LicensePlates.cc

Iowa License Plates Bookmark and Share

or sign up
Iowa Passenger plates have changed to blue to black screened registration characters, the same as Idaho and Minnesota did previously.

Stickers
11 - black on yellow
12 - black on blue
Type Plate Notes Reporter
Flat 553 ZBM Linn Co.
The early part of the Sxx series was skipped by Passenger since it was used for "Special Plates" - (Limited Use Farm Trucks) and was allocated 000 SAA through 999 SHG. Passenger plates resumed at 000 SHH. U and V series skipped. Plates jumped from TZZ to WAA.
Kyle Ford informs us that there has been a change from blue to black letters/numbers on serial, state, and county name. In Linn Co. the change took place at 000 YRK. In Benton Co. it was in the YPP series. 		Jesse Wodstrchill
1/23/12
Embossed 537 JYC Adair Co.
Dxx and Ixx series were skipped. The D series was used for trailer plates on the previous issue. I, O, and Q are not used in the first position on Iowa plates, but they are used in the second and third position. U and V were used in the second and third position on the original allotment of plates through EFF, but they have not been used in that position since. That means the highest plates with those letters in the third position should be EEU and EEV. Iowa began issuing flat plates in the eight most populous counties (Polk, Linn, Scott, Woodbury, Dubuque, Pottawattamie, Black Hawk, and Johnson) with the HMZ series in Black Hawk Co., although at least one Cxx series flat plate has been reported from Story Co. (likely a test plate.) The other counties continued to issue embossed plates. Dale Schoening has seen 007 JXT as a flat (Emmet Co.). The switch to flat plates in all counties appears to have happened in the JXT-JYC range, although no clean break is identifiable. JXW was issued in both embossed and flat in Jones Co. JXX was issued in both formats in Lee Co. JXY was issued in flats in the early numbers in Lee Co., but Cedar Co. has higher number JXY plates embossed. Adair Co. has embossed JYC plates, but some higher JYC series flats have also been reported. 603 JYC (Davis Co.) was reported by Scott Fenzloff as a flat. All plates have been flat beginning with the JYD series. 		Scott Fenzloff
5/15/10
Non-passenger Plates
DOT Weight Enforcement T391 Black on white with Iowa State Trooper logo to the left of the number. These plates are used by DOT weight enforcement vehicles. As with State Patrol, the plate number is the same as the badge number. Kenneth L. Barton
7/12/11
Handicap X2848 Linn Co.
Started with Cnnnn format, then nnnnC, Jnnnn, nnnnJ, Ynnnn, nnnnY, nnnnZ, Znnnn, Wnnnn, now Xnnnn. Iowa broke format by passing up the nnnnW series, and advancing to the Xnnnn series. 		Jesse Wodstrchill
11/22/11
Motorcycle 2873 NP Dallas Co.
Series started at 0000 GA. Same series is used for untitled trailers. Flat plates are now being used in this type, having started in the high KD series. Dale Schoening reports a flat JE series from Polk Co., but embossed plates have been seen far above that. Black font for registration characters appearing in the NM series.
Motorcycle Veteran: V4030 (Linn Co.) 2011-07-19 Jesse Wodstrchill 		Kenneth L. Barton
11/04/11
Special 712 SFG Polk Co.
Limited Use Farm Truck
This numbering series also includes "Business Trade" plates, issued to vehicles used in such fields as construction, excavation, and heating/cooling/plumbing, etc.
Specials run from 000 SAA through 999 SHG.
Special plates started going flat with SPECIAL on side during the SCN issues. SPECIAL is now appearing in red font.
Passenger plates in the S series used the remaining 000 SHH through 999 SZZ. 		Kyle Ford
12/01/11
State Patrol 480 Black number between two red stars on yellow background. The plate number is the badge number. Scott Fenzloff
7/22/09
Trailer 5789 DQ Polk Co.
Standard size plate used for titled trailers and non-apportioned semi-tractors. Series began at 0000 AA and reportedly changed to flat screened style in the BI series, but Dale Schoening reports 6693 BF from Pottawattamie Co. as a low for flats, and embossed 1902 BG (Boone Co.) and 1345 BH (Marshall Co.) so they must have changed back and forth without a clean break. 		Kenneth L. Barton
11/19/11
Specialty Plates
Cattlemen Care 591CI Warren Co.
Series began at at CA000 and then changed to 000CA. 		Kenneth L. Barton
2/25/09
Eagle MB 023 Black Hawk Co.
Part of the Bird series.
Kenneth Barton reports that Iowa has recalled 1,400 of the new Eagle plates because of complaints from law enforcement agencies that the eagle's wing hinders the view of the letters. New plates are being issued with the eagle rotated so as to not block any letters.
See comments for Bird plates regarding the numbering on these plates. 		Jesse Wodstrchill
8/17/10
Emergency Medical Service 530 EN Polk Co.
Series started at 000 EM. 		Dale Schoening
9/10/10
Fire Fighter F5947 This type does not have a county name.
Numbering system: FFnnn, nnnFF, FDnnn, nnnFD, nnnnF, Fnnnn
Embossed high: 4666F
Flat low: 5478F 		Kenneth L. Barton
10/08/11
Gold Star G0174 Dale Schoening
3/22/10
Iowa State University ISU3778 Plate is school colors, red on yellow. The current high is embossed, but more recent issues are flat. Kenneth L. Barton
8/03/11
National Guard N1220 Flat
Warren Co.
Started at N0000. 		Kenneth L. Barton
4/28/10
Natural Resources NA422 The goldfinch (Iowa's State Bird), eagle, and pheasant plates have been joined by plates depicting a trout and a deer. They are all Natural Resources plates. They are all DNR issues that share the same numbering system. The Goldfinch, Eagle, and Pheasant plates use the same numbering system. The issues of the 3 Bird plates are rotated. They use one number on a base, and than the next issue goes on the next bird plate. Example, ME 125 is Goldfinch, ME 126 will be Eagle, so on as a rotation.
Trout high - MP804 (Marion Co.) 2010-12-26 Kenneth L. Barton 		Jesse Wodstrchill
6/19/11
Organ Donor Awareness 3730U Began with Unnnn, then went to nnnnU. Dale Schoening
5/17/09
Patriotic see notes This plate has been available at least since 2004. The left side of the plate features an outline of the United States with a US flag inside the outline. "God Bless America" appears over the outline. This series started at USnnn, then went to nnnUS, then various letters in the suffix position, including: UA, UB, UD, UE, UK, UP, UQ, UR, US, UT, and UU, but the order of issuance is unknown, so it is impossible to determine a high. Kenneth L. Barton
8/21/08
Purple Heart P2868 Recently made flat Kenneth L. Barton
9/16/10
Retired Armed Services R1189 Rnnnn series. Plate includes emblem of owner's branch of service to the left of the number. Dale Schoening
1/03/11
Share The Road 621 SW Story Co.
Bicycle on left side.
SR, SS, SW, and UN series prefixes also used.
Dale reports a Share The Road version of a Motorcycle plate (935SU) on 2008-10-17.
Note that SW was originally use as a prefix, but now it is appearing as a suffix. Dale reports SR and SS in the suffix position. 		Kenneth L. Barton
4/17/10
Shrine ZC 799 Marion Co.
Series started at ZA 000. 		Dale Schoening
8/16/10
University of Iowa UI 3961 Flat Kenneth L. Barton
8/27/11
University of Northern Iowa UNI0728 Flat
UNI plates went flat in 2003 starting with UNI0600. There have been flat replacements of the original 1989 lower numbers. 		Kenneth L. Barton
8/16/10
Veteran V 4081 Flat
Polk Co.
U.S. Flag on left with "VETERAN" below the flag. 		Dale Schoening
12/14/10