License plates verify that your vehicle is registered, identify the type of registration you have, and help connect vehicles to their owners. California has required license plates since 1905. Here’s what you need to know about our requirements and types of plates.

• State of Oregon first required its residents to register their motor vehicles in 1905. Registrants provided their own license plates for display until 1911, when the state began to issue plates. Plates are currently provided by the Driver & Motor Vehicle Services branch of the Oregon Department of Transportation.Front and rear plates are required on all vehicles except for motorcycles.
• California License Plates. California uses the letters I, O, and Q in the second alpha position, but not in the first or third. Stickers 11 - black on red 12 - black on green 13 - black on orange 14 - black on blue 15 - black on yellow 16 - black on red 17 - black on green.
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Ensuring Your Plates are Valid

You need to renew your vehicle registration every year in California. After you renew your registration, we’ll send you new registration stickers (tabs) for the year. Affix the stickers (tabs) to your license plates to ensure they’re valid.

Generally, license plates remain with the vehicle they were issued to. Certain types of plates (personalized environmental, special recognition, or special interest) can be reassigned to another vehicle upon request by the owner and payment of appropriate fees.

License Plate Sizes

• Automobile, commercial, and trailer license plates are 12″ x 6″.
• Motorcycle license plates 7″ x 4″ (plates issued prior to July 1, 1970, are 8″ x 5″).
• Identification plates issued to vehicles not bearing automobile, commercial, trailer, or motorcycle plates are 7″ x 4″ (plates issued prior to January 1, 1981 are 8″ x 5″).

Types of License Plates

California offers a variety of license plates to support causes (environment, arts, education, breast cancer awareness, etc.), provide special recognition, and identify special status, among other things. Here are the different types of license plates:

Classic Blue and Gold California License plate with HOME text. Heart Sticker is the premier developer of stickers that promote love, pride, passion for a home, activity, or thing. Stickers are both art and message board. This decal shows you love to like art, home, place, thing, or activity.

• Standard license plates.
• Special interest license plates (arts, kids, environment, etc.).
• Special license plates (recognition, historical, occupational, legislative, etc.).
• Decals and placards (bicycles, disabled person parking, etc.).

The History of California License Plates (1963-present)

• 1963 – earliest license plate that is still valid (the plates had a black background and chrome yellow characters).
• 1970 – standard plate changed to a blue background with yellow characters. Last year any black/yellow plates were issued.
• 1976 – year-round registration started, which requires a month expiration sticker affixed to the upper left hand corner of the plate.
• 1982 – standard plate changed to a white background with blue characters with a sun graphic and “California” in red block letters. Last year any blue/yellow plates were issued.
• 1987 – reflectorized plates with “California” in red block letters were issued. Sun graphic discontinued.
• 1991 – only reflectorized standard plates were issued.
• 1993 – the word “California” changed to red script.
• 1997 – stickers were made with background colors that change every year. Characters printed in black.
• 1998 through 2000 – standard plates contain the words SESQUICENTENNIAL – 150 YEARS in red block letters at the bottom of the plates.
• 2001 – standard plate is white with blue characters and “California” in red script. No writing at the bottom of the plate.
• 2011 – the DMV web address, “dmv.ca.gov”, is added to the bottom of the standard “California” red script license plate.

Need something else?

Special Interest License Plates

Learn more about supporting your favorite cause with special interest license plates.

Renew Your Vehicle Registration

You need to renew your vehicle registration every 1-5 years in California, depending on the vehicle. Make sure your registration is up-to-date.

Replacement plates and stickers

Were your license plates or registration stickers lost, stolen, or damaged?

California 2022 License Plate Sticker Colors

California uses the letters I, O, and Q in the second alpha position, but not in the first or third.

California License Plate Tag Colors

Stickers

11 - black on red

12 - black on green

13 - black on orange

14 - black on blue

15 - black on yellow

16 - black on red

17 - black on green

Chris Cargill reports that California started the present sticker color rotation in 1978 with Green stickers. The rotation was Green - White - Orange - Blue - Yellow - Red. White was removed from the rotation after 1997.

He has also seen two different validation stickers being used for late 2012 and on 2013 registrations. Version one is as it's been before with a 4-digit year (2012 - 2013), but he has seen two-digit validations (12 - 13) and there is now an explanation. The difference is the 4-digit version has the random serial numbers on the sticker that CA DMV has always used. The 2-digit sticker has the license plate number printed as the serial number. The 2-digit stickers are issued by the self-serve renewal vending machines at the DMV offices. Every other method of renewal uses the 4-digit stickers.

Isaac Wilson IV reports 2-digit printed validation stickers do NOT have the plate number on them; they have the same standard Lnnnnnnn format as the four-digit stickers. 2014 stickers start with P, while 2015s start with Z.

Chris Cargill reports that California's Black with Yellow letter plates are coming back as a special issue, and will be issued similar to Yosemite and Lake Tahoe plates (special order, etc). The latest word is they will be 6 digits using a Connecticut style numbering sequence (but in reverse letters on either end, numbers in the middle, as above), such as A12 34B. We'll see if that sequence sticks when they hit the road.