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This page covers the various types of Maryland license plates typically issued for personal vehicles that are not otherwise addressed on their own pages. Latest noteworthy updates to this page
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On this page I address various types of Maryland license plates typically issued for personal vehicles, from 1957 expirations to the present day. I begin with 1957 plates only because that's the first year that any of these plate types were issued. However, please note that this page does not cover all types of 1957-present Maryland personal vehicle plates. Passenger car plates are addressed on a separate page. Organizational member plates, both passenger and non-passenger, are on their own pages. Motorcycle plates and truck plates of all types are covered on separate pages as well. Plates issued to government officials for their personal vehicles are on yet another page. Go to the Maryland index page for links to these other pages.
Maryland license plates dated 1939 and later always indicate, on the plates themselves, or via metal tabs or stickers, the year in which they expire. Exceptions to this include undated, unstickered plates that expired in 1976 and 1981, and front plates issued since 1986, which are not dated and do not bear stickers. I consistently refer to plates by the year that is shown on the plate, regardless of when the plate was actually issued.
Maryland non-passenger plate types (meaning plate types other than standard plates for private passenger cars, and therefore including the other personal vehicle plate types shown on this page) and their expiration stickers, with few exceptions, have closely resembled or been indistinguishable from their passenger car equivalents from the same time period. Because this information is covered in detail on the passenger plate pages and the general information page, I'll just point out when there were deviations from passenger car plates.
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. Please note that all plates shown that are credited to another person are plates that I am still seeking for my own collection.
Amateur radio plates are issued with the serial number that matches the radio operator's call sign, up to seven characters. They differ from ordinary vanity plates in that they carry the screened legend Amateur Radio Operator at the bottom center. Amateur radio plates are available for passenger cars, multi-purpose vehicles, and trucks up to 1 ton capacity. The same plate design is issued to all of these vehicle types.
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Handicapped plates were first issued on the white-on-blue 1971 base, and though I'm not exactly sure in which year, it was likely late in the life of this base. The plate consisted of an embossed wheelchair graphic followed by a numeric serial; serial format was 00000, with 10001 apparently the first plate number issued. There was nothing on the plate to indicate the vehicle type. |
![]() 1980 handicapped person passenger car (O'Connor photo / plate) ![]() 1986 handicapped person passenger car ![]() 1981 handicapped person multi-purpose vehicle (O'Connor photo / plate) |
Handicapped plates continued on the 1976 red-on-white base, and the 1981-black-on-white base, with an embossed wheelchair graphic. A variety of serial formats were used on these two bases; I'm not sure that I know what they all were, and in any event, it's not clear what the sequence was. Passenger car handicapped plates had no legend at the bottom. Handicapped persons registering trucks or multi-purpose vehicles were issued plates similar to handicapped passenger car plates, but with the legend Truck or MPV embossed at the bottom of the plate, respectively. These handicapped plate types had their own serial formats, but again, I haven't figured them out. I'm not aware of handicapped plates being issued for any vehicle type other than cars, trucks, and MPVs. I have no information regarding whether handicapped plates could be ordered with a vanity registration number prior to the current base, or were available on the optional Bicentennial or 350th Anniversary base plates. |
![]() ![]() (plate in actual use) ![]() 2009 motorcycle handicapped (plate in actual use) ![]() (unstickered front plate) |
Standard base handicapped platesRegular handicapped plates on the standard reflective base are issued with the wheelchair graphic at the far left, followed by the serial number in format 00000H/x. The serial suffix letters used so far have been H/C, H/D, H/V, and now H/T, issued in that order. I would imagine that the letter "H" must stand for handicapped, but the various second letters have no apparent meaning, since they've been issued in succession. There is no longer a distinction between handicapped car vs. truck vs. multi-purpose vehicle plates on this base. H/C series and early H/D series plates have a screened wheelchair graphic and alpha suffix; beginning at about 36000H/D, and continuing into the H/V series, these elements are embossed. The state's web site address began appearing on regular handicapped plates in 2005 at approximatly serial number 69000H/V. Motorcyclists are able to get handicapped plates as well. The plates they are issued display the wheelchair graphic to the far left, followed by serial format 0000D/M. Perhaps "DM" stands for disabled motorcyclist? On the two examples I've seen, both the wheelchair symbol and the stacked alpha characters are screened. Disabled veterans (veterans who are truly handicapped, and are not necessarily members of the Disabled American Veterans organization) are issued plates with the wheelchair graphic at far left, followed by a serial number in format DV0000. They carry the screened legend Disabled Veteran at the bottom. These plates are free of charge to the registrant. I don't know if the wheelchair symbol has always been embossed or not. Non-veteran handicapped plates are available with vanity registration numbers on the standard base, with up to six characters. I don't know whether vanity hanidcapped motorcycle plates are offered. |
![]() 2008 Our Farms handicapped (version 1) ![]() Our Farms handicapped (version 2) unstickered front plate (plate in actual use) ![]() 2006 second generation Chesapeake handicapped (plate in actual use) |
Special interest handicapped platesNon-veteran handicapped plates have also been available on both versions of the optional Treasure the Chesapeake base, and are available on the optional Our Farms, Our Future base. These plates are available for passenger cars, multi-purpose vehicles, and light trucks. On the previous green on white Chesapeake base, the plate featured the wheelchair grapic on the left, followed by a serial in format 00000H/P; the screened bird graphic was omitted. Early versions had screened wheelchair graphics and alpha suffix characters; beginning at roughly plate number 13500H/P, the wheelchair graphic was embossed but the alpha suffix remained screened; starting at approximatly 14000H/P, both the wheelchair symbol and the alpha suffix were embossed. On the Our Farms base, again the wheelchair graphic is at the left, followed by serial format 00000A/E. The wheelchair graphic has always been embossed on this base; the A/E suffix was screened up to about serial 02300A/E or 02400A/E, and since then has been embossed. Beats me what AE is supposed to stand for or signify, if anything. The handicapped format for the current blue on black Chesapeake plate is 0000D/x, with the screened bird graphic in its normal position on the left edge of the plate, and the wheelchair graphic to the right of the stacked letters. The wheelchair symbol and the suffix letters have always been embossed. The second letter is considered to be variable on this base, although to my knowledge it hasn't yet gone from an "A" to a "B". If I were to guess, I'd say that the "D" stands for disabled, but who knows? I presume the wheelchair logo was placed to the right on this base so that it would not appear that the bird was pecking the person in the wheelchair. Special interest handicapped plates are also available with vanity registration numbers, again with up to six characters. On the second generation Chesapeake plate, the bird on the left side of the graphic would be omitted if necessary to make room for characters. In such cases, I suppose that it's possible that the embossed wheelchair symbol might then go on the left side of the serial, rather than on the right. |
That's a fair question. The original intent apparently was to create a distinct class for truck-based passenger vehicles. When this class was created in 1979, it included full-sized passenger vans, truck-based wagons such as the Chevy Suburban, SUVs (which were all truck-based at the time), motor homes, and not-for-hire buses. Inexplicably, all three-wheeled vehicles were also lumped into the multi-purpose vehicle (MPV) category.
As the lines between car and truck have become blurred over the years, the multi-purpose vehicle class has expanded to include just about any passenger vehicle that isn't a sedan or a traditional station wagon. Also now included in this class are all passenger mini-vans, car-based SUVs, tall wagon-like vehicles (often called "crossover vehicles" by the automotive industry), and so on. Enclosed three-wheeled vehicles are still considered MPVs, but recently, open three-wheeled vehicles have been reclassified as motorcycles.
With the proliferation of all these vehicle types as personal vehicles, the MPV plate type has run a close second place to passenger cars in terms of number of plates issued for many years now.
![]() Early MPV issued with a 1979 sticker under the 1980 ![]() Late issue 1980 MPV
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Standard base MPV platesMaryland introduced the multi-purpose vehicle plate type on the red and white base in early 1979. I remember encountering my first MPV plate on a snowy day at my university campus. Prior to this time, passenger vans, SUVs, motor homes, and private buses such as church buses were issued regular passenger car plates, and at least some three-wheeled vehicles were issued motorcycle plates. The only serial format on this base was Z 00000, and the embossed legend MPV adorned the bottom center of the plates. On the red and white base, serials never got beyond the lower numbers of the Z series. I've confirmed that a small number of early MPV plates were issued with 1979 stickers, which expired at the end of March 1979. These would have been issued in January or February 1979. Plate number Z 00064, shown at left, has a blue 1979 sticker under the red 1980 sticker (on which the red is unfortunately flaking off). The vast majority of red on white MPV plates, however, had natural 1980 stickers which expired at the end of March 1980. In March 1980, the black and white all-embossed base replaced the red and white base, but had the same serial format and legend. Serial format was again Z 00000, but as mini-vans and small SUVs were introduced in the early- and mid-1980s, this class became increasingly popular and the Z series was exhausted. A new Y 00000 format was introduced fairly late in the life of the black and white base, but it had already reached the upper serial numbers when this base was discontinued in early 1986. On both of these standard bases, various special plate types that were assigned to a multi-purpose vehicle carried the MPV legend at the bottom. These special plate types include plates issued to handicapped persons, vanity plates, and possibly other types as well. These special MPV plate types are addressed more fully in their respective special plate articles. |
![]() 1987 350th anniversary MPV version 1 ![]() 1985 350th anniversary MPV version 2 |
Special interest MPV platesThe multi-purpose vehicle class was introduced too late to get a version of the optional U.S. Bicentennial plate. However, the optional 350th anniversary base, introduced in mid-year 1983, was made available for multi-purpose vehicles. The serial format was initially 00000 X, but for no apparent reason was later changed to 00000X without a space separator. In both cases the actual letter "X" was constant. This 350th anniversary plate type did not have a shield separator; apparently the manufacturing process was set up only to apply the shield graphic to the center of the plate. That may help to explain why the MPV version of the extra-cost 350th anniversary base was a slow seller. There was no legend identifying the vehicle type, since the bottom of the plate was used for the 350th Anniversary legend. (By the way, the sticker on the 1985 plate shown at left was applied in the wrong location; it actually belongs in the lower right corner of the plate.) |
![]() 1993 MPV, version 1 ![]() 2007 MPV, version 4 ![]() 2008 MPV, version 5, made by New Jersey (plate in actual use) |
Standard base MPV platesMulti-purpose vehicle (MPV) plates have been issued in a variety of serial formats on the standard script Maryland base. In all cases, however, the serials consist of seven characters – the letter "M" in various positions, which identifies the vehicle class, and six numeric digits. With seven serial characters, there's no room for a shield separator. MPV plates were initially assigned serial format 000000M on this base, with no legend at the bottom. This format was exhausted in the late 1990s, and format M000000 was introduced. This second format was also exhausted in 2002, and a third format 000M000 was issued through April 2007, until it too was used up. New plates are now being issued in format 00000M0. All of these formats remain in use. Early in 2005, the legend www.maryland.gov was added to the bottom of standard base MPV plates beginning at about serial 480M000. MPV plates made with strange-looking, squared-off plate numbers were issued for a few months beginning in October 2006. Maryland arranged for New Jersey to stamp out over 30,000 pairs of plates for them, including 15,000 pairs of MPV plates, due to the Maryland plate manufacturing facility at the state prison in Jessup being shut down for three weeks due to inmate unrest. New Jersey used their own serial dies, which are much more square-shaped than than the rounded Maryland die characters. The serial number range for New Jersey-made MPV plates is 895M000 to 909M999. The Maryland dies reappeared in November 2006 at serial 910M000, but New Jersey die MPV plates continued to be issued at least into December 2006, and possibly into early 2007.
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![]() First generation Chesapeake MPV unstickered front plate |
Special interest MPV platesMulti-purpose vehicles were able to obtain the optional green on white Treasure the Chesapeake environmental plates issued from 1990 through 2003. Serial format xxx*00x was used uniquely for multi-purpose vehicle plates; with only six characters, there was room for the blue heron bird graphic in the center of the plate. All serial characters were variable, but this plate never got out of the early A series; specifically, up to AEY*99W, according to one report. Again, there was no legend to identify the vehicle type. Although no longer issued, these plates remain in use. Multi-purpose vehicles may also obtain plates made on the optional Our Farms, Our Future agricultural base and the revised black on blue Treasure the Chesapeake environmental base. However, there is not a distinct serial format or range for multi-purpose vehicles on either of these two bases, but rather, cars, multi-purpose vehicles, light trucks, and taxis all share the same formats and serial ranges. These plates are addressed in greater detail on the approrpriate Maryland passenger car plate history page. |
Antique and historic vehicles and street rods are restricted use registration classes, as vehicles registered as such are permitted to be driven only occassionally. These plate types have a sufficient history to warrant their own section on this page, however. Farm area vehicles are also restricted use vehicles, since they may only be drive in a ten mile radius from the farm to which they're registered. Since this isn't a personal vehicle plate type, they're not addressed on this page; you can read about them on the Maryland truck plate history page.
That leaves two other restricted use plate types that may be used for personal vehicles, which are covered below.
![]() (Ellis photo of plate in actual use) |
Low speed vehicle plates were introduced in January 2006. A low speed vehicle is defined as a four-wheeled electric vehicle designed to carry no more than four people, with a maximum speed between 20 and 25 miles per hour, that meets certain federal safety standards. In some other states these are referred to as "neighborhood electric vehicles". The plates make these vehicles street-legal. However, golf carts are explicitly not eligible for low speed vehilce plates, probably because they don't meet the safety standards. Two full-sized plates are issued, with a bizarre 000R00 serial format, with no shield separator and no spaces between any of the characters. This serial format is otherwise only used for motorcycle plates, using different letters. Apportioned truck and bus plates also use the same pattern of numbers and letters, with still different letters, but they have a shield separator dividing the serial number in half. It seems to me that perhaps these were intended to be issued on motorcycle-sized plates, but someone somewhere got their wires crossed. The plates bear the legend Low Speed Vehicle along the bottom. Plate numbers began at 000R01. Low speed vehicles can be either personal-use or commercial-use vehicles. Fellow plate spotter Jeff Ellis has seen several low speed vehicles bearing these plates in use at Baltimore's Inner Harbor, including at least one being used as a taxi. |
Island vehicles have been required to display license plates since October 1, 2006. These are vehicles that are driven only on islands that have no highway access to the mainland, regardless of vehicle type or usage. Therefore, island vehicles may be either commercial or personal vehicles. I gather that prior to this date, island vehicles were usually driven without any plates. Registration fees for island vehicle plates are negligible.
Island vehicles share registration class "K" with farm area vehicles, and both are issued the same plates with serial format 000*00K. However, farm area vehicle plates have been issued on this base since 1986. In all likelihood, any class K plate without a legend would have only been used on a farm area vehicle; a class K plate with the state web site legend might have been used either on an island vehicle or a farm area vehicle.
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Vanity plates were first made available on the dated 1971 base for both cars and trucks, with a maximum of six characters. I recall that vanity plates were not available when this base was introduced in 1970, but rather were introduced a short time later, approximately in 1971. There was no way to distinguish a vanity plate issued to a car versus a truck on this base. |
![]() 1977 passenger car vanity (O'Connor photo / plate) |
Standard base vanity platesVanity plates were again available for both cars and trucks on the standard-issue 1976 and 1981 bases; however, truck vanities have the legend Truck embossed at the bottom center of the plate. Vanity plates were first available for historic vehicles on the 1976 red number base, with the legend Historic at the bottom. Vanities plates were offered for multi-purpose vehicles with MPV at the bottom of the plate, at least on the black on white 1981 base and probably also on the earlier red on white base. I believe that the maximum number of characters remained at six on these bases. Vanity plates were issued to both regular motorcycles and historic motorcycles starting with the black on white 1981 base, with a maximum of six and four characters, respectively. Historic motorcycle plates, whether sequentially numbered or vanities, were rather strange looking, with Md. Historic across the top of the plate. |
![]() 1980 Bicentennial passenger car vanity |
Special interest vanity platesVanity plates were made available for passenger vehicles on the optional U.S. Bicentennial base. They were also offered for both passenger cars and multi-purpose vehicles on the optional 350th anniversary base; however, the shield logo was omitted on all 350th anniversary vanity plates regardless of the number or spacing of characters on the plate. Vanity 350th anniversary plates issued to MPVs did not have any legend to distinguish them from their passenger car counterparts. The maximum number of characters on these bases was most likely also six. |
![]() 1988 regular vanity ![]() Regular vanity unstickered front plate ![]() 2009 street rod vanity (plate in actual use) ![]() 2008 historic motorcycle vanity (Sallmen photo of plate in use) |
Standard base vanity platesVanity plates are available for cars, multi-purpose vehicles, light-duty trucks, and light-duty trailers on the current, standard-issue base. The maximum number of characters and spaces is seven. Vanity registrations are also available on full-sized handicapped plates and on regular motorcycle plates, but with a maximum of six characters in both cases. For all of these vanity plate types, there is nothing on the plate to indicate the vehicle type. Older plates have no legend at all, and newer ones issued within the past few years have the state web site address at the bottom. I don't know whether handicapped motorcyclist plates can be ordered with vanity registration numbers, or what the maximum number of characters might be. Vanity plates are also available on historic and street rod plates, both the full-sized and motorcycle versions; these do have the appropriate legend identifying the vehicle type at the bottom of the plate. On the full-sized plates, the maximum number of characters and spaces is seven, and on the motorcycle plates, the limit is six. The shield logo is omitted on all vanities on all standard bases, regardless of the number or spacing of characters on the plate. |
![]() 1999 first generation Chesapeake vanity ![]() 2007 first generation Chesapeake vanity (plate in actual use) ![]() 2007 Our Farms vanity (plate in actual use) ![]() 2008 second generation Chesapeake vanity (plate in actual use) |
Special interest vanity platesVanity registrations may also be had on the various optional bases. Vanity plates are available for cars, multi-purpose vehicles, light-duty trucks, and light-duty trailers on both the Treasure the Chesapeake and Our Farms, Our Future special interest bases. For these types of vehicles, there is nothing on the plates to indicate the vehicle type. The maximum number of characters is seven. The blue heron graphic was omitted on all first generation, green-lettered Chesapeake vanity plates, regardless of the number or spacing of characters on the plate. On the current, second generation, black-on-blue Chesapeake plate, the bird graphic is normally to the far left, rather than centered. Therefore, Chesapeake vanity plates with six or fewer characters and spaces retain the bird graphic, but those with seven characters and spaces have the bird omitted from the plate. Special interest handicapped plates are also available with vanity registration numbers up to six characters. On the second generation Chesapeake plate, the bird on the left side of the graphic would be omitted if necessary to make room for characters. In such cases, I suppose that it's possible that the embossed wheelchair symbol might then go on the left side of the serial, rather than on the right. |
Elsewhere on the web |
Thanks to those who have directly contributed to the information on this page: Jeff Ellis, Christopher Jackson, Mike Sells, Tim O'Connor, Dave Hennessey, and "Tiger" Joe Sallmen.
O'Connor photographs © copyright by Tim O'Connor. All rights reserved. Used with
permission.
Sells, Sallmen, and Ellis photographs are presumed to be copyrighted by Mike Sells, Joe Sallmen, and Jeff Ellis,
respectively, and are used with permission.
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