Ohio License Plates

This is the current flat passenger base which debuted in late-2021.

Still embossed. Around 3760000, a space was added between the third and fourth digits.

Series started at 3700000. Plates are red on yellow without graphics or legends. Only the state name appears on the plate at the top. Standard validation sticker and county sticker is used. These plates have been in use since 1967, but were rare until recent years. As of Jan. 1, 2004, judges are required to issue these plates to all drivers convicted of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, but they are not strictly limited to DUI offenders. They have also been issued to those who drove without insurance. These plates allow limited driving privileges while under suspension, such as driving to and from work.

Some plates were made and issued in the 3710000s without the state name at the top. They just have the embossed numbers and should have county and expiration stickers.

Typically used on semi-trailers.

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Current style in 2025 is simple folded black on white paper, artwork above and text below are of a previous version.

From John Farkas: 8/19/12 Temporary tags are now being produced with a new look; the top of the tag sports the new block font "Ohio" (with the first "O" having the state shape in the center) inside a wide blue triangle. This is a precursor to the new plate design that will replace "Beautiful Ohio" plates in December. The new temp tags also have the words "Ohio" and "Temporary Tag" repeating diagonally in bright orange throughout the portion outside the black triangle.

This 2013 "Ohio Pride" base was fully embossed and began at FWA 1000 on April 15, 2013. This series ended in 2021 at JPA according to our data.

Ohio started allowing standard plate numbers from previous bases to be remade on this base. While new regular series plates were still embossed, new productions of numbers carried over from previous bases were flat.

Frank Foster observed remade plates from the 2001 Bicentennial series that were not consistent, including both "AB12CD" and "AB 12 CD" pattern re-makes.

These plates switched from steel to aluminum by the GPN series in 2015.

The current Ohio Apportioned truck license plate number series started at PUA on the 1996 brown fade base. Several bases have appeared since while numbering remained constant.

1996 base heart 1996-98 PUA-PUB

1996 base aviation 1998-2002 PUC-PUR

2001 base PUV-PVA

2004 base PVE-PVN

2009 base PVP-PVU

2013 base embossed, county sticker only PVW-PWF

2013 base, flat PWL-PWS no stickers

2021 base flat PWS-PXD no stickers

Ohio Apportioned truck plates marked for Corporate Express and several other companies debuted in 2020, all-flat ABC123 format with logo at left. Corporate Express high AAC434 8-29-24

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This embossed motorcycle plate was issued between 2013 and 2021, numbering format updated in 2014 when it moved from 99YZZ to AAA01. The Z series was being used for Veteran plates at the time.

Embossed

New trailer plate type as of October 2015, probably began at TSA1000. No space between letters and numbers, plate is flat and has "PERMANENT" along bottom, commonly found on semi-trailers.

Pride base

Beautiful base high: 962YMZ 2013-05-13 Frank Foster (Franklin Co.)

Pride base low: 558YNB 2013-05-04 Frank Foster

Special issues (Wildlife, Lake Erie, etc.) are now using the same series. Most special types including personalized are now being issued as silk-screened flat plates. Regular issue plates will continue to be embossed.

The high of 163 XKX stands in the original sequential issue for specials, but there was an unexplained jump to at least the XRE series in October 2005. It appears that the original sequential series is still progressing, but no reason is known for the split.

Specials are now being issued on the modified Beautiful graphic, starting with the YDR series.

CITY plates (red on white) used to use the OS-OZ series, but upon reaching OZ 9999 they began using the Special format in the Y suffix series, but the plates are still red on white.

Embossed

Truck plates do not have county stickers, but the rear plate has a white on brown weight class sticker in the lower left where a county sticker would otherwise appear.

Non-Commercial Trucks use the standard Passenger plate. It is not unusual to see Commercial Trucks illegally using the less expensive Non-Commercial plates because there seems to be very little enforcement.

The base history shown here spans the several bases that have been used since 2001.

This "Beautiful Ohio" general issue base was first proposed for release in April 2009 but not executed due to the lingering 2008 recession. At least one million of the new, original graphic sheeting blanks had been produced. These plates later became available on an optional basis for an additional $7.50 beginning November 23, 2009. They were produced from ERA 1000 through EUH 7299, not including the special dealer ETS series. Dan Mergard spotted the the 2nd plate issued; ERA 1001 in Butler Co. on 2010-02-15.

Only regular issue plates were available at first, but all Initial, Personalized, and Specials ordered after June 7, 2010 were produced on the "Beautiful" graphic. Specials appeared with a modified design including only the top portion of the graphics used on the regular plates. This became the standard issue beginning Dec. 1, 2010 and lasted until April 2013. Final actual prefix ranges were ERA-EUH and FAL-FVQ while FVR through FVZ were left open in case any additional "Beautiful" plates were needed.

This 2009 "Beautiful" Commercial Trailer base was embossed, appears to have started at TNE 1000 and featured clear caption "TRAILER" embossed along bottom center. Series later jumped from TNZ to TPA, skipping O in the center position. These plates did NOT receive county number stickers, but Non-Comm Trailers did.

This "Beautiful" graphic embossed motorcycle base was produced from 2009-13 and was issued with a numbered county sticker.

This "Beautiful" graphic embossed non-commercial trailer base was produced from 2009-13 and was issued with a numbered county sticker.

This embossed "sunburst" design Ohio passenger base was introduced at DAA 1000 in 2004 and remains valid. Regular issues were embossed, but special types were flat. This was the 2004-09 standard issue for new registrations and replacements, but older plates continued to be renewed unless the owner chose to pay a fee for the new plates. Final ranges were DAA - EQZ and EUJ - FAK.

While this base ended with FAK, our final posted highs were from the Columbus central office final mailout series including confirmed FAA, FAE, FAF, FAH, FAJ and FAK. FAC was a reserved special dealer prefix and not part of this run. The "regular" sequential counter issue high was EZR 5502 Franklin Co. 2010-06-02 Kit.

Sunburst base, all flat, red wheelchair at left, numbers in blue.

This 2004 base Ohio "sunburst" motorcycle plate was embossed and may have started at HHA, continuing in the same sequence as the 1996 base. Motorcycle vanities on this base were embossed as well.

This 2004 base Motorcycle Veteran plate featured "VET" screened vertically in red before embossed blue registration characters.

Embossed

Cuyahoga Co.

Non-Comm Trailer plates have county number stickers, but Comm. Trailers do not.

Ohio usually uses the letter "O" in the middle position for passenger plates, but it appears that Non-Comm Trailer plates skipped from SNZ to SPA. Unlike the standard Trailer plate for commercial use that is embossed with "TRAILER" at the bottom, non-commercial Trailer plates are not marked as being for trailers. As with Truck plates, it is not unusual to see trailers that should have commercial plates using the less expensive non-commercial plates since there is very little enforcement.

This embossed 1803-2003 "Ohio Bicentennial" base debuted in late-2001 and is still valid.

Embossed

This Bicentennial base Motorcycle series ran through at least HFY, but the HAA through HFY series did not have the Bicentennial slogan.

This Ohio non-commercial trailer series was embossed with numbering starting at RA01AA.

This embossed base originated in the summer of 1996 and is still valid.

Series jumped to CAA after BIF. Early C series plates have a much lighter gold stripe across the bottom, but it was darkened later. The slogan change from "The Heart of it All" to "Birthplace of Aviation" took place between ARR 5835 and ARR 5912. Spacing on these plates changed between ACV 8658 and ACW 4114. AAA through about ACV have the characters closer to the edges with more center space, but all plates from about ACW onward have been standardized with more edge margin and less center space.

Some out of sequence series were issued to dealers and leasing companies, such as: BIR, DAG, DLX, ETS, EUR, FAC, FJL, FJP, FLY, FVC, GAN, GFR, GLR, GNH, HOM, JAY, JSL, KAR, KFD, LAS, LEX, LJF, LXS, MAL, MBZ, MCH, MCT, MET, MGM, MVP, MWL, NON, SST, SUN, TOB, and WIN.

Embossed

This 1991 blue on white base was officially phased out in 2002 and should no longer be in use. Initial, reserved and vanity plates are still seen and there appears to be no enforcement effort to eliminate those plates.