The U.S. state of Virginia first required its residents to register their motor vehicles and display license plates in 1906. Plates are currently issued by the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV).
As of 2008, the DMV has 7,698,416 active registrations, 1,696,795 (22%) of which are special or personalized plates.[1] In 2008, 1,624,146 pairs of license plates were sold, with 831,361 of them being personalized plates.[2]
In 1956, the United States, Canada and Mexico came to an agreement with the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators, the Automobile Manufacturers Association and the National Safety Council that standardized the size for license plates for vehicles (except those for motorcycles) at {{convert|6|in|cm}} in height by {{convert|12|in|cm}} in width, with standardized mounting holes.[3] The first Virginia license plate that complied with these standards was issued eight years beforehand, in 1948.
No slogans were used on passenger plates during the period covered by this subsection.
| Image | Dates issued | Design | Serial format | Serials issued | Notes | | 1906–10}} | White serial on black porcelain plate; "VA" at right | 1234 | 1 to approximately 4500 |
| 1910 | Red serial on white porcelain plate; "VA. 1910" at right | 1234 | 1 to approximately 2600 | First dated plate. Issued only from June 15 through December 31, 1910.[4] |
| 1911 | White serial on blue porcelain plate; "VA. 1911" at right | 1234 | 101 to approximately 4000 |
| 1912 | White serial on green porcelain plate, "VA. 1912" at right | 1234 | 101 to approximately 6000 |
| 1913 | White serial on maroon porcelain plate; "VA 1913" at right | 1234 | 1 to approximately 9000 |
| 1914 | Embossed dark blue serial on white plate; "VA 1914" at right | 12345 | 1 to approximately 14000 | First embossed plate. |
| 1915 | Embossed white serial on dark green plate; "VA 1915" at right | 12345 | 1 to approximately 21000 |
| 1916 | Embossed dark blue serial on orange plate; "VA 1916" at right | 12345 | 1 to approximately 35000 |
| 1917 | Embossed white serial on black plate with border line; "VA 1917" at right | 12345 | 1 to approximately 52000 |
| 1918 | Embossed black serial on white plate with border line; "VA 1918" at right | 12345 | 1 to approximately 71000 |
| 1919 | Embossed white serial on black plate with border line; "VA 1919" at right | 12345 | 1 to approximately 88000 |
| 1920 | Embossed white serial on dark green plate with border line; "VA 20" at right | 123456 | 1 to approximately 126000 |
| 1921 | Embossed black serial on orange plate with border line; "VA 21" at right | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 146-000 |
| 1922 | Embossed white serial on dark blue plate; white lines at top and bottom borders; "VA 22" at right | 123456 | 1 to approximately 145000 |
| 1923 | Embossed white serial on dark green plate; white lines at top and bottom borders; "VA 23" at right | 123456 | 1 to approximately 189000 |
| 1924 | Embossed white serial on red plate; "VIRGINIA - 24" centered at top | 123456 | 1 to approximately 217000 | Manufactured in New Jersey to the same design as that state's 1924 plates. First use of the full state name. |
| 1925 | Embossed black serial on white plate with border line; "VIRGINIA - 1925" at bottom | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 235-000 |
| 1926 | Embossed golden yellow serial on dark blue plate with border line; "VIRGINIA - 26" centered at top | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 273-000 |
| 1927 | Embossed red serial on green plate with border line; "VIRGINIA - 27" at bottom | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 293-000 |
| 1928 | Embossed orange serial on black plate with border line; "VIRGINIA · 1928" centered at top | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 317-000 |
| 1929 | Embossed black serial on orange plate with border line; "VIRGINIA · 1929" centered at bottom | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 321-000 |
| 1930 | Embossed orange serial on black plate with border line; "VIRGINIA · 1930" centered at top | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 349-000 |
| 1931 | Embossed black serial on orange plate with border line; "VIRGINIA · 1931" centered at bottom | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 368-000 |
| 1932 | Embossed white serial on black plate with border line; "VIRGINIA · 1932" centered at top | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 376-000 |
| 1933 | Embossed black serial on white plate; "VIRGINIA - 1933" at bottom | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 334-000 |
| 1934 | Embossed white serial on black plate; "VIRGINIA - 1934" at top | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 337-000 |
| 1935 | Embossed black serial on white plate; "VIRGINIA - 1935" at top | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 335-000 |
| 1936 | Embossed orange serial on dark blue plate; "VIRGINIA - 1936" at bottom | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 360-000 |
| 1937 | Embossed white serial on black plate; "VIRGINIA - 1937" at top | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 375-000 |
| 1938 | Embossed black serial on white plate; "VIRGINIA - 1938" at bottom | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 388-000 |
| 1939 | Embossed white serial on black plate; "VIRGINIA - 1939" at bottom | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 402-000 |
| 1940 | Embossed black serial on white plate; "1940 - VIRGINIA" at top | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 438-000 |
| 1941 | Embossed white serial on black plate; "19 - VIRGINIA - 41" at top | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 491-000 |
| 1942–43 | Embossed black serial on white plate; "VIRGINIA - 1942" at top | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 524-000 | Revalidated for 1943 with black tabs, due to metal conservation for World War II. |
| 1944 | Embossed black serial on yellow plate; "1944 - VA" centered at bottom | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 468-000 |
| 1945 | Embossed black serial on white plate; "19 - VIRGINIA - 45" at bottom | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 475-000 |
| 1946 | Embossed white serial on black plate; "VIRGINIA - 1946" at bottom | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 524-000 |
| 1947 | Embossed black serial on unpainted aluminum plate; "19 VIRGINIA 47" at top | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 567-000 |
| 1948 | Embossed white serial on black plate; "1948 VIRGINIA" at top | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 642-000 |
| 1949 | Embossed black serial on unpainted aluminum plate; "VIRGINIA 1949" at bottom | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 698-000 |
| 1950 | Embossed white serial on black plate; "1950 VIRGINIA" at bottom | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 783-000 |
| 1951–52 | Embossed black serial on white plate; "19 VIRGINIA 51" at bottom | 123-456 | 1 to 999-999 | Revalidated for 1952 with black tabs, due to metal conservation for the Korean War.[5] Plates with serials A100-000 and up used narrower serial dies; this practice continued until 1969.[6] |
| A123-456}} | A-100 to approximately A145-000 |
| 1953 | Embossed orange serial on blue plate; "19 VIRGINIA 53" at top | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 940-000 |
| 1954 | Embossed white serial on black plate; "VIRGINIA 1954" at top | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 999-999 |
| 1955 | Embossed black serial on white plate; "1955 VIRGINIA" at bottom | 123-456 | 1 to 999-999 | |
| A123-456 | A-100 to approximately A122-000 |
| 1956 | Embossed white serial on black plate; "19 VIRGINIA 56" at bottom | 123-456 | 1 to 999-999 | |
| A123-456 | A-100 to approximately A178-000 |
| 1957 | Embossed black serial on white plate; "VIRGINIA 1957" at bottom | 123-456 | 1 to 999-999 | |
| A123-456 | A-100 to approximately A223-000 |
| 1958 | Embossed white serial on black plate; "1958 VIRGINIA" at top | 123-456 | 1 to 999-999 | |
| A123-456 | A-100 to approximately A232-000 |
| 1959 | Embossed black serial on white plate; "19 VIRGINIA 59" at top | 123-456 | 1 to 999-999 | |
| A123-456 | A-100 to approximately A259-000 |
| 1960 | Embossed white serial on black plate; "VIRGINIA 1960" at top | 123-456 | 1 to 999-999 | |
| A123-456 | A-100 to approximately A240-000 |
| 1961 | Embossed black serial on white plate; "1961 VIRGINIA" at bottom | 123-456 | 1 to 999-999 | |
| A123-456 | A-100 to approximately A273-000 |
| 1962 | Embossed white serial on black plate; "19 VIRGINIA 62" at bottom | 123-456 | 1 to 999-999 | |
| A123-456 | A-100 to approximately A344-000 |
| 1963 | Embossed black serial on white plate; "VIRGINIA 1963" at bottom | 123-456 | 1 to 999-999 | |
| A123-456 | A-100 to approximately A425-000 |
| 1964 | Embossed white serial on black plate; "1964 VIRGINIA" at top | 123-456 | 1 to 999-999 | |
| A123-456 | A-100 to approximately A504-000 |
| 1965 | Embossed black serial on white plate; "19 VIRGINIA 65" at top | 123-456 | 1 to 999-999 | |
| A123-456 | A-100 to approximately A545-000 |
| 1966 | Embossed white serial on black plate; "VIRGINIA 1966" at top | 123-456 | 1 to 999-999 | |
| A123-456 | A-100 to approximately A626-000 |
| 1967 | Embossed black serial on white plate; "1967 VIRGINIA" at bottom | 123-456 | 1 to 999-999 | |
| A123-456 | A-100 to approximately A700-000 |
| 1968 | Embossed white serial on black plate; "19 VIRGINIA 68" at bottom | 123-456 | 1 to 999-999 | |
| A123-456 | A-100 to approximately A788-000 |
| 1969 | Embossed black serial on white plate; "VIRGINIA 1969" at bottom | 123-456 | 1 to 999-999 | All plates now used the narrower serial dies introduced on the 1951–52 base.[6] |
| A123-456 | A-100 to approximately A857-000 |
| 1970 | Embossed white serial on black plate; "1970 VIRGINIA" at top | 123-456 | 1 to 999-999 | |
| A123-456 | A-100 to approximately A966-000 |
| 1971 | Embossed black serial on white plate, with or without border line; "19 VIRGINIA 71" at top | 123-456 | 1 to 999-999 | |
| A123-456 | A-100 to
A999-999 |
| ABC 123 | AAA 001 to AAD 999 |
| B12-345 | B-1 to approximately B54-000 |
| 1972 | Embossed white serial on black plate with border line; "VIRGINIA 1972" at top | ABC-123 | AAA-001 to DZZ-999 | Letters I, O and Q not used in serials; this practice continues today (except 1988–92).[7] |
| Image | Dates issued | Design | Slogan | Serial format | Serials issued | Notes | | 1973–79 | Embossed blue serial on white plate with border line; "VIRGINIA" centered at top | none | ABC-123 | AAA-101 to SZZ-999 | Revalidated with stickers until 1984. 'R' series of serials reserved for rental cars; this practice continued until the late 1990s.[6] |
| 1979–92 | Embossed dark blue serial on reflective white plate with border line; "Virginia" screened in blue centered at top | none | ABC-123 | AAA-101 to ZZZ-999 (see right) | Still currently revalidated. Serials UAA-101 through ZZZ-999 issued first, followed by AAA-101 through SZZ-999 as 1973–79 plates were invalidated, then (from 1988) all serials with I, O, Q and T as the first letter, and finally (from 1990) all remaining serials with I, O or Q as the second and/or third letters (beginning with AAI-101 and ending with ZZQ-999).[7] |
| 1993 | Embossed dark blue serial on reflective white plate; "Virginia" screened in blue centered at top | none | {{nowrap|ABC-1234}} | ZZZ-9999 to approximately ZXX-1000 | Serials progressed backwards, presumably due to the serials on the optional Scenic plate (see Optional plates below) progressing forward from AAA-1000. |
1993 – June
2002 | As above, but with state name in all capital letters | ZXW-9999 to approximately XYN-1000 |
July
2002 – early
2003 | Embossed dark blue serial on reflective white plate; "VIRGINIA" screened in blue centered at top. | "400th Anniversary" in red centered at bottom, with a red ship graphic between the two words, plus "1607" to the left and "2007" to the right | ABC-1234 | Exclusively from JAA-1000 to JAX-9999; intermittently from JAY-1000 to JDC-9999 | Issued in advance of the 400th anniversary of the founding of Jamestown, the first permanent English settlement in North America. Serials progressed forward from the start of the 'J' series (presumably for Jamestown). The slogan was originally printed on a white sticker, before it started to be screened directly onto the plate at around the JAM series.[7] |
October 2002 – June
2006 | As above, but with state name in red | Intermittently from JAY-1000 to JDC-9999; exclusively from JDD-1000 to KCW-9999 |
June
2006 – December 2007 | Embossed dark blue serial on reflective white plate; "VIRGINIA" screened in red centered at top; Jamestown 400th Anniversary logo screened at bottom left and "2007" at bottom right | "JAMESTOWN" screened in blue and "AMERICA'S 400TH ANNIVERSARY" in red, both centered at bottom | ABC-1234 | KCX-1000 to KNP-9999 |
| January 2008 – February 2014 | Embossed dark blue serial on reflective white plate; "VIRGINIA" screened in blue centered at top | none | ABC-1234 | XXP-9999 to approximately WJZ-1000 | Return to 1993 base. Serials progressed backwards as before. |
| March 2014 – present | "VIRGINIA IS FOR LOVERS®" screened in black, plus a black-outlined red heart for the second 'V', centered at bottom | VAA-1000 to VZZ-9999; UZZ-9999 to USH-1000 (as of March 21, 2019)[8] | Serials progressed forward through the 'V' series (presumably for Virginia); now progressing backwards through the 'U' series. |
Virginia offers 333 optional license plates. Most can be personalized for an additional fee.
1. ^Special and Personalized License Plates Report, accessed March 29, 2009
2. ^DMV Business Profile, accessed March 29, 2009
3. ^{{cite magazine |last=Garrish |first=Christopher |date=October 2016 |title=Reconsidering the Standard Plate Size |magazine=Plates |publisher=Automobile License Plate Collectors Association |volume=62 |number=5}}
4. ^{{cite web|url=http://porcelainplates.net/virginia_archive.html |title=Virginia Archive |publisher=PorcelainPlates.net |accessdate=July 19, 2017}}
5. ^{{cite web|url=http://www.licensepl8s.com/VA.html |title=Virginia License Plates from 1906- |last=Pang |first=Andrew |publisher=licensepl8s.com |accessdate=July 11, 2015}}
6. ^1 2 {{cite web|url=https://www.ricksplates.com/virginia/vapass1.htm |title=Virginia Passenger Cars 1933-1972 |publisher=Rick Kretschmer's License Plate Archives |accessdate=July 3, 2018}}
7. ^1 2 {{cite web|url=http://www.allaboutlicenseplates.com/athome.asp?State=Virginia |title=Virginia License Plates |publisher=allaboutlicenseplates.com |accessdate=July 11, 2015}}
8. ^{{cite web|url=http://licenseplates.cc |title=Virginia License Plates |publisher=LicensePlates.cc |accessdate=April 24, 2016}}
9. ^{{cite news|last=Chernicky |first=David |date=September 23, 1997 |title=Autumn Leaves Fall Into Place On Plate |url=http://articles.dailypress.com/1997-09-23/news/9709230080_1_dmv-plate-numbers-and-letters |newspaper=Daily Press |location=Newport News |accessdate=July 18, 2015}}