California is projected to run out of license plate numbers by the end of 2025
- California could run out of license plate numbers by the end of 2025
- The state has been using the same format since 1980
- That format will be reversed after this year
Published on Apr 22, 2025 at 1:34 PM (UTC+4)
by Ben Thompson
Last updated on Apr 22, 2025 at 8:49 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Emma Matthews
California is projected to run out of license plate numbers by the end of 2025.
The DMV has said it expects the current system to have run its course by the end of this year.
Non-commercial vehicles in the state have license plates with one number, three letters, and three numbers.
It’s been this way since 1980 – but what will be taking its place?
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California license plate numbers are running out
When you think of all the parts that make up a car, a license plate may be one of the last components to come to mind.
But they can make a big difference.
Whether they be pizza themed for a good cause, or money themed for bragging rights, they do make a statement.
They can also prove to be very pricey in certain circumsatnces.
One of America’s rarest went for $34,000, while one in China fetched $2 million off the back of a single letter.
Clearly, the combination of numbers and letters hanging off a driver’s car can make a big difference.
So it’s understandable that news of California’s impending shortage has made headlines.
However, it’s not quite the crisis scenario you might expect.
The state has already announced that a new sequence will be coming into effect after 2025.
Back in June 2024, The Sacramento Bee reported that the California DMV had 18 months of plate numbers left.
The system, which started in 1980 with 1AAA000, will be replaced with its reverse.
The new system that’s coming
Going forward, license plates in California will have three numbers, three letters, and one number.
That format could be either 000AAA1 or 001AAA1.
It’s hard to say with certainty now which will be the first plate made in this new format.
It’ll be interesting to see who gets the last plate of the current system, however.
Which we assume will look something like 9ZZZ999.
Will that driver know they’re ringing in the end of the era when they get behind the wheel?
California isn’t the only state making a change, though.
Florida’s Senate recently introduced a bill that would require all cars to carry front license plates.
This was in a bid to cut down on hit and run incidents within the Sunshine State.
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