Vehicle registration plates of New Hampshire

The U.S. state of New Hampshire first required its residents to register their motor vehicles and display license plates in 1905. Plates are currently issued by the New Hampshire Department of Safety through its Division of Motor Vehicles. Front and rear plates are required for most classes of vehicles, while only rear plates are required for motorcycles and trailers.

New Hampshire
Current series
SloganLive Free or Die
Size12 in × 6 in
30 cm × 15 cm
MaterialAluminum
Serial format123 4567
IntroducedJanuary 1999 (1999-01)
Availability
Issued byNew Hampshire Department of Safety, Division of Motor Vehicles
History
First issuedApril 4, 1905 (1905-04-04)

Passenger baseplates

1905 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 6 inches (15 cm) in height by 12 inches (30 cm) in width, with standardized mounting holes.[1] The 1955 (dated 1956) issue was the first New Hampshire license plate that complied with these standards.

Image Dates issued Design Slogan Serial format Serials issued Notes
1905–11 White serial on green porcelain plate; "N.H." centered at bottom none 1234 1 to approximately 7200
1912 Embossed green serial on white plate; vertical "NH" and "1912" at left and right respectively none 1234 1 to approximately 5700
1913 White serial on green porcelain plate; vertical "NH" and "1913" at left and right respectively none 1234 1000 to approximately 7800
1914 White serial on green porcelain plate; vertical "NH" and "1914" at left and right respectively none 1234 1000 to approximately 9700
1915 Green serial on white porcelain plate; "N. H." and "1915" centered at top and bottom respectively none 12345 1000 to approximately 13500
1916 White serial on green porcelain plate; vertical "NH" and "1916" at left and right respectively none 12345 1 to approximately 17600
1917 Green serial on white porcelain plate; "N. H." and "1917" centered at top and bottom respectively none 12345 100 to approximately 23100
1918 White serial on green porcelain plate; "N H" and "1918" centered at top and bottom respectively none 12345 100 to approximately 24700 Some later plates manufactured on fiberboard.[2]
1919 Dark green serial on white flat metal plate; "N H" and "1919" centered at top and bottom respectively none 12345 100 to approximately 30000
1920 White serial on dark green flat metal plate; "N H" and "1920" centered at top and bottom respectively none 12345 100 to approximately 35000
1921 Dark green serial on white flat metal plate; "N H" and "1921" centered at top and bottom respectively none 12345 100 to approximately 42500
1922 Embossed white serial on dark green plate with border line; "N.H. 1922" centered at bottom none 12345 100 to approximately 48500
1923 Embossed dark green serial on white plate with border line; "N H" and "1923" centered at top and bottom respectively none 12.345 100 to approximately 60.000
1924 Embossed white serial on dark green plate with border line; "N H" and "1924" centered at top and bottom respectively none 12-345 100 to approximately 72-000
1925 Embossed dark green serial on white plate with border line; "N H" and "1925" centered at top and bottom respectively none 12-345 100 to approximately 81-000
1926 Embossed white serial on dark green plate with border line; embossed white Old Man of the Mountain graphic at left; "N H" and "1926" centered at top and bottom respectively none 12-345 100 to approximately 89-000
1927 Embossed dark green serial on white plate with border line; "N H" and "1927" centered at top and bottom respectively none 12-345 100 to approximately 95-000
1928 Embossed white serial on green plate with border line; "NH-28" centered at top none 123-456 100 to approximately 103-000
1929 Embossed green serial on white plate with border line; "NH-29" centered at top none 123-456 1 to approximately 109-000
1930 As 1928 base, but with "NH-30" at top none 123-456 100 to approximately 111-000
1931 As 1929 base, but with "NH-31" at top none 123-456 100 to approximately 112-000
1932 As 1928 base, but with "NH-32" at top none 123-456 100 to approximately 107-000
1933 As 1929 base, but with "NH-33" at top none 123-456 100 to approximately 107-000
1934 As 1928 base, but with "NH-34" at top none 12-345 100 to approximately 91-000
1935 As 1929 base, but with "NH-35" at top none 12-345 100 to approximately 94-000
1936 As 1928 base, but with "NH-36" at top none 12-345 100 to approximately 97-000
1937 As 1929 base, but with "NH-37" at top none 123-456 100 to approximately 101-000
1938–39 As 1928 base, but with "NH-38-9" at top none 12-345 100 to approximately 98-000
1939–40 As 1929 base, but with "NH-39-40" at top none 123-456 100 to approximately 104-000
1940–41 As 1928 base, but with "NH-40-41" at top none 123-456 100 to approximately 108-000
1941–42 As 1929 base, but with "NH-41-42" at top none 123-456 100 to approximately 110-000
1942–44 As 1928 base, but with "NH-42-43" at top none 123-456 100 to approximately 104-000 Revalidated until March 31, 1944 with white rectangular tabs, due to metal conservation for World War II.
1944 As 1929 base, but with "NH 44" at top none 12-345 1 to approximately 89-000
1945 Embossed black serial on white plate with border line; "NH 45" centered at top none 12-345 1 to approximately 98-000
1946 Embossed white serial on black plate with border line; "NH 46" centered at top none 12-345
123456		 1 to approximately 109000
1947 As 1945 base, but with "NH 47" at top none 12-345
123456		 1 to approximately 114000
1948 As 1946 base, but with "NH - 48" at top none 12-345
123456		 1 to approximately 120000
1949 Embossed forest green serial on white plate with border line; "NH - 49" centered at top none A/B123 County-coded
1950 Embossed white serial on forest green plate with border line; "NH - 50" centered at top none A/B123 County-coded
1951 As 1949 base, but with "NH - 51" at top none A/B123 County-coded
1952 As 1950 base, but with "NH - 52" at top none A/B123 County-coded
1953 As 1949 base, but with "NH - 53" at top none A/B123 County-coded
1954 Embossed white serial on forest green plate with border line; "NEW HAMPSHIRE" at bottom; "1954" centered at top none AB123 County-coded First use of the full state name.
1955 Embossed forest green serial on white plate with border line; "NEW HAMPSHIRE" at bottom; "1955" centered at top none AB123 County-coded
1956 Embossed white serial on forest green plate with border line; "NEW HAMPSHIRE" at bottom; "1956" centered at top none AB123 County-coded First 6" x 12" plate.
1957 Embossed forest green serial on white plate with border line; "NEW HAMPSHIRE" at bottom; "19" at top left and "57" at top right "SCENIC" centered at top AB123 County-coded
1958 Embossed white serial on forest green plate with border line; "NEW HAMPSHIRE" at bottom; "19" at top left and "58" at top right "SCENIC" centered at top AB123 County-coded
1959 As 1957 base, but with "59" at top right "SCENIC" as on 1957 base AB123 County-coded
1960 As 1958 base, but with "60" at top right "SCENIC" as on 1958 base AB123 County-coded
1961 As 1957 base, but with "61" at top right "SCENIC" as on 1957 base AB123 County-coded
1962 As 1958 base, but with "62" at top right "SCENIC" as on 1958 base AB123 County-coded
1963 As 1957 base, but without border line, and with "63" at top right "PHOTOSCENIC" centered at top AB123 County-coded
1964 As 1958 base, but with "64" at top right "SCENIC" as on 1958 base AB123 County-coded
1965 As 1957 base, but with "65" at top right "SCENIC" as on 1957 base AB123 County-coded
1966 As 1958 base, but with "66" at top right "SCENIC" as on 1958 base AB123 County-coded
1967 As 1957 base, but with "67" at top right "SCENIC" as on 1957 base AB123 County-coded
1968 As 1958 base, but with "68" at top right "SCENIC" as on 1958 base AB123 County-coded
1969 As 1957 base, but with "69" at top right "SCENIC" as on 1957 base AB123 County-coded
1970 As 1958 base, but with "70" at top right "SCENIC" as on 1958 base AB123 County-coded
1971 As 1957 base, but with "71" at top right "LIVE FREE OR DIE" centered at top AB123 County-coded First use of the state motto on regular passenger plates. The motto had first been used on vanity plates on the 1970 base.
1972 As 1958 base, but with "72" at top right "LIVE FREE OR DIE" centered at top AB123 County-coded

1973 to present

In 1977, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that vehicle owners may cover up the mottos that a state places on its license plates. The case began in 1974 when George Maynard, a Jehovah's Witness from Claremont, New Hampshire, and his wife taped over the "Live Free or Die" motto on their plates. Maynard, who argued that the motto violated his religious beliefs, subsequently spent 15 days in jail for refusing to pay the $75 fine imposed for covering up the motto. Justice Burger stated, "The First Amendment protects the right of individuals to hold a point of view different from the majority and to refuse to foster, in the way New Hampshire commands, an idea they find morally objectionable."[3][4]

Image Dates issued Design Slogan Serial format Serials issued Notes
1973–74 Embossed forest green serial on white plate with border line; "NEW HAMPSHIRE" at bottom; "73" at top right "LIVE FREE OR DIE" centered at top AB123
A/B1234		 County-coded Revalidated for 1974 with stickers. Four-digit serials with stacked county codes introduced in counties that had exhausted their three-digit allocations.
1975–76 Embossed white serial on forest green plate with border line; "NEW HAMPSHIRE" at bottom; "75" at top left "LIVE FREE OR DIE" centered at top AB123
A/B1234		 County-coded Monthly staggered registration introduced, with each plate expiring in the same month as the registrant's birthday.
1977 AB123
AB1234		 Narrow dies introduced, allowing for six-character serials with full-size county code letters.
December 1977 – July
1978		 Embossed red serial on white plate with border line; "NEW HAMPSHIRE" at bottom "LIVE FREE OR DIE" centered at top XA1234 XA1 to
XF9999		 Interim plates issued only to new registrants. Elements changed from red to green in response to concerns of confusion with Massachusetts plates of the time; unissued red plates were recalled and repainted accordingly before issue.
July 1978 – December 1978 As above, but with elements in green rather than red XG1 to approximately XN7000[5]
January 1979 – December 1983 Embossed forest green serial on reflective white plate with border line; "NEW HAMPSHIRE" centered at bottom "LIVE FREE OR DIE" centered at top 123456 1 to 999999
December 1983 – December 1986 12345A 10000A to approximately 59000G[5]
January 1987 – March 1989 Embossed forest green serial on reflective white plate; "NEW HAMPSHIRE" screened in pale green centered at top, with a graphic of the Old Man of the Mountain in a circle between the two words "Live Free or Die" screened in pale green centered at bottom 123456 1 to 999999
March 1989 – December 1998 As above, but with dark green serial, state name and graphic "LIVE FREE OR DIE" screened in dark green centered at bottom ABC-123 AAA-001 to approximately DEX-500[5]
January 1999 – present Embossed dark green serial on reflective graphic plate with Old Man of the Mountain and Cannon Mountain against pale blue sky; screened dark green "New HAMPSHIRE" centered at bottom, with cursive "New" above serifed "HAMPSHIRE" "LIVE FREE OR DIE" screened in dark green centered at top 12345 1 to 99999 Old Man graphic at far right (also the style for vanity plates).
123 456 999 999 to 100 000 Serials progressed backwards.[6] Old Man graphic in center.
123 4567 100 0000 to 485 4820 (as of November 5, 2020) Old Man graphic slightly to left of center.

County coding

From 1949 to 1979, passenger plates in New Hampshire featured a two-letter code indicating the county in which the vehicle was registered, as follows:[7]

County code allocations
County Letter blocks
Belknap BA-BZ
Carroll CA-CZ
Cheshire EA-EZ, ZA-ZZ (from 1972)
Coös OA-OZ
Grafton GA-GZ
Hillsborough HA-HZ, LA-LZ, IA-IZ (from 1959), JA-JZ (from 1968)
Merrimack MA-MZ, NA-NZ (from 1967)
Rockingham RA-RZ, KA-KZ (from 1955), PA-PZ (from 1968)
Strafford FA-FZ, DA-DZ (from 1970)
Sullivan SA-SZ

Alphabetical cross-reference
Letter blocks County
BA-BZ Belknap
CA-CZ Carroll
DA-DZ Strafford
EA-EZ Cheshire
FA-FZ Strafford
GA-GZ Grafton
HA-HZ Hillsborough
IA-IZ Hillsborough
JA-JZ Hillsborough
KA-KZ Rockingham
LA-LZ Hillsborough
MA-MZ Merrimack
NA-NZ Merrimack
OA-OZ Coös
PA-PZ Rockingham
RA-RZ Rockingham
SA-SZ Sullivan
ZA-ZZ Cheshire

In addition, XA-XN were used on interim plates issued to new registrants between December 1977 and December 1978, while the serial AC 000 was and still is used on sample plates.

Non-passenger plates
Image Type Dates issued Design Slogan Serial format Serials issued Notes
Commercial 1988–89 As 1987–89 passenger base "Live Free or Die" centered at bottom AB1234 AA0001 to approximately AB9999 Possibly discontinued 2007.[5]
1989–present As 1989–98 passenger base "LIVE FREE OR DIE" centered at bottom AC0001 to approximately AE8800
Motorcycle 1987–94 Embossed green serial on white plate with border line; green graphic of Old Man of the Mountain screened at top left with 'N' and 'H' on either side; "MOTORCYCLE" screened at bottom none 12345 1 to 99999
1994–2004 1234A 1000A to approximately 2000T
2004–08 As above, but without border line 2001T to 9999Z
2008–present A1234 A1000 to V8226 (as of March 17, 2020)
Trailer ? to 2004 As 1989–98 passenger base "LIVE FREE OR DIE" centered at bottom TB1234 TA0001 to TZ9999
2004–present T123456 T100000 to T638181 (as of September 28, 2020) Same serial dies as current passenger base.
Construction Equipment C/E12345 C/E is screened in left and "Construction Equip" is screened in right
1951 commercial plate

References
  1. Garrish, Christopher (October 2016). "Reconsidering the Standard Plate Size". Plates. Vol. 62 no. 5. Automobile License Plate Collectors Association.
  2. Taylor, Eric Robert. "New Hampshire Archive". PorcelainPlates.net. Retrieved October 14, 2017.
  3. "Justices uphold right to cover car-tag motto". Chicago Tribune. April 21, 1977. p. 6.
  4. "Foes of Auto Tag Messages Gain". The New York Times. April 21, 1977. p. 18.
  5. Tanner, Eric N. "New Hampshire License Plates". allaboutlicenseplates.com. Retrieved February 13, 2015.
  6. Sage, Kit; Tanner, Eric. "licenseplates.cc New Hampshire highs page". Retrieved June 24, 2009.
  7. Reback, Brian P. "New Hampshire - county codes". bprlicenseplates.com. Archived from the original on April 2, 2015. Retrieved May 6, 2013.
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