 | |
| Current series | |
|---|---|
| Size | 12 in × 6 in 30 cm × 15 cm |
| Material | Aluminum |
| Serial format | 123456 |
| Introduced | 2008 |
| Availability | |
| Issued by | Delaware Department of Transportation, Division of Motor Vehicles |
| Manufactured by | Waldale Manufacturing Limited, Amherst, Nova Scotia |
| History | |
| First issued | May 1, 1909 (pre-state plates from 1905 through April 30, 1909) |
The U.S. state of Delaware first required its residents to register their motor vehicles in 1905. Registrants provided their own license plates for display until 1909, when the state began to issue plates.[1] Beginning in 1910, plates were issued in sequential order from the number 1 upwards.[2]
As of 2022[update], plates are issued by the Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDOT) through its Division of Motor Vehicles. Only rear plates have been required on standard passenger vehicles since 1945. All plates issued since 1942 can still be used with current stickers. Authorized reproductions of porcelain enamel plates can be obtained through a private vendor,[3] provided they fall within the state's guidelines.
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.[4] The first Delaware license plate that complied with these standards was issued in 1958.
Delaware allows plate-owners to transfer the rights to display a particular number on their vehicle. The inherent scarcity of low-digit plates has spawned a vibrant secondary market for low numbers.[5]
- ^ "Old Delaware License Plates". LeatherLicensePlates.com. Retrieved June 30, 2017.
- ^ "DMV History - Division of Motor Vehicles". Delaware DMV. Retrieved August 1, 2023.
- ^ http://www.dehistoricplate.com/ Delaware Historic Plate Company
- ^ Garrish, Christopher (October 2016). "Reconsidering the Standard Plate Size". Plates. Vol. 62, no. 5. Automobile License Plate Collectors Association.
- ^ Crockett, Zachary. "Delaware License Plates - Freakonomics" (Podcast). Freakonomics. Retrieved August 1, 2023.