Pennsylvania License Plates

This liberty bell passenger series debuted in August 2024 at the MYR prefix.

The first plate observed on this base, JWS5434, was spotted on a Reddit post in use on the lieutenant governor's Suburban. Obviously, it was a remade number originally issued on the 1999 base.

Apportioned plates are used on trucks and buses operating in more than one jurisdiction as part of the International Registration Plan (IRP).

With parking privileges.

Progression for DARE, Otter, and Railroad plates: 0000 - 9999, 000A - 999A, 000B - 999B, etc. and up to 999Z, then 00A0 - 999A9, 00B0 - 99B9, etc. and up to 99Z9, to 0A00 format 2005-24 and 12345 2025+.

Owl plates are no longer being issued, but can still be renewed, low 00016.

Progression: 00000 - 99999, 0000A - 9999A, 0000B - 9999B, etc. See History tab for more numbering details.

Full color locomotive background.

"PZ" = Pittsburgh Zoo

Progression: 0000 - 9999, 000A - 999Z, 00A0 - 99Z9, 0A00 - 9Z99, A000A - A999Z, B000A - B999Z, etc.

Very rare O used on this plate (was not mistaken for a 0 being that PA dies have the letters slightly smaller than numbers)

Low - PZ0002 spotted by Tom Perri

This original graphic fade base began in September, 1999 with all previous bases replaced by the end of 2002. Low DAA-0000 through high FYC-9994.

Bruce Bufalini noted that vowels (A and E are the only ones used in general issue plates) have not been used in the second position on plates in the Exx or Fxx series, but A was used in the second position of the Fxx series. No repeating first and second letters were used in the Exx or Fxx series.

This updated visitPA design appeared on 22 DEC 04 at prefix GBA. Series replaced with liberty bell design at MYR prefix in August 2024.

Ed Angiolillo observed keystone JBP-0441 on 2008-07-18. It was probably a vanity that was made in error with the keystone instead of a hyphen. Pennsylvania is one of the few states that permits vanities to be issued in the normal sequence, but they should appear with a hyphen where the keystone would normally be placed between the letters and numbers, to differentiate them from the normal series.

This Antique Vehicle design replaced the former Antique Historic Car plate in 2004 that had been produced as high as 00ZW.

Updated format and number series around May 2013 using the 4x7" sized plates and the text "ANTIQUE MC" along bottom.

visitPA base appeared in 2007 starting at AF-50000.

Apportioned Bus license plates were originally produced in the 1999 fade design and issued with May + year expiry sticker until 2015. These plates used the BN prefix exclusively.

BN-04000 to BN-04999, visitPA base, dash separator, first spotted 5/18/17

BN-05000+, visitPA base, keystone separator, NO map top left, first spotted 6/16/19

Data courtesy PA Plates website and Manny Jacob.

visitPA base.

Type low M/B 00001.

Dash used on some bus plates, but not all.

Low C/M 00002 observed by Kit in 2006.

visitPA base, no longer purple on white.

VisitPA base starting at C29000, dies changed to the regular PA type.

Original Antique and Classic Car plates were 5 digit numeric with New Jersey dies, except for the 20000-21000 range.

Collectible Vehicle.

Format 0A00 series followed the 00A0 through 99Z9 range. Type no longer issued, but existing plates could still be renewed.

Dealer series H-H was used on state.pa.us plates with J-J used on both state.pa.us and visitPA. K-K only found on visitPA base until 2022. Replaced with ND and PR versions tracked elsewhere on this site.

Original www base, replaced with two new types in 2022.

This 2022+ plate along left side featured car icon plus screened/stacked caption ND for new car dealer.

PennDOT replaced most dealer plates in late 2022, dividing new and used car dealers into separate series.

This 2022+ plate along left side featured car icon plus screened/stacked caption PR for used car (pre-owned) dealers.

PennDOT replaced most dealer plates in late 2022, dividing new and used car dealers into separate series.

visitPA base, low P/D 0045A.

Disabled Person Motorcycle - PD-P71D

www base

Low E/M 00003 observed by Tom Perri.

Issued to Fire Departments and EMS services since 2006. Descendant of the Fire Dept. Plate, which was retired in the early 1970s. The white on red 1980s Fire Department plates (high EV-30011) were replaced by this special visitpa.com base with red embossed lettering starting at EV-50000. This higher series was for municipal departments.

Low EV-31053 also observed on this special visitpa.com base; lower number series reserved for non-fire department apparatus such as private ambulance companies.

visitPA base.

"FF" prefix inside a Maltese cross, series low FF 00032..

FF 35976 was the high www base, visitPA base low FF 36001.

visitPA base

Changed to the visitpa.com base.

There was also a separate FOP plate with F/P suffix for surviving spouses or children. High 00011F/P 2014-05-09 Heather Embee

Issued on request to families of those killed in combat.

Numbering started on www base at L/V 00000.

Remakes of older www base numbers onto the later visitPA base were available; L/V 00002 observed on the visitPA.com base.

VisitPA base.

visitPA base

Started at 40000 on the VisitPA base.

Return of the stacked MT prefix (absent from MT-36000-39999) and move to visitPA base occurred at M/T40000.

Moped www base started at BA000, switched to visitPA base at BN000.

visitPA base with keystone separator in place of dash separator.

Numbering moved from ZZZ99 to 0000A, then to 0AB01 format until 2023.

There was a variant issued from 2010-12 with the wording "LiveFreeRideAlive.com" along the bottom starting at number 8000L. Slogan dropped in April 2012 and reverted to plain "MC", low 8356V.

Vertical Motorcycle plates introduced in 2015, high M6D0C 2015-08-04 Bill Southwick.

MCD at bottom, suffix letter is the last to advance, i.e., 000A-999A, 000B-999B, etc.

Issued to police cars and other municipal vehicles.

Bill Jester advises that the series progressed from MG-00000 to MG-0000A.

The 00000-MG series was for municipal trucks and trailers only and were issued as singles.

These plates were usually found on police motorcycles.

Eric Butler observed the first plate of this type, G/H 00000.

"PA" suffix plates issued in pairs to pickup trucks and cars operated by the Commonwealth.

Single "PA" prefix/single-letter suffix plate issued to heavy trucks and trailers. One example was observed on a marked State Police pickup truck.

Changed to visitPA base by OB-69000.

This Official plate was formerly issued in pairs to Penn State University operated vehicles. The design used same large "outline" keystone separator from 1977 passenger plate. Later replaced with the standard visitPA base.

Changed to visitpa.com base around PS250xx; newer plates had blue Penn State shield.

Started at 10000 P/S.

The bottom reads PENN STATE UNIVERSITY, and has the Nittany Lion logo. Not to be confused with the PENN STATE ALUMNI ASSOCIATION plate which has the Penn State shield logo, this one directly benefits the university. The one-time fee is $179, compared to a standard special-fund plate at $35 one-time or a vanity at $20 one-time.

Series low PT-1953A, changed to the visitPA base at PT-0000L.

This Press Photographer license plate was issued in pairs to full-time newspaper, newsreel and television photographers. "PP" appeared in small letters inside a large "keystone" to the left of the numbers.

Original www base numbered to observed PP799. Design changed to VisitPA at PP800, low PP804.

The POW plate is another type that uses the large 1977 "outline" keystone separator.

Current base

There are two different blocks of numbers for these plates. The lower block of numbers has the legend "INTL ASSN FIRE FIGHTERS" in the yellow bar across the bottom, and the IAFF logo in red with black letters to the left of the P/F serial.

The second block of numbers, apparently starting at P/F 20000, is similar in design, but the legend across the bottom is "PHILA FIRE FIGHTERS' UNION" with a similar logo to the other plate in the same position, but with "22" (for Local 22) in the center, and "LOCAL, PHILA, IAFF, and FIRE" appearing in the Maltese Cross logo.

The stacked P/F on both types is screened, but the numbers are embossed. Our thanks to Bill Stephens for this information.

Local 22 series high - P/F 23097

Newest base

Issued to mechanics and towing companies. Our first report of the graphic at the left was 22477.

Updated to the VisitPA base at WL-23000. Prefix later changed from WL to SY.

VisitPA base

This School Vehicle plate was issued only to private school bus companies for use on small passenger vehicles such as vans for the transportation of school children.

Keystone separator reappeared between SV19468 and SV-19750. Series ended on the VisitPA base.

Low S/P00003 observed by Jordan Irazabal.

Used mainly for heavy construction equipment that doesn't fall in the "Truck" category. Original series was SME-123A.

Debuted on new police vehicles in July 2022. Older vehicles still used generic white/blue Official Use plates.

Change to VisitPA base believed to be at TX-46000.

VisitPA base

This dark red base with white characters Official Plate was formerly issued to Temple University operated vehicles.

Final numbering format XBA-0000 followed XZ-99999 and VisitPA base started at XCA-0000.

visitPA base, used for transporting unregistered vehicles between dealers and customers and other dealers.

Yxx prefix series issued from 2000-11, followed by Z to end of base. Dash separator replaced with keystone when base updated from state.pa.us to visitPA style.

visitPA base

New plate series on visitpa.com base; full color US Flag to left of plate, with "US" stacked to the right of the numbers.

Both types of Disabled Veteran plates have gone through several changes, so tracking them is difficult.

Bluish purple on white. DV is unstacked. No wheelchair symbol.

From John McDevitt:

FORMAT 1: DV-0000 to DV-9999

PENNSYLVANIA on top; DISABLED VETERAN on bottom, condensed legend font, 2 sticker wells on top left and right.

FORMAT 2: DV-10000 to a point between DV-18999 and DV-21999, PENNSYLVANIA on top; DISABLED VETERAN on bottom, condensed legend font, 2 sticker wells on top left and right.

FORMAT 3: From a point between DV-19000 and DV22000 to DV-24999, PENNSYLVANIA on top; DISABLED VETERAN on bottom, condensed legend font, sticker well bottom left.

FORMAT 4: From DV-25000 to DV-27999, PENNSYLVANIA on bottom; DISABLED VETERAN on top, condensed legend font, sticker well bottom left.

FORMAT 5: D/V28000 to D/V28999, Stacked prefix, PENNSYLVANIA on bottom; DISABLED VETERAN on top, wide legend font, sticker well bottom left.

FORMAT 6: DV-29000 to current high

PENNSYLVANIA on bottom DISABLED VETERAN on top, wide legend font, sticker well bottom left.

Both types of Disabled Veteran plates have gone through several changes, so tracking them is difficult.

Bluish purple on white. This type is for severe disability, and has the D/V stacked, as well as a handicapped symbol. The D/V before the numbers and DISABLED VETERAN at the bottom of the plate are screened.

From John McDevitt:

D/V80000 - D/V86999 has the state name in blue at the top, and DISABLED VETERAN in red at the bottom.

D/V87000 - current has DISABLED VETERAN in red at the top, and the state name in blue on the bottom.

Some older plates without the handicapped symbol exist in the unstacked format with numbers in the 40000 range, but not much is known about them.

From Creighton Rabs: It appears as though Pennsylvania is in the new base in blue on top in the current issue in a white background. The D/V is screened while the numbers are standard PA issue, both in the same dark blue as the state name. Not sure when this particular changeover took place.

Special issue from 1987 commemorating the bicentennial of the US Constitution.

Numbering started at 20000 on visitPA base.

Fire Department plates were replaced with the special visitpa.com base Emergency Vehicle plates in 2006.

This special plate was introduced in 1995 and discontinued in Feb. 1997 due to poor legibility. Progression was 0000 - 9999, 000A - 999A, 000B - 999B, etc.