02/03/12

Iowa

PASSENGER

"72" base:  This base began in 1972 and was renewed yearly until replaced by the "75" base.  At left was the county code (see "Iowa county codes" page).  The yearly sticker includes the county number and needs to match the county number on the plate.

"75" base:  This base began in 1975 and was renewed yearly until replaced by the "79" base.  At left was the county code (see "Iowa county codes" page).  The yearly sticker includes the county number and needs to match the county number on the plate.

"79" base:  This base began in 1979 and was renewed yearly until replaced by the "86" base.  The county of issue is indicated at the bottom of the plate.  This base was manufactured in both debossed and embossed formats.  On both formats, the yearly sticker includes the county number from the old county coding system used through 1978 (see "Iowa county codes" page) and needs to match the county indicated on the plate.

"86" base:  This base began in 1985 ("86" embossed expiration) and was renewed yearly until replaced by the graphic farm scene base in 1996.  The county of issue is embossed at the bottom of the plate.  The yearly sticker includes the county number from the old county coding system used through 1978 (see "Iowa county codes" page) and needs to match the county indicated on the plate.

1996 farm scene graphic:  This design began in 1996 ("97" expiration sticker) and features the popular farm scene with barns and silos superimposed over a white city skyline.  Passenger plates have a "000 AAA" plate number format.

When this design first started, the plate number was embossed and the county name appeared on a sticker placed at the bottom of the plate (type I).  Later, the plate number was still embossed, but the county name was screened at the bottom of the plate (type II).  In 2001 ("2002" expiration sticker), the state began producing the plates in flat format.  At some point, the flat plates went from having an indent around the perimeter of the plate (type III) to a completely flat plate using a lighter, thinner aluminum (type IV).  On all types, the yearly stickers midway through the "2005" expiration include the county number from the old county coding system used through 1978 (see "Iowa county codes" page) and needs to match the county indicated on the plate.  The new format (beginning midway through the "2005" stickers) has the plate number, month/year of expiration, and (an unexplainable) "01".  For example, plate number "000 AAA" expiring in, say, August 2005 would read "000AAA08200501" all in one line.  This format sticker continues to the current.  In 2011, a new modification was made to the design, making this type V.  Sometime during the "YRM" block, the state started printing the plate numbers in black. 

In summary, the different types are as follows:

type I:  at the inception of this design in 1996, the plate numbers were embossed, standard
               aluminum thickness, and the county name on a sticker at the bottom of the plate

type II:  when it started is unknown, same as type I, but with the county name screened at
               the bottom of the plate

type III:  in 2001, flat plate numbers and aluminum thickness the same as in types I and II
               and with an indented edge around the plate

type IV:  also in 2001, completely flat plate with no indent around the edge and now a very
               thin aluminum thickness

type V:  beginning July 1, 2011, same as type IV, but with black plate numbers, believed to
               start in the "YRM" block, but may be earlier or no clear cutoff

Embossed, county sticker plate (type I):

1998 (blue/reflective multicolored) Davis County natural vg $3.00 "543 FSA" (11402)

1999 (blue/reflective multicolored) Pottawattamie County vg $3.00 "241 CLT" (11408)

2000 (blue/reflective multicolored) Henry County vg $3.00 "673 BFF" (11513)

Embossed, screened county plate (type II):

1998 (blue/reflective multicolored) Linn County natural exc $3.00 "673 GGK" (11498)

2000 (blue/reflective multicolored) Greene County natural vg $3.00 "400 HOY" (10256)

2000 (blue/reflective multicolored) Lee County natural exc $3.00 "013 HWT" (11500)

2000 (blue/reflective multicolored) Lee County vg $3.00 "541 GRD" (11502)

Flat plate, indented edge (type III):

2002 (blue/reflective multicolored) Greene County natural vg $3.00 "379 KZK" (10296)

Thin flat plate (type IV):

2002 (blue/reflective multicolored) Greene County natural vg $3.00 "761 LKF" (10359)

2002 (blue/reflective multicolored) Greene County natural vg $3.00 "982 LKF" (10415)

2002 (blue/reflective multicolored) Greene County natural vg $3.00 "602 LKF" (10442)

2002 (blue/reflective multicolored) Linn County natural vg $3.00 "182 LPR" (10586)

2003 (blue/reflective multicolored) Harrison County natural vg $2.00 "002 MON" (13447)

2003 (blue/reflective multicolored) Cerro Gordo County natural vg $3.00 "726 MEH" (10604)

2003 (blue/reflective multicolored) Hancock County natural vg $3.00 "325 MAF" (10625)

2003 (blue/reflective multicolored) Linn County natural vg $3.00 "491 LWC" (10587)

2003 (blue/reflective multicolored) Linn County natural vg $3.00 "941 LZZ" (10612)

2003 (blue/reflective multicolored) Linn County natural vg $3.00 "138 LLS" (10621)

2003 (blue/reflective multicolored) Linn County natural vg $3.00 "705 MHH" (10661)

2004 (blue/reflective multicolored) Black Hawk County natural vg $3.00 "901 NBH" (13284)

2004 (blue/reflective multicolored) Cerro Gordo County natural vg $3.00 "493 MOB" (13455)

2004 (blue/reflective multicolored) Cerro Gordo County natural vg $3.00 "818 MOC" (10822)

2004 (blue/reflective multicolored) Cerro Gordo County natural vg $3.00 "411 MEI" (10889)

2004 (blue/reflective multicolored) Cerro Gordo County natural vg $3.00 "634 MWH" (10913)

2004 (blue/reflective multicolored) Cerro Gordo County natural vg $3.00 "755 MWG" (10934)

2004 (blue/reflective multicolored) Clarke County natural vg $3.00 "323 NCM" (11061)

2004 (blue/reflective multicolored) Lee County natural vg $2.00 "279 PFK" (13449)

2004 (blue/reflective multicolored) Linn County natural vg $3.00 "697 LLW" (10672)

2004 (blue/reflective multicolored) Linn County natural vg $3.00 "338 NLE" (10748)

2004 (blue/reflective multicolored) Pottawattamie County natural vg $2.00 "402 MSG" (13451)

2004 (blue/reflective multicolored) Pottawattamie County natural vg $2.00 "596 NDY" (13450)

2004 (blue/reflective multicolored) Scott County natural vg $3.00 "095 MPT" (13457)

2005 (blue/reflective multicolored) Butler County natural vg $3.00 "812 PLP" (10799)

2005 (blue/reflective multicolored) Cerro Gordo County natural vg $3.00 "072 NNJ" (11086)

2005 (blue/reflective multicolored) Cerro Gordo County natural vg $3.00 "917 NNH" (11119)

2005 (blue/reflective multicolored) Lee County natural vg $2.00 "393 PFL" (13452)

2005 (blue/reflective multicolored) Linn County natural vg $3.00 "394 PLB" (10825)

2005 (blue/reflective multicolored) Linn County natural vg $3.00 "634 PKZ" (10860)

2005 (blue/reflective multicolored) Linn County natural vg $3.00 "413 PKZ" (10863)

2005 (blue/reflective multicolored) Linn County natural vg $3.00 "015 PGF" (10868)

2005 (blue/reflective multicolored) Linn County natural vg $3.00 "636 PGE" (10878)

2005 (blue/reflective multicolored) Linn County natural vg $3.00 "841 PGA" (10900)

2005 (blue/reflective multicolored) Linn County natural vg $3.00 "324 PGD" (10942)

2005 (blue/reflective multicolored) Pottawattamie County vg $2.00 "702 NYW" (12320)

2005 (blue/reflective multicolored) Pottawattamie County natural vg $2.00 "488 NZA" (13454)

2006 (blue/reflective multicolored) Linn County natural vg $3.00 "557 PYO" (10951)

2006 (blue/reflective multicolored) Mills County natural vg $3.00 "483 PNB" (13458)

2006 (blue/reflective multicolored) Polk County natural vg $3.00 "384 PXZ" (13459)

2006 (blue/reflective multicolored) Scott County natural vg $3.00 "626 RDG" (13874)

2006 (blue/reflective multicolored) Scott County natural vg $3.00 "673 RDG" (13934)

2007 (blue/reflective multicolored) Black Hawk County natural vg $3.00 "450 RKP" (13938)

2007 (blue/reflective multicolored) Mills County natural vg $3.00 "090 RNS" (14060)

2007 (blue/reflective multicolored) Polk County natural vg $3.00 "028 RLO" (14061)

2007 (blue/reflective multicolored) Polk County natural vg $3.00 "657 RLK" (14062)

2007 (blue/reflective multicolored) Pottawattamie County natural vg $3.00 "912 RBP" (14063)

2009 (blue/reflective multicolored) Scott County natural vg $3.00 "097 RDB" (14065)