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The letters I, O, Q, and U are not used on current passenger plates, and the letters A and E are not used in the second position. The letter Q has not been used on non-vanity plates since the "Suburban" station wagon plates on the 1960-64 base.
Type Plate Notes Reporter
Passenger HPE-5785 FKA-FKZ was not used. Bruce Bufalini notes that vowels (A and E are the only ones used in general issue plates) have not been used in the second position on plates in the Exx series, nor was E used in the second position of the Fxx series, but A was used in the second position of the Fxx series. No repeating first and second letters been used in the Exx or Fxx series, but they were in the Gxx series. This has been a departure from the Dxx series since DAA-DAZ and DDA-DDZ plates were issued.

Issuance of the updated visitPA design started on 22 DEC 04. FYC-9994 is the current high in the series before the change, which began at GBA. The current series advanced from GZZ to HBA since the letter A is not used in the second position on regular issue plates.
Ed Angiolillo reports JBP-0441 on 2008-07-18. It was probably a vanity that was made in error with the keystone instead of a hyphen. Pennsylvania is one of the few states that permits vanities to be issued in the normal sequence, but they should appear with a hyphen where the keystone would normally be placed between the letters and numbers, to differentiate them from the normal series.
Tom Perri
Non-passenger Plates
Antique V40K This is a new series (Antique Vehicle) that replaces the Antique Historic Car plate. Antique Historic Car plates were produced as high as 00ZW in that format, but it is not known if they went all the way to 99ZZ before the change was made.
Note: The first letter is the series letter.
Bruce Bufalini
Antique Motorcycle P9L After reaching 99Z, the format changed to AA0. After reaching ZZ9, the format changed to A0A.
The middle character in the current high is a zero.
John McDevitt
Apportioned AF-77337 Now on visitPA base, starting at AF-50000. Jay Embee
Bus BA-65608 No dash on the newer plates, at least as high as BA57627, which was reported by Eric Butler. Now Bus plates are appearing with it again, and they are now on the VisitPA.com base. Bird Man reports BA-59591 with the dash.
Apportioned Bus high BN-01713 2010-05-21 from John McDevitt. Still on www base.
Bill Stephens
Classic Car C19710 Original series was 5 digit numeric with New Jersey dies (except for the 20000-21000 range) with room for only 5 digits. Bruce Bufalini
Classic Motorcycle
C
L
0456
purple on white John McDevitt
Collectible Vehicle CV1455 Yellow on black base. These plates are not dated and carry no stickers. Steve Ondik observes that these plates appear mainly on modified (such as drag type) vehicles mostly 20 years old and older. Bruce Bufalini
Dealer J87-766J Dealers are now on the visitPA.com base. John McDevitt
Dealer - Multi Purpose MP4381D Still on www base. John McDevitt
Emergency Vehicle EV-66586 Plates issued to Fire Departments and EMS services. Descendent of the Fire Dept. Plate, which was retired in the early 70s.
After being white on red since the 80s, this plate is now on the visitpa.com base with red embossed lettering. Earlier plates in the red on white format have been replaced by the new version, which also serves as a replacement for the former Fire Department plate.
The new style seems to have started at EV-50000. The high on the previous type was only around EV-30011, however, EV-31053 was reported on the new format. The lower series is reserved for non-fire department apparatus, such as private ambulance companies. The higher series is for municipal departments.
Jay Hughes
Farm Truck FM-5267C Still on www base. Jay Embee
Fire Department FD-29401 Fire Department plates have been recalled by PennDOT and have been replaced by the newer style Emergency Vehicle plates. John McDevitt
Limousine LM-26886 Still on www base Bill Stephens
Mass Transit
M
T
43436
Now on the visitPA base. Changeover happened at M/T 40000. Also this marks the return of the stacked MT prefix which was absent in the series between MT-36000 and MT-39999. Tom Perri
Moped BV456 The series on www base started at BA000, switched to visitPA base at BN000. John McDevitt
Motor Home HH-27142 Now on visitPA base with keystone separator in place of dash separator.
Steve Ondik
Motorcycle 8038L After ZZZ99, 0000A.
John McDevitt reports PennDOT just released a redesigned regular motorcycle series to promote safety with the wording "LiveFreeRideAlive.com" along the bottom. It appears to have started at 8000L. Many of the original style plates are yet to be issued, and they will be issued until they run out.
John McDevitt
Motorcycle - Dealer 190C MCD at bottom
The alpha character is the last to advance, i.e., 000A-999A, 000B-999B, etc.
John McDevitt
Municipal MG-3529F Issued to police cars and municipal vehicles.
Bill Jester advises that the series progressed from MG-00000 to MG-0000A. The 00000-MG series is for municipal trucks and trailers only. Both types are issued as singles.
Bill Stephens
Municipal - Motorcycle MG81B These plates are usually found on police motorcycles. Bruce Bufalini
Official 31359-PA "Official Use" is the legend on the plate.
Used on vehicles owned by the Commonwealth.
Bill Jester advises that Official Use plates on state cars have numbers first 00000-PA and are front and back. PA-00000 are on state trucks and trailers, and have progressed to PA-0000A.
Truck/Trailer series - PA-1416A 2010-02-18 Bill Stephens
Bill Stephens
Omnibus OB-75776 On the new visitPA base. John McDevitt speculates a changeover at OB-69000.
Mike Demes
Penn State (Official Use) A39-66P Official Plate issued to Penn State University owned vehicles. Plate looks similar to standard PA Official plates with a dark blue base and white characters. These plates are issued in pairs. Penn State official plates use the large "outline" keystone separator that was used on the 1977 passenger base. Bill Stephens
Permanent Trailer PT-2957R Changed to the visitPA base at PT-0000L.
PT-1953A reported as a low by Jordan Irazabal.
Jordan Irazabal
Person with Disability
16463
P
D
Now on the visitPA base. Before all of the P/D nnnnZ series were issued, the format changed to the reversed numeric series with the P/D suffix for a short time (Nick Tsilakis reports 00022 P/D from the short period when a few of these were first seen), but the P/D prefix in the Z series returned until it was used up.
Bruce Bufalini reports a low of P/D 0045A.
Disabled Person Motorcycle - PD-P71D
Jay Embee
Press Photographer PP774 Press Photographer license plates are issued to full-time newspaper, newsreel and television photographers. "PP" appears in small letters inside a "Keystone" to the left of the numbers. Still on the www base. Front and rear plates issued for this type. Bill Stephens
Repair Towing RT-56351 Issued to mechanics and towing companies. On the visitPA.com base.
Mike Demes
Repossessor RE-06120 Steve Ondik
Salvage Yard WL-24078 Now on the VisitPA base, probably starting at WL-23000. Bruce Bufalini
School Bus SC-56432 Now on the VisitPA base Heather Butera-Howell
School Vehicle SV20624 Now on the VisitPA base
The Keystone separator was not used earlier, but it is back. SV19468 did not have it, but since about SV-19750 does have it.
School Vehicle plate issued to private school bus companies for use on small passenger vehicles (like vans, etc.) for the use of transporting school children. Public school districts put municipal tags on vehicles they own that meet this criteria.
Bill Stephens
Special Mobile SME-798W Not yet on the VisitPA base.
Used mainly for heavy construction equipment that doesn't fall in the "Truck" category.
Heather Butera-Howell
Taxi TX-47191 Now on the VisitPA base. Change suspected at TX-46000. Heather Butera-Howell
Temple University
(Official Use)
T0246U Official Plate issued to Temple University owned vehicles. Plate has a dark red base with white characters. Eric Butler
Trailer XGA-4113 Upon reaching XZ-99999, a new series began at XBA-0000. The XA- series will not be used. Bill Stephens reports that the VisitPA base on trailer plates started at XCA-0000. Following the practice of not using vowels in the center position, the XE- series was skipped. Heather Butera-Howell
Transporter DT-10880 Plate used for transporting vehicles between dealers and customers and other dealers. Now on VisitPA base. Mike Demes
Truck YZK-9771 Bill Stephens
Specialty Plates
Blue Lodge
M
B
12308
Now on visitPA base. Bruce Bufalini spotted the lowest, M/B 00001. Heather Butera-Howell
Breast Cancer
B
C
03172
Pa Breast Cancer Coalition
Tom Perri
Carnegie Mellon Univ.
C
M
00326
C/M 00002 is the low seen by Kit. Bruce Bufalini
Choose Life
00863
C
L
Bruce Bufalini
Civil Air Patrol
00019
C
P
Heather Butera-Howell
Coast Guard Auxiliary
00069
A
X
Steve Ondik
D.A.R.E.
D
A
3G98
The format 0A00 series follows the 00A0 through 99Z9 series. The current high is the new style for this type. Heather Butera-Howell
Disabled Veteran DV-90456 Bluish purple on white. There are two types. The first type is unstacked, currently in the DV-30000 range.
High - DV-35217 2010-05-07 Bill Stephens
The second type is for severe disability, and has the D/V stacked, as well as a handicapped symbol. This type is currently in the D/V 90000 range.
High -D/V90456 2010-06-17 Bill Stephens
Bill Stephens
Donate Life
D
N
01135
Steve Ondik
Drexel University
D
U
40705
www base Steve Ondik
Ducks Unlimited
D
U
01800
www base Steve Ondik
Duquesne University
D
U
22090
Number series probably started at 20000 on the www base Bruce Sakson
Elizabethtown College
E
C
01105
Heather Butera-Howell
Emergency Medical Services
E
M
06541
Jay Hughes
Fire Fighter ff 38572 "FF" prefix is inside a Maltese cross. FF 35976 is the highest reported on the www base. The change to visitPA came at FF 360nn.
FF 00032 reported as a low by Jordan Irazabal.
Eric Butler
Flagship Niagara
F
N
958V
Progression: 0000 - 9999, 000A - 999A,
000B - 999B, etc. Plate was discontinued in 2/97 due to visibility issues.
John McDevitt
Flyers' Wives Charities
F
L
00961
This is the only plate that features the logo of a Pennsylvania sports team. (Philadelphia Flyers) Tom Perri
Franklin and Marshall College
00120
F
M
On the newest base Steve Ondik
Fraternal Order of Police
F
P
18000
Now on the visitpa.com base John McDevitt
Friends of Valley Forge Park
00027
V
F
Specialty tag to support Valley Forge National Park.
Low - 00001 V/F
Ed Angiolillo
Gold Star Family
G
S
F
0450
These plates are issued to desiring families of those killed in combat.
Steve Noll
Hearing Impaired HE-03055 Seen on PAPL8S.com license 1834
Korean War Veteran
K
V
02317
Steve Ondik
LaSalle University
L
U
00283
LaSalle University and Lehigh University (listed below) both use L/U, but LaSalle has it in the prefix position, while Lehigh has it in the suffix position. John McDevitt
Lebanon Valley College
L
V
01156
Series started at L/V 00000. Still on www base. Bill Stephens
Legislator (RET)
P
A
186
Heather Butera-Howell
Lehigh University
02150
L
U
On VisitPA base. Luke Roman
Lions International
L
I
00427
Steve Ondik
Mansfield University
M
U
40224
Now on the VisitPA base
Numbers appeared to begin at 40000 on the current base.
Tom Perri
National Greyhound Adopt. Prog.
G
H
01630
Eric Butler reported the first plate of this type, G/H 00000. John McDevitt
National Guard
N
G
3357
Steve Ondik
Notre Dame Alumni Association
02351
N
D
Bruce Sakson
Order of Elks
O
E
20142
Heather Butera-Howell
Otter
R
C
7H76
Progression for DARE, Otter, and Railroad plates: 0000 - 9999, 000A - 999A, 000B - 999B, etc. and up to 999Z, then 00A0 - 999A9, 00B0 - 99B9, etc. and up to 99Z9, after which the format will be 0A00. Bill Stephens
Owl
W
R
7188R
Progression: 00000 - 99999, 0000A - 9999A, 0000B - 9999B, etc. and now up to the R suffix. O suffix was not used. Owl plates are no longer being issued, but they are still being renewed.
Jordan Irazabal reports W/R 00016 as a low.
Bob “Vanity Bob” Brawley
PA State Nurses Association
R
N
00106
Steve Ondik
Pearl Harbor Survivor
P
H
S0339
Embossed
White background with "DECEMBER 7, 1941" in red at top, state name at red at bottom, "PEARL HARBOR SURVIVOR" in three stacked horizontal lines at the left in blue, and the stacked "P/H" followed by a small vertically centered "S" and then the registration number in blue.
Bill Stephens
Penn State Alumni
P
S
27671
PSU Alumni Assoc. plates changed to visitpa.com base around PS250nn; new plates have Penn State shield in blue. Jordan Irazabal
Penn State University
10014
P
S
Started at 10000 P/S.
The bottom reads PENN STATE UNIVERSITY, and has the Nittany Lion logo. Not to be confused with the PENN STATE ALUMNI ASSOCIATION plate which has the Penn State shield logo, this one directly benefits the university. The one-time fee is $179, compared to a standard special-fund plate at $35 one-time or a vanity at $20 one-time.
Bill Stephens
Prisoner Of War POW-T80 The POW plate is another type that uses the large 1977 "outline" keystone separator.
Steve Ondik
Professional Firefighter
P
F
05266
Current base
There are two different blocks of numbers for these plates. The lower block of numbers has the legend "INTL ASSN FIRE FIGHTERS" in the yellow bar across the bottom, and the IAFF logo in red with black letters to the left of the P/F serial.
The second block of numbers, apparently starting at P/F 20000, is similar in design, but the legend across the bottom is "PHILA FIRE FIGHTERS' UNION" with a similar logo to the other plate in the same position, but with "22" (for Local 22) in the center, and "LOCAL, PHILA, IAFF, and FIRE" appearing in the Maltese Cross logo.
The stacked P/F on both types is screened, but the numbers are embossed. Our thanks to Bill Stephens for this information.
Local 22 series high - P/F 23097
Steve Ondik
Purdue University
00057
P
C
Newest base Steve Ondik
Purple Heart
P
H
08673
Steve Ondik
Railroad
R
R
63X6
Bill Stephens
Seton Hall University
Shriners
S
P
00191
Jay Embee
St. Joseph's University
S
J
01585
www base Steve Ondik
Steel Worker
Street Rod
5903
S
R
John McDevitt
Temple University
T
U
03358
Now on the VisitPA base Heather Butera-Howell
Tiger
P
Z
Z811A
Progression: 0000 - 9999, 000A - 999Z, 00A0 - 99Z9, 0A00 - 9Z99, A000A - A999Z, B000A - B999Z, etc.

Very rare O used on this plate (was not mistaken for a 0 being that PA dies have the letters slightly smaller than numbers)

Low - PZ0002 spotted by Tom Perri
Bill Stephens
U.S. Armed Forces Retired
D
D
03451
Heather Butera-Howell
Univ Mich Alumni
U
M
00290
Joey Hurd
University of Delaware
U
D
00316
Heather Butera-Howell
University of Pennsylvania
U
P
04323
Issued to Penn alumni as a special-fund plate. Bill Stephens
University of Pittsburgh
U
P
04329
Newest base Steve Ondik
Veteran
01603
U
S
New plate series on visitpa.com base; full color US Flag to left of plate, with "US" stacked to the right of the numbers. Jordan Irazabal
Veterans of Foreign Wars
F
W
02357
Steve Ondik
Vietnam Veterans of America
V
N
06889
Newest base Steve Ondik
Vietnam War Veteran
V
W
06887
Jordan Irazabal
Villanova University
00254
V
U
Jordan Irazabal
Virginia Tech
00274
V
T
00001 V/T reported as a low. Brendan S.
We The People
U
S
04628
Special issue from 1987 commemorating the bicentennial of the US Constitution. Bill Stephens
West Chester University
W
C
20345
Appears number series started at 20000, on visitPA base
Tom Perri
West Point Alumni
W
P
1035
Jay Embee
World War II Vet
W
W
02886
Steve Ondik
WVU Alumni Association
W
V
01475
West Virginia University Alumni Association, on visitPA base Bruce Bufalini
York College
01116
Y
C
Steve Ondik
Inactive Series
Passenger - 7-digit blue CEG-3865 Bruce Bufalini
Passenger - You've Got A Friend RWP-255 Jeff Ellis