ALASKA LICENSE PLATE QUESTIONS
HISTORICAL INFORMATION
When was the first license plate issued in Alaska? Who received it? What kind of vehicle was it?
What plate types (other than the current types and the "A" series) were issued, and when?
Who decided on the current series configuration (three letters followed by three digits, each number run beginning with 100)? Why were 000-099 excluded?
When did plates begin to reflect vehicle type (passenger vs. utility, etc)?
Why was the "A" series abandoned when we switched from the "bear" plate to the "flag" plate?
What was the last "A" plate put on a vehicle? Also, since plates are manufactured ahead of use, some "A" plates were manufactured but never issued, and auctioned off. What was the last "A" plate made? How many uncirculated plates are in existence?
What major changes in series were put into effect, and when?
PLATE MANUFACTURE AND DISTRIBUTION
Who manufactures our license plates? At what location(s)?
What happens to error plates? Are they destroyed?
What should be done with the plates of wrecked or "totaled" vehicles?
What statistics are available on the issuing of license plates?
Are license plate numbers distributed randomly throughout the state, or are certain number series given to different cities and areas? Is this handled by the computer system, or by the physical manufacturing and delivery process?
Can large companies purchase blocks of plates for their fleet of vehicles? What rules govern these blocks? Is there a minimum block size?
PLATE CHARACTERISTICS
Sometime early in the C series, the plate font changed. (The letters used to be shorter, and more vertically symmetrical - for instance, in the old font, the top loop of the "8" was the same size as the bottom loop. Now, the top loop is smaller. There are other similar differences.) When did this change take place, and why?
Why do some non-flagged (plates without the Alaska State Flag in the middle) with six characters have a space in the middle, while others do not? If this was a universal change, when did this change take place?
No plates issued in standard series use the letter "O" in the character portion of the plate number. This is probably to minimize confusion between "O" (oh) and "0" (zero.) When personalized plates use "O" or zero, is this character stored in the computer as an "O" or as a zero?
GENERAL INFORMATION
There are many different prefixes and suffixes used for particular vehicle groups. Is there a complete definition somewhere (including historical data on previous series) ? If not, what information is missing from the attached list? What are the beginning and end dates of these runs (if applicable)?
What is the oldest registered plate on the road in Alaska today?
When will the current series end?
Because of the room for the bear/flag, it is clear that there is room on an Alaskan personalized license plate for seven characters. Are there any plans to make an additional character slot available?
It is conceivable that someone could lose the license plate from their vehicle. If someone finds such a plate, what should be done with it?
What cities and political entities can have "exempt" plates issued?
If I am a disabled vet, when am I entitled to a disabled vet plate without extra charge?
If I were an Alaskan state legislator, how could I arrange to get a legislator’s plate?
Who do I contact for more information?
PLATE DISPLAY
Is it legal to only display the license plate in the rear window of the vehicle?
Many outlying areas do not require plate display on vehicles. Is it legal to display an old plate (such as the "A" series bear plate) on such a vehicle?
If the standard current plates are correctly displayed, is it legal to also display a plate from an older series, such as a bear plate?
TAGS AND REGISTRATION
How is a car owner’s registration renewal month determined?
Since only rear plates are now tagged (when did this change go into effect?) should old tags on the front plates be removed?
Tag colors are changed from year to year to make it easier to spot expired tags. What colors have been used in the past?
PERSONALIZED PLATES
How long can a personalized plate remain expired before it cannot be renewed?
Under what circumstances can license plates be included or excluded when the vehicle is sold or transferred?
Who were the artists who did the work for the new personalized plates? Artwork on older plates (i.e., the red bear)?
Can someone still choose to personalize a standard blue-and-yellow plate? Yes.
It seems that personalized plates must not be part of the current series. Can personalized plates use numbers from previous series? (For example, could I have a plate with the number AAA 100? Could I have one called AAA 001? What about CAA 001?)
Are plate names researched to check for obscenity? Is there an official policy on this? What other types of plates are excluded from the available pool?
Can a personalized plate have a single character?
What other rules govern the issuing of personalized plates?
What non-alphanumeric characters (dash, period, etc.) are available for personalized plate use?
Some states have non-standard characters (heart, smiley face) available for personalized plates. Are there any plans to make these kinds of characters available to vehicle owners in Alaska? Would this require an upgrade in manufacturing equipment? What would be the cost? Aren’t there disadvantages to these plates for law enforcement officers?
Are the personalized series plates (VPH, etc) considered to be personalized plates? If not, what is the term for these types of plates?
What cars are eligible for Custom Collector plates?
PUBLIC INFORMATION
How much does it cost to research someone’s public information using their license plate number?
What information can be obtained?
When was the first license plate issued in Alaska? Who received it? What kind of vehicle was it?
What plate types (other than the current types and the "
A" series) were issued, and when?100)? Why were 000-099 excluded?
Probably to diminish confusion between the "
O" and the zero.
When did plates begin to reflect vehicle type (passenger vs. utility, etc)?
A" series abandoned when we switched from the "bear" plate to the "flag" plate?
A" plate put on a vehicle? Also, since plates are manufactured ahead of use, some "A" plates were manufactured but never issued, and auctioned off. What was the last "A" plate made? How many uncirculated plates are in existence?
The latest uncirculated "
A" plate I’ve seen is an "ASZ" plate. (They were $25 apiece for a front/back set in the original manila envelope, purchased from a shop at the Fair this year. I’m not sure what the name of the shop was, and have no idea if he sells plates in the non-fair season. I got it down to $20 apiece but the gentlemen who was running the shop was quite the manipulator and pulled out all the stops when I suggested that I might shop around and come back. I took them because they were in good shape, but I wouldn’t recommend dealing with him. I can’t mention names even if I was going to, because I didn’t even look at the name of the place.)
What major changes in series were put into effect, and when?
PLATE MANUFACTURE AND DISTRIBUTION
Who manufactures our license plates? At what location(s)?
What happens to error plates? Are they destroyed?
What should be done with the plates of wrecked or "totaled" vehicles?
What statistics are available on the issuing of license plates?
Plates are manufactured and then sent to a central warehouse. When a DMV station needs additional plates, a block of plates are sent to that DMV. The consequence of this is that there are sections of series that you are much less likely to see because they were sent to Fairbanks, Juneau, etc. (Source: DMV Information Desk)
C series, the plate font changed. (The letters used to be shorter, and more vertically symmetrical - for instance, in the old font, the top loop of the "8" was the same size as the bottom loop. Now, the top loop is smaller. There are other similar differences.) When did this change take place, and why?
No plates issued in standard series use the letter "
O" in the character portion of the plate number. This is probably to minimize confusion between "O" (oh) and "0" (zero.) When personalized plates use "O" or zero, is this character stored in the computer as an "O" or as a zero?My guess is that they are stored as "
O" rather than zero. John Carty advanced the theory that this makes more sense because it would be difficult for sorting purposes to use a zero in the middle of the plate name. On the other hand, it must be all one way or the other, because otherwise the storage would depend on the context, which would not be definitively known by the DMV. -- According to John (9/3) there is a distinction - he spotted the plate 70PONY with a more oval zero and a rounder "O" -- which makes the issue a little more confusing.
I got most of the information I was missing out of a reference manual used by employees working the Information desk at the Anchorage DMV. They were very cooperative, though they thought I was a little odd. I have not yet inquired about dates of runs.
What is the oldest registered plate on the road in Alaska today?
(The oldest plates I’ve actually seen on the road are BAA 873 and 2001 BA)
When will the current series end?
What cities and political entities can have "exempt" plates issued?
Bristol Bay Borough
City and Borough of Juneau
City of Bethel
City of Fairbanks
City of Hoonah
City of Kenai
City of Nenana
City of North Pole
City of Seward
City and Borough of Sitka
City of Unalakleet
City of Valdez
Kenai Peninsula Borough
Mountain Village
Municipality of Nenana
Municipality of Anchorage
Anchorage Fire Department
Anchorage School District
Anchorage Water and Wastewater Utility
Parks and Recreation
Department of Public Works
Transit Department
(Source: DMV Information Desk reference book 05/96)
If I am a disabled vet, when am I entitled to a disabled vet plate without extra charge?
Only on the first issue of the plate. Replacement plates carry a $10 (???) charge. (Source: DMV Information Desk reference book 05/96)
If I were an Alaskan state legislator, how could I arrange to get a legislator’s plate?
Write to:
State of Alaska
Legislative Affairs Agency
Director of Administrative Services
Pouch Y State Capitol
Juneau, AK 99814
or call
(907) 465-3800
(Source: DMV Information Desk reference book 05/96)
Who do I contact for more information?
Division of Motor Vehicles
Anchorage Station
2150 E. Dowling Road
Anchorage, AK 99507
(907) 273-2200
(Source: DMV Information Desk reference book 05/96)
Is it legal to only display the license plate in the rear window of the vehicle?
A" series bear plate) on such a vehicle?
How is a car owner’s registration renewal month determined?
new cars:
the month in which the registration application is submitted
expired less than twelve months:
the same month that was previously used for that plate
expired twelve months or more:
the month in which the registration application is submitted
You can also request a particular month (if you have not previously requested a month.) You must register at least a year in advance, and the remainder after one year is pro-rated. (For example, if it is now April and you want your tags to renew in August, you must pay for 15 months of registration when making the request.)
(Source: DMV Information Desk reference book 05/96)
Since only rear plates are now tagged (
when did this change go into effect?) should old tags on the front plates be removed?It seems that front tags are ignored. It might be useful to remove them, to remind an enforcement officer that the front stickers are irrelevant.
Year Color
97
96
95
94
93
92
91
90
89
88
87
86
85
It has been noted that some sticker colors fade relatively quickly, so it is difficult to tell what the color was just by observation.
How long can a personalized plate remain expired before it cannot be renewed?
12 months.
At the discretion of the person who registered the vehicle.??? (Source: DMV Information Desk reference book 05/96)
Can someone still choose to personalize a standard blue-and-yellow plate?
Yes.AAA 100? Could I have one called AAA 001? What about CAA 001?)
Plates with three letters/three numbers, four numbers/two letters, and two letters/four numbers are excluded from personal plate availability. (Source: DMV Information Desk reference book 05/96)
"Ethnic, racial, or vulgar words, or words with indecent connotations, are not allowed." (Source: DMV Information Desk reference book 05/96) However, some seem to slip through the cracks. (If the DMV didn’t notice, it’s not my place to point them out. Look through the list and you may notice some that could be construed as vulgar.)
Can a personalized plate have a single character?
What other rules govern the issuing of personalized plates?
What non-alphanumeric characters (dash, period, etc.) are available for personalized plate use?
The official policy I saw said that no special characters were allowed (Source: DMV Information Desk reference book 05/96) though I have seen a plate with a dash in it ("10-24") that appeared both machine-stamped and painted in the standard fashion.
Are the personalized series plates (
VPH, etc) considered to be personalized plates? If not, what is the term for these types of plates?These are not personalized plates, but rather simply plates of a different series, just like the handicapped series. (Source: DMV Information Desk reference book 05/96)
What cars are eligible for Custom Collector plates?
"A vehicle whose body and frame were manufactured before 1949 or a replica of (same) ... and that has been modified for safe road use. In this paragraph, modified includes a material alteration of the drive train, suspension, brake system or dimensions of the body."
(Source: DMV Information Desk reference book 05/96)
How much does it cost to research someone’s public information using their license plate number?
What information can be obtained?
PASSENGER VEHICLES
BEGIN END
AAA 100 A?? ??? old passenger run - defunct
AST 100 A?? ??? current Alaska State Troopers run
100 AST ??? A?? digit-first AST run
BAA 100 CZZ 999 current passenger run (older information)
("D" series already in Juneau)
(oldest sighted in Anchorage is CZH)
DAV 100 D?? ??? standard disabled vet run
DBA ??? D?? ??? disabled vet (no flag in middle -- a brief series, since corrected)
100 D?? 999 D?? (another brief disabled series, since corrected)
FWP 100 FWP 999 Fish and Wildlife
100 FWP 999 FWP
HAA 100 H?? ??? beginning of bulk run of handicapped plates
HCP ??? H?? ??? beginning of handicapped plates
O?? ??? ??? ??? Occasional use (phased out in the legislative session of 1993)
POW 100 P?? ??? Prisoner of War plates
PH 100 PH 999 Pearl Harbor survivor
PWS 100 PWS 999 Prince William Sound Community College
UAA 100 UAA 999 University of Alaska - Anchorage
UAF 100 UAF 999 University of Alaska - Fairbanks
UAS 100 UAS 999 University of Alaska - Southeast
VAA 100 VAA 999 Army
VAF 100 VAF 999 Air Force
VAR 100 VAR 999 Army
VCG 100 VCG 999 Coast Guard
VEA 100 VEA 999 Air Force
VET 100 VET 199 Marine Corps
VET 200 VET 499 Navy
VET 500 VET 799 Air Force
VET 800 VET 899 Army
VFA 100 VFA 999 Navy
VGA 100 VGA 999 Marine Corps
VMC 100 VMC 999 Marine Corps
VNG 100 VNG 999 National Guard
VNV 100 VNV 999 Navy
VPH 100 VPH 999 Purple Heart
XXG 100 XXZ 299 government
YYE 100 YYZ 499 exempt (charitable)
ZZD 100 ZZZ 399 for hire
UTILITY VEHICLES
BEGIN END
1000 AA ???? A? previous utility run
1000 BA ???? DG current utility run
(also includes limousines)
(oldest sighted: 2001 BA)
1200 DD 1249 DD transporter ???
1300 DL 1399 DL Dealer plates - motorcycle
3000 DL 4099 DL Dealer plates - automobile/truck
3300 FA 4399 FA Farm use
1 (HV) ? (HV) historical vehicles (stored at DMV as HV but this is not on plate)
1000 MC 4999 MC Motorcycles ??? (old information)
1000 PA 7499 PF Non-commercial trailers
1000 SA 6999 SC Commercial trailers
1000 SL ??? ??? commercial ???
OTHER
BEGIN END
1 Governer of the State of Alaska
2 Lieutenant Governer of the State of Alaska
3 63 Legislators
10000 99999 State of Alaska vehicles
????? ????? Amateur Radio (Call Letter) plates (FCC reg. required)