1953, '54

April 1, 1953-March 31, 1955

It could be argued that the 1953 license plate is more different from its immediate predecessor than is a D.C. plate of any other year. It can, in fact, take time for even some experienced plate collectors to recognize that the sloganless, yellow-on-black dated 1952 plate was immediately followed by the green-on-white dated 3-31-54 issue, the first Washington, D.C. plate to include a slogan. With the exception of Antique Car plates and some U.S. Govenment plates marked DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, this was the last D.C. plate to be revalidated with a tab.

Perhaps most interesting about plates of this two-year period is what didn't happen for 1954. In a May 1, 1952, memo, officials indicated that it was their intention that new plates be issued for that registration year, and that they feature "the identification number in blue with all other letters and figures in red on a white background." As described on a separate page in which the development of 1953 plates and 1954 ("55") tabs is presented, this plan was scuttled due to the higher cost of tri-color plates, such as were already being used by the federal government.

Also noteworthy about the 1953 plate is that it is the first (since 1917) made in the 6"x12" format that was to become the national standard a few years later.

Passenger. The passenger section of the overview of 1948-52 registration numbers that appears on our page upon which plates of the 1940s are described also applies to how 1953 baseplates are numbered. Click here to get there. Furthermore, an additional series, which is only discussed below because it was not used in other years, was required for this base because it was the general-issue base for two years, not just one.

Whereas no more than eight prefix letters were used on any single one-year base issued from 1948 through 1952, 14 letters were used on the two-year 1953 baseplate, and even those weren't quite enough. Specifically, these prefix letters were used on 1953 baseplates: A, E, F, G, J, K, N, P, S, U, V, W, Y, and Z. (Taking into consideration letters set aside for use exclusively on non-passenger plates, only I, O, Q, and X were left unused.) If it is assumed that no other single-letter prefixes were used this year and including the 90,999 plates without a letter prefix (numbers 1 through 9-9999), there are a total of 230,985 possible passenger registration number combinations using the standard all-number and single-letter-prefix combinations.

However, 230,985 passenger registration combinations were apparently not quite enough to get through the two-year life of this base. Therefore, a short run of plates with two-letter prefixes was introduced, presumably towards the end of the 1954-55 registration year. Numbers in this series began at number AA-1 and progressed to AA-999, then began at AB-1 and proceeded sequentially. The plate with the highest verified number, AB-334, is shown above.

Non-Passenger. Refer to the 1948-52 registration numbers section referenced above for information about to which non-passenger types plates with prefix letters B, C, D, H, L, M, R, and T, as well as DPL, were assigned. As in previous years, after the first series of plates of a particular type was exhausted, a serial letter was added following the type designation letter. Two examples are shown above. For example, after Hire (Taxi) plates H-1 through H-9999 were assigned, plates beginning with HA were issued. However, it is still unclear whether these two-letter-prefix plates were numbered beginning at 1 (i.e. HA-1) or 1000.

1955

April 1, 1955-March 31, 1956

Continuing through a period of unprecendented and unpredictable change, District of Columbia license plates issued in the spring of 1955 bear little resemblance to the 1953 two-year plates that they replaced. The color scheme was new, the slogan slightly modified, and the registration number configured in a completely new format for auto plates (although it had been introduced for non-passenger plates two years earlier). This last change is addressed (although the reason for its adoption is not explained) by the Dept. of Vehicles and Traffic in a memorandum of May 21, 1954: "Numerals following the prefix [letters] shall start with 10-00 and end with 99-99." The configuration was presumably adopted in order for Washington, D.C. plates to more closely

Background information about the numbering configuration introduced for 1955 is provided above.

Passenger - General-Issue. Numbers commenced at AA-10-00 and progressed through AA-99-99, at which point numbers in the EA series began to be issued because plates beginning with B, C, and D were used for non-passenger service. The highest observed plate is EA-64-73.

It seems unlikely that A-series plates with certain letters in the second position, such as I, O, and Q, would have been made and issued, but the May 1954 DMV internal documentation in which registration numbers for the 1955 registration year are specified defines the passenger prefixes as simply "AA to AZ." Conversely, when in Sept. 1954 the E series was designated as being available for passenger use (presumably while the plates were actually being made), the amended list of 1955 plate prefixes appears thusly: "AA to AZ - Passenger cars only; EA to EY (omitting EF, EI, EO, and EQ) - Passenger cars only."

Based upon historical precedent in D.C. and elsewhere and although contrary to conventional wisdom, it is reasonable to assume that the aforementioned memoranda do not contain accurate information. Although no A-prefix letter series are specified as being omitted from the sequence of plates made and issued, it is almost certain that the AI, AO, and AQ series were not used. Furthermore, based upon later information about 1955 and 1956 plates (plates of both years, but only these two years, are numbered in the same format), a case could be made that AF-, AK-, and/or AZ-series plates were also not issued for 1955.

Passenger - Reserved. Numbers 1 through 1000 were assigned by the Board of Commissioners.

Non-Passenger plates of 1955 continued to be numbered in a format introduced in 1953, the only change being the addition of a dash between the second and third number in order that they closely resemble auto plates. Therefore, for example, Bus plates began at BA-10-00, Commercial plates began at CA-10-00, etc. The numbering of Motorcycle and Diplomatic plates continued to begin at M-1 and DPL-1, respectively.

Specifically, here are the eight most common non-passenger types made on the 1955 base and the first assigned number of each: Bus, BA-10-00; Commercial (Truck), CA-10-00; Dealer, DA-10-00; Diplomatic, DPL-1; Hire (Taxi), HA-10-00; Livery, LA-10-00; Motorcycle, M-1; and Trailer, T-10-00 (not TA-10-00).

1956

April 1, 1956-March 31, 1957

According to an April 1955 DMV memo in which the production of 1956 plates is discussed, plates for the new year were to be made with a lighter-gauge steel "to save postage expense." Specifically, the memo indicates that 1955 plates are 24-gauge metal whereas 1956 plates were to be made with 26-gauge stock.

District of Columbia plates continued to use the "numbering system adopted for 1955 plates with no low or special numbers, except those assigned by Commissioners" according to an April 4, 1955, memo in which plates planned for 1956 are described. Background information about the 1955 and 1956 numbering configuration is provided above. Furthermore, some detailed information presented above about 1955 Registration Numbers is also relevant to1956 plates.

Passenger - General-Issue. Numbers commenced at AA-10-00 and progressed as high as necessary (but see information below as to certain letter series presumably not used) through the A series and into the E series. The highest observed plate is EA-87-23. During the 1956 registration year a portion of the C (Commercial/Truck) series was set aside for passenger registrations as an "overflow" series, but it is doubtful that any were issued for passenger service.

An April 1955 DMV internal documentation in which registration numbers for the 1956 registration year are specified defines the passenger prefixes as "AA to AY (omitting AF, AI, AK, AO, AQ) - Passenger cars only; EA to EY (omitting EF, EI, EO, EQ) - Passenger cars only."

According to a memorandum dated January 17, 1957, which was 9.5 months into the life of the 1956 plates, the supply of commercial plates was amended to include only plates numbered through CC-20-00, with higher-numbered CC-series plates, namely CC-20-01 through CC-99-99, being released for issuance to private auto owners.

Passenger - Reserved. Numbers 1 through 1000 were assigned by the Board of Commissioners.

Non-Passenger plates of 1956 are numbered in some same format as 1955. Specifically, here are the eight most common non-passenger types made on the 1956 base and the first assigned number of each: Bus, BA-10-00; Commercial (Truck), CA-10-00; Dealer, DA-10-00; Diplomatic, DPL-1; Hire (Taxi), HA-10-00; Livery, LA-10-00; Motorcycle, M-1; and Trailer, T-10-00 (not TA-10-00).