Complete Listing of All Delaware Plate Types
Passenger & Non-Passenger Special Backgrounds Legislative & Judicial Military & Veteran Colleges & High Schools Misc. Non-Profits Surf & Defunct
Passenger & Non-Passenger →
Trailer
1920
Manufacturer: National Colortype Co. (Bellevue, KY)
Material: Steel
Colors: Black on light green
Dimensions: 5 5/8" x 13 3/8"
Pairs/singles?: Singles
Notes: On January 22, 1919, the Delaware House of Representatives introduced a bill that would authorized T-prefix plates for trailers. The bill passed the Delaware Senate on March 25, 1919. Trailer plates in 1920 are confirmed; it is unclear if any Trailer plates were issued for 1919.
Serial range observed: T41 (only number observed)
1921
Manufacturer: National Colortype Co. (Bellevue, KY)
Material: Steel
Colors: Red on white
Dimensions: 5 5/8" x 13 3/8"
Pairs/singles?: Singles
Serial range observed: No plates observed
1922
Manufacturer: National Colortype Co. (Bellevue, KY)
Material: Steel
Colors: Blue on white
Dimensions: 5 3/8" x 15"
Pairs/singles?: Singles
Serial range observed: No plates observed
1923
Manufacturer: National Colortype Co. (Bellevue, KY)
Material: Steel
Colors: White on black
Dimensions: 5.5" x 13.5"
Pairs/singles?: Singles
Serial range observed: T61 (only number observed)
1924
Manufacturer: National Colortype Co. (Bellevue, KY)
Material: Steel
Colors: Brown on cream
Dimensions: 5.5" x 13.5"
Pairs/singles?: Singles
Serial range observed: T85 (only number observed)
1925
Manufacturer: National Colortype Co. (Bellevue, KY)
Material: Steel
Colors: Black on orange
Dimensions: 5.5" x 13.5"
Pairs/singles?: Singles
Serial range observed: T23 (only number observed)
1926
Manufacturer: National Colortype Co. (Bellevue, KY)
Material: Steel
Colors: Yellow on blue
Dimensions: 5.5" x 13.5"
Pairs/singles?: Singles
Serial range observed: T134 (only number observed)
1927
Manufacturer: National Colortype Co. (Bellevue, KY)
Material: Steel
Colors: Red on gray
Dimensions: 5.5" x 13.5"
Pairs/singles?: Singles
Serial range observed: T182 (only number observed)
1928
Manufacturer: National Colortype Co. (Bellevue, KY)
Material: Steel
Colors: Black on white
Dimensions: 5.5" x 13.5"
Pairs/singles?: Singles
Serial range observed: No numbers observed
1929
Manufacturer: National Colortype Co. (Bellevue, KY)
Material: Steel
Colors: Colonial Blue on yellow
Dimensions: 6" x 15"
Pairs/singles?: Singles
Serial range observed: No numbers observed
1930
Manufacturer: National Colortype Co. (Bellevue, KY)
Material: Steel
Colors: Yellow on Colonial Blue
Dimensions: 6" x 15"
Pairs/singles?: Singles
Serial range observed: T510 (only number observed)
1931
Manufacturer: National Colortype Co. (Bellevue, KY)
Material: Steel
Colors: Colonial Blue on yellow
Dimensions: 6" x 15"
Pairs/singles?: Singles
Serial range observed: T755 (only number observed)
1932
Manufacturer: National Colortype Co. (Bellevue, KY)
Material: Steel
Colors: Yellow on Colonial Blue
Dimensions: 6" x 15"
Pairs/singles?: Singles
Serial range observed: T379 (only number observed)
1933
Manufacturer: National Colortype Co. (Bellevue, KY)
Material: Steel
Colors: Colonial Blue on yellow
Dimensions: 6" x 15"
Pairs/singles?: Singles
Serial range observed: T357 - T950
1934
Manufacturer: National Colortype Co. (Bellevue, KY)
Material: Steel
Colors: Yellow on Colonial Blue
Dimensions: 6" x 15"
Pairs/singles?: Singles
Serial range observed: T517 - T1669
1935
Manufacturer: National Colortype Co. (Bellevue, KY)
Material: Steel
Colors: Colonial Blue on yellow
Dimensions: 6" x 15"
Pairs/singles?: Singles
Serial range observed: T942 - T2072
1936
Manufacturer: Grote Brothers (Bellevue, KY)
Material: Steel
Colors: Yellow on Colonial Blue
Dimensions: 5 3/8" x 10 1/2"
Pairs/singles?: Singles
Serial range observed: T533 - T1974
1937
Manufacturer: Grote Brothers (Bellevue, KY)
Material: Steel
Colors: Colonial Blue on yellow
Dimensions: 5 3/8" x 10 1/2"
Pairs/singles?: Singles
Serial range observed: T372 - T2097
1938
Manufacturer: Grote Brothers (Bellevue, KY)
Material: Steel
Colors: Maroon on silver
Dimensions: 5 3/8" x 10 1/2"
Pairs/singles?: Singles
Serial range observed: T233 - T1395
1939
Manufacturer: Grote Brothers (Bellevue, KY)
Material: Steel
Colors: Silver on maroon
Dimensions: 5 3/8" x 10 1/2"
Pairs/singles?: Singles
Serial range observed: T124 - T2893
1940
Manufacturer: National Colortype Co. (Bellevue, KY)
Material: Steel
Colors: Blue on yellow
Dimensions: 6.25" x 10"
Pairs/singles?: Singles
Notes: Per MV records, numbering started at A10.
Serial range observed:
A10 - A999
B10 - B999
C10 - C999
D10 - D370
1941 (January - July)
Manufacturer: National Colortype Co. (Bellevue, KY)
Material: Steel
Colors: Yellow on blue
Dimensions: 5.5" x 9.5"
Pairs/singles?: Singles
Notes: Per MV records, numbering started at T100.
Serial range observed: T100 - T2527
July 1941 - Early 1947
Manufacturer: Varies, see notes
Material: Porcelain
Colors: White on black
Dimensions: 5.5" x 9.5"
Pairs/singles?: Singles
Notes: In early 1941, State Senator Harold W. T. Purnell introduced a bill that would create a permament license plate with room for inserts that would be updated every year. There were three variations of white on black porcelain plates: (1) the initial run produced by the Baltimore Enamel & Novelty Co. (July 1941 - 1945), (2) a short run produced without the diamond separator (1945 only) and (3) the final run produced by Lansdale Porcelain, with dies matching the dies used on Pennsylvania license plates of the same era (1945 - Early 1947).
Serial range observed:
- Variation 1: T266 - T4623
- Variation 2: T5046 - T6460
- Variation 3: T7139 - T7628
Early 1947 - October 1958
Manufacturer: Unknown
Material: Stainless steel
Colors: Silver/off-white (Scotchlite) on black
Dimensions: Varies, see notes and pictures
Pairs/singles?: Singles
Notes: The state switched to stainless steel plates in early 1947. These plates featured numbers that were spot riveted onto the plate and tab slots to continue using the same style of tab that had been in use up to that point. In late 1950/early 1951, reflective Scotchlite tape was applied to numbers. The United States mandated that all license plates measure 6" x 12" starting in 1956. Delaware was the last state to switch to this new standard in 1958.
Serial range observed:
- Steel numbers, 5.5" x 9.5": T8174 - T9429
- Scotchlite numbers, 5.5" x 9.5": T9875 (only number observed)
- Scotchlite numbers, 5.5" x 11": T10000 - T17049
- Scotchlite numbers, 6" x 12": T17621 (only new registration observed)
(Only new registrations shown; numbers from former bases also observed reprinted on these formats)
October 1958 - June 1959
Manufacturer: Unknown
Material: Stainless steel
Colors: Gold on dark blue
Dimensions: Varies, see notes and pictures
Pairs/singles?: Singles
Notes: The state decided to switch to a completely reflective plate (background and numbers) in 1958 but still had a large number of black stainless steel blanks leftover of all three sizes (see previous record), so early blue & gold plates were those blanks painted blue with gold numbers spot riveted on. The vast majority of these plates were replacement/holdover plates until this supply was exhausted.
Serial range observed:
- 5.5" x 9.5": Only replacement plates observed
- 5.5" x 11": No plates observed
- 6" x 12": No plates observed
(Only new registrations shown; numbers from former bases also observed reprinted on these formats)
June 1959 - June 1962
Manufacturer: Unknown
Material: Steel (briefly), then aluminum
Colors: Gold on dark blue
Dimensions: 6" x 12"
Pairs/singles?: Singles
Notes: Two variations: (1) thinner "DELAWARE", straight-leg "R" in "DELAWARE", and (2) thicker "DELAWARE", curved-leg "R" in "DELAWARE".
Serial range observed:
- Thinner "DELAWARE": T17981 - T18676
- Thicker "DELAWARE": T19169 - T19881
(Only new registrations shown; numbers from former bases also observed reprinted on these formats)
June 1962 - Autumn 1968
Manufacturer: Unknown
Material: Aluminum
Colors: Gold on dark blue
Dimensions: 6" x 12"
Pairs/singles?: Singles
Notes: "THE FIRST STATE" slogan added for the first time.
Serial range observed: T23199 - T26620
(Only new registrations shown; numbers from former bases also observed reprinted on these formats)
Autumn 1968 - July 2002
Manufacturer: Demco (Milford, DE)
Material: Aluminum
Colors: Gold on dark blue
Dimensions: 6" x 12"
Pairs/singles?: Singles
Notes: Gold border and sticker box added. Sticker box added "PLACE STICKER HERE" circa 1971. Short top of "T" noted in mid-1970s.
Serial range observed: T32203 - T96064
(Only new registrations shown; numbers from former bases also observed reprinted on these formats)
July 2002 - Present
Manufacturer: Waldale Manufacturing Limited (Nova Scotia, Canada)
Material: Aluminum
Colors: Gold on dark blue
Dimensions: 6" x 12"
Pairs/singles?: Singles
Notes: Three font variations:
(1) Thin ("Waldale 1", July 2002 - Early 2003)
(2) Thicker ("Waldale 2", Early 2003 - 2006)
(3) Copy of Demco font ("Waldale 3", 2006 - Present)
Beveled edges around plate added around March 2010.
Serial range observed:
- Waldale 1: No new numbers observed
- Waldale 2: T184590 - T186954
- Waldale 3: T100000 - T119123, and T187273, and T685768 - T686187
(Only new registrations shown; numbers from former bases also observed reprinted on these formats)