moini.net - Jim Moini's License Plates
NUMBERING AND COLORS
The tables below attempt to list all of the numbering sequences and colors of Mexican plates from 1992 back to the first national standard issue in 1933.
Before 2000, the plate type is not printed anywhere on the plates themselves, so knowing the number sequences can help identify those unknown types.
Numbering becomes complex after 2000 - please refer to the number blocks pages for details.

Legend:   A=any letter;   0=any number;   X=state code (can be stacked like X/X);   Underlined = that specific letter

When I use the term "Commercial" it refers to the Mexican equivalent of "Public Service" (Servicio Publico).

STANDARD TYPES

Year Size (mm) Passenger Truck Taxi Commercial
Bus
Commercial
Truck
Commercial
Trailer
Private
Bus
Private
Trailer
Dealer Antique Auto
(1992-)
Handicapped
(1998-)
Motorcycle
(standardized 1992)
2017-
Graphics
300 x 150 Plates all have random graphics and colors.   Requirements/standards changed as of 2017 - see this page for the 2017 changes.
2013-
Graphics
300 x 150 Plates all have random graphics and colors.   Numbering changed as of 2013 - see this page for the 2013 number blocks.
2002-
Graphics
300 x 150 Plates all have random graphics and colors.   See this page for the number blocks.
1998-2001
Graphics
300 x 150 AAA0000
000AAA (DF)
AA00000
0000AA (DF)
0000AAA
A00000 (DF)
000000A
0000000 (DF)
0AAA000 A000000 0AAA00 0AA0000 0AA000
0AA00 (DF)
AA00
AA000 (DF)
000AA A000A
00000 (DF)
0000A (DF)
1992 Base 300 x 150 AAA0000
000AAA (DF)
AA00000
0000AA (DF)
0000AAA
000000 (DF)
L00000 (DF)
S00000 (DF)
000000A
000000 (DF)
0AAA000
000000 (DF)
A000000
000000 (DF)
0AAA00 0AA0000 0AA000 AA00
AA000 (DF)
-- numeric
A000A
 
Year Size (mm) Passenger Truck Taxi Commercial
Bus
Commercial
Truck
Commercial
Trailer
Private
Bus
Private
Trailer
Dealer SPF
1986 Base 300 x 150 AAA000
000AAA (DF)
AA0000
0000AA (DF)
00 AAA
000000 (DF)
00000 A
000000 (DF)
AAA 00
000000 (DF)
A 00000
000000 (DF)
AAA 0 AA 000
A 0000 (DF)
AA 00 000AA
1984/85 300 x 150 AAA000
000AAA (DF)
AA0000
0000AA (DF)
00 AAA
00000 (DF)
00000 A
000000 (DF)
AAA 00
000000 (DF)
A 00000
000000 (DF)
AAA 0 AA 000 AA 00 000AA
1982/83 300 x 150 AAA000
000AAA (DF)
AA0000
0000AA (DF)
00 AAA
00000 (DF)
00000 A
000000 (DF)
AAA 00
000000 (DF)
A 00000
000000 (DF)
AAA 0 AA 000 AA 00 A0000
1980/81 300 x 150 AAA000
000AAA (DF)
AA0000
0000AA (DF)
00 AAA
00000 (DF)
00000 A
000000 (DF)
AAA 00
000000 (DF)
A 00000
000000 (DF)
AAA 0 AA 000 AA 00 A0000
1978/79 300 x 150 AAA000
000AAA (DF)
AA0000
0000AA (DF)
00 AAA
00000 (DF)
00000 A
000000 (DF)
AAA 00
000000 (DF)
A 00000
000000 (DF)
AAA 0 AA 000 AA 00 A0000
1976/77 300 x 150 AAA000
000AAA (DF)
AA0000
0000AA (DF)
00 AAA
00000 (DF)
00000 A
000000 (DF)
AAA 00
000000 (DF)
A 00000
000000 (DF)
AAA 0 AA 000 AA 00 A0000
1974/75 300 x 150 AAA000
000AAA (DF)
AA0000
0000AA (DF)
00 AAA
00000 (DF)
00000 A
000000 (DF)
AAA 00
000000 (DF)
A 00000
000000 (DF)
AAA 0 AA 000 AA 00 A0000
1972/73 300 x 150 AAA-000
000-AAA (DF)
AA-0000
0000-AA (DF)
00-AAA
00000 (DF)
00000-A
20000+ (DF)
AAA-00
100000+ (DF)
A-00000
30000+ (DF)
AAA-0 AA-000 AA-00 A0000
1970/71 300 x 150 00-AAA
AAA-00 (DF)
AA-000
000-AA
A-0000
00-000 (DF)
0A-000
70-001+ (DF)
0000-A
60-001+ (DF)
000-A0
95-001+ (DF)
A-000
000-A
AA-00
00-AA
0-AAA 0A-00
00-A0
1968/69 300 x 150 AA000
AA0000
000AA (DF)
000ZA (QR & BCS)
A/A0000 0000A
000-A
00-000 (DF)
00-00 (DF)
0000J
000-J
30001+ (DF)
0000S
000-S
60001+ (DF)
0000R
000-R
80001+ (DF)
A-000 (?) R/A0000 (?) AA-00
A-000
A0000
1966/67 300 x 150 AA000
000AA
A/A0000 00000 (DF)
000-a
0000a
(a = A-K)
50000+ (DF)
000-a
0000a
(a = L-U)
0000X 90001+ (DF)
000-R
0000R
A-000 R/A0000 00-AA A0000
With the 1964/65 series and earlier, all plates shared the same numbering.

Plates can have up to 5 numerals (6 if there is no prefix/suffix).
X0-00-00 can also be X00-00, X0-00, etc., and 00-00-00 can also be 0-00-00, 00-00, etc.

There was no distinction between some types - bus/taxi (alquiler/for hire) and truck/trailer (camion/truck) were grouped together.
The way to tell the difference was by colors - see the table below.

From 1960 to 1965, private trailers and commercial (for hire) trailers used different plates.
Private trailers had the same colors as passenger plates, and commercial trailers used camion plates.
Both trailer types used a REMOLQUE legend instead of the state name.

From 1962 to 1965, dealer plates sometimes used DEMOSTRACION in place of the state name.
Year Size (mm) Passenger
Particular
Bus/Taxi [For Hire]
Alquiler
Truck/Commercial Trailer
Camion
Private Trailer
Remolque Particular
Dealer
Demostración
SPF
1964/65 300 x 150 X0-00-00
00-00-00 (DF)
X0-00-00
00-00-00
X0-00-00
00-00-00
X0-00-00
00-00-00
X0-00-00
00-00-00
X0-00-00
00-00-00
1962/63 305 x 152 0-00-00X
00-00-00 (DF)
00-00-0X
00-00-00
00-00-0X
00-00-00
00-00-0X
00-00-00
00-00-0X
00-00-00
00-00-0X
00-00-00
1960/61 305 x 152 X0-00-00
00-00-00 (DF)
X0-00-00
00-00-00
X0-00-00
00-00-00
X0-00-00
00-00-00
X0-00-00
00-00-00
X0-00-00
00-00-00
With the 1958/59 series and earlier, all trailers used truck/trailer (camion) plates.
Year Size (mm) Passenger
Particular
Bus/Taxi [For Hire]
Alquiler
Truck/Trailer
Camion
Dealer
Demostración
SPF
1958/59 305 x 152 00-00-00 00-00-00 00-00-00 00-00-00 00-00-00
1956/57 305 x 152 00-00-00 00-00-00 00-00-00 00-00-00 00-00-00
1954/55 350 x 150 0-00-00 0-00-00 0-00-00 00-00 0-00-00
1953 350 x 150 X00-000
00-000 (DF)
00-000 X00-000
00-000 (DF)
=0000= 00-000
1952 350 x 160 X00-000
00-000 (DF)
00-000 X00-000
00-000 (DF)
=0000= 00-000
1951 310 x 160 X00-000
00-000 (DF)
00-000 X00-000
00-000 (DF)
=0000= 00-000
1950 310 x 160 X00-000
00-000 (DF)
00-000 X00-000
00-000 (DF)
=0000= 00-000
Before 1950, there was no category for trucks (camiones).
All plates were classified as private (passenger), hire (truck, trailer, bus, and taxi), dealer, or federal public service (SPF).
Year Size (mm)
~ = approx
Passenger
Particular
Truck/Trailer/Bus/Taxi [For Hire]
Alquiler
Dealer
Demostración
SPF
1949 280 x 120 X00-000 00-000 =0000= 00000
1948 280 x 120 X00-000 00-000 =0000= 00-00
1947 280 x 120 X00-000 00-000 =0000= 00-00
1946 280 x 140 X00-00 00-000 =0000= 00-00
1945 280 x 140 X00-00 00-000 =0000= 00-00
1944 ~280x140~ X00-00 00-000 =0000= (unknown)
1943 ~275x145~ X00-00 00-000 (unknown) (unknown)
1942 300 x 150 X00-00 00-000 =0000= (unknown)
1941 300 x 150 X00-00 00-000 =0000= 00-00
1940 330 x 170 X00-00 00-000 =0000= 00-00
1939 330 x 170 00-000
0-000A
00-000 (unknown) (unknown)
1938 ~345x200~ 00-000 0-000 (unknown) (unknown)
1937 ~345x200~ 00-000 00-000 (unknown) (unknown)
1936 000-000 000-000 (unknown) (unknown)
1935 000-000 000-000 (unknown) (unknown)
1934 tab on '33 plate tab on 33 'plate tab? (unknown) (unknown)
1933 00-000 00-000 (unknown) (unknown)



SPECIAL TYPES

Year Diplomatic Consular Traslado/Transfer
(Transporte Nacional)
Traslado/Transfer
(Transporte
Internacional)
DF Provisional (SPF) Servicio
Fronterizo
(SET) Servicio
Turismo
1992 BASE 00 AA 00 AA 0000 aA (a=X-Z) (unknown) (unknown) (unknown)
1986 BASE 00 AA 00 AA 000 VAA (unknown) (unknown) 000 AA
1984/85 00 AA 00 AA 000 WAA (unknown) (unknown) 000 ZA
1982/83 00 AA 00 AA A 000 (unknown) (unknown) 0 AA (cars)
AA 0 (buses)
1980/81 00 AA 00 AA A 000 (unknown) (unknown) 0 AA (cars)
AA 0 (buses)
1978/79 AAA AAA A 000 (unknown) (unknown) 0 AA (cars)
AA 0 (buses)
1976/77 AAA AAA A 00 00 A (unknown) F 000 0 AA (cars)
AA 0 (buses)
1974/75 AAA AAA A 00 00 A (unknown) F 000 0 AA (cars)
AA 0 (buses)
1972/73 AAA AAA A-00 00-A (unknown) F-000 0-AA (cars)
AA-0 (buses)
1970/71 AAA AAA 00a-00 (a=A-W) 00Z-00 (unknown) 00X-00 00Y-00
1968/69 00-AA 00-AA A0000 A0000 00-AA F0000
1966/67 00-AA AA-00 A0000 A0000 00-AA F0000
1964/65 00-00 D 00-00 C 0-00-00 (paper) 0-00-00 (paper) 0-00-00 (paper) 0-00-00
1962/63 D 00-00 C 00-00 0-00-00 (paper) 0-00-00 (paper) 0-00-00 (paper) 0-00-00
1960/61 X0-00-00
00-00-00
X0-00-00
00-00-00
0-00-00 (paper) 0-00-00 (paper)
1958/59 00-00-00 00-00-00 0-00-00 (paper) 0-00-00 (paper)
1956/57 00-00-00 00-00-00 0-00-00 (paper)
1954/55 0-00-00 0-00-00 0-00-00 (paper)
1953 X00-000
00-000
X00-000
00-000
00-000 (paper)
1952 X00-000
00-000
X00-000
00-000
00-000 (paper)
1951 X00-000
00-000
X00-000
00-000
1950 X00-000
00-000
X00-000
00-000



FRONTERIZA PLATES

Year Passenger Private
Truck/Bus/Trailer
Commercial
Taxi/Truck/Bus/Trailer
2013-
New Numbering
A00-NAA-1 ZAA-000-A A-000-ZAA
2001-
Gen 2 Graphics
000-AAA-0
BAA-00-00 (BC)
ZAA-00-00
BA-00-000 (BC)
00-00-ZAA
1998-2001
Gen 1 Graphics
000AAA0 ZAA0000 0000ZAA
1992 BASE 000AAA0 ZAA0000 0000ZAA
1986 BASE 000ZAA     (W,X,Y,Z used as initial letter)
1984/85 000ZAA     (X,Y,Z used as initial letter)
1982/83 000ZAA     (X,Y,Z used as initial letter)
1980/81 000ZAA     (X,Y,Z used as initial letter)
1978/79 000ZAA     (X,Y,Z used as initial letter)
1976/77 000ZAA     (Y,Z used as initial letter)
1974/75 000ZAA     (Y,Z used as initial letter)
1972/73 0000-A     (private) 00-AA       (commercial)




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