The state Department of Licensing is shifting the configuration of numbers on general issue passenger vehicle license plates.
Passenger vehicle license plate numbers, assigned to personal cars and sport-utility vehicles, are currently three numbers followed by three letters. A new seven-character plate configuration consisting of a number, a letter, two more numbers and then three letters will start to be issued in November.
Neighborhood vehicle licensing offices will begin issuing the new seven-character plates after exhausting their stock of the current six-character plates. This means the new plates will be available at different times in different locations around the state.
“The decision to use a seven-character plate number wasn’t made in haste,” agency Director Liz Luce said. “We began studying our options years ago and carefully considered our requirements, the needs of law enforcement and configurations that have been successful in other states.”
The DOL chose a seven-character configuration similar to one used in California because it provides a very large number of possible combinations and doesn’t conflict with any plates already issued. After subtracting combinations that the agency does not plan to issue, this configuration offers more than 350 million possible plate numbers.
License plates with seven characters are not new. Trucks and commercial vehicles have had seven-digit license plates for years. Personalized license plates, also known as vanity plates, have always been available with seven characters.
The overall appearance of the passenger vehicle plates will not change. They will still feature the standard mountain background currently in use.
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