Louisiana License Plates

Louisiana High Plates	Print

Early pelican plates had a longer state name that extends under the right bolt hole. Also, there was a watermark thread running through the head of the pelican. The design was modified slightly to move the thread to the right side of the plate so it would not run through the pelican. In the process, the state name was shortened enough that it ends before the bolt hole. NGK 569 was spotted in the original design with the longer state name. NMC 680 was spotted in the newer design with the shorter state name.

Type	Plate	Notes	Reporter
Pelican (std issue)	VCF 475	The Q and U series were skipped. This is the new standard issue graphic with the pelican. It began with the NFV series. Chuck Crisler reports that OK/OL/OM prefixes have a larger Louisiana "lipstick" logo. There may be others as well. Wally Punzmann reports OJV 078 with the larger state name and security watermark thread down the middle. Bradley Gallagher reports a pelican with the larger state name in the NFX series.	Francis Lapeyre 8/24/10
Louisiana Purchase	MSN 413	This was the standard issue plate for two years, in the KKR through MSN series. The lowest reported Purchase plate is KLL 586.	Wally Punzmann 10/04/09
Plain	NYT 587	The plain style regular issue ended in the middle of the K series when the Louisiana Purchase issue began, but the plain style returned in the MTE through NFS series. Plain high before Louisiana Purchase - KKW 056	Chuck Crisler 12/26/04
Non-passenger Plates
Antique	AT13558		Bradley Gallagher 1/02/09
Apportioned	P197990	PWR PERMANENT APP across bottom. First appeared in 2001 around P12nnnnn, issued annually prior to that.	Francis Lapeyre 5/21/10
Boat Trailer	K120215	Only for boat trailers with under a 1500 lb. GVWR. Anything larger must have a regular Trailer plate.	Francis Lapeyre 12/12/09
Commercial	N278950	These used to be in the A prefix, which is exhausted. Mostly rental cars. The early A prefixes were Taxi. The early N prefixes were motor home. Previous commercial series was A200000-A799999. Used (formerly) on autos registered to corporations, now mostly found on rental cars.	Kyle Wasson 8/28/10
Dealer	DI59142	Issued to new and used auto dealers. Plates can be transferred between dealer-owned vehicles. Lipstick design, with "DEALER" embossed on bottom. Renewed annually in December with validation sticker.	Francis Lapeyre 5/11/10
Handicapped	322423	Has small "wheelchair" symbol to the left of serial (in the state's OMV database with an H prefix; the H is printed on the validation sticker, but only the wheelchair symbol is on the plate.) Plain "Lipstick" base. This number series started in 1974.	Francis Lapeyre 7/15/10
Hire Passenger	A821876	This plate is issued to commercial buses that carry passengers for hire, taxis, and limousines. Hire Taxi and Hire Bus plates used to be in the in the A0xxxxx range. Now, both classes are issued "Hire Passenger" plates in this range. Lipstick design	Francis Lapeyre 1/27/10
Motorcycle	492197	This series has been running since the 1980s.	Francis Lapeyre 4/25/10
Private Truck	X737581	Used on SUVs, vans, pickups. Started in 1978 as the T series. Progressed in this order: T, R, S, V, W, and now X. Y may not be used because it was used for Apportioned 5 year Trailer (mostly rental) in the 80s and 90s. That class of Trailer was discontinued in 2001, replaced by a Trailer plate with a PERM sticker for $70, or $10/year with a 1 year or 4 year registration. Embossed PRIVATE legend replaced by screened "Sportman's Paradise" slogan somewhere in mid-W series.	Francis Lapeyre 7/12/10
Public	229301	Statewide issue for all vehicles of any class owned by government entities (state, parish, or city). Permanent plate with no validation sticker, on the plain Lipstick base. Has the word "PUBLIC" stacked vertically to the left of the serial (plates below 100000 had "PUBLIC" stacked diagonally, slanting down to the right). Series has been running since 1974. Public - Handicapped - 1555 (wheelchair logo before number)	Francis Lapeyre 6/11/10
School Bus	A102071	Another plate in the "A" range. This plate is issued to school buses that are not publicly owned. (All publicly-owned vehicles, regardless of class, have Public plates.)	Francis Lapeyre 9/16/09
Temporary	14096194	Black on White	David Wilson 7/12/10
Tow-Recovery	B012176	Reflective white on red embossed plate issued to tow trucks. Renewed with sticker annually in June.	Francis Lapeyre 4/21/08
Trailer	L328949	There are two classes of Trailer (Boat Trailer and Light Semi-Trailer) that are in the late D series, but they are rare. Most trailers have regular Trailer plates, presumably because it costs less to get a $70 permanent registration than to pay anuually for these types. It appears Boat Trailer was exhausted, so now they are appearing in the K00nnnn range and they are still very rare. Light Semi-Trailer is rare because it's for trailers under 500 lb GVWR. Boat Trailer plates must have a GVWR of less than 1500 lbs., but they aren't available with a PERM sticker. It appears that D Trailer plates went through D499999, and then advanced to E000000-E999999, then L000000 to present.	Francis Lapeyre 4/22/10
Truck	B701174	This plate series started at B100000 in June 1983. Old style was white on powder blue; currently on the plain Lipstick base. It is issued to heavy trucks (private and commercial), vans, and SUVs. Embossed TRUCK legend replaced by screened "Sportsman's Paradise" slogan somewhere around 500000.	Francis Lapeyre 11/09/09
Specialty Plates
Air Force Veteran	AF 3710		John Linahan 12/21/07
American Indian	A I 471	Issuance of specialty plates has evidently resumed after several year legal hiatus.	Chuck Crisler 10/20/06
Animal Friendly	F A 351		Francis Lapeyre 5/26/10
Army Veteran	3875		John Linahan 12/31/07
Bear Environ.	B B 7201		Francis Lapeyre 7/08/10
Choose Life	C L 1601	Has an image of a pelican (instead of a stork) flying with baby in a bundle. "Choose Life" in blue "crayon" script at bottom.	Francis Lapeyre 7/25/10
Disabled Veteran	DV16866	This is a permanent plate on the lipstick base (no validation sticker.) Plates below DV10000 have a dash separator after DV.	Francis Lapeyre 7/08/10
Ducks Unlimited	D U 904		Chuck Crisler 11/28/06
Educator	E D 1050	Plate is available only to teachers who received their degree from a Louisiana university.	John Linahan 12/31/07
Ex-Prisoner of War	X P 1034	Features flag and "XPOW" on left	Smail 1/12/08
Girl Scouts	30	"For Her Future" across bottom.	Francis Lapeyre 12/18/09
In God We Trust	T G 173	Plate features the American flag above the Louisiana flag. Seen on Plateshack Y2K	Willie C. Brock, Jr. 1/17/10
Louisiana Agriculture	A G 996	Sun, Field, Tractor on left, "Agriculture... Growing our Future" across bottom	Bradley Gallagher 1/02/09
LSU	25158	New LSU plate incorporating light purple tiger stripes on white background. Low-numbered plates (in the 1000 range) have been seen re-made on the new base. OMV may be replacing the older base on renewal (or upon request.)	Francis Lapeyre 6/30/10
Pelican Environ.	E E 12795		Chuck Crisler 10/07/07
Professional Firefighter	PF 6001		Francis Lapeyre 11/12/09
Purple Heart	P H 6990		Francis Lapeyre 1/25/10
Quail Unlimited	B U 323	Tree on left, bobwhite on right, "Bring Back the Bobwhite" across bottom	Smail 12/06/07
Save America's Wetland	A W 4		Chuck Crisler 9/28/08
Tulane University	1204		John Linahan 12/24/07
UL Lafayette	3008	New design to accommodate new university name. New plate incorporates black into red and white fleur-de-lis design.	John Linahan 9/01/07
Volunteer Firefighter	V F 1606	"Vol Fire Fighter" across bottom	Smail 11/27/07
White Tail Deer	W D 2079	White Tail Deer over red colored Louisiana on left, "Preserve our Hunting Heritage" across the bottom	Francis Lapeyre 6/07/10
Wild Turkey	W T 412		11/27/06

Louisiana High Plates