Ohio License Plates
A new general issue base plate for Ohio that was tentatively proposed for release in April 2009 was scrapped, at least in that form, due to the recession. At least one million of the graphic sheeting blanks were produced. These plates became available on an optional basis for an additional $7.50 beginning November 23, 2009. They were produced from ERA 1000 through EUH 7299, excluding the ETS series, which was a special dealer prefix. Only regular issue plates were available at first. Initial and Personalized plates were not be available on the "Beautiful Ohio" plates when they first came into use, but all Initial, Personalized, and Specials ordered after June 7, 2010 will be on the "Beautiful" graphic. Specials will appear on a modified design with only the top portion of the graphics used on the regular plates.
Recent series:
Sunburst DAA - EQZ
Beautiful ERA - EUH
Sunburst EUJ - FAK
Beautiful FAL - FVQ
Pride FWA -
Ohio uses the letters I and O in the second position only on passenger plates, but neither letter is used on any other standard type. The letter Q is used in the second and third position on passenger and non-passenger plates. The letter O is used in the first position on City and County plates.
Passenger, Family, Truck, Apportioned, Trailer, and Motorcycle plates are still embossed. Specials, Vanities, and most Non-Pass types other than Truck and Trailer are flat. Motorcycle Vanities are still embossed. Ohio is now allowing standard plate numbers from previous bases to be remade on the new base. While new bases are still embossed, new issues with numbers carried over from previous bases are flat, the same as Vanities and Specials.
County stickers appear on most plate types and are required. Although it is possible to register in any county, the county sticker must indicate the county of residence, not the county of issue.
The expiration day of the month now appears in tiny print along the bottom of the sticker below the month and year.
Fees for Initial and Personalized plates increased $15 as of Oct. 1, 2009. Initial plates increased from $10 to $25, and Personalized from $35 to $50.
City plates are now appearing in the xxx Yxx series, same as Special types, but they are still red on white.
Stickers
11 - black on blue
12 - black on orange
13 - black on yellow
14 - black on green
15 - black on magenta
16 - black on white
17 - black on yellow
18 - teal/turquoise on black
19 - orange on black
20 - white on black
Commercial stickers were the reverse of passenger, but now they are the same.
County stickers have been white on red since they were introduced in their current form in 2001, but the newest county stickers are black on red. The white on the original stickers was subject to fading over time, which was most likely the reason for the change.
Update: As of at least Sept. 2015, Ohio has changed from steel plates to aluminum.