The U.S. state of Connecticut first required its residents to register their motor vehicles in 1903. Registrants provided their own license plates for display until 1905, when the state began to issue plates. Since then, Connecticut has used a variety of license plate designs, and has issued different designs for passenger, non-passenger, and, more recently, optional plate types that often require an additional fee. , plates are issued by the Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles.
For most classes of vehicles, plates are issued in pairs, for the front and rear of the vehicle respectively, though single rear plates were issued between 1980 and 1987. Plates were validated with metal date tabs from 1937 through 1963, then with plate stickers until 2006, and finally with windshield stickers until 2010. Plate stickers continue to be used on plates for vehicles that do not have a windshield, or are part of fleets that frequently rotate plates among vehicles. All issues (including re-issues) since 2000 are currently valid.
Until 2013 Connecticut, as a rule, skipped the number 0 as the leading digit in its plates, with the exception of dealer plates. Between July 2013 and August 2015, temporary 1ABCD2 and 1AB-CD2 serial formats were used, both of which allowed 0 to be used as the leading digit. In August 2015, a permanent AB-12345 serial format was introduced, and the number 0 could be used as the first of the five digits in the serial.
Passenger baseplates
1905 to 1936 ImageDates issuedDescriptionSerial formatSerials issuedNotesWhite serial on black porcelain plateC1234C1 to C9999Each serial was specific to the motorist, rather than to an individual plate (so if the motorist owned more than one vehicle, the plates on each would display the same serial). Annual re-registration commenced 1907.1910White serial on red porcelain plateC12345C1 to approximately C114001911Blue serial on white porcelain plateC12345C1 to approximately C140001912White serial on green porcelain plateC12345C1 to approximately C177001913White serial on blue porcelain plateC12345C1 to approximately C218001914White serial on green porcelain plate; vertical "CONN" and "1914" at left and right respectively123451 to approximately 25000First dated plate.1915Yellow serial on black porcelain plate; vertical "CONN" and "1915" at left and right respectively123451 to approximately 340001916White serial on black porcelain plate; vertical "CONN" and "1916" at left and right respectively123451 to approximately 490001917Dark blue serial on white flat metal plate; vertical "CONN" and "1917" on dark blue bands at left and right respectively123451 to approximately 620001918Dark green serial on white flat metal plate; vertical "CONN" and "1918" on dark green bands at left and right respectively12-3451 to approximately 70-0001919Black serial on white flat metal plate; "CONN. 1919" centered at bottom12-3451 to approximately 83-0001920Embossed blue serial on white plate with border line; "CONN.–1920" centered at bottom12-3451 to approximately 99-000First embossed plate.1921Embossed yellow serial on black plate with border line; "CONN.–1921" centered at bottom123-4561 to approximately 110–0001922Embossed maroon serial on white plate with border line; "CONN.–1922" centered at bottom123-4561 to approximately 125–0001923Embossed white serial on dark green plate; "CONN. 1923" centered at bottom123-4561 to approximately 157–0001924Embossed black serial on gray plate; "CONN. 1924" centered at bottom12-3451 to approximately 98-000Letter prefixes introduced to keep the width of plates down. These were assigned to branch offices as follows: A, E and Y to New Haven; F, H and S to Bridgeport; K and V to Waterbury; N and L to New London; and P and Z to Hartford.A-1234Coded by branch office1925Embossed white serial on navy blue plate; "CONN. 1925" centered at bottom123-4561 to approximately 104–000A-1234Coded by branch office1926Embossed black serial on yellow plate; "CONN. 1926" centered at bottom123-4561 to approximately 112–000A-12-345Coded by branch office1927Embossed white serial on maroon plate; "CONN. 1927" centered at bottom123-4561 to approximately 118–000'S' prefix reassigned to Stamford.A-12-345Coded by branch office1928Embossed white serial on navy blue plate; "CONN. 1928" centered at bottom123-4561 to approximately 128–000A-12-345Coded by branch office1929As 1927 base, but with "CONN. 1929" at bottom123-4561 to approximately 135–000A-12-345Coded by branch office1930As 1928 base, but with "CONN. 1930" at bottom123-4561 to approximately 133–000'Y' prefix reassigned to Danbury.A-12-345Coded by branch office1931As 1927 base, but with "CONN. 1931" at bottom123-4561 to approximately 137–000A-12-345Coded by branch office1932Embossed white serial on navy blue plate; "CONN. 1932" at bottom1234Issued in blocks by branch officeAll plates were in height by in width; this practice continued through 1956. Plates with the 123 serial format had the state abbreviation and year offset to the right; this practice continued through 1936.A1231231933Embossed white serial on maroon plate; "CONN. 1933" at bottom1234Issued in blocks by branch officeA1231231934As 1932 base, but with "CONN. 1934" at bottom1234Issued in blocks by branch officeA1231231935As 1933 base, but with "CONN. 1935" at bottom1234Issued in blocks by branch officeA1231231936Embossed yellow serial on navy blue plate; "CONN. 1936" at bottom1234Issued in blocks by branch officeA123123
1937 to 1956 ImageDates issuedDescriptionSerial formatSerials issuedNotesEmbossed black serial on silver plate; vertical "CONN" at right; tab box at bottom center12341 to 9999Validated for 1937, 1940 and 1943 with yellow tabs; for 1938, 1941 and 1946 with silver tabs; for 1939, 1942, 1945 and 1947 with light green tabs; and for 1944 with white tabs. In the 123 serial format, the letter progressed before the small number ( through , then through , etc.). 123 1 to 999 123 1 to 9991941–46 123 1 to 9991946–47As above, but with border line 1 to 9991947 123 100 to approximately 9991948–51Embossed black serial on reflective aluminum plate with border line; "CT" at bottom right; tab box at bottom center12341 to 9999Validated for 1948, 1951 and 1954 with yellow tabs; for 1949 and 1952 with silver tabs; for 1950 and 1955 with light green tabs; and for 1953 and 1956 with red tabs. 123 1 to 999 123 1 to 999 123 1 to 9991951–53 123 100 to 9991953–54As above, but with narrower dies1234510000 to 999991954As above, but non-reflective aluminum 1234 1000 to 99991954–56As above, but with "CONN" at bottom right 1000 to approximately 6000
1957 to present 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 1956 (dated 1957) issue was the first Connecticut license plate that complied with these standards.
Plates continued to be validated with tabs each year through 1960. Monthly staggered registration commenced in 1961; tabs were used for expirations from May 1962 through February 1963, and stickers thereafter.
The "Constitution State" slogan was first used on the 1974 blue-on-white base. This base did not hold up well and was discontinued in 1976; remaining plates were recalled in 1990 and replaced with white-on-blue plates bearing the same serials.
From 1980 through 1987, only rear plates were issued as a cost-saving measure. When front plates became mandatory again in 1987, the design of the 1976 white-on-blue base was changed in order to distinguish between plates issued in pairs and rear-only plates, with a state shape added in the top left corner and the "Constitution State" slogan moved from the top to the bottom.
The current sky blue base was introduced in January 2000. Between September 2000 and August 2002, all remaining 1957–74 and 1976–99 plates were replaced with plates on this base bearing the same serials. Hence, serials issued in 1957 can be seen on the current base.
Plate stickers continued to be issued through August 2006 (the last being used for August 2008 expirations). From September 2006 through July 2010, windshield stickers were used instead (the last being used for July 2012 expirations); these were discontinued after the Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles began allowing police agencies to use license plate scanners to verify registrations.
The older 123·ABC format was in use from 1980 to 2013 - on both the 1976 and 2000 bases. After its exhaustion, the 1ABCD2 and 1AB·CD2 formats were used, until a computer upgrade was completed in 2015. Since then, Connecticut has used the seven-character AB·12345 format, beginning from AA·00001. Plates progressed to the current "B" series in 2020.
ImageDates issuedDescriptionSloganSerial formatSerials issuedNotes1957Embossed white serial on blue plate with border line; "CONNECTICUT" at bottom, offset to leftnone123451 to 99999In the two-letter serial formats, serials with C or D as the first letter were reserved for Combination and Used Dealer plates respectively.AB 123AA 1 toZZ 999AB1234AA1000 to BH99991958–66123·456100·000 to 999·9991966–74AB·1234BJ·1000 to NZ·9999; ZA·1000 to ZF·99991974–76Embossed blue serial on reflective white plate with border line; "CONNECTICUT" centered at bottom"CONSTITUTION STATE" centered at topAB·12341PA·1000 to approximately TP·49991976–80Embossed reflective (glass-beaded) white serial on blue plate with border line; "CONNECTICUT" centered at bottom"CONSTITUTION STATE" at topAB·12341TP·5000 to YZ·9999; ZG·1000 to ZZ·99991980–87123·ABC1100·AAA to 999·EVXLetters I and Q not used in this serial format. 'C' series reserved for Combination plates.1987 – December 1999Similar to above, but with "CONNECTICUT" at top and embossed state shape at top left"CONSTITUTION STATE" at bottom123·ABC1100·EVY to 999·NZM'L' series reserved for optional Preserve the Sound plates.January 2000 – June2013Embossed dark blue serial on reflective gradient sky blue and white plate with dark blue border line; "Connecticut" screened in dark blue centered at top; screened dark blue state shape at top left"Constitution State" screened in dark blue centered at bottom123·ABC2100·NZN to 999·ZZX'O' series not used; 'V' series reserved for Veteran plates.June – December 20131ABCD20AAAA0 to 9AGGX9Temporary serial formats used until the completion of a computer upgrade to allow standard seven-character serials (below). Initial 1ABCD2 format revised with addition of dot separator in response to visibility concerns. Letters C, I, Q, Y and Z not used in either format; O used in the 1ABCD2 format but not in the 1AB·CD2 format.December 2013 – August 20151AB·CD20AG·HA0 to 9AX·XX9August 2015 – presentAB·12345AA·00001 to BW·99865 Standard seven-character serials introduced following the completion of the aforementioned computer upgrade. Letters I, O, and Q not used.
Notes 1 Plus remakes of serials issued on previous bases: 123–456 and AB-1234 formats 1 Plus remakes of serials issued on previous bases: 123–456, AB-1234, and 123-ABC formats (serials from 100-AAA to 999-NZM) 2 Plus remakes of serials issued on previous bases: 123–456, AB-1234, and 123-ABC formats (serials from 100-AAA to 999-NZM)
Current plate types Non-passenger types A number of non-passenger types now use the AB·12345 serial format introduced on passenger plates in 2015.