Which US state license plate design has been around the longest?

[JHZR2]

State of Delaware does not directly reissue the small black plates. They just allow the recipient of certain low number digits sets below a threshold to apply to a third party service to make state approved black plate with the allowed low numbers on them and with a valid registration sticker, be installed on a registered Delaware vehicle.

If a low digit is issued, the state still hands the owner a standard blue/gold plate and the owner can then either at the DMV itself or at home on a computer, apply for replacement plate in black. If you applied your registration sticker to the new blue standard plate while waiting on the reissued replacement black plate to come in, you still have pay for out of pocket to get a new duplicate registration sticker.

About the only people I see with the reissued small black license plates in Delaware are old money or people who want you to think they are native old money.

I had one when I lived there. Went to the DMV and asked for a number below the threshold, and they had one. Yes, you need to order a new porcelain plate if you want one…. Or if you have one one the “old money” 1-4 digit plates…. The rest of the 5 digit plates are done for novelty and because it looks different/better in some cases. Looked neat on my E30 BMW and looks really slick on a black car.

 

[Astro14]

State of Delaware does not directly reissue the small black plates. They just allow the recipient of certain low number digits sets below a threshold to apply to a third party service to make state approved black plate with the allowed low numbers on them and with a valid registration sticker, be installed on a registered Delaware vehicle.

If a low digit is issued, the state still hands the owner a standard blue/gold plate and the owner can then either at the DMV itself or at home on a computer, apply for replacement plate in black. If you applied your registration sticker to the new blue standard plate while waiting on the reissued replacement black plate to come in, you still have pay for out of pocket to get a new duplicate registration sticker.

About the only people I see with the reissued small black license plates in Delaware are old money or people who want you to think they are native old money.

My grandmother had Delaware plate number 810 on her ‘77 Oldsmobile (which later became mine). It had been her father’s.

When she passed away, years later, she left that plate to the child of a friend, since none of us lived in the state at that time.

My mother was a bit upset, since she remember that plate from when she was a little girl, but what was done was done.

 

[CR94]

... I’m a nerd on license plates though lol. Virginias current style that displays Virginia is for Lovers at the bottom was released in March 2014. ...

Is it true that Virginia sells the highest percentage of vanity plates? Or only offers plates promoting the highest number of causes, organizations, etc.?

When did Tennessee discontinue making its plates in the shape of the state (because it wouldn't fit standard mounting holes)?

I've had Kentucky, New Jersey, North Carolina, Virginia, and South Carolina plates on my cars---plus a Pennsylvania temporary. Still have the old Jersey, N.C., and Va. ones.

 

[AutoMechanic]

Is it true that Virginia sells the highest percentage of vanity plates? Or only the highest number of plates promoting causes, organizations, etc.?

When did Tennessee discontinue making its plates in the shape of the state (because it wouldn't fit standard mounting holes)?

I've had Kentucky, New Jersey, North Carolina, Virginia, and South Carolina plates on my cars---plus a Pennsylvania temporary. Still have the old Jersey, N.C., and Va. ones.

Yes that’s true. We have over 250 special plates. And I believe the most vanity plates too. I have personalized ones on my truck. I think the number is 275 exact for the special designs. I see special plates all over but some I haven’t seen in years. I also see tons and tons of personalized ones. Curious what Virginia ones did you have on your car? . I’m going to start changing mine to a different design every year or two.

 

[AutoMechanic]

Is it true that Virginia sells the highest percentage of vanity plates? Or only offers plates promoting the highest number of causes, organizations, etc.?

When did Tennessee discontinue making its plates in the shape of the state (because it wouldn't fit standard mounting holes)?

I've had Kentucky, New Jersey, North Carolina, Virginia, and South Carolina plates on my cars---plus a Pennsylvania temporary. Still have the old Jersey, N.C., and Va. ones.

Oh and sorry completely missed your Tennessee question since I was thinking of Virginia lol. I believe the answer to that is 1956 if I remember correctly. They had the shape on the plate till 76 but the actual cutout plate itself shaped like the state was discontinued in 1956.

 

[CR94]

Yes that’s true. We have over 250 special plates... Curious what Virginia ones did you have on your car? . ...

Thanks!
Standard white-background Virginia, with embossed dark blue characters, and stickers in upper corners. I had both yellow(?)- and blue-background Jersey plates, because they switched during the time I lived there.

 

[AutoMechanic]

Thanks!
Standard white-background Virginia, with embossed dark blue characters, and stickers in upper corners. I had both yellow(?)- and blue-background Jersey plates, because they switched during the time I lived there.

Cool. I have a single Jersey plate that’s yellow with what looks like black letters. I got it from a scrap yard. Really good shape though. Are you a collector? If not and you get tired of looking at those old plates let me know lol. I’ll buy them. My main focus for my collection is Virginia but I collect any and all license plates still trying to obtain some from all the states the list keeps getting shorter and shorter though.

 

[RobbyDawg]

Check out the plates of Canadian provinces. Most of them have gone virtually unchanged for decades.

 

[CR94]

... I have a single Jersey plate that’s yellow with what looks like black letters. ... Are you a collector? ...

Not a serious collector, just a pack rat. I didn't save my older yellow Jersey plate; still have both blue ones. When I moved to Jersey and traded in my old Chevy on a new Subaru soon afterward, the co-owner of the dealership (who was also chief salesman and assistant chief mechanic in that fledgling dealership) nailed my Kentucky plate to the wall of the service area as a trophy. I later gave my one of my parents' old Kentucky plates to a collector in N.Y.

 

[JHZR2]

Cool. I have a single Jersey plate that’s yellow with what looks like black letters. I got it from a scrap yard. Really good shape though. Are you a collector? If not and you get tired of looking at those old plates let me know lol. I’ll buy them. My main focus for my collection is Virginia but I collect any and all license plates still trying to obtain some from all the states the list keeps getting shorter and shorter though.

The buff NJ plate was used a few times before the current one. I have a buff with green from the late 40s, then they went buff with black, see below, then they went black with orange in the mid 50s.

The NJ plates I have are all larger than the old black Delaware plates like the one I used to have on my BMW. Then they went standard shape buff/black, then blue with buff letters, then to the current style of a graduated buff with black.

 

[01rangerxl]

North Carolina "First in Flight" since 1982 and still going strong in 2022.
NC First in Flight Plate

I think they did change the color of the number though. It was blue, then red.

Alabama changes the whole default tag almost every couple of years to varying swamp scenes for a while now, and you have to get a new one. I remember piles of renewal stickers on NC tags.

 

[sopususer]

I think they did change the color of the number though. It was blue, then red.

Alabama changes the whole default tag almost every couple of years to varying swamp scenes for a while now, and you have to get a new one. I remember piles of renewal stickers on NC tags.

They did change the letters and numbers to red for a short period somewhere around 2009. Law enforcement complained that the red letters were harder for them to read, so the state changed back to blue. The red letter plates are still around, but are very scarce. Due to age and wear, DMV now pulls old plates after seven years and replaces with new plates, so there are fewer and fewer red letter plates.