Iowa License Plates

Iowa High Plates	Print

Type	Plate	Notes	Reporter
Flat	658 XWK	Dallas Co. The early part of the Sxx series was skipped by Passenger since it was used for "Special Plates" - (Limited Use Farm Trucks) and was allocated 000 SAA through 999 SHG. Passenger plates resumed at 000 SHH. U and V series skipped. Plates jumped from TZZ to WAA.	Kyle Ford 8/23/10
Embossed	537 JYC	Adair Co. Dxx and Ixx series were skipped. The D series was used for trailer plates on the previous issue. I, O, and Q are not used in the first position on Iowa plates, but they are used in the second and third position. U and V were used in the second and third position on the original allotment of plates through EFF, but they have not been used in that position since. That means the highest plates with those letters in the third position should be EEU and EEV. Iowa began issuing flat plates in the eight most populous counties (Polk, Linn, Scott, Woodbury, Dubuque, Pottawattamie, Black Hawk, and Johnson) with the HMZ series in Black Hawk Co., although at least one Cxx series flat plate has been reported from Story Co. (likely a test plate.) The other counties continued to issue embossed plates. Dale Schoening has seen 007 JXT as a flat (Emmet Co.). The switch to flat plates in all counties appears to have happened in the JXT-JYC range, although no clean break is identifiable. JXW was issued in both embossed and flat in Jones Co. JXX was issued in both formats in Lee Co. JXY was issued in flats in the early numbers in Lee Co., but Cedar Co. has higher number JXY plates embossed. Adair Co. has embossed JYC plates, but some higher JYC series flats have also been reported. 603 JYC (Davis Co.) was reported by Scott Fenzloff as a flat. All plates have been flat beginning with the JYD series.	Scott Fenzloff 5/15/10
Non-passenger Plates
DOT Weight Enforcement	T344	Black on white with Iowa State Trooper logo to the left of the number. These plates are used by DOT weight enforcement vehicles. As with State Patrol, the plate number is the same as the badge number.	Kenneth L. Barton 6/01/10
Handicap	W2542	Black Hawk Co. Started with Cnnnn format, then nnnnC, Jnnnn, nnnnJ, Ynnnn, nnnnY, nnnnZ, Znnnn, now Wnnnn.	Dale Schoening 8/15/10
Motorcycle	4857 ND	Linn Co. Series started at 0000 GA. Same series is used for untitled trailers. Flat plates are now being used in this type, having started in the high KD series. Dale Schoening reports a flat JE series from Polk Co., but embossed plates have been seen far above that.	Jesse Wodstrchill 7/28/10
Special	nnn SEG	unknown Co. Limited Use Farm Truck This numbering series also includes "Business Trade" plates, issued to vehicles used in such fields as construction, excavation, and heating/cooling/plumbing, etc. Specials run from 000 SAA through 999 SHG. Special plates started going flat with SPECIAL on side during the SCN issues. SPECIAL is now appearing in red font. Passenger plates in the S series used the remaining 000 SHH through 999 SZZ.	Dale Schoening 5/28/10
State Patrol	480	Black number between two red stars on yellow background. The plate number is the badge number.	Scott Fenzloff 7/22/09
Trailer	1146 DI	Polk Co. Standard size plate used for titled trailers and non-apportioned semi-tractors. Series began at 0000 AA and reportedly changed to flat screened style in the BI series, but Dale Schoening reports 6693 BF from Pottawattamie Co. as a low for flats, and embossed 1902 BG (Boone Co.) and 1345 BH (Marshall Co.) so they must have changed back and forth without a clean break.	Kenneth L. Barton 8/17/10
Specialty Plates
Cattlemen Care	591CI	Warren Co. Series began at at CA000 and then changed to 000CA.	Kenneth L. Barton 2/25/09
Eagle	MB 023	Black Hawk Co. Part of the Bird series. Kenneth Barton reports that Iowa has recalled 1,400 of the new Eagle plates because of complaints from law enforcement agencies that the eagle's wing hinders the view of the letters. New plates are being issued with the eagle rotated so as to not block any letters. See comments for Bird plates regarding the numbering on these plates.	Jesse Wodstrchill 8/17/10
Emergency Medical Service	430 EN	Wright Co. Series started at 000 EM.	Dale Schoening 11/20/09
Fire Fighter	F5079	This type does not have a county name. Numbering system: FFnnn, nnnFF, FDnnn, nnnFD, nnnnF, Fnnnn Embossed high: 4666F Flat low: 5478F	Dale Schoening 8/15/10
Gold Star	G0174		Dale Schoening 3/22/10
Iowa State University	ISU3679	Plate is school colors, red on yellow. The current high is embossed, but more recent issues are flat.	Kenneth L. Barton 3/21/09
National Guard	N1220	Flat Warren Co. Started at N0000.	Kenneth L. Barton 4/28/10
Natural Resources	MX479	The goldfinch (Iowa's State Bird), eagle, and pheasant plates have been joined by plates depicting a trout and a deer. They are all Natural Resources plates. They are all DNR issues that share the same numbering system. The Goldfinch, Eagle, and Pheasant plates use the same numbering system. The issues of the 3 Bird plates are rotated. They use one number on a base, and than the next issue goes on the next bird plate. Example, ME 125 is Goldfinch, ME 126 will be Eagle, so on as a rotation. Trout high - MP642 2010-06-24 Jesse Wodstrchill	Jesse Wodstrchill 6/25/10
Organ Donor Awareness	3730U	Began with Unnnn, then went to nnnnU.	Dale Schoening 5/17/09
Patriotic	see notes	This plate has been available at least since 2004. The left side of the plate features an outline of the United States with a US flag inside the outline. "God Bless America" appears over the outline. This series started at USnnn, then went to nnnUS, then various letters in the suffix position, including: UA, UB, UD, UE, UK, UP, UQ, UR, US, UT, and UU, but the order of issuance is unknown, so it is impossible to determine a high.	Kenneth L. Barton 8/21/08
Purple Heart	P2864	Recently made flat	Dale Schoening 4/26/10
Retired Armed Services	R1118	Rnnnn series. Plate includes emblem of owner's branch of service to the left of the number.	Scott Fenzloff 8/12/09
Share The Road	621 SW	Story Co. Bicycle on left side. SR, SS, SW, and UN series prefixes also used. Dale reports a Share The Road version of a Motorcycle plate (935SU) on 2008-10-17. Note that SW was originally use as a perfix, but now it is appearing as a suffix.	Kenneth L. Barton 4/17/10
Shrine	ZC 799	Marion Co. Series started at ZA 000.	Dale Schoening 8/16/10
University of Iowa	UI 3724	Flat	Dale Schoening 5/25/10
University of Northern Iowa	UNI0728	Flat UNI plates went flat in 2003 starting with UNI0600. There have been flat replacements of the original 1989 lower numbers.	Kenneth L. Barton 8/16/10
Veteran	V 4019	Flat Polk Co. U.S. Flag on left with "VETERAN" below the flag.	Dale Schoening 8/03/10

Iowa High Plates