Vehicle registration plates of Delaware

The U.S. state of Delaware first required its residents to register their motor vehicles and display license plates in 1909.

All license plates issued since 1942 can still be used with current stickers. Authorized reproductions of porcelain enamel license plates can be obtained through a private vendor, provided they fall within the state's guidelines.

In 1956, the U.S. states and Canadian provinces came to an agreement with the Automobile Manufacturers Association that standardized the size for license plates for vehicles, except those for motorcycles, at six inches in height by twelve inches in width, with standardized mounting holes. The first Delaware license plate that complied with these standards was issued in 1958.

Passenger plates 1909 to present

Image	First issued	Design	Slogan	Serial format	Serials issued	Notes
150px	1939	White embossed lettering on maroon base, aluminum plate.	none.	12♦3451	1 to 869992
	1942	white on black, porcelain enamel plate. The first permanent license plate issued by the state phasing out annual replacements that had been the norm from 1909 thru the war time material shortages associated with World War II. The design incorporated a simple "DEL." at top surrounded by insert tab spaces - month/day to left, year to right. Diamond (for the Diamond State) served as comma between 3rd and 4th digits. No diamond on registration numbers below 1000. Month and day insert tabs for all Delaware renewals were 3/31, 6/30, 9/30, 12/31. Year tabs issues from "42" to "62" and phased out in favor of stickers for renewals after 1962. Inserts alternated between gold on blue for odd years, and blue on gold for even years. March inserts were black on white, June white on green, September and December both white on red.	none.	12♦345; A1♦234 1	1 to 86999 1 to Z99992	5.5"x9.5" in porcelain enamel renewed with metal tabs authorized modern reproductions allowed
	1947	Polished stainless steel numbers riveted on black painted stainless steel base plate. Base embossed with Delaware on top. Insert space at bottom. Insert format continued as original.	none	123456 (variable number of digits)	1 to 2000002	plates vaired in size: 5-digit 9.5 x 5.5 in 6 digit 11 x 5.5 in renewed with metal tabs
	1951	Reflective white scotchlite painted stainless steel numbers riveted on black painted stainless steel base plate. Base plate embossed with Delaware on top. Insert spaces at bottom. Insert format continued as original.	none	1234561	1 to 2000002	plates were smaller than the 6 digit plates if they were 5 digits or lower. renewed with metal tabs
	1958	Reflective gold numbers riveted on dark blue, Delaware at top, insert spaces bottom. Insert format continued as original.	none	1234561	4 to approx 2250002-3	first plate in federally mandated 6 x 12 in size renewed with metal tabs
150px	1962	gold on dark blue	The First State at top, Delaware at bottom. Insert spaces removed as inserts phased out in favor of stickers beginning with 1963 renewal dates.	1234561	4 to 10000002-3
150px	1969	gold on dark blue with gold border	The First State on top	1234561	4 to 10000002-3	Several variations of the font used for the serial exist. Some replacement plates have riveted numbers.
150px	2008	gold on dark blue with gold border	The First State on top	1234561	4 to 9999992-3	Plates have a beveled edge around the plate as opposed to the previous all-flat plates

Notes:
1. Variable number of digits
2 The state recycles numbers, so they can be found on any base.

3 Registration numbers 1,2,3 reserved for Governor, Lt. Governor, and Sec of State. These are special issue gold background with state coat of arms.

Non-passenger types

Delaware does not use leading zeros on its plates, so serials are composed of a variable number of digits.

Image	Type	Slogan	Serial format	Notes
	Commercial	The First State	C123456 CL123456
	Dealer	The First State	D12345
	Disabled Person	The First State	HP12345
	Motorcycle	none	12345
	Pleasure/Commercial	The First State	PC123456	Issued to station wagons and sport utility vehicles.
	Recreational Trailer	The First State	RT1234
	Recreational Vehicle	The First State	RV12345
	State-Owned	The First State	S1234
	Temporary Registration	The First State	XC123456; XP123456	Delaware started issuing temporary tags with an all-numeric format, then moved to the letter X as a prefix, then XA, XB, XC then the current XP as of 11/18/14

Optional types

Delaware does not use leading zeros on its plates, so serials are composed of a variable number of digits.

Image	Type	Serial format	Notes
	Centennial of Delaware License Plates	Remakes of passenger serials: 123456 Remakes of pleasure/commercial serials: PC123456	Issued from October 1, 2008, until December 31, 2009. Awarded "Plate of the Year" for best new license plate of 2008 by the Automobile License Plate Collectors Association, the first and, to date, only time Delaware has been so honored.
	Disabled American Veterans	123DAV
	Duck	Remakes of passenger serials: 123456	A portion of the proceeds from this license plate's sales benefit Delaware's two National Estuary Programs: the Center for the Inland Bays and the Partnership for the Delaware Estuary. These funds are used to improve the health of Delaware's coastal waterways and bays, or "estuaries."
	Lighthouse	Remakes of passenger serials: 123456 Remakes of pleasure/commercial serials: PC123456	A portion of the proceeds from this license plate's sales benefit Delaware's two National Estuary Programs: the Center for the Inland Bays and the Partnership for the Delaware Estuary. These funds are used to improve the health of Delaware's coastal waterways and bays, or "estuaries."
	Lighthouse—Personalized	various	A portion of the proceeds from this license plate's sales benefit Delaware's two National Estuary Program's: the Center for the Inland Bays and the Partnership for the Delaware Estuary. These funds are used to improve the health of Delaware's coastal waterways and bays, or "estuaries."
	Passenger—Personalized	various
	Purple Heart	PH1234
	State Representative	Legislators' initials: A. B. C.
	Telephone Pioneers	TP1234
	University of Delaware	UD1234
	Volunteer Firefighter	VF1234

External links

• Delaware license plates 1969-present