The letters I, O, and Q are not used. O and Q were used at one time, but not recently.
Standard plates are now flat and have reverted to a 000-AAA pattern. The B series appeared before the A series because B series plates were sent to registrants who initiated orders through the mail and over the Internet. The A series began to appear for over the counter sales as each office ran out of embossed plates. Our thanks to Jeremy DeMai for this information!
Low reverse series - 004 AAA 2011-03-10 Nick Jankovich
B series high - 093-BZX
After the A series was exhausted, the C series began for over the counter sales, then the D and E series were used. The F and S series were skipped.
In the previous alpha-numeric format, upon reaching PGR 999, the PGS series was skipped, so the next series started at PGT 001. From then on, the letter S was not used in any position. According to the state, this was because their telephone voice activation system was having difficulty understanding when the letter S was spoken over the phone. The state initially skipped the entire S series and went from RZZ 999 to TAA 001. After VZZ 999 the W series was skipped and went to XAA 001. The reason for this is because they were concerned that the W series would look too much like the DUI plates (locally called "W"hiskey plates). Whiskey plates use a WA0000 format, and they always start with W. After XZZ 999 was reached, the state apparently fixed the problem with their telephone system, and jumped back to the S series. It is unclear if the S was used in the second or third positions prior to this. The Y series was skipped because the state thought they would look too much like truck plates. Truck plates have a Y/A A0000 format, and the top letter of the stack is always Y. Apparently, the Z series was made, but the DMV isn't going to issue them. Management wants to keep them for testing, whatever that means.
Jeff Nelson previously reported that Minnesota seems to have discontinued use of S and F with the switch to flat plates in 2008. Recently, those letters have appeared in the second and third position on K-series plates, but he has not noticed them on any other series, including the L- and M-series that followed K. Now we have a report that the LFA series was issued. To summarize, the only Fs and Ss that he has seen on flat plates are as follows: KF- KS- K-F K-S LFA
Jay Maynard reports 170 LFJ, so others have been issued. Jay has also seen series with LFD, LFF, LFS, LFU, and LFX, so it is possible that all of the LF series was issued.
He also reports 630 LSC. It appears that all of the LFx and LSx series was issued. F and S have not been seen in the third position, only the second, with the exception of LFF and LFS.
Minnesota is on a 7 year replacement cycle, so plates must be replaced upon reaching 7 years of age. Therefore, the lowest alpha-numeric plates still in use are in the Mxx series. The current low for Pass. plates is BDL-830 reported by Nick Jankovich on 2011-08-15.
The M series is beginning to appear, but over the counter issues have just started in the L series. Speculation is that the M series is being used for mailouts, similar to what was done in 2009 with the A and B series.
M series high: 231 MZC
L series high: 089 LZU
Jay Maynard reports the MMG series being issued over the counter in Martin Co. in Jan. 2014, so they could be back filling after running out of L series.
Nick Jankovich reports something new for MN. It appears they are taking up the practice West Virginia has been using of screening the "sticker" for the first year of use. The latest high has the year "14" screened in the lower right. Although MN has been screening the month on new plates for a while, this is the first sighting of a screened year. The lowest screened year plate sighted was in the LBx series. Andrew Osborne reports the LAx used year stickers. LBC was screened.
Michael Belz - 31 May ’23
