Royce's Alaskan License Plates

These are the plate prefixes and suffixes that I have not yet spotted on the road, but are predicted by the progression of the standard plate series. If I have seen a plate prefix but I have no picture, the prefix will appear here.

Certain prefixes are excluded from the normal series of plate numbers. This can be because they are reserved for future use, or because they are considered to be objectionable in some way.

It is also interesting to note that many prefixes are less likely to be spotted in particular areas. This is because plates are shipped to local DMVs in lots of 5000 or so, and so there are prefixes that are "local" to a particular area. Since I live in Anchorage, many of the prefixes that are rare here are missing from this list.

I do not have any official data from the DMV on which prefixes were deliberately excluded, but I have observed some exclusions in the current series that are worth noting.

Of course, one day someone from the DMV is going to take pity on me and send me with a list of exactly which ones have and have not been issued, and I'll feel pretty silly for watching all this time -- but for now, it's a hoot.

If you have clearly spotted or taken a picture of one of these prefixes, let me know. To maintain the highest degree of accuracy possible, unconfirmed reports will be differentiated from confirmed reports with the use of italics.

As a crosscheck, please check the Alaska license plate prefix report -- the prefixes for which I have no solid photographic evidence.

Passenger Plates

Because early plates are rarely spotted on the road, it is difficult to see any clear exclusion pattern in the Bxx series. However, some prefixes would stand out so clearly when spotted (such as prefixes that are real words such as BUG), those plates are probably excluded.

Deliberately excluded:
BAB BAD BAG BAN BAR BAT BED BEG BLA BRA BUG BUM BUN BUS BUT BVD

Never issued:
BYA-BYZ BZA-BZZ - appear to be excluded

Deliberately excluded:
CAD CAN CAT CHP CRD CUL CUM CUN CUR

DAA-DAT - appear to be excluded
DBA-DBZ (reserved for Disabled Vet plates)
DCA-DCZ - reserved
DDA-DDZ - reserved
DEA-DEZ - reserved
DUA-DUZ - never issued

HAD - appears to be excluded
HAG - appears to be excluded
HAM - appears to be excluded

PWS - no photos yet

XYE+

YYY-YYZ probably not yet issued, or non-Anchorage

For Hire: ZZL-ZZZ - probably never issued

Trucks and payload vehicles

BM - appears to be excluded
BS - appears to be excluded
DM - probably reserved for motorcycle dealer
DN - motorcycle dealer
DP - reserved for transporters
DT-DZ - never issued
FB-FZ - never issued

Motorcycles

MA-MH - used in previous runs
MP-MZ - never issued - switched to Rx series, shared with trailers

Trailers

PE PU
SB - appears to be excluded