Texas License Plates

The new 2009 7 character base is now in use. Current supplies of the ABC-123 base will still be issued until they are exhausted. The new base will be mainly for new registrations, but anyone may pay an additional fee to upgrade to the new plates. Otherwise, existing plates will be replaced by the new base after they have been in use for 7 years. The format of the new issue is BC1-D234.

Vincent Perillo reports that around the BT series, the color on the Texas Sky has changed to a darker more true blue color.

True blue low: BT2-G896
True blue high: BW9-T969
After this the color returned to the normal shade with more green in it as was seen on the BB-BS series until the shade changed dramatically at CJ3.
Original blue low: BW9-V863

Gregory McWaters reported that the blue sky has been lightened around the CJ series to enhance legibility. He reports the blue Texas sky is more cloudy or maybe it would be better to describe as "hazy". Very little blue remains except at the top edge. The license number is completely on a white backround. The Davis mountain range remains along with the red and dark blue in the top left along with the lone star. "TEXAS" is outlined in a thin line of blue to help it stand out.

Variations:
Darker blue sky: CJ3-V989 Truck darker blue sky: AX3-7762
Lighter blue sky: CJ3-W031 Truck lighter blue sky: AX8-nnnn

David Wilson sent us this information from the TX DOT website (note especially the reference to the small circled number at the bottom of the plates):

• Mar 2006. The Vehicle Titles and Registration Division is beginning a statewide program to replace all exempt license plates that are seven (7) years old and older. Plates replaced under this program will be remade with the same plate number and will reflect a two-digit plate replacement year identifier. The new design will be used only on remakes until the previous design inventory is exhausted. After the initial replacement, we estimate that 40,000 exempt plates will be replaced annually as plates reach seven (7) years of age. Currently, exempt license plates are replaced only if they are lost, stolen or mutilated. Due to the reflectivity diminishing, a replacement year identifier will now be placed on the exempt license plates. This identifier corresponds to seven (7) years from the year when the exempt license plates were manufactured. This also serves as a reminder to exempt agencies that the exempt plates need to be replaced.


• Apr 2006. The color of the replacement year identifier has been changed from red to blue as it can be printed on the sheeting by the manufacturer, which will save both time and cost in the plate production.


• Dec 2006. Seven digits instead of six. The Texas Department of Transportation has moved to the issuance of seven-digit plates due to the limited availability of six-digit sequence numbers. The issuance of the new plate will begin when the exempt plates are issued by the counties, which is scheduled for early December 2006. All currently issued six-digit plates will remain valid. The new patterns for the exempt plates are: 100*0001 - 899*9999 Double Exempt; 900*0001 - 999*9999 Single Exempt.


• Jan 2007. Standard exempt plates are seven-digit plates with the word "Exempt" at the top of each plate, along with a replacement year identifier at the bottom of each plate. Standard Exempt license plate registration does not expire; however, the replacement year identifier will serve as a reminder to the exempt agency that the plates should be replaced due to the loss of reflectivity. The county tax office will also process regular exempt license plates that expire annually. Regular exempt license plates are general issue license plates issued in an exempt agency's name.


• MOTORCYCLE, Jul 2006. Redesign of the exempt motorcycle license plate. The new plate has the replacement year identifier.