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Virginia does not use I, O, or Q on standard Passenger plates.

Rental cars now use standard Passenger plates, but with white on orange year stickers representing rental cars. New stickers for 3 year registrations are now appearing with "12" expirations in white on mint green.
Type Plate Notes Reporter
Original Passenger XGW-1002 Backwards issue from ZZZ-9999. This series is once again being issued since the end of the Jamestown plate.
ZZZ-9999 was spotted by Reid Williamson. Remember that this is a backwards issue, so the high actually appears to be the low! The lowest (which in this case is really the highest) reported prior to the beginning of the Jamestown plate was XYN-1108. The highest (which is really the lowest) reported since the end of the Jamestown plate was XXP-8521. Are you confused yet?
The former Rxx series that was used for Rental a few years ago seems to be resurfacing as a standard issue. It appears that Virginia wants to use the leftover stock rather than throwing them out. RAK-3500 was reported by Bradley Gallagher on 2010-04-03. 		Eric Forman
8/20/10
Passenger (Jamestown) KNP-9975 The "Jamestown: America's 400th Anniversary" is no longer being issued. The original plain passenger series with the state name in blue has returned with the same backwards issue as before.
The original 400th Anniversary issue started at JAA-nnnn and ran with a forward progression to KCW-nnnn. The redesigned issue ran from KCX-nnnn to KNP-nnnn, then the original passenger series resumed.
The JO-, JQ-, and KK- series were skipped. It was the first Virginia regular issue to have a slogan. Note: JAA through about JAJ had the slogan on a sticker. All plates from JAM and up have a screened slogan, or so we thought until Bearguy spotted a JAT series with the sticker missing. State name has been appearing in blue or red without any obvious pattern Here is what has been seen: JAA - JAX blue ... JAY - JBE red
Christopher F. reports JAY-1204 as the lowest original Jamestown with Virginia in red, JDL-9950 as the highest reported Jamestown with Virginia in blue. 		Christopher F.
3/19/08
Non-passenger Plates
Antique (black/white) B3029 This style of Antique plate is still available, but an alternate style (below) is also available. Dave Edmondson reports seeing these plates in several formats (nnnaa, aannn, and annnn), but he notes that the first letter is always A. However, now the letter B is being used. A3769 was reported by him.
Antique Motorcycle (black/white) 1817A reported 2007-07-21 Dave Edmondson 		Dave Edmondson
7/20/10
Antique (blue/yellow) 4424BQ New series after the initial run reached 99999. This format was introduced in 2002. The black/white style Antique plate (above) is still available.
Antique Motorcycle (blue/yellow) 2608Q reported 2007-05-19 Dave Edmondson 		Dave Edmondson
4/26/10
Clean Special Fuel CY3138 For alternative fuel vehicles, including hybrids. CX suffix appears to have been introduced after 9999CF, then CZ, and now CY is appearing. CY 1001 seems to be the next series after 9999CY.
The original Virginia Clean Special Fuel plate design had the dies to the right, and "CLEAN SPECIAL FUEL" screened in small capital letters. CZ was the last series on the original design. The redesigned plate (first issued in November 2006), which has the dies to the left, has "Clean Special Fuel" screened in larger mixed-case letters.
Tom Castelli reports that the original series (through CZ) allows vehicles with those plates to use HOV lanes in Northern Virginia without the normally required number of passengers. However, with the redesigned plates, it is still necessary to meet HOV-2 or HOV-3 requirements as posted. The way it is stated is "Vehicles with Clean Special Fuel plates issued before such-and-such date are allowed in HOV lanes... etc."
Clean Special Fuel Handicapped - 341F (wheelchair to left of serial)
Bradley Gallagher
5/07/10
Dealer 110-321D Original numbering format: D 12-345
Second numbering format was 12-345 D before it expanded to 7 characters to 100-000D in early 2006.
Dave Edmondson reports a low of 1 D. 		Christopher F.
7/20/08
Drive-Away Permit
D
A
16-043 		Now uses the serifed dies. Bradley Gallagher
10/25/09
Emergency Vehicle 8869 EV Standard passenger base with "Emergency Vehicle" screened caption, not off-white like Local Gov't or blue like State Gov't plates Eric Forman
3/11/09
Equipment
E
Q
19-001 		Earlier plates had the wide dies, this has the serifed dies. Tom Castelli
8/25/09
For Hire E 35-659 Tour Bus Dave Edmondson
4/08/09
Handicapped ISA361103 The recent Handicapped plate used the original passenger base with the wheelchair symbol on left. Willie C. Brock, Jr.
11/13/09
Handicapped - Jamestown
ISA42825
H
P
 Numbering on the Jamestown base likely started at 10000 H/P. This type is no longer being issued since standard Handicapped plates have reverted to the original Passenger base with the wheelchair symbol on the left. Christopher F.
4/09/08
Independent Dealer
I
D
97-854 		"INDEPENDENT DEALER" (in all capital letters) on bottom. Christopher F.
8/06/07
Local Government 160-106L Most local government vehicles have the "L" suffix. All of them have "OFFICIAL LOCAL GOVERNMENT USE ONLY" on the bottom. The original numbering format for the standard Local Government plate was 12-345L. Early Local Government plates have the wide dies, while the later ones have the narrow dies. The standard Local Government plates expanded to 7 characters after the original format reached 99-999L.
Bearguy reports what appears to be a "Clean Fuel" version of a Local Government plate, as suggested by the CF prefix and the fact that it was on a Ford Escape Hybrid. The plate number was CF-10131 on the standard Local Government plate in tan with blue characters. Bradley Gallagher reports a similar plate, 10168CY on a Ford Escape Hybrid owned by Arlington Co.
CNG plates are also in use for Local Government vehicles using compressed natural gas in the CNG-nnnL series.
Local Goverment Motorcycle plates are in the same colors as the full size version. Dave Edmondson reports 1712L on 2008-11-06. 		Bradley Gallagher
5/21/10
Manufacturer
H
Q
10-326 		Dave Edmondson
6/14/09
Motorcycle 641426 Motorcycle tags used to be in the 900000s, then five digits, and then six digits beginning with 3 or 4. The six-digit sequence is shared with handicapped and great-seal tags.
260MAC - Mountain Scene high 2010-03-21 Dave Edmondson
Handicapped MC - Q502 (wheelchair embossed to right of serial) 2009-07-11 Tom Castelli
Temporary MC - V373 490 2009-11-05 Bradley Gallagher 		Dave Edmondson
6/24/10
Permanent Farm Vehicle 13-114F Dave Edmondson
7/26/09
Permanent Trailer
284-641
T
L
 T/L suffix is stacked on right side. This series follows the series ending at 999-999T/R
There is also a smaller Permanent Trailer series the same size as Motorcycle, and with the same dies. The high is8052 Z/E
Permanent Trailer plates on rental trailers now have orange stickers with "R" on them. 		Dave Edmondson
7/24/10
Permanent Truck
93-299
T
A
 Dave Edmondson
5/21/10
Permanent Truck For Hire
31-202
H
A
 Dave Edmondson
1/27/10
Rental Truck
R
B
13-nnn 		Uses white on orange Rental Car stickers. Tom Castelli
6/22/09
State Government 58-244S Standard State Government plates have a light blue background with blue characters. Most state government vehicles have the "S" suffix. All of them have "OFFICIAL STATE USE ONLY" on the bottom. Early State Government plates have the wide dies, while the later ones have the narrow dies. Bearguy reports State Government plates in the standard format, except with narrow dies, for cars using compressed natural gas. These plates are in the CNG-nnnS series and he spotted CNG-283S. Eric Forman
1/11/10
Street Rods SR072 Skipper Horner
5/23/10
Taxi H517803 Has "FOR HIRE" on bottom. "H" prefix is constant.
The H500000 series is apparently for limousines and the like. Taxis are H100000 (with year sticker) or 100000H (permanent.) H124101 is the high for the stickered type. 101905H is the high for the permanent type.
Another "FOR HIRE" type reported by Dave Edmondson has a design like the passenger state seal tags, except with "FOR HIRE" embossed on the bottom. Started with HAA suffix. The high for that type is 118-HAD. 		Dave Edmondson
6/19/10
Temporary (30 Day) F317 050 Red on White cardboard, issued in pairs. Jumped from C series to E, now F. This type is issued by New/Used Dealers, as opposed to "Multi-Use" blue on white cardboard Temporaries that are issued by the DMV.
Multi-Use high: 153-352M New series, seemingly after 999-999 reached. Smaller font size: numbers are now the same size as the 30 day Temp plates.
A new type of Temporary just started to appear in March 2010. This type has dark green characters on a white background and uses the letter "Q" in the first position. We don't know yet how this type differs from the far more common red type.
Green high - Q110-556 2010-03-05 Bradley Gallagher
"Print on Demand" Temporary - 47125B 2010-08-06 Dave Edmondson
Most "POD" plates display the Virginia DMV logo, but a few display the dealer logo. 		Bradley Gallagher
8/05/10
Tow Truck 10-558 WT "TOW TRUCK" in capital letters embossed on top. Dave Edmondson
6/07/09
Truck
T
X
88-602 		For trucks over 7,500 lbs gvwr; small trucks have passenger-car plates.

Separate series for tractors; embossed "VA TRACTOR P" across top -
Y/A52-002 2010-08-20 Dave Edmondson 		Dave Edmondson
8/21/10
Truck For Hire
H
A
120-nnn 		Dave Edmondson
1/28/10
Specialty Plates
Bicycle Enthusiast 1991BI "SHARE THE ROAD" in dark blue across bottom, bicycle logo inside yellow warning sign to right of registration characters. Ken Reager
10/31/09
Cardinal ZM-2019 Cardinal Handicapped high - U5397 (wheelchair symbol on right) 2007-11-01 Christopher F. Bear Guy
4/17/10
Crab C76978 The actual name for this plate is Chesapeake Bay. Eric Forman
4/26/10
Disabled Veteran
D
V
36139 		This plate has the handicapped symbol embossed on the left & "Disabled Veteran" screened at the bottom. The state name is screened in red. Original numbering format: D/V 12-345 (with wide dies) Christopher F.
10/09/09
Eastern Shore 718 0ES Bradley Gallagher
1/22/10
Fight Terrorism
9710
P
D
 First available in 2002, original format was 1234 F/T; second format was 1234 A/L; third format was 1234 F/D; fourth format was 1234 A/N; fifth format was 1234 F/R. Now issuing 1234 P/D. Note: This is a BACKWARDS (numerically) issue...maybe!
There is also a Motorcycle version of this issue with a stacked F/W suffix embossed to right of serial. Same 9/11 logo as the passenger car version, screened to left of serial.
High - 357 F/W 2009-06-17 Tom Castelli 		Christopher F.
7/21/08
Great Seal 706-111 Chris Cargill reports seeing Great Seal 900-900 on 2005-12-28. This was undoubtedly issued to a person with connections!
Bradley Gallagher reports 118-HAD as a Great Seal (For Hire) 		Dave Edmondson
2/15/10
I'm Animal Friendly 6848AB Original numbering format: 1234CD
Christopher F.
5/08/09
Jamestown specialty 20481Y The Y suffix seems to have appeared after the initial run reached 99999J. Dave Edmondson
7/23/10
Kids First 4779KG Series started with 1001KF Bear Guy
4/17/10
Leaves 2652-BBE (BAD not seen)
Original Leaves Type High 9087-AAD
Leaves Handicapped - M1nnnn
As with the other common optional issues, handicapped plates are issued with wheelchair at left and a one-letter, 5-number serial. Leaves uses the M series. 		Eric Forman
3/26/10
Lighthouse 9801MG From Bearguy: No apparent order on these any more. Have seen LF, LT, LP, LJ, LH, LG, LI, LK, LM, MA, ME, and now MG! VA-DMV says they can't tell me what order they were released. It is unknown if they used MB, MC, and/or MD in between since none have been seen yet, but MC is being used on United We Stand plates, so it is possible only those plates are using MC. Christopher F.
12/25/08
Mountains AEJ-5023 This plate is known as the "Scenic" plate.
The Scenic Mountains optional issue is issued in the J12345 format with a wheelchair embossed to the left of the serial.
Mountains - Handicapped - J18529
As with the other common optional issues, handicapped plates are issued with wheelchair at left and a one-letter, 5-number serial. Mountains uses the J series. 		Eric Forman
6/30/10
National Guard
23216
N
G
 Dave Edmondson
10/03/09
Parrotheads 4606JB Bear Guy
1/17/06
Patriot 238AEA Bradley Gallagher
8/05/10
Ride Sharing PV4-151 Bradley Gallagher
11/30/09
United We Stand 3912UP Progression: nnnnUW, nnnnUS, nnnnMC, now nnnnUP.
United We Stand - Motorcycle (stacked prefix screened, serial embossed) - U/W 933 		Christopher F.
9/12/08
Williamsburg 1113WA "1699" and "1999" (both in italics) are screened on the lower left and right corners, respectively, with "WILLIAMSBURG" (in capital letters) screened on the bottom. Christopher F.
11/27/08