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Missouri License Plates

Missouri's bluebird base debuted June 16, 2008. There were some changes that looked familiar since the series was a throwback to earlier issues. The new base features an embossed month, as well a having the first letter of the registration keyed to the expiration month, however, some month letters are different from earlier issues. Passenger format is AA1 A1A, but since the plates will begin in June, the first series will be JA rather than AA, which would be a January issue. It has also been reported that personalized plates, which originally had July expirations but were later changed to January, will return to July expirations. The validation sticker will be placed in the center of the plate.

Stickers issued by the MODOR Central Office and in City of St. Louis are now printed with the plate number to prevent theft. Stickers printed at license offices with the plate number to prevent theft are also available at Kansas City and Springfield area offices now.

The first alpha on most new plates, including Passenger, RV, and Truck 6 & 12, will represent the expiration month. For plates that expire in the same month, such as Truck (18-80), the configuration will be random with no alpha representing an expiration month.

Missouri does not use the letter "O" on Passenger plates, but the numeral zero (0) is used in the third position, or first numeric position on some plates. There are only two numbers in the current format, and they appear in the third and fifth position on Passenger plates. The numbering follows a basic 01-99 progression, with the numbers progressing ahead of the letter.

Here is how the progression works. Remember that two numbers only are used on these plates, and they always appear in the third and fifth position. The letter "O" is not used, so if it looks like an "O" on the plate, it's actually a zero.

Using January as an example, the first plate would have been AA0 A1A.

AA0 A1A > AA0 A9A

AA1 A0A > AA1 A9A

AA2 A0A > AA2 A9A

and so on through

AA9 A0A > AA9 A9A

then

AA0 A1B > AA0 A9B

AA1 A0B > AA1 A9B

AA2 A0B > AA2 A9B

and so on through

AA9 A0B > AA9 A9B

After AA9 A9Z would come AA0 B1A

And then after AA9 Z9Z would come AB0 A1A

Matthew Hicks reports that some plates with a DE- (March), FE- (April), and HE- (May) prefix feature a much darker state outline and slightly darker shade of blue for the color fade on the bottom of the plates. It is unknown if this will be a universal change or just a production variation within some of the plates.

Standard Passenger Plates

Non-passenger Plates

Truck

94K S1Z

Patient First - Apr 28 ’24

📖 History for this type
⚠️ Report an inaccuracy
🆕 Report a new high

Starting in 2008 with the Bluebird base, there is just one Light Truck plate that replaces the L & BL 6/9/12 series plates, combines them into one class. The only different designation that can be used on these plates is the addition of an "F" sticker denoting Farm use only. The first alpha denotes the expiration month.

Specialty Plates

Retired Series

1998 Series

9DF 36L

Matthew Hicks - May 19 ’08

📖 History for this type
⚠️ Report an inaccuracy
🆕 Report a new high

This is the new numbering format following 999 ZZZ on the original series.

Joey Hurd reports 754 AAA as a low on the original series.

758 ZZY is the high on the original series, reported by Matthew Hicks on 2008-03-03.

0AA 89T is the low on the new series, reported by Jesse Wodstrchill on 2009-01-13.

Q, U, and V series skipped. The Y series started to appear fairly early in the X series issue. The interesting thing about the Y and Z series plates is that they do not have the screened sticker boxes at the bottom, but they do have a recessed area in the center of the plate between the numbers and letters, which is where Missouri is now placing month and year stickers. The early X series plates reported so far still have the screened boxes in the lower corners, but Matthew Hicks has reported 422 XTK as the lowest steel plate with the recessed center area so far. He also reports the XLZ series at the highest he has seen in the original format. Eric Sivertsen reported 443 YBP as the lowest Y series plate seen, with no screened boxes, but with the recessed box in the middle. Matthew Hicks reports that the new plates in the Y and Z series with the recessed sticker box in the center are made of steel, but earlier issues of the current base have all been aluminum. Note: Mike Macik reports the XLY, XMN, and XNM series with both the screened sticker boxes and the recessed area in the center. Mike Macik reports that all Y (except for a short run of YZ- series that are steel) and Z series plates are aluminum, and most, if not all, X series plates are aluminum.

Matthew Hicks reports seeing 000 USA in Jefferson City on 2006-10-20, which is odd because the entire U series was skipped. This was not likely a personalized plate because it was embossed and personalized plates are flat. Mike Macik saw 000 AAA, also in embossed form, so chances are both were issued to well-connected people. Also from Mike: Some plates have sticker wells large enough to accommodate an area the size of the month and year stickers, while the majority has an area equal to two month stickers. It is very sporadic, but has been seen in nAB nnW, nBW nnM, and a few other series.