intended to be a supplement to the information found in the ALPCA Archives. I am providing additional details and additional photos not found in the archives, and clarifying information when appropriate. When the ALPCA archives cover a subject in great detail, I do not repeat that detail here. I sincerely hope that you find this information useful. If you find an error or have additional information, or can provide a plate or a photo of a plate that I'm missing, please send me an e-mail. There's a link to my e-mail address at the bottom of every page.
Mouse over any image to see a description of the plate. Click on any image to see an enlarged version.
Understanding Maryland's sometimes arcane systems for assigning serial numbers to non-passenger plates can be aided by being aware of the state's registration class codes. Frequently these class codes appear in the serial numbers and can be used to identify the vehicle type. For alphabetic classes, the license plate is assigned to a specific vehicle. For numeric classes, the license plate is not assigned to a specific vehicle.
| Class | Description |
|---|---|
| A | Passenger vehicles not for hire: cars, station wagons, passenger vans, SUVs, motor homes, and private buses until 1980; passenger cars and station wagons only since 1980. |
| B | Passenger vehicles for hire: taxis and non-funeral limousines until late 1980s or 1990s; taxis only since then. |
| C | Commercial (for hire) ambulances; also funeral and cemetery vehicles, including hearses and limousines used exclusively for funerals. |
| D | Motorcycles, including three-wheeled motor vehicles until 1980. |
| E | Trucks; this broad class consists of several sub-classes, as indicated below: |
| EFT | Farm-use trucks over 10,000 pounds GVW, not restricted geographically. |
| EH | Trucks for hire; obsolete class, merged with sub-class EPO regular trucks in 1970. |
| EPD | Dump trucks and cement mixer trucks. |
| EPO | Trucks not falling into any other Class E sub-class. |
| ET | Tow trucks; obsolete sub-class, now split out to separate Class T. |
| F | Truck tractors (the front part of a tractor-trailer) |
| FF | Farm-use truck tractors (that is, the front part of a tractor-trailer, used for farming purposes), not restricted geographically. |
| G | Trailers and semi-trailers. |
| GF | Farm-use trailers and semi-trailers. |
| H | School buses and similar vehicles used to transport school children, with sub-classes as follows: |
| HSB | School buses and similar vehicles, not for hire. |
| HSC | School buses and similar vehicles, for hire as charter buses. |
| I | Charter buses; obsolete class, merged with Class P commercial buses approximately 1988. |
| J | Passenger vans used for van pools. |
| K | Farm-use vehicles with on-road privileges only within 10 miles of the farm; also island vehicles, used only on islands with no access to the mainland. |
| L | Antique or historic vehicles – over 20 years old, not substantially modified, driven only occasionally. |
| LD | Antique or historic motorcycles – over 20 years old, not substantially modified, driven only occasionally. |
| M | Multi-purpose vehicles, since 1979; this catch-all class includes all passenger vans and mini-vans (except van pool vehicles), SUVs, motor homes, private buses (such as church buses), and three-wheeled motor vehicles. |
| N | Street rods – substantially modified vehicles over 25 years old, driven only occasionally. |
| ND | Street rod motorcycles – substantially modified and over 25 years old, driven only occasionally. |
| P | Commercial buses, including both charter buses and fixed-route buses charging fares. |
| Q | Commercial (for hire) limousines not used exclusively for funerals; since late 1980s or 1990s. |
| R | Low speed vehicles, otherwise known as neighborhood electric vehicles; new class introduced approximately January 2006. |
| T | Tow trucks, including the new "rollback" kind where the vehicle sits on the bed of the truck, used only for transporting disabled vehicles. |
| TE | "Rollback" style tow trucks that may be used to ship vehicles as freight. |
| 1 | Vehicle dealers, manufacturers, and distributors; this class consists of several sub-classes, as indicated immediately below: |
| 1A | Dealers, manufacturers, and distributors of motor vehicles excluding motorcycles. |
| 1B | Dealers, manufacturers, and distributors of motorcycles. |
| 1C | Dealers, manufacturers, and distributors of trailers. |
| 2 | Automotive dismantlers, recyclers, and scrap processors (junkyard operators); used to drive unregistered vehicles. |
| 3 | Automotive finance companies; used to drive unregistered reposessed vehicles (this class may be obsolete). |
| 4 | Special mobile equipment, either self-propelled or pulled behind another vehicle. |
| 5 | Transporters; used to drive unregistered vehicles being delivered, repaired, inspected, painted, etc. |
Other types of non-passenger plates are assigned regardless of vehicle class. Examples include: plates for state government-owned vehicles, local government-owned vehicles, amateur radio operators, and vehicles operated by or used to transport handicapped persons.
Generally speaking, Maryland uses the same renewal stickers for all types of vehicles and all types of registrations. However, often there have been one or two alternate sticker colors for specific low-volume applications. Shown in the chart below are the colors used for both standard stickers and alternate stickers when applicable.
| Year | Standard sticker colors | Other sticker description | Other sticker colors |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | green on white sticker | ||
| 2001 | blue on white sticker | ||
| 2002 | white on green sticker | ||
| 2003 | white on blue sticker | ||
| 2004 | green on white sticker | ||
| 2005 | black on white sticker | 5 year fleet registration: Apportioned vehicle: |
blue on white sticker white on green sticker |
| 2006 | green on white sticker | 5 year fleet registration: | white on blue sticker |
| 2007 | white on green sticker | 5 year fleet registration: | (none observed) |
| 2008 | green on white sticker | 5 year fleet registration: "Smart" sticker: |
black on white sticker black on white sticker |
| 2009 | white on green sticker | "Smart" sticker (pilot): "Smart" sticker: |
black on white sticker black on light green sticker |
| 2010 | green on white sticker | "Smart" sticker: Apportioned vehicle: |
black on white sticker black on white sticker |
| 2011 | black on white sticker | 5 year fleet registration: | white on green sticker |
| 2012 | (not yet issued) | 5 year fleet registration: | (none observed) |
| 2013 | (not yet issued) | 5 year fleet registration: | white on green sticker |
| 2014 | (not yet issued) | 5 year fleet registration: | black on white sticker |
In 2008, Maryland began issuing some different-looking year stickers to a relatively small number of motorists. These new stickers are fairly obvious due to their colors being different than regular year stickers. However, the more significant difference is that these new stickers' serial numbers match the serial numbers of the plates to which they're assigned. Hence the term "smart" sticker; the sticker is "smart" enough to know which plate it goes with. Several variations of smart stickers have been observed thus far, as shown and described below. All smart stickers are 1-1/2 inches wide by 1 inch high, slightly smaller than 2010 and prior regular stickers which are 1-1/2 inches wide by 1-3/16 inches high.
2009 regular sticker shown for comparasion,
2009 pilot "smart" sticker (Ellis photo of sticker in actual use),
2009 general-issue "smart" sticker type 1 (Ellis photo of sticker in actual use)
2010 regular sticker shown for comparasion (sticker in actual use),
2010 pilot "smart" sticker (Ellis photo of sticker in actual use),
2010 general-issue "smart" sticker (sticker in actual use)
2011 regular 5-year registration sticker shown for comparasion (sticker in actual use),
2011 regular 2-year registration sticker (sticker in actual use), 2011 "smart" 2-year
registration sticker (sticker in actual use)
Plate spotter Jeff Ellis reports that initially, smart stickers were issued only for vanity and amateur radio operator plates in a pilot program. I gather that even among these few plate types, smart stickers were only issued to those motorists who renewed their registrations online. These early smart stickers use a wide font for the year, and are always black on white in color. They've been spotted in 2008, 2009, and 2010 versions, with the 2008 version being exceptionally rare.
Following the apparently successful pilot, smart stickers are now being issued for all plate types to motorists who renew their registrations online. These general-issue smart stickers use a narrow font for the year. They've been seen in 2009 and 2010 editions so far. For unknown reasons, 2009 general-issue smart stickers have come in two different color schemes; initially black on light green, followed by black on white. Unfortunately, I don't yet have an image of the black on white general-issue 2009 smart sticker. 2010 versions are vastly more common, since most registrations are for two year periods. All of these are colored black on white.
Now, 2011 regular, non-smart stickers with sequential serial numbers are being made in the same smaller size, and same colors, black on white, as the 2011 smart stickers. Contrast these stickers, which are being used for one-year and two-year registrations, with the older style white-on-green 2011 stickers that were issued in 2006 to fleet vehicles with five-year registrations.
Like most states, the Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration produces sample license plates to provide examples of what real plates look like. Mostly these are used internally by the MVA and by law enforcement agencies. However, in Maryland, some types of sample plates are given out to anyone who requests them, free of charge. Obviously these are not valid plates for use on a vehicle.
However, most MVA employees don't seem to know about sample plates. When I tried to get a set of these in the spring and summer of 2004, my e-mail and hard copy written requests for these were ignored, and when I called their main phone number, I was flat-out told that the MVA did not give out sample plates, period. I knew this information was incorrect, so I didn't give up. In August 2004, I went in person to the MVA headquarters in Glen Burnie, where I was then given the runaround by several well-meaning but clueless employees, until I finally ended up at the Customer Relations office. There, they knew all about sample plates and even had a whole filing cabinet full of them ready to give out to anyone who walked in.
The most common sample plates through about 1990 were made to represent passenger car plates, and had serial numbers in a passenger car format, but usually with the numeric digits all zeroes, and the serial letters, if any, all "A". Since about 1990, the common, freely-issued sample plates have been made more generic, so that they don't just represent passenger car plates. Since then, the serial characters on these plates have spelled the word SAMPLE. Motorcycle sample plates were made in a regular motorcycle serial format containing zeroes in the numeric positions until about 2000; now these are also made with the serial SAMPLE.
In the past at least, samples were also made for various non-passenger plate types, and today they are made for various organizational plate types. However, these were and are made in very small quantities, are not given out to the general public by the MVA, and are not normally used by law enforcement, and so they're nearly impossible to obtain. These samples typically have the serial formats, legends, and graphics appropriate for the plate type, but with all numeric serial digits zeroes.
1947 passenger sample (amateur repaint; YOM plate in actual use)
Sample plates from the 1910s with all zero serial numbers differed from real plates and were probably prototypes or samples used by salesmen trying to win a contract from the state to manufacture license plates.
Sample passenger plates in styles actually issued have been observed as early as 1923. The serial number was always 00-000 through 1953. Likely non-passenger samples were also created, but I've never actually seen any.
Sample passenger plates are known on 1954-1964 plates with the serial AA-00-00, and occasionally also AB-00-00. On the 1965-1969 plates, sample passenger plates are known only with the serial AA-0000, and on the 1970 plates, only AA 0000. Metal samples exist for all of these years; paper samples were made for at least the 1970 plate.
Sample passenger plates on the 1971 base are known only with the serial AA 0000. Both metal and paper samples exist; metal plates may be stamped with either the 1957-1974 serial dies or the 1974-present serial dies.
Metal sample plates: 1976 standard passenger sample (Sells photo / plate),
1979 Bicentennial passenger sample (Sells photo / plate),
1981 standard passenger sample
Paper sample plates: 1976 standard passenger sample (Sells photo / plate),
1976 Bicentennial passenger sample (Sells photo / plate)
Sample passenger plates on the standard red-on-white and black-on-white metal bases have serial AAA 000. Sample passenger plates on the optional-issue Bicentennial and 350th Anniversary bases have serials 000 AAA and 000*AAA, respectively.
Paper versions of the red-on-white, black-on-white, and Bicentennial passenger plates were also produced. The paper red-on-white plate was made with both serials AAA 000 and AAA 101. Only serial AAA 000 is known on the black-on-white paper sample, and only 000 AAA is known on the Bicentennial paper sample.
A generic sample plate with the serial SAMPLE was also produced on the red-on-white base.
Standard passenger sample in format issued 1986-2004 (O'Connor photo / plate)
When the current, reflective black-on-white standard base came out in 1986, sample plates were initially made with serials NAA*000 and NAA*001, with the asterisk indicating the location of the shield. Both metal and paper versions are known to exist.
Why the "NAA" prefix, and not "AAA" or "ABC" or "SAM"? Because real passenger car plates on this base were first issued beginning in the N series, to not conflict with the serial numbers of the previous base that were still on the road. Apparently NAA*001 was not actually issued as a real plate.
(The www.maryland.gov sample plate was photographed on display at the Maryland MVA main office)
In recent years, Maryland has only distributed generic sample plates with the serials SAM*PLE or SAMPLE. So now, the use of all letters on the sample plate doesn't necessarily indicate where letters would go versus numbers on real plates. That way, the sample plates "work" for the old passenger serial format, the new passenger serial format, vanity plates, truck plates, taxi plates, etc., etc.
One other known generic sample variation is the first-generation Treasure the Chesapeake plate with the bird graphic in the center of the plate, where the serial letter M was stamped using an upside-down W die. This would rightfully be considered an error plate rather than a legitimate sample plate.
Some of the generic sample plates shown above were what they were giving out when I went to the MVA in August 2004, and some I've obtained through other sources. As of March 2007, the MVA was giving out generic samples of the standard base with the shield emblem but no web site address, the Our Farms, Our Future and second generartion Treasure the Chesapeake special interest plates, and the motorcycle base with no web site address. However, in October 2008, although the MVA had a standard base sample with the web site address on display, they were no longer giving out sample plates to the public due to budget constraints.
Samples of standard-issue motorcycle plates were originally made with serials 00000D, 0000D0, and 000D00, as the real plates progressed through these formats. Subsequently, generic sample motorcycle plates are being issued with serial SAMPLE. Similar to the full-sized generic sample plates, the generic motorcycle sample doesn't show where letters versus numbers go, and so can be used as a sample for standard-issue motorcycle plates regardless of the serial format used, and also as a sample of a vanity motorcycle plate.
I've been told that for each of the 700+ types of organizational plate types, the MVA makes only two sample plates, with all of the numeric digits zeroes. The MVA keeps one for internal use, and gives the other to the person in that organization who coordinates the promotion and distribution of the organizational plates to its members. This enables the coordinator to use an image of the sample plate in promotional materials. Only a small number of these organizational sample plates have found their way into the hands of plate collectors.
Two examples of W/M inversion errors. The 1995 passenger car plate has a "W" made with an upside-down "M"
die. The "M" on the 2009 multi-purpose vehicle plate (plate in actual use) was
stamped with an upside-down "W" die.
Like every other jurisdiction that produces license plates, Maryland produces its share of error plates. Probably most of these never see the light of day. Some, however, have been issued and used, and others, although intercepted before being actually issued, were not destroyed and have found their way into the hands of collectors.
Here are some of the more commonly seen errors that I'm aware of:
Two passenger plates and one multi-purpose vehicle plate made with square New Jersey dies
(2008 expiration plates in actual use)
Current plates with strange looking, squared-off serial characters were issued over the course of a few months in the fall of 2006 and into early 2007. Passenger plates with serials in the range 1CN*A01 to 9CN*Z99, and multi-purpose vehicle plates with serials between 895M001 and 909M999 were made this way. The Maryland license plate facility at the state prison in Jessup was shut down for about three weeks due to inmate unrest, and Maryland arranged for New Jersey to stamp out plates for them in the interim. New Jersey could not or would not use Maryland's serial dies, and instead made the plates using their own dies.
MPV plate with two different number "2" dies (Ellis photo of plate in use)
The state seems to have one number "2" die that doesn't quite match the others. It's not so different as to really stand out on a plate with a single number "2", but it can be seen on plate number 852M293 above by closely comparing the two number "2"s in the serial. The first "2" was stamped with the odd die, while the second "2" was stamped using the normal die. (Click the photo to see a larger version.) According to Maryland plate spotter Jeff Ellis, this odd die has shown up on MPV plates in the 852M000, 862M000, and 872M000 ranges, and also on state government plates in the S/G*24000 series, the A172000 series of Our Farms, Our Future special interest plates, as well as some occasional Treasure the Chesapeake special interest plates and vanities.
Elsewhere on the web |
Thanks to those who have directly contributed to the information on this page: Jeff Ellis, Mike Sells, and Tim O'Connor.
O'Connor photographs © copyright by Tim O'Connor. All rights reserved. Used with
permission.
Sells and Ellis photographs are presumed to be copyrighted by Mike Sells and Jeff Ellis, respectively, and are
used with permission.
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