Vehicle registration plates of Iowa

Iowa vehicle license plates

Iowa

Current series
Slogan| county name
Size| 12 in × 6 in
30 cm × 15 cm
Material| Aluminum
Serial format| ABC 123
Introduced| April 1, 2018 (2018-04-01)
Availability
Issued by| Iowa Department of Transportation, Motor Vehicle Division
History
First issued| January 1, 1911 (1911-01-01)
(pre-state plates from 1904 to December 31, 1910)

* v
* t
* e

The U.S. state of Iowa first required its residents to register their motor vehicles in 1904. Registrants provided their own license plates for display until 1911, when the state began to issue plates.[1]

Plates are currently issued by the Iowa Department of Transportation through its Motor Vehicle Division. Front and rear plates are required for most classes of vehicles, while only rear plates are required for motorcycles, trailers and the 1945 base plate.

## Passenger baseplates

[edit]

### Prestate

[edit]

Image  | Dates issued  | Description  | Serial format  | Serials issued  | Notes

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| 1904 to 1910 (prestate)  | Riveted metal numbers on black leather plate, "IA" riveted on right  | 12345  | 1 to approximately 13000  |

### 1911 to 1971

[edit]

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 6 inches (15 cm) in height by 12 inches (30 cm) in width, with standardized mounting holes.[2] The 1955 (dated 1956) issue was the first Iowa license plate that complied with these standards.

Image  | Dates issued  | Description  | Slogan  | Serial format  | Serials issued  | Notes

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| 1911  | Embossed white serial on dark blue plate with border line; "IA 1911" at right  | none | 12345  | 2001 to approximately 30000  |
| 1912  | Embossed white serial on black plate; "IA 1912" at right  | none | 12345  | 1001 to approximately 46000  |
| 1913  | Embossed black serial on white plate; "IA 1913" at right  | none | 12345  | 3001 to approximately 75000  |
| 1914  | Embossed white serial on black plate; "IA 1914" at right  | none | 123456  | 6001 to approximately 112000  |
| 1915  | Embossed black serial on yellow plate; "IA 1915" at right  | none | 123456  | 7001 to approximately 152000  |
| 1916–18 | Embossed beige serial on dark olive green plate; "IA" and dash at right  | none | 123456  | 1 to approximately 341000  | Intentionally used for three years straight.
| 1919  | Embossed white serial on brown plate; "IA 19" at right  | none | 123456  | 1 to approximately 362000  |
| 1920  | Embossed black serial on light green plate with border line; "IA 20" at right  | none | 123456  | 1 to approximately 438000  |
| 1921  | Embossed silver serial on black plate with border line; "IA 21" at right  | none | 123456  | 1 to approximately 441000  |
| 1922  | Embossed black serial on silver plate with border line; "IA 22" at right  | none | 1-12345
10-1234  | Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10)  | First use of county codes.
| 1923  | Embossed yellow serial on black plate with border line; "IA 23" at right  | none | 1-12345
10-1234  | Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10)  |
| 1924  | Embossed white serial on black plate with border line; "IA 24" at right  | none | 1-12345
10-1234  | Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10)  |
| 1925  | Embossed black serial on gray plate with border line; "IA 25" at right  | none | 1-12345
10-1234  | Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10)  |
| 1926  | Embossed white serial on maroon plate with border line; "IA 26" at right  | none | 1-12345
10-1234  | Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10)  |
| 1927  | Embossed orange serial on dark blue plate with border line; "IA 27" at right  | none | A-12345
1-1234
10-1234  | Coded by county of issuance (A, 1 or 10)  |
| 1928  | Embossed black serial on white plate with border line; "IA 28" at right  | none | A-12345
1-1234
10-1234  | Coded by county of issuance (A, 1 or 10)  |
| 1929  | Embossed black serial on green plate with border line; vertical "IOWA" and "1929" at right  | Truck plates have a vertical "TRUCK" instead of the dash  | A-12345
1-1234
10-1234  | Coded by county of issuance (A, 1 or 10)  | First use of the full state name.
| 1930  | Embossed white serial on dark blue plate with border line; "IOWA-1930" centered at bottom  | none | 1-12345
10-12345  | Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10)  |
| 1931  | Embossed dark blue serial on white plate with border line; "IOWA-1931" centered at bottom  | none | 1-12345
10-12345  | Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10)  |
| 1932  | Embossed white serial on maroon plate with border line; "IOWA-1932" centered at bottom  | none | 1-12345
10-12345  | Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10)  |
| 1933  | Embossed white serial on dark blue plate with border line; "IOWA-1933" centered at top  | none | 1-12345
10-12345  | Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10)  |
| 1934  | Embossed yellow serial on dark blue plate with border line; "IOWA-1934" centered at bottom  | none | 1-12345
10-12345  | Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10)  |
| 1935  | Embossed white serial on dark blue plate with border line; "IOWA-1935" centered at top  | none | 1-12345
10-12345  | Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10)  |
| 1936  | Embossed dark blue serial on white plate with border line; "IOWA-1936" centered at bottom  | none | 1-12345
10-12345  | Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10)  |
| 1937  | Embossed white serial on dark blue plate with border line; "1937-IOWA" centered at bottom  | none | 1-12345
10-12345  | Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10)  |
| 1938  | Embossed dark blue serial on white plate with border line; "IOWA-1938" centered at top  | none | 1-12345
10-12345  | Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10)  |
| 1939  | Embossed white serial on dark blue plate with border line; "IOWA-1939" centered at bottom  | none | 1-12345
10-12345  | Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10)  |
| 1940  | Embossed dark blue serial on orange plate with border line; "IOWA-1940" centered at top  | none | 1-12345
10-12345  | Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10)  |
| 1941  | Embossed black serial on white plate with border line; "IOWA-1941" centered at bottom  | none | 1-12345
10-12345  | Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10)  |
| 1942–44  | Embossed white serial on black plate with border line; "IOWA-1942" centered at top  | none | 1-12345
10-12345  | Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10)  | Revalidated for 1943 and 1944 with windshield stickers, due to metal conservation for World War II.
| 1945  | Embossed black serial on white plate with border line; "IOWA-1945" centered at top  | none | 1-12345
10-12345  | Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10)  | Only rear plates issued due to ongoing metal conservation; a windshield sticker was carried at the front of the vehicle.
| 1946  | Embossed white serial on black plate with border line; "IOWA-1946" centered at top  | none | 1-12345
10-12345  | Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10)  |

| 1947–48  | Embossed black serial on white plate with border line; "1947-IOWA" centered at top  | none | 1-12345
10-12345  | Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10)  | Revalidated for 1948 with silver tabs.
| 1949  | Embossed white serial on waffle-textured black plate with border line; "IOWA-1949" centered at top  | none | 1-12345
10-12345  | Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10)  |

| 1950–51  | Embossed black serial on white plate with border line; "IOWA" centered at top; "19" at top left and "50" at top right  | none | 1-12345
10-12345  | Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10)  | Revalidated for 1951 with silver tabs.
| 1952  | Embossed white serial on black plate with border line; "IOWA" centered at top; "19" at top left and "52" at top right  | none | 1-12345
10-12345  | Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10)  |

| 1953–55  | Embossed black serial on white plate with border line; "IOWA" centered at top; "19" at top left and "53" at top right  | "THE CORN STATE" centered at bottom  | 1-12345
10-12345  | Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10)  | First use of a slogan of any kind, with the state's unofficial nickname chosen over the official nickname of "The Hawkeye State". Revalidated for 1954 and 1955 with silver tabs.

| 1956–57  | Embossed white serial on black plate with border line; "IOWA" centered at top; "19" at top left and "56" at top right  | none | 1-1234
1-A123
1-1A23
10-1234
10-A123
10-1A23
77-12A3
77-123A
77-AB12  | 1-0001 to approximately 99-9999
1-A000 to approx. 99-Z999 (212,762 plates were issued in 20 counties)
1-0A00 to approx. 99-9Z99 (76,955 in 6 counties)
77-00A0 to 77-99Z9 (20,000 in Polk county)
77-000A to 77-999Z (20,000 in Polk county)
77-AA00 to 77-FC79 (10,280 in Polk County)  | First 6" x 12" plate. I, M, O, Q, W and Y not used in lettered serial formats.[3] Revalidated for 1957 with silver tabs. Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10)
| 1958  | Embossed black serial on white plate with border line; "IOWA" centered at top; "58" at top right  | none | 1-12345
1/0-12345  | Coded by county of issuance (1 or 1/0)  |
| 1959  | Embossed black serial on yellow plate with border line; "IOWA" centered at top; "59" at top right  | none | 1 12345
1/0 12345  | Coded by county of issuance (1 or 1/0)  |
| 1960  | Embossed black serial on light gray plate with border line; "IOWA" centered at top; "60" at top right  | none | 1 12345
1/0 123456  | Coded by county of issuance (1 or 1/0)  |
| 1961  | As 1959 base, but with "61" at top right  | none | 1 12345
1/0 123456  | Coded by county of issuance (1 or 1/0)  |
| 1962  | As 1960 base, but with "62" at top right  | none | 1 12345
1/0 123456  | Coded by county of issuance (1 or 1/0)  |
| 1963  | Embossed white serial on black plate with border line; "IOWA" centered at top; "63" at top right  | none | 1 12345
1/0 123456  | Coded by county of issuance (1 or 1/0)  |
| 1964  | Embossed white serial on green plate with border line; "IOWA" centered at top; "64" at top right  | none | 1-12345
1/0 123456  | Coded by county of issuance (1 or 1/0)  |
| 1965  | Embossed white serial on dark blue plate with border line; "IOWA" centered at top; "65" at top right  | none | 1-12345
1/0 123456  | Coded by county of issuance (1 or 1/0)  |
| 1966  | Embossed white serial on red plate with border line; "IOWA" centered at top; "66" at top right  | none | 1-12345
1/0 123456  | Coded by county of issuance (1 or 1/0)  |
| 1967  | Embossed black serial on reflective white plate with border line; "IOWA" centered at top; "67" at top right  | none | 1-12345
1/0 123456  | Coded by county of issuance (1 or 1/0)  |
| 1968  | Embossed red serial on reflective white plate with border line; "IOWA" centered at top; "68" at top right  | none | 1-12345
1/0 123456  | Coded by county of issuance (1 or 1/0)  |
| 1969  | As 1967 base, but with "69" at top right  | none | 1-12345
1/0 123456  | Coded by county of issuance (1 or 1/0)  |
| 1970  | As 1968 base, but with "70" at top right  | none | 1-12345
1/0 123456  | Coded by county of issuance (1 or 1/0)  |
| 1971  | As 1967 base, but with "71" at top right  | none | 1-12345
1/0 123456  | Coded by county of issuance (1 or 1/0)  |

### 1972 to present

[edit]

Image  | Dates issued  | Description  | Slogan  | Serial format  | Serials issued  | Notes

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| 1972–74 | Embossed black serial on reflective yellow plate with border line; "IOWA 72" centered at top; black sticker box at top right  | none | 1 123456
1/0 123456  | Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10)  | Revalidated for 1973 and 1974 with stickers.
| 1975–78  | Embossed black serial on reflective white plate with border line; "IOWA 75" centered at top  | none | 1 ABC123
1/0 ABC123  | Coded by county of issuance (ABC and either1 or 10)  | Three-letter serials assigned in blocks to each county (1 or 1/0); this practice continued until circa 1980-1985. See the County Coding table below for each assignment. Non-resident plates initially had "NON RESIDENT" at the bottom and no 0/0 code at the far left.[4][5]
| 1979 – December 1984  | Reflective white serial on green plate with border line; "IOWA" and county name centered at top and bottom respectively; "79" at top right; all embossed. Plate elements either embossed (above) or debossed (below)  | county name | ABC 123  | AAA 000 to approximately KCZ 999  | County codes abolished after 57 years, replaced by county names at bottom of plate. Whether the plate was embossed or debossed depended on the county of issuance. The serial blocks initially assigned were the same as those on the 1975–78 base. Non-resident plates had blank bottoms.
| January 1985 – December 1996  | Embossed reflective white serial on blue plate with border line; "IOWA" and county name centered at top and bottom respectively; "86" at top right  | county name | ABC 123  | LAA 000 to
YZZ 999  | Non-resident plates discontinued. Month and year stickers are separate, and vanity plates had blank bottoms.
| January 1997 – 1998  | Embossed blue serial on reflective graphic plate with light blue sky, white city skyline and gray farm scene; "IOWA" screened in blue centered at top; county name on sticker centered at bottom  | county name | 123 ABC  | 000 AAA to 399 FSK  | 'D' series not used.[3]
| 1998 –
mid
2001  | As above, but with county name screened in blue  | Exclusively from 400 FSK to approximately 999 HMY; intermittently from 000 HMZ to approximately 999 JYC  |
| mid
2000 –
July
2011  | As above, but with serial screened rather than embossed  | Intermittently from 000 HMZ to approximately 999 JYC;
exclusively from 000 JYD to approximately 999 YPK  | Originally issued in eight most populous counties (Black Hawk, Dubuque, Johnson, Linn, Polk, Pottawattamie, Scott, Woodbury); issued in all counties from mid-2001. Series KDA through KZC skipped in error; SAA through SHG reserved for Special plates; 'U' and 'V' series not used.[3]
| July
2011 –
late
2012  | As above, but with serial, state name and county name in black rather than blue  | 000 YPL to
999 ZZZ  | Elements changed from blue to black in order to reduce costs and improve legibility.[6] Zeros in serials became slashed at the beginning of the YYA series (early 2012).
| late
2012 – April
2018  | ABC 123  | AAA 000 to approximately GXV 199  | No I, O, Q used as 3rd letter.
| April 2018 – present  | Screened black serial on reflective graphic plate with blue sky, white city skyline, farm and wind turbine, and green grass field; "IOWA" screened in white centered at top; county name screened in black centered at bottom  | county name | ABC 123  | GXV 200 to
NJV 964 (as of June 22, 2023)[7] | In August 2017, this "City and Country Reboot" design was chosen by voters at the 2017 Iowa State Fair and on the Iowa State Fair's website. Competing against a "Flying Our Colors" design and a "Great Wide Open" design, the new "City and Country Reboot" license plate won the contest with 113,299 votes cast out of a total of 291,095 votes.[8][9][10] No I, O, Q used as 3rd letter.

## County coding

[edit]

County | Code, 1928–29 | Code, 1930–78 | 3-letter block, 1975–84

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|
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Adair | 1 | 1 | AAA–AAZ
Adams | 2 | 2 | ABA–ABZ
Allamakee | 3 | 3 | ACA–ACZ
Appanoose | 4 | 4 | ADA–ADZ
Audubon | 5 | 5 | AEA–AEZ
Benton | 6 | 6 | AFA–AGZ
Black Hawk | H | 7 | AHA–AMZ
Boone | 7 | 8 | ANA–AOZ
Bremer | 8 | 9 | APA–AQZ
Buchanan | 9 | 10 | ARA–ARZ
Buena Vista | 10 | 11 | ASA–ATZ
Butler | 11 | 12 | AUA–AUZ
Calhoun | 12 | 13 | AVA–AVZ
Carroll | 13 | 14 | AWA–AXZ
Cass | 14 | 15 | AYA–AYZ
Cedar | 15 | 16 | AZA–AZZ
Cerro Gordo | M | 17 | BAA–BCZ
Cherokee | 16 | 18 | BDA–BDZ
Chickasaw | 17 | 19 | BEA–BEZ
Clarke | 18 | 20 | BFA–BFZ
Clay | 19 | 21 | BGA–BGZ
Clayton | 20 | 22 | BHA–BIZ
Clinton | K | 23 | BJA–BLZ
Crawford | 21 | 24 | BMA–BMZ
Dallas | 22 | 25 | BNA–BOZ
Davis | 23 | 26 | BPA–BPZ
Decatur | 24 | 27 | BQA–BQZ
Delaware | 25 | 28 | BRB–BRZ
Des Moines | N | 29 | BSA–BUZ
Dickinson | 26 | 30 | BVA–BVZ
Dubuque | J | 31 | BWA–CAZ
Emmet | 27 | 32 | CBA–CBZ
Fayette | 28 | 33 | CCA–CDZ
Floyd | 29 | 34 | CEA–CFZ
Franklin | 30 | 35 | CGA–CGZ
Fremont | 31 | 36 | CHA–CHZ
Greene | 32 | 37 | CIA–CIZ
Grundy | 33 | 38 | CJA–CJZ
Guthrie | 34 | 39 | CKA–CKZ
Hamilton | 35 | 40 | CLA–CMZ
Hancock | 36 | 41 | CNA–CNZ
Hardin | 37 | 42 | COA–CPZ
Harrison | 38 | 43 | CQA–CQZ
Henry | 39 | 44 | CRA–CRZ
Howard | 40 | 45 | CSA–CSZ
Humboldt | 41 | 46 | CTA–CTZ
Ida | 42 | 47 | CUA–CUZ
Iowa | 43 | 48 | CVA–CVZ
Jackson | 44 | 49 | CWA–CWZ
Jasper | P | 50 | CXA–CYZ
Jefferson | 45 | 51 | CZA–CZZ
Johnson | 46 | 52 | DAA–DDZ
Jones | 47 | 53 | DEA–DEZ
Keokuk | 48 | 54 | DFA–DFZ
Kossuth | 49 | 55 | DGA–DHZ
Lee | R | 56 | DIA–DLZ
Linn | C | 57 | DMA–DTZ
Louisa | 50 | 58 | DUA–DUZ
Lucas | 51 | 59 | DVA–DVZ
Lyon | 52 | 60 | DWA–DWZ
Madison | 53 | 61 | DXA–DXZ
Mahaska | 54 | 62 | DYA–DZZ
Marion | 55 | 63 | EAA–EBZ
Marshall | 56 | 64 | ECA–EEZ
Mills | 57 | 65 | EFA–EFZ
Mitchell | 58 | 66 | EGA–EGZ
Monona | 59 | 67 | EHA–EHZ
Monroe | 60 | 68 | EIA–EIZ
Montgomery | 61 | 69 | EJA–EJZ
Muscatine | 62 | 70 | EKA–ELZ
O'Brien | 63 | 71 | EMA–EMZ
Osceola | 64 | 72 | ENA–ENZ
Page | 65 | 73 | EOA–EOZ
Palo Alto | 66 | 74 | EPA–EPZ
Plymouth | 67 | 75 | EQA–ERZ
Pocahontas | 68 | 76 | ESA–ESZ
Polk | A | 77 | FAA–FPZ
Pottawattamie | F | 78 | FQA–FUZ
Poweshiek | 69 | 79 | FVA–FVZ
Ringgold | 70 | 80 | FWA–FWZ
Sac | 71 | 81 | FXA–FXZ
Scott | E | 82 | GAA–GHZ
Shelby | 72 | 83 | GIA–GIZ
Sioux | 73 | 84 | GJA–GKZ
Story | 74 | 85 | GLA–GNZ
Tama | 75 | 86 | GOA–GOZ
Taylor | 76 | 87 | GPA–GPZ
Union | 77 | 88 | GQA–GQZ
Van Buren | 78 | 89 | GRA–GRZ
Wapello | 79 | 90 | GSA–GUZ
Warren | 80 | 91 | GVA–GWZ
Washington | 81 | 92 | GXA–GXZ
Wayne | 82 | 93 | GYA–GYZ
Webster | L | 94 | HAA–HCZ
Winnebago | 83 | 95 | HDA–HDZ
Winneshiek | 84 | 96 | HEA–HEZ
Woodbury | B | 97 | HFA–HKZ
Worth | 85 | 98 | HLA–HLZ
Wright | 86 | 99 | HMA–HMZ
Non-resident | 00 | 00 | HNA–HNZ

## Current non-passenger and optional plates

[edit]

### Non-passenger plates

[edit]

Image  | Type  | First issued  | Design  | Serial format  | Notes

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| Apportioned Power Unit  | c. 1998  | Green on white  | PB 1234
SB 1234  | Issued to trucks and tractor units.
| Apportioned Trailer | c. 1998  | Green on white  | RB 1234
TB 1234  | Issued to semi-trailers.
| County Sheriff's Department  |  | Green on white with Sheriff's star-shaped seal at left  | S00-1234 | Uses the numeric county-code system that was used on standard passenger plates until 1979 (so, for instance, a plate whose serial starts with S77 would indicate a deputy from Polk County). The numbers to the right of the hyphen correspond to the deputy's badge number. These plates are used only on marked units.
| Dealer |  | Black on white with blue state name  | D1
D12
D123
D1234  | Plus three-digit suffix that ascends for each dealer.
| Motorcycle |  | Similar to standard passenger base  | 1234 AB
AB 1234  |
| Official |  | Black on white  | 1234567  |
| Official County |  | Black on white  | 12345  |
| Official School |  | Red on white  | 12345  |
| Special  |  | As standard passenger base, but with vertical "SPECIAL" at left  | 123 SBC (000 SAA to 999 SHG)  |
| State Patrol | 1975  | Black on yellow with two red stars either side of serial  | 12
123  | The serial number corresponds to the badge number for that state trooper, excluding post 16, who drive pool cars assigned numbers which are currently not being used by another trooper. These plates are used only on marked units; unmarked units use regular state-issued plates.
| Trailer  |  | As standard passenger base  | 1234 AB
AB 1234  |

### Optional plates

[edit]

Iowa offers its motorists a number of optional issue designs that are available upon the payment of an additional fee.

Plates of all types other than the university types are available for both automobiles and motorcycles, the latter using a smaller overall plate size. University Plates are the only plates not colored the same as the standard issue plate, the color scheme is a yellow base, with the university's main sports team color on both the numbers, and a header denoting the school (i.e. red for Iowa State University, black for University of Iowa, purple for UNI, et cetera).

Image  | Type  | First issued  | Serial format  | Notes

|
|
|
|

| Air Force Cross |  |  | Must present military form DD-214 showing receipt of medal to be issued. Issuance is strictly regulated by the Iowa Department of Transportation, and the Iowa Department of Veterans' Affairs.
| Airman's Medal |  |  | Must present military form DD-214 showing receipt of medal to be issued. Plate issuance is strictly regulated by the Iowa Department of Transportation, and the Iowa Department of Veterans' Affairs.
| Blackout  | July 2019  | ABC 123  | Combinations leapfrog through regular series. No I, O, Q used as 3rd letter. INS 427 lowest number reported.[3]
| Breast Cancer Awareness  |  | 123BA  |
| Bronze Star |  |  | Must present military form DD-214 showing receipt of medal to be issued. As with all plates denoting high issue military medals, the issuance of this plate is strictly regulated by the Iowa Department of Transportation, and the Iowa Department of Veterans' Affairs.
| Cattlemen Care  |  | CA123
123CA
123CI |
| Congressional Medal of Honor--Air Force  |  | Plate number is medal issuance number  | plate is light blue on white, with the words "Medal of Honor" in place of county name. Plate is issued by the state Veterans Administration.
| Congressional Medal of Honor--Army  |  | Plate number is medal issuance number  | county name replaced with the words "Medal of Honor." Plate is light blue on white. Plate is issued by state Veterans Administration. Must provide Military form DD-214 showing receipt of medal, as well as a copy of the medal certificate. Medal of Honor plates issued for all branches of service are strictly regulated.
| Congressional Medal of Honor--Navy  |  | Plate number is medal issuance number  | county name replaced with the words "Medal of Honor." Plate is light blue on white. Plate is issued by state Veterans Administration
| Distinguished Service Cross  |  | DSC123
DSC1234  | Must present military form DD-214 showing receipt of medal to be issued
| Education |  |  | Must show NEA membership card and hold credentials as a schoolteacher to be issued.
| Emergency Medical Services |  | 123EM
123EN | You need your signature and your director's signature notarized proving that you are indeed a member of a paid or volunteer EMS service in Iowa
| Masons |  |  | Must provide membership in an area Freemasons Lodge to be issued this plate
| Ex-Prisoner of War |  | POW123
POW1234  | Must present military form DD-214 showing receipt of the POW medal before issuance.
| Firefighter |  | FF123
123FF
FD123
123FD
1234F
F1234  | Must have Firefighter's Identification before issuance. Plate is red on white, with nationally recognized firefighter's insignia in far left side, and reads "Firefighter," in place of county name.
| God Bless America |  | US123
123US
123UA
123UD
123UE
123UK
123UP
123UQ
123UR
123UT |
| Gold Star Mothers/Wives |  |  | Must have proof of membership within Gold Star Mother's, or Gold Star Wives in order to be issued this plate
| Iowa Heritage  |  |  |
| Iowa State University |  | ISU1234  |
| Legion of Merit |  |  | Must present military form DD-214 showing receipt of medal to be issued.
| Love Our Kids |  | K1234  |
| Motorcycle Rider  |  |  |
| National Guard |  | N1234  | Must have Military Identification denoting member of National Guard in order to be issued this plate.
| Natural Resources – Bald eagle |  | AB 123  |
| Natural Resources – Goldfinch/wild rose |  | AB123
AB 123  |
| Natural Resources – Pheasant |  | AB 123  |
| Navy and Marine Corps Medal |  |  | Must present military form DD-214 showing receipt of medal to be issued.
| Navy Cross |  | NC123
NC1234  | Must present military form DD-214 showing receipt of medal to be issued.
| Organ and Tissue Donor Awareness  |  | U1234
1234U | Must provide proof as an organ, or tissue donor (usually found on drivers license), to be issued this plate
| Persons with Disabilities  |  | C1234
1234C
J1234
1234J
Y1234
1234Y
1234Z,
Z1234  | Must have proof of disability, as well as the signature of a board certified doctor before plate is issued. Nobody can be issued this plate without the approval of the Iowa Department of Transportation. The plate is marked with the universal handicapped symbol on the far left hand side, with the serial number following, the one letter four number combination can either be with the letter first, or last in sequence.
| Purple Heart |  | P1234  | Must present military form DD-214 showing receipt of medal to be issued
| Retired Air Force  |  | R1234  | Must present Military Identification Card denoting retirement to be issued.
| Retired Army  |  | R1234  | Must have military identification card denoting retirement to be issued
| Retired Coast Guard  |  | R1234  | Must present Coast Guard identification card showing retirement to be issued
| Retired Marines  |  | R1234  | Must have military identification card denoting retirement to be issued
| Retired Navy  |  | R1234  | Must have military identification card denoting retirement to be issued
| Share the Road |  | SR123 (passenger)
123SU (motorcycle)  |
| Shriners |  | ZA123
ZB123  | Must present a Shriners membership card to be issued
| Silver Star |  |  | Must present military form DD-214 showing receipt of medal to be issued
| Soldier's Medal |  |  | Must present military form DD-214 showing receipt of medal to be issued
| University of Iowa |  | UI 1234  |
| University of Northern Iowa |  | UNI1234  |
| Veteran  |  | V1234  | Plate appears as standard plate, with an American flag to the far left, with the word "Veteran" above, plate is issued by the state Veteran's Administration, all applying must have copy of Military form DD-214 denoting Honorable Discharge in order to receive the Veterans plate.
| Police Department  |  | 1234567  | Plate is white on dark blue, with a police officer's badge from the corresponding city on the left side, along with a seven digit number, and at the bottom, the City Police Department of issuance. These are issued only by the local police departments within the state, and placed on marked units only upon receipt of vehicle. They are illegal to be displayed by non-police officers.

## Previous non-passenger and optional plates

[edit]

### Optional plates

[edit]

Image  | Type  | First issued  | Design  | Slogan  | Serial format  | Serials issued  | Notes

|
|
|
|
|
|
|

| Pearl Harbor Survivor | 1979?  | Same as passenger baseplate, but with Pearl Harbor Survivor logo, used until 2011 or when the last Pearl Harbor Survivor from Iowa died  | "Pearl Harbor Veteran"
county name | ship's hull number  | ship's hull number  | Must have proof to be issued this plate. Proof would consist of Military form DD-214, denoting that applicant was stationed on any one of the eight Battleships moored at Pearl Harbor Dec. 7, 1941, or any smaller vessel that was documented to be at Pearl Harbor during the attack. In place of county name, the plate reads "Pearl Harbor Veteran" before 1997, when the slogan became the county name sticker. Can have ship's hull number placed as plate number for no extra charge, provided the sequence is not already taken by another motorist.
| Antique | 1975?  | Same as passenger baseplate  | "ANTIQUE"  |  |  | This plate was discontinued on at most 1997.
| Truck | 1966  | Embossed dark blue lettering on a white background, "IOWA" in center at top "TRK" in center at bottom  |  |

### Sesquicentennial plates

[edit]

Image  | Type  | First issued  | Design  | Serial format  | Serials issued  | Notes

|
|
|
|
|
|

| Sesquicentennial (Patriotic)  | 1992  | Embossed red serial on reflective white plate; "IOWA" screened in blue centered at top, with blue state shape to right; "Sesquicentennial" screened in red centered at bottom; blue bands screened at top left and top right, with "1846-1996" on left band and "92" on right band  | S123456  | S000001 to approximately S125000  | Both these plates commemorated Iowa's 150 years of statehood. They remained valid until 1997.
| Sesquicentennial (Scenic)  | 1992  | Embossed red serial on reflective graphic plate with pale blue sky, green grass, pale green tree and blue city skyline; "IOWA" screened in red at top, offset to right; "SESQUICENTENNIAL 1846 * 1996" (in two lines) screened in black to left; "92" screened at top right  | 123456S | 000001S to approximately 130000S

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Swarm, Curt (February 15, 2013). "Moulton man has 100-year collection of Appanoose County license plates". Daily Gate City. Keokuk, IA. Retrieved September 23, 2016.
2. ^ Garrish, Christopher (October 2016). "Reconsidering the Standard Plate Size". Plates. Vol. 62, no. 5\. Automobile License Plate Collectors Association.
3. ^ a b c d Tanner, Eric N. "Iowa Passenger License Plates". allaboutlicenseplates.com. Retrieved November 17, 2020.
4. ^ Tanner, Eric N. "Iowa License Plate Variations". allaboutlicenseplates.com. Retrieved November 17, 2020.
5. ^ "76 Iowa". Plateshack.com. Retrieved October 25, 2014.
6. ^ Sutterman, Kelli (July 10, 2011). "Standard license plates to adopt black lettering". The Gazette. Cedar Rapids, IA. Retrieved July 11, 2011.
7. ^ "Iowa License Plates". www.licenseplates.cc. Retrieved 2023-05-27.
8. ^ "Iowa announces winning license plate". WHBF-TV. Nexstar Media Group. 2017-08-21. Retrieved 2017-12-17.
9. ^ Maricle, Kelly (2017-08-21). "New Iowa License Plate Design Revealed". WHO-DT. Tribune Broadcasting. Retrieved 2017-12-17.
10. ^ "New Iowa license plate: 'City and Country Reboot'". Cedar Rapids Gazette. The Gazette Company. 2017-08-22. Retrieved 2017-12-17.

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