New Jersey License Plates

Flat

New Jersey became the latest state to go flat, as of late April 2014. Production of flat plates began April 1, 2014. A10-EFF was the first flat plate. That plate has been seen on the road. The last embossed plate was late in the EEK series, possibly T99-EEK. No suffixes between EEL and EFE have been seen, and there is no overlap between the embossed and flat plates. Thanks to Jim Moini for that information. The highest embossed plate seen is R40-EEK.

The FQ- series was skipped.

Earlier notes:

New Jersey had a big jump in the A series.

Pre-jump high: W74-ASP 2011-04-02 Dave Mackey

Jump low: C14-AUF 2010-11-24 Ed Angiolillo

Note: Around the time the YND series was the high, a YYH series plate was spotted. Meanwhile, the original series before that jump continues with a pre-jump high of YYA-68F.

Stickers boxes, which were dropped in the late V-- series, have appeared (maybe as an error?) again in the Y-- series after being completely absent from the W-- series. Dave Mackey reports seeing them on a YBX or YBZ series plate.

There is no clean break as to where sticker boxes in the top corners of the plates were dropped. VZS and VZT series plates have both been observed with and without boxes. Some VYX series were produced without boxes.

Simon reports UVT-83G on 2006-05-08, but in the blue plate format.

Plates jumped from the S to the U series. The T series is used on TRAILER plates.

State name in slightly larger font since LGX series. From Wally Punzmann - LGL-83P original 3M, LNF-77Z new Avery type. Clark Wothe confirms Avery sheeting as far back as LHM-76M. Jeff Ellis reports that the change took place between the LG and LJ series. Bobby Pressimone reports that New Jersey has changed back to 3M from Avery between PXL and PXS. The 3M has a more pronounced border, especially at the bottom. Also, the new sheeting has the standard 3M hologram running down through the middle. These plates first started to appear around the end of Jan. 2004.

Jeff Fazekas reports that as of 1 Oct. 2004, New Jersey is no longer issuing passenger plate stickers. Newly issued plates from around RVA forward will not have stickers, and as of 1 Jan. 2005, sticker will no longer be issued for renewals.

Current format low: A27-AAA 2011-04-15 Jim Moini

Last format high: ZZZ-86Z 2011-08-01 Brad Harding

Andrew Persaud - 25 May ’23

Flat

"Ambulance" at bottom.

Matt De Rouville - 19 Feb ’20

Starting at AS-100A, Apportioned plates are FLAT.

Andrew Persaud - 5 Dec ’22

Formats:

X-9999Z

XA-100A

XAA-A10

Kevin Gallagher spotted a low of XAA-A11 in the current format.

It appears that the change to flat plates began with the XCW series.

Embossed high: XCV series

Flat low: XCW-V85 2015-07-14 Andrew Persaud

Andrew Persaud - 25 May ’23

Jacco Hoekstra - 19 Sep ’18

Originally 7 characters in the CGnnnnn series.

High: CG21007 2012-09-29 Dave Mackey

Frank Khan believes the seven digit format is not issued concurrently with the six digit format. The seven digit format was originally issued around 1992, and went from CG10000 to around CG21000. These should have stopped being issued a long time ago.

New format: CG prefix, number, three letters

Chris Scott - 20 Feb ’22

Flat

Flat plates probably started at H/Z 9000. And the H/A suffix was apparently skipped (went from H/Z 9999 to 1000 H/B.)

Earlier info:

Still with sticker boxes through H/U, but it appears sticker boxes were dropped starting at H/V 1000.

Embossed high: H/Z 8012

Flat low: H/Z 9901

Andrew Persaud - 7 Jan ’23

The middle number is a small "suffix" number between 1 and 5. Progression is 10 AA, 11 AA... 99 AA, 10 AB... 99 AZ, 10 BA...

Chris Martin - 11 Oct ’22

Chris Martin - 24 Apr ’23

These are on official vehicles that patrol the Garden State Parkway (help stranded motorists, etc.) Bottom of plate still reads Garden State.

There was a block of 100 plates in the HA- series, HA-701 through -800, that were assigned to State Police cruisers on the GSP. Most of these cars have since been replated, but some still use HA, some have TPA, and some just regular Passenger. All should have TPA eventually.

Frank Khan - 3 Nov ’15

Series has reversed from QQ prefix to QQ suffix.

Sticker boxes used through at least 32555QQ.

No sticker boxes on 34747QQ.

Chris Scott - 2 Jul ’22

Jim Moini - 4 May ’18

A jitney is known as a dollar van, a privately owned type of bus service.

Chris Scott - 2 Aug ’18

Lucas Kannou - 2 May ’23

L/S/V is screened diagonally to the left of the serial, and "Low Speed Vehicle" legend is screened bottom center.

Justin Mattes - 17 Apr ’23

Brett Weisbrot - 25 Nov ’21

Formerly Blue on silver

Dave Mackey - 17 Aug ’09

Now flat

MC base no longer has sticker boxes with serial centered on plate.

Upon reaching 9999Z, the format changed to A000A. Upon reaching Z999Z, it changed to 1AAA1. Progression: 1AAA1 to 1ZZZ9, then 2AAA1, etc.

New Jersey has reached 9999Z for motorcycle plates, and has started issuing plates in the A000A format again. This format was used years ago, and was dropped in 1994 at N999Z. The new plates started at P100A. The R, S, and T series were skipped.

Somewhere in the xxxxV, the "MOTORCYCLE" caption changed from embossed to screened, but the plate numbers are still embossed. Some other M/C types (such as DEALER) still have embossed captions.

Motorcycle Handicapped - A349 2009-05-25 Dave Mackey

Historic Motorcycle - Q4814 2009-08-18 Dave Mackey

Commercial Motorcycle - XG161 2009-09-21 Bob Mackey

Plate has COMM CYCLE screened on bottom.

Jim Moini - 17 Jun ’21

After MG99999, series flipped to 10000MG.

Heriberto Tapia - 30 Sep ’22

No sticker boxes on the current high.

Embossed high: NF36531

Flat low: NF36619

w7n - 3 Dec ’22

Dave Mackey - 27 May ’09

Series started with OXV1000 when changeover to "Black On Straw" plates began.

Brett Weisbrot - 3 May ’23

Lucas Kannou - 2 May ’23

Matt De Rouville - 5 Mar ’20

Now flat

From Jim Moini: The MD series went from MD-A100 to MD-Z999, and then in the late 1980's, started again at MD-1000 (on the blue base).

Ethan Craft - 26 Aug ’22

Series just flipped from S1-Z999 to A100-S1.

Progression:

Last series used S1 as a prefix.

Previous format used S1 as a suffix.

Andrew Persaud - 26 Oct ’22

School Vehicle II is for less than 16 passengers. Previous format used S2 as a suffix.

Andrew Persaud - 12 Jan ’23

Heriberto Tapia - 30 Sep ’22

Caption on plate is STATE GOVT, but this type with the TD prefix is for the Transportation Dept.

It appears that the progression of these was TD10000 - TD11999, then they skipped to TD16000.

Chris Martin - 3 Oct ’22

See listing below for Turnpike Authority regarding State Police cruisers used on the Garden State Parkway.

Frank Khan - 9 Nov ’15

Flat

"Taxi Cab" on bottom.

Brett Weisbrot - 19 May ’23

New style Temporary, mounted where the rear plate is, with the standard "New Jersey" (same font as regular plates) across the top. Expiration date is pre-printed, not hand written as in the past.

Back window temps no longer issued as of 7/1/2012.

The series advanced from F to H, skipping G, then to J, skipping I. Series then skipped from J to L, skipping K.

New Jersey has been known for odd jumps in recent years, and one occurred with Temporary plates in early 2015. We have a high of J873263 reported on 2015-02-09 by Andrew Persaud, but everything else was in the J200000 range at the time. We also had J666606 reported by Chris Scott on 2015-02-01. However, all recent reports have been back in the more sequential J300000 range, so we will continue to report what is still showing up sequentially.

Andrew Persaud - 31 May ’23

Brett Weisbrot - 31 May ’23

Now flat

Sticker boxes still on corners of plate.

Embossed high: TNL series

Flat low: TNN-55D (TNM not seen yet)

A00-TAA after TAA-A00

John Doe - 19 Apr ’23

State Police cruisers on the Garden State Parkway are now being issued license plates from TPA1101 to TPA1200 with the last three digits corresponding to the number of the cruiser (101-200). Previously they had civilian plates, but most famously the HA-A701 to HA-A800 series which were among the very first black-on-goldfinch yellow plates NJ issued in 1992.

Colin MG reports TP-A858 on 2014-01-18.

Dave Mackey - 10 Jun ’10

Flat

Dave Mackey reports an unusual format of 45 DMF 03 on this type.

Brett Weisbrot - 17 Nov ’21

Format has reversed from G/S 9999 to 1000 G/S.

Dave Mackey - 12 May ’13

Plate has featured a different graphic since about 10EA. The current high has sticker boxes. I/M nnSx and I/M nnTx series skipped.

Old base high: I/M 52CZ

After I/M 99ZZ, switched to I/M AA01.

Brett Weisbrot - 28 Aug ’22

Battleship with #62 on left side of plate. Probably started w/ B/B1000-9999, then 1000B/B-9999B/B, then B/B10AA, up.

Andrew Persaud - 28 Oct ’22

Brett Weisbrot - 27 Mar ’22

Brett Weisbrot - 25 Nov ’21

Brett Weisbrot - 5 Nov ’22

Dave Mackey - 21 Jan ’13

EM stacked on left with shield, EMT A on bottom. Flat as of E/M 3027.

Brett Weisbrot - 27 Mar ’22

Plate says "Price of Honor" at bottom. Progression: L/E 1000 to L/E 9999, then 1000 L/E to 9999 L/E, then L/E 10AA to L/E 99ZZ, now BA10L/E.

Embossed High: KV79 LE

Flat Low: LP13 L/E

Brett Weisbrot - 5 Nov ’22

The original 1A A1 format was abandoned in the middle of its run before being switched to the A1 1A format. After Z9 9Z was reached, the original format picked up where it left off, probably at 1E A1.

Chris Scott - 24 Oct ’20

This plate denotes membership in the NJ Professional Firefighter's Association/IAFF and is different from the standard issue "Firefighter" plates.

Scott Volkmann - 31 Oct ’21

Adam Garstka - 29 Jan ’21

Brett Weisbrot - 27 Mar ’22

After reaching L/S 9999, this series flipped to 1000 L/S.

Brett Weisbrot - 27 Mar ’22

Brett Weisbrot - 29 Apr ’23

Flat

"NJPF Safe Cop" bottom center

Frank Khan - 14 Jan ’16

Jim Moini - 5 Jun ’13

Jim Moini - 14 Apr ’14

First with a U/S prefix, now with it as a suffix.

Brett Weisbrot - 29 Aug ’21

Brett Weisbrot - 14 Jan ’23

P/L 10AA followed P/L 9999.

Brett Weisbrot - 25 Nov ’21

Jim Moini - 23 Jun ’12

Jim Moini - 10 Aug ’13

Prefixes used: SA, SC, SE, SF, SJ, SK, SL, SN, SR, SU. SP was skipped.

Brett Weisbrot - 29 Apr ’23

New Special Plate - Multiple sports organizations are using this common format. (New York Yankees, Phillies, Mets)

Normal NJ Yellow, no boxes, flat black letters instead of embossed.

Andrew Persaud - 15 Aug ’22

Firemen's Mutual Benevolent Association

Dave Mackey - 8 May ’13

Now flat

NJ State Patrolman's Benevolent Association

Brett Weisbrot - 18 May ’23

W/E 100A followed W/E 9999.

Treasure Our Trees (Commercial) - X/A 250 W/E 2013-08-01 Jim Moini

Sticker boxes have been eliminated from this type.

Kyle Wasson - 4 Jan ’23

Original format was U/W 1000, then 1000 U/W, now U/W 10BA.

Andrew Persaud - 29 Aug ’22

Dave Mackey - 10 Jul ’11

This type started in 1997. Original series was W/C 000A. After reaching W/C 999Z, the series reversed to A000 W/C.

Brett Weisbrot - 10 Sep ’22

This type started in 1993.

Brett Weisbrot - 17 Sep ’21

Bob Mackey - 31 Oct ’14

Chris Scott - 24 Mar ’20

Brett Weisbrot - 29 Aug ’21

Flat

Brett Weisbrot - 29 Apr ’23

Dave Mackey - 7 Nov ’10

Army Guard and Air Guard seem to draw from the same series, although they are differentiated on the plates themselves.

Brett Weisbrot - 27 Mar ’22

Dave Mackey - 3 Aug ’12

Now flat

Plate features a purple heart on the left; bottom line reads "Combat Wounded"

Brett Weisbrot - 14 Feb ’22

Dave Mackey - 3 Feb ’10

Jim Moini - 7 Jul ’12