Vehicle registration plates of Guam

Last updated
Guam
Current series
SloganTano Y Chamorro
Size12 in × 6 in
30 cm × 15 cm
MaterialAluminum
Serial formatAB 1234
(coded by municipality)
IntroducedFebruary 27, 2009 (2009-02-27)
History
First issued1916 (1916)

The U.S. unincorporated territory of Guam first required its residents to register their motor vehicles and display license plates in 1916.

Contents

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. [1] Guam adopted these standards in 1960.

Passenger baseplates

1947 to 1964

ImageDates issuedDesignSerial formatSerials issuedNotes
Blank License Plate Shape.svg 1947Hand-stenciled black on white; "GUAM" at left and "1947" at right12341 to approximately 2200
Blank License Plate Shape.svg 1948Embossed black on golden yellow with border line; "GUAM" at left and "1948" at right12341 to approximately 4200First embossed plate.
Blank License Plate Shape.svg 1949Embossed white on blue with border line; "GUAM" at left and "1949" at right12341 to approximately 8500
Blank License Plate Shape.svg 1950–51Embossed orange on black with border line; "GUAM" at left and "1950" at right12341 to approximately 9900Revalidated for 1951 with silver tabs.
Guam license plate 1953 13793.png 1952–54Embossed black on orange with border line; "GUAM" at left and "1952" at right123451 to approximately 13800Revalidated for 1953 with silver tabs, and for 1954 with black tabs.
Guam license plate 1955 permanent.png 1955–56Embossed white on dark green with border line; "GUAM" at left and "1955" at right123451 to approximately 14000Revalidated for 1956 with black tabs.
Guam license plate 1957 dealer.png 1957–58Embossed black on yellow with border line; "GUAM" at left and "1957" at right12-3451 to approximately
14-800
Revalidated for 1958 with black tabs.
Blank License Plate Shape.svg 1959Embossed white on dark green with border line; "GUAM" at left and "1959" at right12-3451 to approximately
13-900
1960 Guam license plate.png 1960Embossed black on white with border line; "19 GUAM 60" at bottom12-3451 to approximately
14-000
First 6" x 12" plate.
Guam license plate 1961 graphic.png 1961Embossed white on black with border line; "19 GUAM 61" at bottom12-3451 to approximately
14-100
Guam license plate 1962 graphic.png 1962Embossed black on orange with border line; "19 GUAM 62" at bottom12-3451 to approximately
17-900
Guam license plate 1963 graphic.png 1963Embossed black on white with border line; "19 GUAM 63" at bottom12-3451 to approximately
20-000
Guam license plate 1964 17437.png 1964Embossed white on blue with border line; "19 GUAM 64" at bottom123451 to approximately 17500

1965 to present

Since 1996, all passenger plates have featured a round mounting hole at the top right and horizontal slots in the other three corners, as with plates of Hawaii and the Northern Marianas.

ImageDates issuedDesignSloganSerial formatSerials issuedNotes
1967 Guam license plate.jpg 1965–69Embossed blue on white with border lineHafa Adai123451 to approximately 38800
Guam license plate 1970 55137.png 1970–73Embossed golden yellow on dark green with border line; latte stone graphics at left and rightAmerica's Day Begins In Guam USA123451 to approximately 55200
GUAM 1978 passenger license plate Flickr - woody1778a.jpg 1974–77Embossed black on reflective white with border line; "74" at bottom leftHafa Adai12-3451 to approximately 57-500
1977–781234557501 to approximately 61000
Blank License Plate Shape.svg 1978–80As above, but without "74"61001 to approximately 72500
Blank License Plate Shape.svg 1980–82As above, but with shorter dies 72501 to approximately 83500
Guam license plate 1983 52787.png 1983–86Embossed blue on reflective white with border line; ox cart graphic at bottom leftHub of the Pacific123451 to approximately 87000
Guam license plate 1986 ACC 559.png 1986–93Embossed dark green on reflective white; graphic in center featuring pale green map and two green latte stonesHafa AdaiABC 123AAA 001 to approximately AFN 999
Guam license plate 1994 CHP 2294.png 1994 – February 26, 2009Embossed black on reflective white; gold map graphic in centerTano Y Chamorro [2] Coded by municipality:
  • ABC1234 (variable number of digits following letters)
  • ABC123A (following exhaustion of above format)
Varies by village:
  • ABC 1 to ABC9999
  • ABC001A to present
February 27, 2009 [3]  – presentEmbossed black on reflective white; graphic in center featuring gray latte stone and three red bougainvillea flowersTano Y ChamorroCoded by municipality:
  • AB 1234

Coding

Passenger, 1994

On the 1994 base, the letters of passenger plate serials indicated the village of issuance. These three-letter codes were displayed in a smaller font size than was the numerical portion of the plate serial.

VillageCode
Agana AGA
Agat AGT
Agana Heights AHT
Asan-Maina ASA
Barrigada BAR
Chalan Pago CHP
Dededo DED
Inarajan INA
Maite MAI
Mangilao MAN
Merizo MER
Mongmong MNG
Ordot ORD
Piti PIT
Sinajana SNJ
Santa Rita STR
Talofofo TAL
Tamuning TAM
Toto TOT
Tumon TUM
Umatac UMA
Yigo YIG
Yona YON

On the 2009 base, the letters of passenger plate serials again indicate the village of issuance. These two-letter codes are displayed in the same font size as is the numerical portion of the plate serial.

VillageCode
AgatAT
Asan-Maina AN
BarrigadaBR
Dededo DE
Hagåtña HG
Inarajan IN
MangilaoMN
Merizo ME
OrdotOR
Piti PT
TalofofoTL
TotoTO
Tumon TU
TamuningTM
UmatacUM
Yigo YG
YonaYN

Non-passenger

On the 1994 base, commercial truck plates were coded by location of issuance, but using a different geographical coding system than for passenger plates. These codes were based on more specific geographical areas or geographical features, rather than political jurisdictions.

Bus, dealer, taxi, and trailer plates were coded only by type, not location of issuance.

ImageTypeSerial formatCodeLocation
GUAM 1999 COMMERCIAL TRUCK license plate Flickr - woody1778a.jpg Commercial Truck 1234ABCFAPFort Apugan (Hagåtña)
FSOFort Soledad, Umatac
MLL Mount Lamlam
PDE Plaza de España (Hagåtña)
TFL Talofofo Falls, Talofofo
TLPTwo Lovers Point (Tumon)
Blank License Plate Shape.svg Bus BUS 123BUSall
Blank License Plate Shape.svg Dealer DLR 123DLR
Guam license plate 1983 government.png
Guam license plate 1986 government.png
Gu2003govt.jpg
Government of Guam 1234none
Blank License Plate Shape.svg Taxi TXI 123TXI
Blank License Plate Shape.svg Trailer 1234 TRLTRL

Optional plates

ImageTypeFirst issuedDesignSerial formatNotes
Gu2010veteran.jpg VeteranUnited States Air Force Blue on reflective white with full-color graphics of the flag of the United States and the flag of Guam AF 123
Gu2004vet.jpg Veteran—United States Navy Blue on reflective white with full-color graphics of the flag of the United States and the flag of GuamN 123

Other plates

ImageTypeFirst issuedDesignSloganSerial formatNotes
Guam license plate 1986 consular.png Consular1986As 1986–93 passenger baseHafa Adai
Guam license plate 1960s naval base.png Naval Base 1960White on yellow1234

References

  1. Garrish, Christopher (October 2016). "Reconsidering the Standard Plate Size". Plates. Vol. 62, no. 5. Automobile License Plate Collectors Association.
  2. "» Origin of CHamoru as an Ethnic Identifier". 5 October 2009.
  3. "DRT launches new license plates"