Virginia License Plates

This Virginia plain seven-digit passenger plate series originated in 1993. Progression worked backwards from ZZZ-9999 up to the high X-series (XYN-1108) in 2002. The 400th Anniversary plate took over from 2002 until 2007 when this base resumed in the high X-series (XXP-8521), again working downwards.

Former rental R-series old stock plates resurfaced as a standard issue rather than being wasted. RAK-5077 observed by Dave Edmondson on 2012-02-13.

This series proceeds backwards, so the "high" is actually whatever is lowest. This "Virginia is for lovers" regular passenger plate debuted on March 1, 2014. when the previous plain base was in the WLx range. The initial 'lovers' series progressed traditionally from VAA (low VAA-1082) up to VZZ, then moved to Virginia-style backwards progression in 2017 starting at UZZ, then to T from 2021-present, see History tab for newer details.

This flat white on black Antique Vehicle license plate is one of two designs currently available in Virginia. Confirmed black passenger numbering formats are 123AA, AA123, 1234A and A1234 with progression as shown in our data.

This embossed blue on yellow Antique license plate is one of two styles currently available in Virginia. The initial run of yellow plates reached 99999 and switched to the 1234 AB format in 2002. See our data for numbering format evolution.

Used on Virginia-based trucks and buses operating in multiple jurisdictions under the International Registration Plan.

The current series of Virginia Dealer license plates was originally numbered D 12-345, then moved to 12-345 D and later expanded to seven characters at 100-000D in early-2006.

Dave Edmondson observed low 1 D.

Observed prefixes (each followed by four numerals): G, J, K, U, V, W.

Disabled parking "Virginia is for Lovers" plates were introduced in 2014.

Other than the serif dies, we are not 100% sure of the design of this plate. Can anyone send us a good photo?

Standard passenger design with "Emergency Vehicle" screened caption.

Serif dies, earlier plates had the wide dies.

Placard required on unregistered farm-used panel trucks, pickup trucks, and sport utility vehicles with a gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) under 7,500 pounds, as of July 1, 2024. Cost is a one-time fee of $15.

For details, see this news article.

Non-permanent farm vehicle plates are different, beginning in the F 81-000 series

Tour Bus

"INDEPENDENT DEALER" (in all capital letters) on bottom.

This design of "OFFICIAL LOCAL GOVERNMENT USE ONLY" plate is numbered with 6-digits and L suffix after the original format reached 99-999L in the late-1990s. Early plates used wide dies while later ones used the narrow dies.

Bearguy observed what appears to be a "Clean Fuel" version of this plate numbered CF-10131 on a Ford Escape Hybrid. Bradley Gallagher observed a similar plate, 10168CY on a Ford Escape Hybrid operated by Arlington County. CNG-123L format plates also used by local government vehicles powered by Compressed Natural Gas.

Motorcycle plates are in the same colors as the full size version. Dave Edmondson observed 1712L on 2008-11-06.

Based on this picture from Plateshack, it really does say "VIRGINIA" twice on this plate.

Motorcycle tags used to be in the 900000s, then five digits, and then six digits beginning with 3 or 4. The six-digit sequence was 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

Print on Demand Temporary MC: 7653G 2011-08-01 Dave Edmondson

Uses white on orange Rental Car stickers.

Light blue background with blue characters, S suffix and "OFFICIAL STATE USE ONLY" along bottom. Early plates had the wide dies, while the later ones had the narrow dies. Bearguy observed narrow die plate CNG-283S on a state government car powered by Compressed Natural Gas.

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.) H131121 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.

"Print on Demand" temporary permit had A suffix usually with Virginia DMV logo, but a few displayed the dealer logo. Dealers were required to switch from the previous red cardboard to the POD permits by May 1, 2011.

"Multi-Use" blue on white cardboard Temporaries are issued by the DMV, high 153-352M  

A different style of Temporary permit appeared in March 2010. It had dark green characters on a white background with prefix Q, high Q276-409  2010-11-17  Kyle Wasson

"TOW TRUCK" in capital letters embossed on top.

Private or for hire.

Observed with stacked suffixes T/R, T/L and T/M.

There is also a smaller Permanent Trailer series the same size as Motorcycle, and with the same dies. The high is 8951 Z/U.

Permanent Trailer plates on rental trailers have orange stickers with "R" on them.

Trailer's gross weight cannot exceed 4000 pounds.

Private or for hire. Debuted 2018 to replace the all-embossed stacked prefix series.

As a part of Virginia’s effort to reduce the number of plates using stacked dies, at the start of the 00-000UA series these plates shifted to an unstacked seven-digit format.

The actual name for this plate is Chesapeake Bay.

Original series used TP (Don't Tread on Me = Tea Party) then TE, TG, TJ, TM confirmed suffixes followed by the Ux and Xx series.

This plate was introduced in 2002 and has been observed with four digits and numerous stacked suffixes including F/T, A/L, F/D, A/N, F/R, P/D and P/T. See History tab for newer details

There is also a Motorcycle version of this plate with same design and embossed stacked F/W suffix, high - 357 F/W 2009-06-17 Tom Castelli

Chris Cargill observed plate 900-900 on 2005-12-28, undoubtedly issued to a person with connections!

Dave Edmondson observed 151-HAE as a Great Seal (For Hire) plate.

Mike Russo observed 000-020, which could be a low number, or a personalized made to look like a low number.

Cardinal Handicapped high - W9944 (wheelchair symbol on right) 2026-06-02 Kieran

All of the observed prefixes (A1234): G, J, K, U, V, W

Original numbering format: 1234CD

Observed suffixes in 4-digit series: GD, HM, HZ, PZ, UZ. See History tab for newer suffixes.

The Y suffix appeared after the initial series reached 99999J in 2004.

Series started with 1001KF

LA suffix appeared in December 2025, previous suffixes were LD, LF, LT, LP, LJ, LH, LG, LI, LK, LM, MA, ME, MG, MR and RE in no logical order. See History tab for newer details.

Kieran Whitby reports handicap formats on this base with L and R suffixes (nnnnL, nnnnR), and a high of 9083R observed on 10/02/25.

This Virginia Autumn Leaves optional licence plate was introduced in 1997 as a redesign of the original version below. Numbering on this base progressed upwards starting at BAA (except BAD not observed) while handicapped version uses the M12345 series.

Any A-series plates with this artwork were remakes.

This was known as the optional Mountains or "Scenic" plate. Low: AAD-9195.

Handicapped version of this plate used J prefix plus five-digit format with embossed wheelchair symbol at left. Observed: J43765, 4/3/26.

Virginia United We Stand passenger license plates have used UW, US, MC and UP suffixes thus far. See History tab for newer details.

Motorcycle version features screened/stacked prefix, embossed serial U/W 933.

No longer available but older issues can still be renewed. See History tab for suffix letters used.

Standard Virginia optional plate format of 0000XX or can be personalized. In the current format, letter suffixes observed to date include VM, VN, VK, VF, VG, and VL in order from oldest to newest.

Current design has a red screened stacked D/V prefix.

Per Kieran, other formats include 000DA (current), K0000, 0000K, Q0000, 0000W, W0000 (unsure of order of issuance). Space was added somewhere between 570DD and 628 DE.

The ISA has switched left/right positions periodically over time.

There have been three Clean Special Fuel plate types issued. Type 1: The original plate was issued to qualifying vehicles registered before July 1, 2006 and may be used in any HOV lanes statewide without regard to the occupancy requirement until the general exemption expires on June 30, 2012. The original Virginia Clean Special Fuel plate design had the registration number to the right, and "CLEAN SPECIAL FUEL" screened in small capital letters. CF, CY and CZ series were used. This plate may only be renewed or transferred to a newly purchased qualifying vehicle. Type 2: This plate was issued, upon application, to qualifying vehicles registered on or after July 1, 2006 and before July 1, 2011, and exempts the vehicle from the occupancy requirements of any HOV lanes except those in the I-95/395 corridor until the general exemption expires on June 30, 2012. This second design had the registration number to the left of the logo, and "Clean Special Fuel" screened at the bottom in mixed case letters. This plate may only be renewed or transferred to a newly purchased qualifying vehicle. Type 3: The current "Clean Special Fuel" plate is issued, upon application, to qualifying vehicles registered on or after July 1, 2011, and exempts the vehicle from the occupancy requirements of any HOV lanes except those in the 1-95/395 corridor and I-66 corridor until June 30, 2012. This design has the logo centered, splitting the registration number in a 3/3 format, with the CSF legend at the bottom in a similar style to Type 2. Clean Special Fuel Handicapped: 768X (wheelchair to right of serial) Clean Special Fuel - Taxi: 10-51H "TAXI FOR HIRE" in all caps in red over the "Clean Special Fuel" legend.

This series used the original plain passenger base with wheelchair symbol at left.

Disabled parking "Virginia is for Lovers" plates took over in 2014.

Disabled parking "Jamestown" plates featured wheelchair symbol at left, five-digits and stacked HP-suffix, numbering likely started at 10000. This type is no longer being issued since standard disabled plates reverted to the original plain passenger base in 2008.

This Virginia 400th Anniversary license plate was only issued between 2002-07. It was the first Virginia regular issue to feature a slogan. Original prefixes were JAA through KCW (plates issued in traditional low to high sequence), then artwork redesigned to include "Jamestown" on final prefixes KCX-KNP.

Prefixes JAA-JAJ plus JAT all confirmed with slogan printed on a separate sticker rather than part of sheeting.

Series JO-, JQ-, and KK- were skipped.

"Virginia" appeared appeared in either blue or red without any obvious pattern, such as JAA-JAX blue then JAY-JBE red.

Kieran Whitby writes, "I own the highest observed first (blue Virginia) jamestown, which is JDL-8308. Oddly enough, some blue Virginia Jamestown plates have no Jamestown slogan on the bottom, possibly a remake. The lowest red Virginia Jamestown I have observed was JAY."

Once this issue ceased, Virginia returned to the previous plain base and resumed backwards progression from the high-X series.

See 15q.net for more details.

No longer issued as of c. 2026; superseded by Tractor, which includes both private and for-hire.

No longer issued as of c. 2026; superseded by Tractor, which includes both private and for-hire.

This plate was formerly used on trucks over 7,500 lbs GVWR. Small trucks began switching from passenger plates to a new plate with "Truck" in red at the bottom center, and numbering starting at UA00-000, c. 2023. Thanks to Martin Houle for this info.

UN10-875 observed by Kieran Whitby.

Separate series for tractors; embossed "VA TRACTOR P" across top -

Y/A52-002 2010-08-20 Dave Edmondson

This initial design of the 1997 series was quickly revised and plates recalled due to poor legibility. All of the original short-lived plates were in the A-series, see revised B-series version above.

No longer issued; most recent design uncertain. Do you have a picture?