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D.C. Auto License Plates Since April 1997

The collection of plates pictured on this and associated pages is comprised of a single example of every two-letter series used on general-issue and optional passenger car plates since the AB-1234 format was adopted in April 1997. Issuance months noted are approximate. D-series plates are shown below and plates of other series may be found on separate pages using these links:

F series

D.C. auto plate no. DK-0244 on a Chevrolet Suburban parked at Ladies Beach on Nantucket, Mass.
Plate DK-0244, issued in late 2009, had made its way north to Massachusetts by the time it was photographed at Ladies Beach, Nantucket. The vehicle is a Chevrolet Suburban.

D-Series Plates: April 2008-Mar. 2012

The D series appears to have been issued for about 48 months. The DI, DO, and DQ series were skipped presumably due to the similarity of I, O, and Q with other registration number characters. The DC series was not used on auto plates because it appears on D.C. Government plates, and DV was skipped because it might be confused with plates made for disabled veterans. Why the DW series was not issued is unknown, perhaps because it might be confused with plates used on D.C. Water and Sewer Authority vehicles.

The only change made to D.C. auto plates during the D series is that the height of registration number characters was shortened slightly in the late DJ and early DK series. Some plates of these series have letters and numbers of unequal height.


Plate no. DA-5067, issued c.May 2008
Plate no. DB-0129, issued c.June 2008
Plate no. DD-5328, issued c.Sept. 2008
DA - issued April-June 2008
DB - issued June-Aug. 2008
DD - issued Aug.-Oct. 2008
   
Plate no. DE-5252, issued c.Dec. 2008
Plate no. DF-5949, issued c.April 2009
DE - issued Oct. 2008-Feb. 2009
DF - issued Feb.-May 2009
DG - issued May-July 2009
     
2000 Passenger plate no. DJ-2887
2000 Passenger plate no. DK-4186
DH - issued July-Sept. 2009
DJ - issued Sept.-Nov. 2009
DK - issued Nov. 2009-Feb. 2010
     
2000 Passenger plate no. DL-8767
2000 Passenger plate no. DM-3189
2000 Passenger plate no. DN-4926
DL - issued Feb.-April 2010
DM - issued April-June 2009
DN - issued June-Aug. 2010
     
2000 Passenger plate no. DP-1166
2000 Passenger plate no. DR-8825
DP - issued Aug.-Oct. 2010
DR - issued Oct. 2010-Jan. 2011
DS - issued Jan.-Mar. 2011
     
2000 Passenger plate no. DU-7848
DT - issued April-June 2011
DU - issued June-Aug. 2011
DX - issued Aug.-Oct. 2011
     
2000 Passenger plate no. DY-6705
2000 Passenger plate no. DZ-9913
DY - issued Oct. 2011-Jan. 2012
DZ - issued Jan.-Mar. 2012


D.C. auto plate no. DA-7622 on a food concession truck parked across from the Museum of American History.
Why this On The Fly food concession truck is registered with private passenger car plates instead of as a commercial vehicle is a mystery, but J. Reid Williamson photographed it in 2008, shortly after the plates were issued, doing a brisk business at the Museum of American History.


D.C. auto plate no. DK-3306 on a 1965 Ford station wagon
The mid-range trim level for full-size 1966 Ford station wagons is the Country Sedan. This one was for sale when it was photographed after a light snowfall in Upper Georgetown.


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This page last updated on December 31, 2017

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