WISCONSIN
1905-11 UNDATED BASE 1-W - 21957-W
Numbers began at 1 all years 1905-42. #10000-W issued 3/8/1910.
#21983-W highest issued as of 7/31/1911. 1911 plates issued for
new registrations only, starting 8/1/1911. Truck began 1918.
1911 1258W 1932 581807
1912 24570W 1933 565-789*
1913 34042W 1934 578-194
1914 53095W 1935 610-158
1915 79283 1936 667-109
1916 114986 1937 714-171*
1917 164288 1938 705-296*
1918 184332 1939 722-459*
1919 223482 1940 746-545
1920 274650 1941 791-130
1921 319-519* (793-903 final number)
1922 359-264 1942 771 626
1923 421-441
1924-31
All series start at #1. State highway map issued with plates
1924-26. 1924 A-B classes unknown, but obviously different.
WEIGHT CODES (Prefix in even years, suffix in odd years)
A 1 - 1,600 lbs.
B 1,601 - 2,000 lbs.
C 2,001 - 2,800 lbs.
D 2,801 - 4,000 lbs.
E 4,001 + lbs.
A B C D E TOTAL
1924 156-655 137-090* 93-573* 81-779* 4075* (473,172)
1925 27-395 254-938 118-029 112-042 6386 (518,790)
1926 19-774 257-408 154-025 124-475 9539 (565,221)
1927 19-917 238-984 185-388 141-801 11-914 (598,004)
1928 17-297 214-221 236-498 155-478 16-471 (639,965)
1929 13-333 181-519 294-303 172-601 20-236 (681,992)
1930 8026 133-455 331-248 173-173 24-087 (669,989)
1931 1865 91-793 339-681 169-292 22-479 (625,110)
1942-45 BASE No I,L,M,O,Q,W used.
1942 Type 1 1 - 720 000 (720,000 P)
Nov.42 Type 2 A00 - BBK (1,250 S)
1942 Type 3 DYS - 9ZZ (24,437 S)
(TYPES 2-3 28,000 S)
Feb.43 Type 4 A001 - Z999 (19,980 S)
1943 Type 4a 0A01 - 9K99 (9,990 S)
(TYPES 4-4a 29,970 S)
1943 Type 1a 720 001 - 771 626 (51,626 S)
(TOTAL 720,000 P,
109,596 S)
Description of Types:
Type 1 - Large plate
Type 2 - Small plate, "WIS 1942" at bottom, 2 top central holes
Type 3 - As Type 2, but no top central holes
Type 4 - Medium-size plate, "WIS 43" at bottom
Types 2-3 sequence:
A00 - A09, A0A - A0Z, A10 - A1Z, A20 - A9Z, AA0 - AA9, AAA - AAZ,
AB0 - ABZ, AC0 - AZZ, B00 - ZZZ, 00A - 00Z, 01A - 09Z, 0A0 - 0A9,
0AA - 0AZ, 0B0 - 0ZZ, 10A - 19Z, 1A0 - 1ZZ, 20A - 9ZZ.
1942-43: All-numeric small plates are Motorcycle.
1943: Tab issued for rear; windshield sticker issued for front.
735,000 stickers ordered, although #747891 seen.
1942 front plate to be removed.
1943-60: Tabs have no serial number.
1944: Green 3" x 3" windshield sticker reportedly issued.
1946-52 WHITE/BLACK BASE
The first 30,000 renewals assigned to JUN, next 10,000 to JUL, then
60,000 each to AUG through APR, with all remaining to MAY (probably
also 60,000). State estimated 640,000 renewals.
FORMATS Number prefix = Month of expiration, i.e. 1 = January.
Jan.46 "6 46" 1- 1 - 9-99999,
1/0- 1 - 1/2-99999
10/15/49 "10 50" 1-100-000 - 9-199-999,
1/0-100-000 - 1/2-199-999 added
1953-60 FORMATS A 1 - A 9999, No M in 2nd position.
A10-000 - A99-999
Apr.55 "MAR 56" AK-1001 - AN-9999 added (Authorized 4/19/55)
1961-87 FORMATS A 1 - A 9999, No I,O used.
A10-000 - Z99-999 B,D,F,H,K,M,P,R,T,V,X,Z
start at 10-001.
Jun.69 "MAY 70" AA 1001 - ZZ 9999 added
Reserved numbers 1 - 10-000 added for $3 extra fee, authorized
10/1/1966, also added in series B,D,F,H,K,M,P,R,T,V,X,Z.
1971: XX 1 - XX 100 issued.
1973: AA 1 - AA 100, UW 1 - UW 300 issued.
1976-79: BB 889, CC 43, CC 320, DD 320, EE 889, GG 320, UW 787 seen.
1980-87: JW 393 seen.
1961-80: DA = Disabled.
1973-87: LZ = Loaner, ZZ = Automobile For Hire.
1980-87: ZY = Human Services Vehicle.
Replaced gradually 1987-July 1993.
1987-2001 FARM SCENE BASE No I,O,Q used.
6-10-86 "MAY 87" Type 1 AAA-101 - AZZ-999 (475,571 P)
3-16-87 "FEB 88" Type 2 BAA-101 - NMD-999 (5,462,324 P)
12-6-94 "SEP 95" Type 3 NME-101 - WKB-944 (3,285,790 P)
2000 "APR 01" Type 4 WKT-544 - WRF-103 (93,056 P)
(TOTAL 9,329,825 P)
Description of Types: Type 1 - Dark Blue figures, wide dies
Type 2 - Red figures, wide dies
Type 3 - Red figures, thin dies
Type 4 - As Type 3, but glossy (Avery)
ZYA-ZYZ = Human Service Vehicle, ZZA-ZZZ = Automobile For Hire.
Type 1 replaced 8/1/1993 to 7/31/1994.
Types 2-4 replaced 7/1/2000 to 6/30/2007 upon 7 years of use.
2001-23 FARM SCENE BASE No I,O,Q used.
6-24-00 "MAY 01" 101-AAA - 999-ZZZ (10,929,143 P)
5- 4-17 "APR 18" AAA-1001 - APM-3616 (2,792,306 P)
(TOTAL 13,721,449 P)
ZYA-ZYJ, ZZA omitted.
OPTIONAL BASE:
1998-99 SESQUICENTENNIAL BASE No I,O,Q used.
1-15-97 "JAN 98" 10001T - 99999T (89,999 P)
"MAY 98" A1001T - Z9999T (206,977 P)
AA101T - DW999T (80,011 P)
(TOTAL 376,987 P)
Optional issue for $15 one-time extra fee.
Discontinued 12/31/1998, but still currently revalidated.
