1962

April 1, 1962-March 31, 1963

An overview of 1957-1963 registration numbers is provided on our page upon which plates of the 1950s are described. Click here to get there. Note that the letter R has been included in both passenger and non-passenger sections below due to uncertainty as to how this letter was used (as discussed here).

Passenger - General-Issue. These 11 prefix letters have been observed on 1962 auto plates: A, E, G, J, K, M, N, P, R, S, and W. The highest observed number is WS-614. If R-series plates were indeed used for private passenger vehicles, the number of registration number combinations from AA-100 through WS-614 is 212,365, whereas if R is excluded it is 192,565.

Passenger - Reserved. Numbers 1 through 1250 were assigned by the Board of Commissioners.

Non-Passenger. Refer to the 1957-64 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.

1963

April 1, 1963-March 31, 1964

1964

April 1, 1964-March 31, 1965

Passenger - General-Issue. The passenger registration format was completely changed for 1964. The chosen configuration is curious for a number of reasons, primarily because it did not provide enough combinations whereas the previous format (AB-123) would have if the X, Y, and Z series had been fully utilized.

The first and most common format of 1964 auto plates is comprised of one number followed by a single letter and three numbers. In effect, therefore, the first-position letter of 1957-63, of which 12 were used (and 14 were available), was replaced by a number, of which there are only nine. Furthermore, whereas on earlier plates all three-digit numbers 100 through 999 were used, on 1964 plates no triple-repeating numbers (111, 222, 333, etc.) appear after the letter, further limiting the number of available registration combinations.

Numbers in this first format therefore began at 1A101 and ended at 9Z998. All letters except I, O, and Q were used. This series of plates provides for 184,230 combinations, all of which were assigned.

Because the first series of numbers was depleted, four-digit registrations in a similar format were issued starting at 1A11 and ending at 9Z99. This series provides for 18,423 combinations. Whether all were issued is unknown, but if they were, which is certainly a possibility, a third format would have had to be introduced.

Passenger - Reserved. Numbers 1 through 1250 were assigned by the Board of Commissioners.

Non-Passenger. Despite the overhaul of general-issue passenger registration numbers, non-passenger numbering remained unchanged from 1957-63. Numbers on plates of most types begin with a letter, and several types are numbered in the 1957-63 passenger format but with certain letters followed by a serial letter (although F, I, O, and Q continued to not be used in the serial (i.e. second) position). For example, 1964 Bus plates are numbered beginning at BA-100. Notable exceptions to the two-letter, three-number format are Commercial, Motorcycle and Diplomatic, plates of which began at CA-1000, M-1 and DPL-1, respectively.

Specifically, here are the nine known non-passenger 1964 types and the first assigned number of each: Bus, BA-100; Commercial (Truck), CA-1000; Dealer, DA-100; Diplomatic, DPL-1; Hire (Taxi), HA-100; Livery, LA-100; Motorcycle, M-1; Rental Car, RA-100; and Trailer, T-100.

1965

April 1, 1965-March 31, 1966

New narrower dies and a new black-on-white color scheme began to be introduced for 1965, making this a confusing year for Washington, D.C. license plates. This is also the first year that the city name is displayed as WASHINGTON, D.C., although it would not be until 1969 that this change was reflected on Dealer and Transport plates. For further information about the confusing 1965 and later plates, click here.

Passenger - General-Issue. Because the number of available configurations in the configuration introduced for 1964 was insufficient, another new format was utilized for 1965: one number, two letters, then two numbers. This is actually a variant of that used from 1957 through 1963, being comprised of two letters and three numbers although in a different, more confusing order than in the past. The advantage of this format is that the first of the two letters can duplicate first-position letters of non-passenger plates such as B, H, and L, allowing for more passenger combinations. For example, 1BA23 can be issued as a passenger number while BA-123 is still used for a bus registration.

Numbers in the 1965 format began at 1AA01 and proceeded as high as necessary. As in 1964, triple-repeating numbers were not used, even when separated by numbers. For example, number 1AA10 was followed by 1AA12, and 2BC21 was followed by 2BC23. Why three-digit repeating combinations were avoided is unknown.

Regarding the order of registration number assignment, all numbers, including the one to the left of the letters, changed before letters. For example, the C series began at 1CA01 and numbers were assigned through 1CA99 (except 1CA11), then 2CA00 through 2CA99, all the way through 9CA99. Only then would a letter be changed. The CB series would then be assigned beginning at 1CB01.

The highest observed number is 2MH31, which is the 232,779th general-issue number assigned during the 1965 registration year.

Passenger - Reserved. Numbers 1 through 1250 were assigned by the Board of Commissioners.

Non-Passenger. Despite the overhaul of general-issue passenger registration numbers, non-passenger numbering remained unchanged from 1957-64. Numbers on plates of most types begin with a letter, and several types are numbered in the 1957-63 passenger format but with certain letters followed by a serial letter (although F, I, O, and Q continued to not be used in the serial (i.e. second) position). For example, 1965 Bus plates are numbered beginning at BA-001. Notable exceptions to the two-letter, three-number format are Commercial, Motorcycle and Diplomatic, plates of which began at CA-1000, M-1 and DPL-1, respectively.

Specifically, here are the ten known non-passenger 1965 types and the assumed first assigned number of each: Bus, BA-001; Commercial (Truck), CA-1000; Dealer, DA-001; Diplomatic, DPL-1; Hire (Taxi), HA-001; Livery, LA-001; Motorcycle, M-1; Rental Car, RA-001; Trailer, T-001; and Diplomatic Staff, WN-1000.