The U.S. state of Virginia first required its residents to register their motor vehicles and display license plates in 1906. , plates are issued by the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). Front and rear plates are required for most classes of vehicles, while only rear plates are required for motorcycles and trailers.
Motor vehicle registration statistics As of 2008, the DMV has 7,698,416 active registrations, 1,696,795 (22%) of which are special or personalized plates.Special and Personalized License Plates Report , accessed March 29, 2009 One out of every ten personalized license plates in the United States is registered to a Virginian driver. The high take-up of vanity plates in the state is arguably due to the fact that, unlike in many other states, a personalized plate in Virginia costs just $10 more than a randomly-assigned registration plate. In 2008, 1,624,146 pairs of license plates were sold, with 831,361 of them being personalized plates.DMV Business Profile , accessed March 29, 2009
Passenger baseplates 1906 to 1972 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 in height by in width, with standardized mounting holes. The first Virginian 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. ImageDates issuedDesignSerial formatSerials issuedNotesWhite serial on black porcelain plate; "VA" at right12341 to approximately 45001910Red serial on white porcelain plate; "VA. 1910" at right12341 to approximately 2600First dated plate. Issued only from June 15 through December 31, 1910.1911White serial on blue porcelain plate; "VA. 1911" at right1234101 to approximately 40001912White serial on green porcelain plate, "VA. 1912" at right1234101 to approximately 60001913White serial on maroon porcelain plate; "VA 1913" at right12341 to approximately 90001914Embossed dark blue serial on white plate; "VA 1914" at right123451 to approximately 14000First embossed plate.1915Embossed white serial on dark green plate; "VA 1915" at right123451 to approximately 210001916Embossed dark blue serial on orange plate; "VA 1916" at right123451 to approximately 350001917Embossed white serial on black plate with border line; "VA 1917" at right123451 to approximately 520001918Embossed black serial on white plate with border line; "VA 1918" at right123451 to approximately 710001919Embossed white serial on black plate with border line; "VA 1919" at right123451 to approximately 880001920Embossed white serial on dark green plate with border line; "VA 20" at right1234561 to approximately 1260001921Embossed black serial on orange plate with border line; "VA 21" at right123-4561 to approximately 146-0001922Embossed white serial on dark blue plate; white lines at top and bottom borders; "VA 22" at right1234561 to approximately 1450001923Embossed white serial on dark green plate; white lines at top and bottom borders; "VA 23" at right1234561 to approximately 1890001924Embossed white serial on red plate; "VIRGINIA - 24" centered at top1234561 to approximately 217000Manufactured in New Jersey to the same design as that state's 1924 plates. First use of the full state name.1925Embossed black serial on white plate with border line; "VIRGINIA - 1925" at bottom123-4561 to approximately 235-0001926Embossed golden yellow serial on dark blue plate with border line; "VIRGINIA - 26" centered at top123-4561 to approximately 273-0001927Embossed red serial on green plate with border line; "VIRGINIA - 27" at bottom123-4561 to approximately 293-0001928Embossed orange serial on black plate with border line; "VIRGINIA · 1928" centered at top123-4561 to approximately 317-0001929Embossed black serial on orange plate with border line; "VIRGINIA · 1929" centered at bottom123-4561 to approximately 321-0001930Embossed orange serial on black plate with border line; "VIRGINIA · 1930" centered at top123-4561 to approximately 349-0001931Embossed black serial on orange plate with border line; "VIRGINIA · 1931" centered at bottom123-4561 to approximately 368-0001932Embossed white serial on black plate with border line; "VIRGINIA · 1932" centered at top123-4561 to approximately 376-0001933Embossed black serial on white plate; "VIRGINIA - 1933" at bottom123-4561 to approximately 334-0001934Embossed white serial on black plate; "VIRGINIA - 1934" at top123-4561 to approximately 337-0001935Embossed black serial on white plate; "VIRGINIA - 1935" at top123-4561 to approximately 335-0001936Embossed orange serial on dark blue plate; "VIRGINIA - 1936" at bottom123-4561 to approximately 360-0001937Embossed white serial on black plate; "VIRGINIA - 1937" at top123-4561 to approximately 375-0001938Embossed black serial on white plate; "VIRGINIA - 1938" at bottom123-4561 to approximately 388-0001939Embossed white serial on black plate; "VIRGINIA - 1939" at bottom123-4561 to approximately 402-0001940Embossed black serial on white plate; "1940 - VIRGINIA" at top123-4561 to approximately 438-0001941Embossed white serial on black plate; "19 - VIRGINIA - 41" at top123-4561 to approximately 491-0001942–43Embossed black serial on white plate; "VIRGINIA - 1942" at top123-4561 to approximately 524-000Revalidated for 1943 with black tabs, due to metal conservation for World War II.1944Embossed black serial on yellow plate; "1944 - VA" centered at bottom123-4561 to approximately 468-0001945Embossed black serial on white plate; "19 - VIRGINIA - 45" at bottom123-4561 to approximately 475-0001946Embossed white serial on black plate; "VIRGINIA - 1946" at bottom123-4561 to approximately 524-0001947Embossed black serial on unpainted aluminum plate; "19 VIRGINIA 47" at top123-4561 to approximately 567-0001948Embossed white serial on black plate; "1948 VIRGINIA" at top123-4561 to approximately 642-0001949Embossed black serial on unpainted aluminum plate; "VIRGINIA 1949" at bottom123-4561 to approximately 698-0001950Embossed white serial on black plate; "1950 VIRGINIA" at bottom123-4561 to approximately 783-0001951–52Embossed black serial on white plate; "19 VIRGINIA 51" at bottom123-4561 to 999-999Revalidated for 1952 with black tabs, due to metal conservation for the Korean War. Plates with serials A100-000 and up used narrower serial dies; this practice continued until 1969.A-100 to approximately A145-0001953Embossed orange serial on blue plate; "19 VIRGINIA 53" at top123-4561 to approximately 940-0001954Embossed white serial on black plate; "VIRGINIA 1954" at top123-4561 to approximately 999-9991955Embossed black serial on white plate; "1955 VIRGINIA" at bottom123-4561 to 999-999A123-456A-100 to approximately A122-0001956Embossed white serial on black plate; "19 VIRGINIA 56" at bottom123-4561 to 999-999A123-456A-100 to approximately A178-0001957Embossed black serial on white plate; "VIRGINIA 1957" at bottom123-4561 to 999-999A123-456A-100 to approximately A223-0001958Embossed white serial on black plate; "1958 VIRGINIA" at top123-4561 to 999-999A123-456A-100 to approximately A232-0001959Embossed black serial on white plate; "19 VIRGINIA 59" at top123-4561 to 999-999A123-456A-100 to approximately A259-0001960Embossed white serial on black plate; "VIRGINIA 1960" at top123-4561 to 999-999A123-456A-100 to approximately A240-0001961Embossed black serial on white plate; "1961 VIRGINIA" at bottom123-4561 to 999-999A123-456A-100 to approximately A273-0001962Embossed white serial on black plate; "19 VIRGINIA 62" at bottom123-4561 to 999-999A123-456A-100 to approximately A344-0001963Embossed black serial on white plate; "VIRGINIA 1963" at bottom123-4561 to 999-999A123-456A-100 to approximately A425-0001964Embossed white serial on black plate; "1964 VIRGINIA" at top123-4561 to 999-999A123-456A-100 to approximately A504-0001965Embossed black serial on white plate; "19 VIRGINIA 65" at top123-4561 to 999-999A123-456A-100 to approximately A545-0001966Embossed white serial on black plate; "VIRGINIA 1966" at top123-4561 to 999-999A123-456A-100 to approximately A626-0001967Embossed black serial on white plate; "1967 VIRGINIA" at bottom123-4561 to 999-999A123-456A-100 to approximately A700-0001968Embossed white serial on black plate; "19 VIRGINIA 68" at bottom123-4561 to 999-999A123-456A-100 to approximately A788-0001969Embossed black serial on white plate; "VIRGINIA 1969" at bottom123-4561 to 999-999All plates now used the narrower serial dies introduced on the 1951–52 base.A123-456A-100 to approximately A857-0001970Embossed white serial on black plate; "1970 VIRGINIA" at top123-4561 to 999-999A123-456A-100 to approximately A966-0001971Embossed black serial on white plate, with or without border line; "19 VIRGINIA 71" at top123-4561 to 999-999A123-456A-100 toA999-999ABC 123AAA 001 to AAD 999B12-345B-1 to approximately B54-0001972Embossed white serial on black plate with border line; "VIRGINIA 1972" at topABC-123AAA-001 to DZZ-999Letters I, O and Q not used in serials; this practice continues today (except 1988–92).
1973 to present