- Vehicle registration plates of Connecticut
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The U.S. state of Connecticut began requiring its residents to display license plates on their motor vehicles in 1905. Since then, Connecticut 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 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. (Windshield stickers were no longer required beginning in 2010.) 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 the leading digit in its plates, with the exception of dealer plates.
Contents
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.
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 passenger vehicle plates at 6 inches (high) by 12 inches (wide), 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 through 1963 and with stickers from 1964 through 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 "CONNECTICUT" 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 "CONNECTICUT" at top, slogan at bottom, and a silhouette of Connecticut in the top left. These were retired during the same period as their predecessors. Validated with stickers.
2000–present: Navy on screened blue, white, and navy with "CONNECTICUT" at top, slogan at bottom, and a sihouette in the top left. Validation stickers issued through August 2006 for expirations through August 2008. Windshield stickers were issued beginning September 2006 through September 2010. Connecticut has the technology able to scan the registration plates which is the reason for no more windshield registration stickers. The current Connecticut base plate was issued beginning in January 2000 to new registrants. In September 2000, motorists with existing white-on-blue plates were issued new plates bearing their plate permutation, meaning that permutations issued 1957 can be seen on the current base plates.
From 1980 through 1987, all passenger plates were issued as a rear-only plate. Since then, all passenger plates have been issued in pairs.
Image First issued Description Slogan Serial format Serials issued 
1956 White reflective (glass beads) on blue with border line; CONNECTICUT embossed in rectangular font starting at lower left; registration number in same font at bottom left none 123·456
AB·1234100·000 to 999·999
AA·1000 to NZ·9999
1957 White reflective (glass beads) on blue with border line; CONNECTICUT embossed in rectangular font starting at lower left; registration number sticker at bottom left none 123·456
AB·1234100·000 to 999·999<br<AA·1000 to NZ·9999 1974 Embossed blue on reflective white with border line; CONNECTICUT embossed in wide rectangular font centered below numbers; registration sticker at top right CONSTITUTION STATE embossed in smaller version of plate letters above numbers AB·12341 PA·1000 to TM·9999 1976 Embossed white hite reflective (glass beads) on blue with border line; CONNECTICUT embossed in plain font centered below numbers; registration sticker at bottom right CONSTITUTION STATE embossed in same letters as CONNECTICUT above numbers, spanning entire top of plate AB·12341 TM·1000 to ZZ·9999 1980 123·ABC1 100·AAA to 999·EVX, excluding C series 
1987 Embossed white reflective (glass beads) on blue with border line; CONNECTICUT embossed in plain font centered above numbers; state icon embossed in top left corner; registration sticker at top right CONSTITUTION STATE embossed in same letters as CONNECTICUT below numbers, spanning entire plate 123·ABC1 100·EVY to 999·NZM, excluding I and L series 
2000 Dark blue embossed numbers on reflective sky blue gradient fade with embossed border line; dark blue Connecticut screened in serifed font centered at top, with state icon screened at top left corner; registration sticker at top right Constitution State (same letters as Connecticut but slightly smaller, centered at bottom) 123·ABC2 100·NZN to present, excluding 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]
Current plate types
Non-passenger types
Image Type Serial
formatDesign Notes All Terrain G·1234 Motorcycle-sized. 
Amateur Radio (various) Embossed lightning bolt divider in serial. Preserve the Sound (various) "Constitution State" legend; Ambulance 123
1234Apportioned 12345·A Red serial. Bus 1234 Camp Trailer 123·456 "Camp Tr." legend. Camper 12345
123·456
Combination 1000·CA "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, 1CA·234, and 12C·A34 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
12345Red 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·8123Interstate 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·ABCLetters signify municipality. Municipal - Preserve the Sound 1·AB
12·AB
123·AB
1·ABC
12·ABC
123·ABCUses a "MUNICIPAL CT" sticker in place of validation sticker. Letters signify municipality. Official 1 School Bus 12S34
12A34School 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
12345All-embossed black on orange. Optional issues
Image Type Serial
FormatDesign Notes 
Optional Issues - Passenger 123·ABC
1ABC2Types 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
1ABC2Keep Kids Safe 123·ZZY Previously 123·KID, 123·TOT, 123·ZZZ. Olympic Spirit 123·WIN
1ABC2Police Memorial 123·OFC
1ABC2Preserve 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. 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. 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
Municipality codes
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This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.
State Agency Plates
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This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.
Most state agencies in Connecticut register their vehicles with State plates. The plate starts with a number to represent the agency that owns the vehicle. Some agencies, such as the Connecticut State Police, register some vehicles using regular passenger or combination plates.
Code Agency 1- Department of Motor Vehicles 2- Department of Transportation 5- Department of Administrative Services - Fleet vehicles, leased to other agencies 9- University of Connecticut (UCONN) - Police 36- Western Connecticut State University - Police 46- Eastern Connecticut State University - Police 50- Department of Environmental Protection 56- Department of Public Safety - State Police special vehicles (mobile crime lab, fire investigation unit, etc.) 58- Department of Emergency Management and Homeland Security - CT-TF1 Urban Search & Rescue External links
Categories:- Vehicle registration plates of the United States
- Transportation in Connecticut
- Connecticut-related lists
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