Washington License Plates

Washington License Plates

Washington is now screening specialty plates and has been since March 2005. This includes plates such as the WSU alumni plates (which had been embossed since their initial release back in 1997), Vanpool plates, and vanity plates. The color scheme has not changed and the font used on the screened plates very closely resembles the dies used on embossed plates, so they don't stand out as much as the screened plates in some other states.

As of 2008, vanities are available on specials types, with a different Montana-style font. Also, Frank Astalosh reports that Trailer plates are now available for specialty types with numbering starting at 90000. Mike Kraft advises that specialty types for Motorcycle plates are also available with numbering starting at 95000.

Stickers
11 - white on black
12 - white on blue
13 - white on red

Type	Plate	Notes	Reporter
Passenger	AHD7513	Seven character plates are now in use. The letters I, O, and Q will not be used in the third position on the new 7 character plates. The AGI series is appearing as of early 2012, which is a departure from this policy. At least 2200 plates in the AGI series have been issued in Snohomish County. Paul Petrinovich reports that 3000 of the AGI passenger plates were accidentally made. So as not to waste the material they were issued. Low - AAA0009 2010-08-25 Nick Gallegos Highs spotter Paul Petrinovich has AAA0123. From Andy DeCeunynck - The earliest 7-digit plates were issued in Whitman County (Colfax, Pullman). The series in question started at 700-ZZY, skipped ZZZ plates (which are being issued in blocks of 100 presumably in 10 places throughout the state), and then resumed in the 7-digit regime, going up to AAA0399. Paul Petrinovich confirms that Whitman Co. got AAA0000 - 0599, then Whatcom Co. got AAA0600 - 6599. The ZZZ series was split between 9 counties. In the previous 123-ABC format, PIx, POx, PQx, and PUx were skipped, but Washington does issue those letters in the third position. Prior to this, Washington skipped KOx and FXx (plus AOx and AQx in 1987 but O and Q were used in any other position until AWO and AWQ) for unknown reasons. All WXx series were also skipped.	Paul Petrinovich 2/02/12
Non-passenger Plates
Disabled Veteran	DV02738	These plates are now screened and use a font similar to typical Washington plate dies. The change to no spacing between the letters and numbers was around 7800DV. The next series after 9999DV will be DV00000.	Paul Petrinovich 12/23/11
Handicapped	D P 21023	Now flat! Series reversed after reaching 99999 D/P.	Paul Petrinovich 1/25/12
Motorcycle	8B3251	Motorcycle plates use the 0A0000 format after reaching 999999. Issued 0A, then 1A, 2A...9A then 0B.	Paul Petrinovich 8/29/11
Temporary	0326724A	The current high belongs to a type of temp tags that are computer generated by the dealer. Washington is discontinuing its preprinted temp tags in Summer 2011.	Paul Petrinovich 1/30/12
Trailer	1051-XN	OA-OZ, QA-QZ skipped in trailer plates. The W series will be skipped since it is used for small Trailer.	Paul Petrinovich 1/27/12
Trailer - small	6256WT	These are 4x7" (Motorcycle size) plates for smaller trailers. Full size plates are progressing slower since the introduction of the smaller type. Note: There are plates of this type in the WW series, so they appear to be higher than the current issues, but WW was the first series used on these plates when they began in 1/87. Upon reaching 9999WW, the series started over at WA, and has been progressing forward from there.	Paul Petrinovich 1/27/12
Truck	B17519V	Paul Petrinovich advises that after reaching B99999H, the series progressed to B00000K, skipping the BnnnnnI and BnnnnnJ series. Only a few BnnnnnM series plates were issued, then the BnnnnnN appeared. Andy DeCeunynck reports that only the first 6000 BxxxxxM plates were issued (technically, B05999M would be the last one). In Franklin County (Pasco), he observed a truck series of 1000 plates that started at B05500M, went to B05999M and then did B00000N through B00499N. Apportioned Truck: 34134RP (Flat) 2011-12-04 Paul Petrinovich This type began in 1988. The original series used a PR suffix. After reaching 99999PR, the series continued in the RP series. This type went flat around 90nnnPR.	Paul Petrinovich 1/30/12
Specialty Plates
Air Force	A F 02692		Paul Petrinovich 10/19/11
Army	A R 05638		Kyle Wasson 1/08/12
Central Washington University	C W U 1891		Walter Wong 9/10/10
Coast Guard	C G 01381		Paul Petrinovich 8/12/11
Eastern Washington University	E W U 2092		Kyle Wasson 11/30/11
Firefighter	F F 01100	Paul Petrinovich reports that the only F/F prefix Firefighter plates that were made were samples. All of the actual issued plates have been with the P/F prefix for Professional Firefighter. The F/F was going to be just for firefighters, both professional and volunteer.	Kyle Wasson 2/15/11
Gold Star	G S 00162	This is a new issue for families who have lost loved ones in a war - first issued in Jan. 2009.	Andy DeCeunynck 9/26/11
Gonzaga University	G U 01590		Kyle Wasson 11/21/11
Keep Kids Safe	K S 02198		Paul Petrinovich 12/28/11
Kid Speak	M M 01965	Sponsored by the Free Masons for charities to help children with speech problems.	Paul Petrinovich 12/08/11
Law Enforcement Memorial	4209 L E M	As with Professional Firefighter plates (below), LEM plates now have the newer font that looks more like embossed Washington plates. Upon reaching L/E/M 7999, the series changed to 0000 L/E/M since L/E/M 8000 - 9999 is reserved for Trailer and Motorcycle.	Paul Petrinovich 2/03/12
Lighthouse	L H 04853		Paul Petrinovich 1/30/12
Love My Pets	P T 02743		Paul Petrinovich 10/19/11
Marine Corps	M C 03205		Andy DeCeunynck 1/08/12
Music Matters	MU00096		Paul Petrinovich 1/31/12
National Guard	N G 02079		Mike Kraft 9/04/08
Navy	N A 02871		Paul Petrinovich 1/03/12
Preserve Our National Parks	N P 04877		Paul Petrinovich 1/27/12
Professional Firefighter	P F 05457	Mike Kraft reports that these screened plates now have a new font with characters that more closely resemble the dies Washington uses on embossed plates. New redesigned PF plates start at PF 04301 and have flames in the background.	Paul Petrinovich 11/11/11
Seattle Mariners	S T 14376	These plates are screened and use a font similar to typical Washington plate dies. This plate may no longer be available, but higher numbers are still gradually appearing.	Paul Petrinovich 1/03/12
Share the Road	B K 04510		Paul Petrinovich 9/01/11
Skiing and Snowboarding	S N 01851		Paul Petrinovich 9/25/11
State Parks	P K 03532		Paul Petrinovich 10/09/11
University of Washington	W 6328A	The W graphic is the same, but the lettering on this latest high is very similar to the lettering on Montana plates. Probably started at 2500A. Paul Petrinovich reports that the narrow font plates were a mistake, using the vanity plate font. They will be reissued with the correct font.	Paul Petrinovich 12/28/11
Volunteer Firefighter	V F 00180		Paul Petrinovich 1/30/12
Washington State University	K971 W S U	The formats WSU1234 and 1234WSU have been exhausted, hence this new format. The registration number appears on the left side of the plate, followed by the logo, then the stacked WSU on the right. WSU just came out with a new plate in January 2012. It is a simple crimson (red) plate with white lettering and the WSU Cougar logo on the right side. The last plate on the original style was K975, and the first crimson plate was K976.	Kyle Wasson 2/02/12
Western Washington University	W W U 1477		Paul Petrinovich 8/20/11
Wildlife - Bear	W B 02660	The current high has the personalized font, which could be a mistake or an intentional change.	Andy DeCeunynck 1/08/12
Wildlife - Deer	W D 01671		Andy DeCeunynck 3/29/11
Wildlife - Eagle	W W 06252	Trailer -W/W90114 2008-02-24 Frank Astalosh Motorcycle -W/W95275 2009-07-26 Paul Petrinovich Andy reports that this is the first Specialty plate to go over 6000.	Paul Petrinovich 12/28/11
Wildlife - Elk	W E 05318	The current high has the personalized font, which could be a mistake or an intentional change.	Paul Petrinovich 2/03/12
Wildlife - Whale	E W 05265	Seen on Plateshack Y2K	Paul Petrinovich 11/20/11