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last mo.

California Retires 46-Year License Plate Sequence and Adopts Mirrored Format

The state is switching to a three-numbers, three-letters, one-number layout to add more than 100 million combinations and extend plate capacity for roughly 40 years.

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People waiting in line at the DMV, with an inset of the back of a grey car with a California license plate.
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Overview

  • The DMV has reached the end of the 1980 seven-character sequence with the production of plate 9ZZZ999, closing a run that began with 1AAA000.
  • The agency has begun manufacturing a new mirrored format of three numbers, three letters and a final number to expand available combinations to more than 100 million.
  • The DMV said Friday that new mirrored plates are already being produced but have not yet been broadly issued to drivers, and rollout will occur as local offices use up legacy stock.
  • More than 110,000 unissued plates in the old format remain stored across DMV and auto club locations, so the final legacy plate will likely be assigned without public fanfare.
  • All standard plates are made at Folsom State Prison through a work program for inmates, and officials expect the new configuration to meet California’s registration needs for about 40 years.