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Illustrated History of Connecticut License Plates
Joe Wasielewski - ALPCA Member 6996
All-Terrain
Ambulance
Amateur Radio
Apportioned
Boat Ramp
Bus
Camp Trailer to 1957
Camp Trailer 1958-
Camper
Classic Vehicle
Combination 1
Combination 2
Commercial to 1957
Commercial 1958-
Common
Construction
Dealer Motorcycle
Dealer New to 1969
Dealer New 1970-1989
Dealer New 1990-
Dealer Spec. Equip.
Dealer Used to 1969
Dealer Used 1970-1989
Dealer Used 1990-
Dismantler
Early American
Error Plates
Exp. Test
Factory
Farm
Fire Apparatus
Fish
Foreign Consul
Gasoline
Handicapped
Hearse
High Mileage Veh.
Interstate
Junk
Livery
Marine Trailer
M.F.G.
Military
Miscellaneous/Local
Motorcycle
Municipal
M.V. Dept
Official
Parade
Permits
Political - State
Political - US
Postmaster
POW
Prototype
PUC
Repair to 1969
Repair 1970-
Sample
School Bus
Service Bus
Snowmobile
Special Equipment
Sphinx
State
Student Transport
Taxi
Temp. Metal Plates
Temp. Non-Passenger
Temp. Pass.
Temp. Reg. Certificate
Toll
Trailer
Trans.
Vanpool
Veteran
Volunteer Firefighter
Wrecker
Commercial 1958-
Click to see this type in useThese plates are issued to commercial trucks, or vehicles used for business purposes.

In 1958, new blue on white plates were issued in the now standard 6x12 size. Old numbers were carried over to these new plates, and the plates were validated with tabs for 1958 and 1959. New registrations continued on in an A1234 format.

In 1960, new plates were issued in the reverse color scheme- white on blue. These plates were validated with tabs at first, and with decals beginning in 1963. They were used through 1966 and continued the A 1234 format (a space was added between the letter and numbers). These blue plates seem to have made it through the P series.

For 1967, new red on white plates were issued. These plates had tab slots, but only decals were used on these plates. The tab slots were discontinued somewhere between the W and Y series. Once Z 9999 was reached, a new format was started at A10000. When the narrower dies were introduced in 1977, a space was added between the letter and numbers. During the E series, this space was filled with a dot separator.

In 1987, the "map" plates were introduced. For some reason, rather than starting at H-10000, the H-1000 series was used. All series after this only used 5 numbers after the letter.

With the general reissue in 2000, the "Commercial" legend became a stacked "COMM" on the left side of the plate. These plates started in the K-series. The L- series was reached in June, 2013.

In late August, 2015 Commercial plates went to the new one-size-fits-all "omni-format" for Connecticut plate numbering. These are in the AB-12345 format, with a stacked "C/O/-/M/M" between the letters and numbers.

See Also: Sample, Temp. Non-Passenger


 1958  1958
1958 Another 1958
(unused, the tab was never attached).
A dot separator was used on plates with 5 digits.
   
 1959 1959
1959 Another 1959
These made it up to the F series on this white base.
   
1960  
1960. The dot separator on
5-digit plates didn't make it to this base.
 
   
 1962  1963
1962
1963
   
1964 1965
1964
1965
   
 blank  label
ca. 1965 Commercial Blank.
This is a curious plate. It certainly appears to be made in Connecticut, and there is a mailing label on the back from the Pennsylvania BMV to the Connecticut DMV. It appears as though there was another label underneath this one. Since this was about the time Pennsylvania started their "Commercial" type, did Connecticut make a few mock-ups for Pennsylvania? Or vice-versa?
Mailing label on the back of the plate to the left.
   
1966 1966
1966. While we are on a slight diversion, here are a couple of low number plates.
Another 1966.
   
 1966  1967
1966
This style seems to have made it through the P series.
1967
This plate was a remake of an old number on this base. Tab slots are there but never used, 
since this was made from leftover stock from the days of tabs
   
1969 1967
1967 used until 1969.
1967
   
 1967 1968
Another 1967.
Nothing particularly special about these last three plates except that they have managed to stay together for just about 50 years.
1968
   
 1968  1969
1968 Low number 1969
   
 174  1960s
Late 1960s/Early 1970s
This plate has no tab slots, and a blue reverse side.
Late 1960s. Somewhere between the 'W' and 'Y' series tab slots no longer appeared on the plates.
   
 1970  1971
1970 1971
   
 1972 1973
1972 1973
The A10000 format started around 1970
   
1975  1975
1975 1975 low number.
Pretty beat-up plate, but I guess I got sick of seeing it perpetually listed for sale. 
   
 1976  
1976 Used until 1983.
   
1978  
1978
The dies were changed around plate number B 60000.
 
   
 1979  1980
1979 Used until 1980
   
 1981
  1982
1981
After the B- series finished up, the numbering jumped to the E- series. 'C' is for Combination plates, and 'D' is for Used Dealer.

1982
A dot separator was added 
somewhere around E-50000.
   
 1983 1984
1983 Low Number 1984
   
 1986 1987
 
1986
The 'F' series was skipped
1987
   
 1988 1989
 
1988
The map base started in 1987. I don't know why they went back to 4 numbers for this series.
1989
   
 1990 1993
1990 1993
   
 1994 1996
Purportedly a 1994 expiration. Although this plate likely could've been used in 1994, the decal does not belong to this plate. Commercial plates only carry April expirations. A little investigation reveals that this decal was lifted from a passenger vanity plate I happened to receive in the same batch of plates from a California (now Florida) collector. This was done for no other reason than to mis-represent the plate as a 'stickered' issue, and this practice should be condemned. 1996
   
1999 vanity 2000
1999 Vanity
2000
   
 2001 repl
2000
1987 issue revalidated until 2001
 Commercial plates received a "Replacement Sticker" like other types while awaiting new plates to be made on the reflective base
   
2004 k
2004  ca. late 2000s. Date stickers are no longer used on Connecticut plates.
   
2010  
ca. 2010.
This plate was made with Avery sheeting.
Notice the difference in color and gradient, and the typical issues with the paint not adhering to the embossed areas.
 
   
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