03/18/12

Kentucky

PASSENGER - 1998 cloud base (including 2002 interim design)

Passenger:  Up to 1974, Kentucky issued yearly dated plates.  In 1975, the state issued a dated plate, but this time renewed it in 1976 and 1977 with stickers.  In 1978, the state issued it's first true undated multiyear plate, a plain blue/white plate with "KY" in both top corners.  1983 saw the next multiyear plate, a plain white/blue plate.  In 1988, the state began issuing graphic multiyear plates, periodically replacing them entirely with a new design.  For all designs, including the older yearly plates, the county name appeared on the plate either embossed or on a sticker.  Kentucky has never used county coding in the plate number.  Because of all the counties for each base, the pages can get enormous to download.  Beginning with the 1988 Churchill Downs base, I have split the pages into the following bases, each being a link to my website page of that type:

Pre-1988 Churchill downs base

1988 Churchill Downs base (including 1997 interim design)

1998 cloud base (including 2002 interim design)

2003 smiley sun base

2005 "Unbridled Spirit" base

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1998 cloud graphic:  This design began in 1998 ("99" expiration stickers) and featured rolling hills at the bottom and a large cloud in the shape of the state.  The plate reversed the plate number format to "000 AAA" and had the county name at the bottom on a green sticker that was the same color as the rolling hills.

2000 (blue/reflective multicolored) Warren County natural vg $3.00 "394 FBS" (13861)

2002 (blue/reflective multicolored) Barren County natural vg $3.00 "576 HFL" (14196)

2002 (blue/reflective multicolored) Barren County natural vg $3.00 "363 GNE" (14302)

2002 (blue/reflective multicolored) Warren County vg $3.00 "124 GWS" (14337)

2002 plain blue/white interim base:  Similar to the "interim" plate following the Churchill Downs design, this plain plate was issued for an entirely different reason.  The new "smiley sun" design was to be issued beginning in 2003 and some of the counties were running out of plates in late 2002.  Rather than produce more of the design that was soon to be replaced, the state issued this design to carry them through to the end of the year.  Like the 1997 interim plate, it was embossed, again similar to the standard 6,000 lb. truck plate, but this time the county name at the bottom of the plate was a sticker and placed in a large rectangular stickerwell.