The current scheme is 1 digit, 3 letters, and 3 digits, except for vanity, commercial, and exempt (just numbers). Also some specialty plate types have different schemes (if one doesn't get a vanity plate) and even some nonstandard characters. Apparently this numbering scheme has been around since 1980 when the lead number was a 1 (I guessed they skipped 0) but will max out at 9ZZZ999. I remember when they were 3 digits followed by 3 letters (e.g. 000AAA).
The new scheme will be 3 digits, 3 letters, and 1 digit. The first example would be 000AAA1.
The new scheme will be 3 digits, 3 letters, and 1 digit. The first example would be 000AAA1.
It’s relatively difficult to predict precisely when California will issue its last current-style plate, but in June 2024, The Sacramento Bee wrote that the California DMV was sitting on about 18 months’ worth of license plate numbers, pegging the final current-style plate for the end of the year. The system, which started with 1AAA000, will be replaced with its reverse. The new system will consist of three numbers, three letters, and one number, so the first one could be something like 000AAA1 or 001AAA1 or 100AAA1 depending on whether or how they exactly implement the existing “no leading zeroes” rule.