This section will include the following types:
Apportioned license plates were first issued in 1978, which eliminated the need of many different license plates on a single vehicle. Many baseplates had unique color schemes and blanks were often reused in plates with painted backs. Plates were reflectorized and used narrow dies starting in 1995.
| Base | Variation | Ranges |
|---|---|---|
| 78 | 10894 47351 |
|
| 81 | 1205 9840 |
|
| 82 | 1091 15437 |
|
| 83 | 242 16513 |
|
| 84 | 247 15932 |
|
| 85 | 2842 13671 |
|
| 86 | 356 17762 |
|
| 87 | 1730 15605 |
|
| 88 | 1 20924 |
|
| 89 | 169 22009 |
|
| 90 | 3083 22971 |
|
| 91 | 7908 20607 |
|
| 92 | 62736 85230 |
|
| 93 | 30274 53136 |
|
| 94 | 61480 90786 |
|
| 95 | 43815 70757 |
|
| 96 | 50001 79848 |
|
| 97 | 37355 64282 |
|
| 98 | 61005 92513 |
In 1999, new multiyear apportioned plates were made. Early plates had the state name at the bottom and had a debossed "99" in the bottom right corner, later plates were undated and had the state name at the top. Black on white plates were issued starting in 2018. After 99999X was reached, in a strange move Wisconsin skipped to 10001Z (it is unknown why the Y series was skipped).
| Base | Variation | Ranges |
|---|---|---|
| 99 | Offset Right | 3586 44802 |
| Centered | 47941 |
|
| Offset Right | 54164 |
|
| 01 | Centered | 75088 97977 817W |
| Offset Right | 3594W 4102W |
|
| Centered | 7847W 11473W |
|
| Offset Right | 24156W 94956W 14122X 65232X |
|
| 18 | 82185X |
Apportioned license plates originaly were issued to both trucks and their trailers. The first apportioned trailer plates were issued to all trailers and used ridiculous six digit plates. Apportioned trailer plates were discontinued in 2001.The plates that were on the trailers are apparently valid as non-expiring trailer plates, though I've never seen proof of a single apportioned semi trailer plate on the road beyond 2009 and DMV inquiry tool searches bring up nothing even on plates known to be on the road as recent as 2009.
| Base | Variation | Ranges |
|---|---|---|
| 78 | ||
| 81 | ||
| 82 | ||
| 83 | ||
| 84 | ||
| 85 | ||
| 86 | ||
| 87 | ||
| 88 | ||
| 89 |
In 1990, apportioned trailer plates split off into apportioned trailer plates and apportioned semi trailer plates. From this point onward apportioned trailer plates became very rare.
| Base | Variation | Ranges |
|---|---|---|
| 90 | ||
| 91 | ||
| 92 | ||
| 93 | ||
| 94 | ||
| 95 | ||
| 96 | ||
| 97 | ||
| 98 | ||
| 99 |
Apportioned semi trailer plates were first issued in 1990, to expire in 2001. Only two series of apportioned semi trailer plates were issued, since California, the last state requiring apportioning for trailers, dropped the requirement in 2001.
Semi trailer plates have been issued since at least 1954, and the first captioned plates came in 1955. Until 1987, semi trailer plates were split into 2-3 different subtypes, with "C" meaning Contractor and "P" meaning Private. (the reason for indicating what kind of ownership the vehicle had is unknown by me...)
| Base | Variation | C | P |
|---|---|---|---|
| 54 | |||
| 55 | |||
| 56 | |||
| 57 | |||
| 58 | |||
| 59 | |||
| 60 | |||
| 61 | |||
| 62 | |||
| 63 | |||
| 64 | |||
| 65 | |||
| 66 | |||
| 67 | |||
| 68 | |||
| 69 | |||
| 70 | |||
| 71 | |||
| 72 | |||
| 74 | Normal Dies |
||
| Crude Dies |
|||
| 78 | |||
| 80 | |||
| 82 | |||
| 84 |
In late 1987, a non-expiring baseplate was issued to semi trailers, and the numbering started at 200001. This base replaced all older bases and ended all subtypes of semi trailer plates.
| Base | Variation | Ranges |
|---|---|---|
| 87 | Wide Dies Nonreflective |
|
| Narrow Dies Nonreflective |
||
| Narrow Dies 3M Sheeting |
||
| Narrow Dies Avery Sheeting |
||
| Narrow Dies 3M Sheeting |
||
| Narrow Dies Avery Sheeting |
Rental semi trailer plates at first used uncoded plates, most likely starting at 50001, and using insert stickers for validation. The earliest rental semi trailer plate found is from 1971, but there are (unpainted) samples back to 1969 known. 1976 and 1978 plates' serials were centered and used regular semi trailer stickers for validation, and in 1980 rental semi trailer plates finally started to follow the rest of semi trailer plates and used an "R" prefix.
| Base | Variation | Ranges |
|---|---|---|
| 69 | ||
| 70 | ||
| 71 | ||
| 72 | ||
| 74 | ||
| 76 | ||
| 78 | ||
| 80 | ||
| 82 | ||
| 84 |
Tractor plates have been available since at least the 1950s; they are issued to truck-tractors (also known as semi trucks, big rigs, etc.)
| Base Weight |
Variation | D 8,000 |
E 10,000 |
F 12,000 |
G 14,000 |
H 16,000 |
J 18,000 |
K 20,000 |
L 22,000 |
M 24,000 |
N 26,000 |
R 28,000 |
S 30,000 |
T 32,000 |
V 34,000 |
X 36,000 |
Y 38,000 |
YA 40,000 |
YB 42,000 |
YC 44,000 |
YD 46,000 |
YE 48,000 |
YF 50,000 |
YG 52,000 |
YH 54,000 |
YJ 56,000 |
YK 58,000 |
YL 60,000 |
YM 62,000 |
YN 64,000 |
YR 66,000 |
YS 68,000 |
YT 70,000 |
YU 71,000 |
YV 72,000 |
YX 73,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 53 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 54 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 55 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 56 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 57 | YK255 |
YL435 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 58 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 59 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 60 | R 21 |
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| 61 | YK650 |
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| 62 | N 91 |
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| 63 | YB 513 |
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| 64 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 65 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 66 | Y 280 | YF 339 |
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| 67 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 68 | YF 427 |
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| 69 | S 392 |
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| 70 | YG 178 |
YL 330 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 71 | YL 958 | YX1045 YX7227 |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 72 | D 18 |
L 56 L 58 |
T 384 |
Y 279 | YA 439 |
YD 259 |
YJ 619 YJ 736 |
YY2367 YY4967 |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 74 | S 223 |
YR 4 |
YY2722 YY3675 |
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| 76 | S 261 |
YE 415 |
YG 322 |
YU 33 |
YV 845 YV2118 |
YX4119 YZ2524 |
In 1978, weight codes shifted. The lightest weight class confirmed is D. Some C plates are suspected to exist, and one B plate is (suspiciously) suspected, BS 59.
| Base Weight |
Variation | A 4,500 |
B 6,000 |
C 8,000 |
X 10,000 |
D 12,000 |
E 16,000 |
F 20,000 |
G 26,000 |
H 32,000 |
J 38,000 |
K 44,000 |
L 50,000 |
M 54,000 |
N 56,000 |
P 62,000 |
Q 68,000 |
R 73,000 |
S 76,000 |
T 80,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 78 | FA 1 |
|||||||||||||||||||
| 80 | JA 142 |
PA 160 | RA 967 |
SA1121 |
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| 82 | LA 662 LA 728 |
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| 84 | DA 51 | SA 273 |
||||||||||||||||||
| 86 | NA 606 |
SA 850 |
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| 88 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 90 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 92 | TA 271 TA2990 |
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| 94 | Wide Dies |
DS 8 | LS 565 | RS 287 | TS 6 TS3322 |
|||||||||||||||
| Narrow Prefix |
||||||||||||||||||||
| Wide Prefix |
ES 153 | HS 559 | JS 368 JS 743 |
MS 1356 | PS 1060 PS 1440 |
QS 485 QS 516 |
RS 1077 RS 1313 |
TS10734 TS22623 |
||||||||||||
| 09 | Expected Ranges |
BS 51? BS 60 |
CS 64 CS 93 |
XS 51 XS 100 |
DS 128 DS 199 |
ES 326 ES 560 |
FS 651 FS 999 FS 101 FS 299 |
GS 900 GS 1078 |
HS 826 HS 1405 |
JS 826 JS 1389 |
KS 1001 KS 1519 |
LS 3001 LS 4158 |
MS 3004 MS 5405 |
NS 1001 NS 1250 |
PS 1739 PS 3000 |
QS 1301 QS 2149 |
RS 1902 RS 3221 |
SS 1402 SS 2081 |
TS24501 TS50505 |
|
| Confirmed Ranges |
ES 347 |
FS 889 | JS 932 JS 1319 |
MS 3755 |
PS 2164 PS 2743 |
QS 1601 |
RS 2429 |
SS 1676 | TS25204 TS41000 |
Permit Reciprocity license plates were issued from 1956 to 1971. They were used on trucks leaving the state. Permit reciprocity plates, according to Eric Tanner, were renamed to prorate plates in 1970.
| Base | Variation | Ranges |
|---|---|---|
| 56 | ||
| 57 | ||
| 58 | ||
| 59 | ||
| 60 | PR 7054 | |
| 61 | ||
| 62 | ||
| 63 | ||
| 64 | ||
| 65 | PR18545 | |
| 66 | PR20712 | |
| 67 | ||
| 68 | ||
| 69 | ||
| 70 | ||
| 71 |
Canadian Reciprocity license plates were a variation of Permit Reciprocity plates, which were issued starting in 1956 and discontinued by 1967.
| Base | Variation | Ranges |
|---|---|---|
| 56 | ||
| 57 | ||
| 58 | ||
| 59 | ||
| 60 | ||
| 61 | ||
| 62 | ||
| 63 | ||
| 64 | ||
| 65 | ||
| 66 |
"Reciprocity" plates were the size of bicycle license plates. Plates were issued from the 1950s to the 1970s, according to ALPCA archives.
| Base | Variation | Ranges |
|---|---|---|
| ? | ||
| ? | ||
| ? |
Tax only license plates were another type of permit for out of state semi trucks. Tax only plates were issued from 1955 to 1986.
| Base | Variation | Ranges |
|---|---|---|
| 55 | ||
| 62 | ||
| 67 | ||
| 69 | ||
| 71 | ||
| 72 | ||
| 74 | ||
| 76 | ||
| 78 | ||
| 79 | ||
| 80 | ||
| 81 | ||
| 82 | ||
| 83 | ||
| 84 | ||
| 85 | ||
| 86 |
