Vehicle registration plates of Delaware

Delaware
Current series
Size	12 in × 6 in; 30 cm × 15 cm
Material	Aluminum
Serial format	123456
Introduced	2008
Availability
Issued by	Delaware Department of Transportation, Division of Motor Vehicles
Manufactured by	Waldale Manufacturing Limited, Amherst, Nova Scotia
History
First issued	May 1, 1909; (pre-state plates from 1905 through April 30, 1909)
	v ; t ; e ;

Last updated July 30, 2024

The U.S. state of Delaware first required its residents to register their motor vehicles in 1905. Registrants provided their own license plates for display until 1909, when the state began to issue plates.^[1] Beginning in 1910, plates were issued in sequential order from the number 1 upwards.^[2]

As of 2022^[update], plates are issued by the Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDOT) through its Division of Motor Vehicles. Only rear plates have been required on standard passenger vehicles since 1945. All plates issued since 1942 can still be used with current stickers. Authorized reproductions of porcelain enamel plates can be obtained through a private vendor,^[3] provided they fall within the state's guidelines.

In 1956, the United States, Canada, and Mexico came to an agreement with the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators, the Automobile Manufacturers Association and the National Safety Council that standardized the size for license plates for vehicles (except those for motorcycles) at 6 inches (15 cm) in height by 12 inches (30 cm) in width, with standardized mounting holes.^[4] The first Delaware license plate that complied with these standards was issued in 1958.

Delaware allows plate-owners to transfer the rights to display a particular number on their vehicle. The inherent scarcity of low-digit plates has spawned a vibrant secondary market for low numbers.^[5]

Secondary market

In Delaware, plate number 1 is reserved for the governor, 2 for the lieutenant governor, and 3 for the secretary of state. But all other numbers 4 and higher are allowed to be traded.^[5] Additionally, plates up to 87,000 are allowed to display replica porcelain enamel plates. These factors have caused low plate-numbers to become positional goods and status symbols.^[6]

Marketplaces have been created to facilitate exchanges. As of August 2023^[update], one such market, Low Digit Plates, has priced five-digit plates in the low-thousands of dollars, and three-digit plates approaching $70,000.^[7] Single-digit plates are particularly valuable. Plate number 9 was traded for $185,000 in 1994 (equivalent to $380,000in 2023). In 2008, number 6 went for $675,000 ($955,000 in 2023).^[5]

Passenger baseplates

This is a list of the plate templates used by Delaware.

1909 to 1942

No slogans were used on passenger plates during the period covered by this subsection.

First issued	Design	Serial format	Serials issued	Notes
1909	White on black porcelain; "DEL. 1909" at top	1234	1001 to approximately 1500	Serials followed on from those on pre-state-issued plates.
1910	Black on white porcelain; "DEL. 1910" at top	123	1 to approximately 900
1911	White on dark blue porcelain; "DEL. 1911" at top	1234	1 to approximately 1300
1912	White on maroon porcelain; "DEL. 1912" at top	1234	1 to approximately 1800
1913	White on black porcelain; vertical "DEL" and "1913" at left and right respectively	1234	1 to approximately 2000
1913	As above, but with "DEL 13" at right	1234	2001 to approximately 2500
1914	Yellow on black porcelain; "DEL 14" at right	1234	1 to approximately 3200
1915	Blue on white porcelain; "DEL 15" at right	1234	1 to approximately 4700
1916	White on dark green; "DEL 16" at right	1234	1 to approximately 7000
1917	White on black; "DEL 17" at right	1234	1 to approximately 10700
1918	White on brown; "DEL 18" at right	12345	1 to approximately 13000
1919	White on dark blue with border line; "DEL 19" at right	12345	1 to approximately 13100
1920	Black on light green with border line; "DEL 20" at right	12345	1 to approximately 18100
1921	Red on white with border line; "DEL 21" at right	12345	1 to approximately 20800
1922	Blue on white with border line; "DEL 22" at right	12-345	1 to approximately 23-300
1923	White on black with border line; "DEL 23" at right	12-345	1 to approximately 25-000
1924	Brown on white with border line; "DEL 24" at right	12-345	1 to 20-000; 30-001 to approximately 39-000	Serials 20-001 through 30-000 reserved for commercial vehicles.^[8]
1925	Black on orange with border line; "DEL 25" at right	12-345	1 to 30-000; 45-001 to approximately 48-000	Serials 30-001 through 45-000 reserved for commercial vehicles and tractor units.^[8]
1926	Yellow on blue with border line; "DEL 26" at right	12-345	1 to approximately 37-000
1927	Red on gray with border line; "DEL 27" at right	12-345	1 to approximately 40-000
1928	Black on white with border line; "DEL 28" at right	12-345	1 to approximately 50-000
1929	Blue on golden yellow with border line; diamond at left and "DEL 29" at right	12-345	1 to approximately 47-000
1930	Golden yellow on blue with border line; diamond at left and "DEL 30" at right	12-345	1 to approximately 45-000
1931	As 1929 base, but with "DEL 31" at right	12-345	1 to approximately 48-000
1932	As 1930 base, but with "DEL '32" at right	12-345	1 to approximately 47-000
1933	As 1929 base, but with "DEL '33" at right	12-345	1 to approximately 48-000
1934	As 1930 base, but with "DEL '34" at right	12-345	1 to approximately 47-000
1935	As 1929 base, but with "DEL '35" at right	12-345	1 to approximately 48-000
1936	Golden yellow on blue with border line; "DELAWARE – 36" at bottom	12♦345	1 to approximately 51♦000	First use of the full state name.
1937	Blue on golden yellow with border line; "DELAWARE – 37" at bottom	12♦345	1 to approximately 53♦000
1938	Red on silver with border line; "DELAWARE – 38" at bottom	12♦345	1 to approximately 55♦000
1939	Silver on maroon with border line; "DELAWARE – 39" at bottom	12♦345	1 to approximately 58♦000
1940	Blue on golden yellow; "DEL. EX. 3-31-41" at bottom	12♦345	1 to approximately 60♦000
1941	Golden yellow on blue; "DELAWARE 3-31-42" at top	12♦345	1 to approximately 59♦000

1942 to present

First issued	Design	Slogan	Serial format	Serials issued	Notes
1942	White on black porcelain; "DEL." at top with tab slots to left and right	none	12♦345	1 to approximately 87♦000¹	Measures 5.5" x 9.5". Month/day tab (3/31 in black on white, 6/30 in white on green, 9/30 in white on red, or 12/31 in white on brown) fitted at top left and year tab (even-numbered years in blue on gold and odd-numbered years in gold on blue) at top right until 1963, when sticker revalidation commenced. Issued in pairs until 1945; only rear plates have been required ever since. Authorized modern reproductions allowed.
1947	Riveted polished stainless steel serial on black painted stainless steel base plate. Base embossed with Delaware on top. Insert space at bottom. Insert format continued as original.	none	123456	1 to 200000¹	Plates varied in size: 5-digit 9.5 x 5.5 in 6 digit 11 x 5.5 in. Renewed with metal tabs.
1951	Riveted reflective white scotchlite painted stainless steel serial on black painted stainless steel base plate. Base plate embossed with Delaware on top. Insert spaces at bottom. Insert format continued as original.	none	123456	1 to 200000¹	Plates were smaller than the 6 digit plates if they were 5 digits or lower. Renewed with metal tabs.
1954	Riveted reflective-coated steel serial on black painted stainless steel base plate. Base plate embossed with Delaware on top. Insert spaces at bottom. Insert format continued as original.	none	123456	1 to 200000¹	Plates with or less 5 digits were smaller than 6 digit plates. Renewed with metal tabs.
1958	Riveted gold serial on reflective dark blue plate; "DELAWARE" centered at top; tab slots at bottom	none	123456	4 to approximately 213000^1-2	First 6" x 12" plate. Validated with tabs until 1963, and with stickers thereafter.
1962	Riveted gold serial on reflective dark blue plate; "DELAWARE" centered at bottom	"THE FIRST STATE" centered at top	123456	4 to approximately 262000^1-2	Validated with stickers.
1969	Screened gold serial on reflective dark blue plate with gold border; "DELAWARE" centered at bottom	"THE FIRST STATE" centered at top	123456	4 to 999999^1-2	Several variations of the font used for the serial exist. Some replacement plates have riveted numbers.^{[ citation needed ]}
2008		"THE FIRST STATE" centered at top	123456	4 to 999999^1-2	Plates have a beveled edge around the plate as opposed to the previous all-flat plates.

Notes:
1 The state recycles serials, so they can be found on any base.
2 Serials 1, 2 and 3 reserved for the Governor, Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of State respectively. Plates with these serials are blue on gold with the state's coat of arms at the left.

Non-passenger plates

Delaware does not use leading zeros on its plates, so serials are composed of a variable number of digits.

Type	Slogan	Serial format	Notes
Commercial	The First State	C123456 C/L123456
Dealer	The First State	D12345
Farm Truck	The First State	FT1234
Handicapped	The First State	HP12345	International Symbol of Access at left.
Limousine	The First State	LX1234
Motorcycle	none	12345	"M/C" at bottom left.
Pleasure Commercial	The First State	P/C123456	Issued to station wagons and sport utility vehicles.
Recreational Trailer	The First State	RT1234
Recreational Vehicle	The First State	RV12345
State-Owned	The First State	S1234
Street Rod	The First State	SR123
Taxi	The First State	TX1234
Temporary Registration	The First State	XA123456	Delaware started issuing temporary tags with an all-numeric format, then moved to the letter X as a prefix, then XA, XB, XC, XD, XP then XQ as of June 19, 2021
Trailer	The First State	T123456

Optional plates

Delaware does not use leading zeros on its plates, so serials are composed of a variable number of digits.

Type	Serial format	Notes
Centennial of Delaware License Plates	Remakes of passenger serials: 123456 Remakes of pleasure commercial serials: P/C123456	Issued from October 1, 2008, through December 31, 2009.^[9] Awarded "Plate of the Year" for best new license plate of 2008 by the Automobile License Plate Collectors Association, the first time Delaware was so honored.^[10]
Disabled American Veterans	¹²³_DAV
Duck	Remakes of passenger serials: 123456	A portion of the proceeds from this license plate's sales benefit Delaware's two National Estuary Programs: the Center for the Inland Bays^[11] and the Partnership for the Delaware Estuary.^[12] These funds are used to improve the health of Delaware's coastal waterways, bays, and estuaries.
Lighthouse	Remakes of passenger serials: 123456 Remakes of pleasure commercial serials: P/C123456	A portion of the proceeds from this license plate's sales benefit Delaware's two National Estuary Programs: the Center for the Inland Bays^[11] and the Partnership for the Delaware Estuary.^[12] These funds are used to improve the health of Delaware's coastal waterways and bays, or "estuaries."
Lighthouse—Personalized	various	A portion of the proceeds from this license plate's sales benefit Delaware's two National Estuary Program's: the Center for the Inland Bays^[11] and the Partnership for the Delaware Estuary.^[12] These funds are used to improve the health of Delaware's coastal waterways and bays, or "estuaries."
Passenger—Personalized	various
Purple Heart	P/H1234
State Legislators	Legislators' initials: A. B. C.
Support Pollinators	Remakes of passenger serials: 123456	First issued June 2021. Awarded "Plate of the Year" for best new license plate of 2021 by the Automobile License Plate Collectors Association, the second time Delaware was so honored.^[13]
Telephone Pioneers	TP1234
University of Delaware	UD1234
Volunteer Firefighter	V/F1234

Related Research Articles

A vehicle registration plate, also known as a number plate or license plate or licence plate, is a metal or plastic plate attached to a motor vehicle or trailer for official identification purposes. All countries require registration plates for road vehicles such as cars, trucks, and motorcycles. Whether they are required for other vehicles, such as bicycles, boats, or tractors, may vary by jurisdiction. The registration identifier is a numeric or alphanumeric ID that uniquely identifies the vehicle or vehicle owner within the issuing region's vehicle register. In some countries, the identifier is unique within the entire country, while in others it is unique within a state or province. Whether the identifier is associated with a vehicle or a person also varies by issuing agency. There are also electronic license plates.

In the United States, vehicle registration plates, known as license plates, are issued by a department of motor vehicles, an agency of the state or territorial government, or in the case of the District of Columbia, the district government. Some Native American tribes also issue plates. The U.S. federal government issues plates only for its own vehicle fleet and for vehicles owned by foreign diplomats. Until the 1980s, diplomatic plates were issued by the state in which the consulate or embassy was located.

The U.S. state of Indiana first required its residents to register their motor vehicles in 1905. Registrants provided their own license plates for display until July 1, 1913, when the state began to issue plates.

Vehicle registration plates of Canada, also known as licence plates, are issued by provincial or territorial government agencies. Registration plates in Canada are typically attached to motor vehicles or trailers for official identification purposes. Some Canadian registration plates have unique designs, shapes, and slogans related to the issuing jurisdiction. For example, registration plates issued in the Northwest Territories are shaped like a polar bear. In Alberta, registration plates typically display the words "Wild Rose Country."

In the United States, the appearance of license plates is frequently chosen to contain symbols, colors, or slogans associated with the issuing jurisdiction, which are the 50 U.S. states, the District of Columbia, the five inhabited U.S. territories, and Native American tribes, each of which independently registers motor vehicles. Regular-issue license plates for passenger vehicles typically have six or seven characters, with vanity plates having up to eight characters in a few states.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vehicle registration plates of Nebraska</span> Nebraska vehicle license plates

The U.S. state of Nebraska first required its residents to register their motor vehicles in 1905. Registrants provided their own license plates for display until 1915, when the state began to issue plates.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vehicle registration plates of New York</span> New York vehicle license plates

The U.S. state of New York was the first to require its residents to register their motor vehicles, in 1901. Registrants provided their own license plates for display, featuring their initials until 1903 and numbers thereafter, until the state began to issue plates in 1910.

Massachusetts was the first U.S. state to issue license plates on September 1, 1903, to Frederick Tudor. Plates are currently issued by the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV).

The U.S. state of Illinois first required its residents to register their motor vehicles in 1907. Registrants provided their own license plates for display until 1911, when the state began to issue plates. As of 2023, plates are issued by the Illinois Secretary of State.

Alaska first required its residents to register their motor vehicles and display license plates in 1921, while still an organized incorporated territory of the United States. It was admitted to the Union as the 49th state in January 1959.

The U.S. state of Alabama first required its residents to register their motor vehicles and display license plates in 1911.

The U.S. state of Ohio first required its residents to register their motor vehicles and display license plates in 1908, although several cities within the state issued their own license plates from as early as 1902.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vehicle registration plates of Rhode Island</span> Rhode Island vehicle license plates

The U.S. state of Rhode Island first required its residents to register their motor vehicles and display license plates in 1904. Plates are currently issued by the Rhode Island Department of Revenue through its Division of Motor Vehicles. Front and rear plates are required for most classes of vehicles, while only rear plates are required for motorcycles and trailers.

The U.S. state of Texas first required its residents to register their motor vehicles in 1907. Registrants provided their own license plates for display, with serial numbers assigned by their county of residence, until the state began to issue plates in 1917.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vehicle registration plates of Utah</span> Utah vehicle license plates

The U.S. state of Utah first required its residents to register their motor vehicles in 1909. Registrants provided their own license plates for display until 1915, when the state began to issue plates.

The U.S. state of Virginia first required its residents to register their motor vehicles and display license plates in 1906. As of 2022, plates are issued by the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). Front and rear plates are required for most classes of vehicles, while only rear plates are required for motorcycles and trailers.

The U.S. federal district of Washington, D.C., first required its residents to register their motor vehicles in 1903. Registrants provided their own license plates for display until 1907, when the district began to issue plates. Plates are issued by the District of Columbia Department of Motor Vehicles. Front and rear plates are required for most classes of vehicles, while only rear plates are required for motorcycles and trailers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vehicle registration plates of Alberta</span>

The Canadian province of Alberta first required its residents to register their motor vehicles in 1906. Registrants provided their own licence plates for display until 1912, when the province began to issue plates. Only rear plates have been required since 1992.

The U.S. state of California first required its residents to register their motor vehicles in 1905. Registrants provided their own license plates for display until 1914, when the state began to issue plates. Plates are currently issued by the California Department of Motor Vehicles.

The U.S. state of Connecticut first required its residents to register their motor vehicles in 1903. Registrants provided their own license plates for display until 1905, when the state began to issue plates. Since then, Connecticut has used a variety of license plate designs, and has issued different designs for passenger, non-passenger, and, more recently, optional plate types that often require an additional fee. As of 2024, plates are issued by the Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles.

References

↑ "Old Delaware License Plates". LeatherLicensePlates.com. Retrieved June 30, 2017.
↑ "DMV History - Division of Motor Vehicles". Delaware DMV. Retrieved August 1, 2023.
↑ http://www.dehistoricplate.com/ Delaware Historic Plate Company
↑ Garrish, Christopher (October 2016). "Reconsidering the Standard Plate Size". Plates. Vol. 62, no. 5. Automobile License Plate Collectors Association.
1 2 3 Crockett, Zachary. "Delaware License Plates - Freakonomics" (Podcast). Freakonomics. Retrieved August 1, 2023.
↑ Liu, Boyang (Fall 2014). Positional Competition: From Low-Number License Plates to McMansions (M.Sc.). University of Delaware. pp. 1–2. UMI Number 1585159. Retrieved August 1, 2023.
↑ "Numbers Only - Delaware's Marketplace for Low Digit Black Tags". lowdigittags.com. Retrieved August 1, 2023.
1 2 Tanner, Eric N. "Delaware Passenger License Plates". allaboutlicenseplates.com. Retrieved November 19, 2020.
↑ "Centennial License Plate". Delaware Department of Transportation. Archived from the original on November 7, 2008. Retrieved November 25, 2008.
↑ "State Receives "Best Plate of the Year" Award Honors For Limited Edition Centennial Plate". Delaware.gov. May 20, 2009. Archived from the original on May 22, 2009. Retrieved May 26, 2009.
1 2 3 "Home". inlandbays.org.
1 2 3 "Home". delawareestuary.org.
↑ "DMV Support Pollinators plate wins national collectors' award". Cape Gazette . Lewes, DE. June 5, 2022. Retrieved July 4, 2022.

External links

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.

[1] "Old Delaware License Plates". LeatherLicensePlates.com. Retrieved June 30, 2017.

[2] "DMV History - Division of Motor Vehicles". Delaware DMV. Retrieved August 1, 2023.

[3] ttp://www.dehistoricplate.com/ Delaware Historic Plate Company

[4] Garrish, Christopher (October 2016). "Reconsidering the Standard Plate Size". Plates. Vol. 62, no. 5. Automobile License Plate Collectors Association.

[Freakonomics_episode-5] 1 2 3 Crockett, Zachary. "Delaware License Plates - Freakonomics" (Podcast). Freakonomics. Retrieved August 1, 2023.

[University_of_Delaware_Thesis-6] Liu, Boyang (Fall 2014). Positional Competition: From Low-Number License Plates to McMansions (M.Sc.). University of Delaware. pp. 1–2. UMI Number 1585159. Retrieved August 1, 2023.

[7] "Numbers Only - Delaware's Marketplace for Low Digit Black Tags". lowdigittags.com. Retrieved August 1, 2023.

[allaboutlicenseplatesDE-8] 1 2 Tanner, Eric N. "Delaware Passenger License Plates". allaboutlicenseplates.com. Retrieved November 19, 2020.

[9] "Centennial License Plate". Delaware Department of Transportation. Archived from the original on November 7, 2008. Retrieved November 25, 2008.

[10] "State Receives "Best Plate of the Year" Award Honors For Limited Edition Centennial Plate". Delaware.gov. May 20, 2009. Archived from the original on May 22, 2009. Retrieved May 26, 2009.

[inlandbays.org-11] 1 2 3 "Home". inlandbays.org.

[delawareestuary.org-12] 1 2 3 "Home". delawareestuary.org.

[13] "DMV Support Pollinators plate wins national collectors' award". Cape Gazette . Lewes, DE. June 5, 2022. Retrieved July 4, 2022.

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v t e Vehicle license plates of the United States
States	Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming
Federal district	Washington, D.C.
Territories	American Samoa Guam Northern Mariana Islands Puerto Rico U.S. Virgin Islands
Other registration plates	Canal Zone Native American tribes Designs and serial formats
By year	1901 1902 1903 1904 1905 1906 1907 1908 1909 1910 1911 1912 1913 1914 1915 1916 1917 1918 1919 1920 1921 1922 1923 1924 1925 1926 1927 1928 1929 1930 1931 1932 1933 1934 1935 1936 1937 1938 1939 1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999

v t e Vehicle registration plates of North America
Sovereign states	Antigua and Barbuda Bahamas Barbados Belize Canada Costa Rica Cuba Dominica Dominican Republic El Salvador Grenada Guatemala Haiti Honduras Jamaica Mexico Nicaragua Panama Saint Kitts and Nevis Saint Lucia Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Trinidad and Tobago United States
Dependencies and other territories	Anguilla Aruba Bermuda Bonaire British Virgin Islands Cayman Islands Curaçao Greenland Guadeloupe Martinique Montserrat Puerto Rico Saint Barthélemy Saint Martin Saint Pierre and Miquelon Saba Sint Eustatius Sint Maarten Turks and Caicos Islands United States Virgin Islands

v t e State of Delaware
Dover (capital)
Topics	Index Architecture Beaches Communications Delegations Geography Government History Images Landmarks Law Mass media Newspapers Radio TV Military Music Nature Organizations Parks Roads Sports Symbols Transportation Tourist attractions
Society	Abortion Climate change Culture Crime Demographics Economy Education Gun laws LGBT rights Party strength Politics
Cities	Delaware City Dover Harrington Lewes Milford Newark New Castle Rehoboth Beach Seaford Wilmington
Towns	Arden Ardencroft Ardentown Bellefonte Bethany Beach Bethel Blades Bowers Bridgeville Camden Cheswold Clayton Dagsboro Delmar Dewey Beach Ellendale Elsmere Farmington Felton Fenwick Island Frankford Frederica Georgetown Greenwood Hartly Henlopen Acres Houston Kenton Laurel Leipsic Little Creek Magnolia Middletown Millsboro Millville Milton Newport Ocean View Odessa Selbyville Slaughter Beach Smyrna South Bethany Townsend Viola Woodside Wyoming
Counties	Kent New Castle Sussex
Delawareportal

Current series

Size	12 in × 6 in 30 cm × 15 cm
Material	Aluminum
Serial format	123456
Introduced	2008 (2008)
Availability
Issued by	Delaware Department of Transportation, Division of Motor Vehicles
Manufactured by	Waldale Manufacturing Limited, Amherst, Nova Scotia
History
First issued	May 1, 1909 (1909-05-01) (pre-state plates from 1905 through April 30, 1909)
v t e