Vehicle registration plates of Connecticut
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.
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 1980-1987. 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 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
1937 to 1956
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 at in height by in width, with standardized mounting holes. The 1956 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. From September 2006 through July 2010, windshield stickers were used instead ; these were discontinued after the Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles began allowing police agencies to use license plate scanners to verify registrations.
| Image | Dates issued | Description | Slogan | Serial format | Serials issued | Notes |
| 1957 | Embossed white serial on blue plate with border line; "CONNECTICUT" at bottom, offset to left | none | 12345 | 1 to 99999 | In the two-letter serial formats, serials with C or D as the first letter were reserved for Combination and Used Dealer plates respectively. | |
| 1957 | Embossed white serial on blue plate with border line; "CONNECTICUT" at bottom, offset to left | none | AB 123 | AA 1 to ZZ 999 | In the two-letter serial formats, serials with C or D as the first letter were reserved for Combination and Used Dealer plates respectively. | |
| 1957 | Embossed white serial on blue plate with border line; "CONNECTICUT" at bottom, offset to left | none | AB1234 | AA1000 to BH9999 | In the two-letter serial formats, serials with C or D as the first letter were reserved for Combination and Used Dealer plates respectively. | |
| 1958–66 | Embossed white serial on blue plate with border line; "CONNECTICUT" at bottom, offset to left | none | 123·456 | 100·000 to 999·999 | In the two-letter serial formats, serials with C or D as the first letter were reserved for Combination and Used Dealer plates respectively. | |
| 1966–74 | Embossed white serial on blue plate with border line; "CONNECTICUT" at bottom, offset to left | none | AB·1234 | BJ·1000 to NZ·9999; ZA·1000 to ZF·9999 | In the two-letter serial formats, serials with C or D as the first letter were reserved for Combination and Used Dealer plates respectively. | |
| 1974–76 | Embossed blue serial on reflective white plate with border line; "CONNECTICUT" centered at bottom | "CONSTITUTION STATE" centered at top | AB·12341 | PA·1000 to approximately TP·4999 | ||
| 1976–80 | Embossed reflective white serial on blue plate with border line; "CONNECTICUT" centered at bottom | "CONSTITUTION STATE" at top | AB·12341 | TP·5000 to YZ·9999; ZG·1000 to ZZ·9999 | ||
| 1980–87 | Embossed reflective white serial on blue plate with border line; "CONNECTICUT" centered at bottom | "CONSTITUTION STATE" at top | 123·ABC1 | 100·AAA to 999·EVX | Letters I and Q not used in this serial format. 'C' series reserved for Combination plates. | |
| 1987 – December 1999 | Similar to above, but with "CONNECTICUT" at top and embossed state shape at top left | "CONSTITUTION STATE" at bottom | 123·ABC1 | 100·EVY to 999·NZM | 'L' series reserved for optional Preserve the Sound plates. | |
| January 2000 – June 2013 | Embossed 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 bottom | 123·ABC2 | 100·NZN to 999·ZZX | 'O' series not used; 'V' series reserved for Veteran plates. | |
| June – December 2013 | Embossed 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 bottom | 1ABCD2 | 0AAAA0 to 9AGGX9 | Temporary serial formats used until the completion of a computer upgrade to allow standard seven-character serials. 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 2015 | Embossed 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 bottom | 1AB·CD2 | 0AG·HA0 to 9AX·XX9 | Temporary serial formats used until the completion of a computer upgrade to allow standard seven-character serials. 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. | |
| August 2015 – present | Embossed 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 bottom | AB·12345 | AA·00001 to AZ·00021 | Standard seven-character serials introduced following the completion of the aforementioned computer upgrade. |
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
- 2 Plus remakes of serials issued on previous bases: 123–456, AB-1234, and 123-ABC formats
Current plate types
Non-passenger types
Optional issues
Annual types
Political types
On both flat blue on white and Preserve the Sound bases:- Assistant Majority Leader
- Assistant Minority Leader
- Deputy Majority Leader
- Deputy Minority Leader
Municipality codes
| Code | Municipality |
| AS | Ansonia |
| AV | Avon |
| BA | Barkhamsted |
| BD | Bloomfield |
| BE | Berlin |
| BF | Beacon Falls |
| BK | Brookfield |
| BL | Bethel |
| BM | Bethlehem |
| BPT | Bridgeport |
| BR | Branford |
| BT | Bristol |
| BU | Burlington |
| BW | Bridgewater |
| BY | Bethany |
| CH | Cheshire |
| CL | Clinton |
| CN | Canton |
| CO | Colchester |
| COR | Cornwall |
| CR | Chester |
| CU | Columbia |
| CV | Coventry |
| CW | Cromwell |
| DA | Danbury |
| DAR | Darien |
| DE | Derby |
| DR | Deep River |
| DU | Durham |
| EG | East Granby |
| EH | East Hartford |
| EHA | East Haven |
| EL | East Lyme |
| ELL | Ellington |
| EM | East Haddam |
| EN | East Hampton |
| ENF | Enfield |
| ES | Essex |
| ET | Easton |
| FA | Fairfield |
| FN | Farmington |
| FWD | Farmington Woods District |
| GL | Glastonbury |
| GLP | Groton Long Point |
| GO | Goshen |
| GR | Granby |
| GRO | Groton |
| GU | Guilford |
| GW | Greenwich |
| HE | Hebron |
| HFD | Hartford |
| HN | Hamden |
| HR | Hartland |
| KI | Killingly |
| KW | Killingworth |
| LD | Ledyard |
| LE | Lebanon |
| LFD | Litchfield |
| LI | Lisbon |
| MA | Manchester |
| MDC | Metropolitan District Commission, a non-profit municipal corporation that provides water to most of Hartford County |
| MDF | Middlefield |
| MDN | Madison |
| ME | Meriden |
| MF | Mansfield |
| MFD | Milford |
| MN | Middletown |
| MO | Marlborough |
| MON | Monroe |
| MTV | Montville |
| NA | Naugatuck |
| NB | New Britain |
| NBR | North Branford |
| NC | New Canaan |
| NE | Newington |
| NF | New Fairfield |
| NFK | Norfolk |
| NH | New Haven |
| NHD | New Hartford |
| NHN | North Haven |
| NL | New London |
| NM | New Milford |
| NO | Norwich |
| NT | Newtown |
| NW | Norwalk |
| NWT | Second Taxing District of City of Norwalk |
| OL | Old Lyme |
| OR | Orange |
| OS | Old Saybrook |
| OX | Oxford |
| PL | Plainville |
| PO | Portland |
| PRO | Prospect |
| PT | Putnam |
| PY | Plymouth |
| RB | Roxbury |
| RE | Redding |
| RI | Ridgefield |
| RH | Rocky Hill |
| RPV | Regional Refuse District #1 |
| SA | Salem |
| SBY | Southbury |
| SE | Seymour |
| SF | Stratford |
| SH | Shelton |
| SI | Simsbury |
| SO | Southington |
| SOM | Somers |
| ST | Stamford |
| STF | Stafford |
| STN | Stonington |
| SU | Suffield |
| SW | South Windsor |
| TH | Thomaston |
| TO | Torrington |
| TR | Trumbull |
| UN | Union |
| VE | Vernon |
| WAS | Washington |
| WB | Westbrook |
| WBY | Waterbury |
| WE | Weston |
| WF | Wallingford |
| WFD | Waterford |
| WH | West Hartford |
| WI | Wilton |
| WIN | Windsor |
| WL | Windsor Locks |
| WM | Windham |
| WN | West Haven |
| WO | Wolcott |
| WOO | Woodbridge |
| WP | Westport |
| WR | Winchester/Winsted |
| WT | Watertown |
| WTD | Wethersfield |
| WWL | Willington |
| WY | Woodbury |
State agency plates
Most state agencies in Connecticut register their vehicles with state plates. The plate starts with a number to represent the agency that owns the vehicle. Some agencies, such as the Connecticut State Police, register some vehicles using regular passenger or combination plates.| Code | Agency |
| 1- | Department of Motor Vehicles |
| 2- | Department of Transportation |
| 5- | Department of Administrative Services – Fleet vehicles, leased to other agencies |
| 9- | University of Connecticut |
| 36- | Western Connecticut State University – Police |
| 46- | Eastern Connecticut State University – Police |
| 50- | Department of Energy and Environmental Protection |
| 56- | Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection – State Police special vehicles |
| 58- | Department of Emergency Management and Homeland Security – CT-TF1 Urban Search & Rescue |
| 79- | Department of Veteran Affairs – Vehicles belonging to the Veterans Home in Rocky Hill |