Vehicle registration plates of Guam

The U.S. unincorporated territory of Guam first required its residents to register their motor vehicles and display license plates in 1916.

Guam
Current series
SloganTano Y Chamorro
Size12 in × 6 in
30 cm × 15 cm
MaterialAluminum
Serial formatAB 1234
(coded by municipality)
IntroducedFebruary 27, 2009 (2009-02-27)
History
First issued1916 (1916)

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.[1] Guam adopted these standards in 1960.

Passenger baseplates

edit

1947 to 1964

edit
Image Dates issued Design Serial format Serials issued Notes
  1947 Hand-stenciled black on white; "GUAM" at left and "1947" at right 1234 1 to approximately 2200
  1948 Embossed black on golden yellow with border line; "GUAM" at left and "1948" at right 1234 1 to approximately 4200 First embossed plate.
  1949 Embossed white on blue with border line; "GUAM" at left and "1949" at right 1234 1 to approximately 8500
  1950–51 Embossed orange on black with border line; "GUAM" at left and "1950" at right 1234 1 to approximately 9900 Revalidated for 1951 with silver tabs.
  1952–54 Embossed black on orange with border line; "GUAM" at left and "1952" at right 12345 1 to approximately 13800 Revalidated for 1953 with silver tabs, and for 1954 with black tabs.
  1955–56 Embossed white on dark green with border line; "GUAM" at left and "1955" at right 12345 1 to approximately 14000 Revalidated for 1956 with black tabs.
  1957–58 Embossed black on yellow with border line; "GUAM" at left and "1957" at right 12-345 1 to approximately
14-800
Revalidated for 1958 with black tabs.
  1959 Embossed white on dark green with border line; "GUAM" at left and "1959" at right 12-345 1 to approximately
13-900
  1960 Embossed black on white with border line; "19 GUAM 60" at bottom 12-345 1 to approximately
14-000
First 6" x 12" plate.
  1961 Embossed white on black with border line; "19 GUAM 61" at bottom 12-345 1 to approximately
14-100
  1962 Embossed black on orange with border line; "19 GUAM 62" at bottom 12-345 1 to approximately
17-900
  1963 Embossed black on white with border line; "19 GUAM 63" at bottom 12-345 1 to approximately
20-000
  1964 Embossed white on blue with border line; "19 GUAM 64" at bottom 12345 1 to approximately 17500

1965 to present

edit

Since 1996, all passenger plates have featured a round mounting hole at the top right and horizontal slots in the other three corners, as with plates of Hawaii and the Northern Marianas.

Image Dates issued Design Slogan Serial format Serials issued Notes
  1965–69 Embossed blue on white with border line Hafa Adai 12345 1 to approximately 38800
  1970–73 Embossed golden yellow on dark green with border line; latte stone graphics at left and right America's Day Begins In Guam USA 12345 1 to approximately 55200
  1974–77 Embossed black on reflective white with border line; "74" at bottom left Hafa Adai 12-345 1 to approximately 57-500
1977–78 12345 57501 to approximately 61000
  1978–80 As above, but without "74" 61001 to approximately 72500
  1980–82 As above, but with shorter dies 72501 to approximately 83500
  1983–86 Embossed blue on reflective white with border line; ox cart graphic at bottom left Hub of the Pacific 12345 1 to approximately 87000
  1986–93 Embossed dark green on reflective white; graphic in center featuring pale green map and two green latte stones Hafa Adai ABC 123 AAA 001 to approximately AFN 999
  1994 – February 26, 2009 Embossed black on reflective white; gold map graphic in center Tano Y Chamorro[2] Coded by municipality:
  • ABC1234 (variable number of digits following letters)
  • ABC123A (following exhaustion of above format)
Varies by village:
  • ABC 1 to ABC9999
  • ABC001A to present
  February 27, 2009[3] – present Embossed black on reflective white; graphic in center featuring gray latte stone and three red bougainvillea flowers Tano Y Chamorro Coded by municipality:
  • AB 1234

Coding

edit

Passenger, 1994

edit

On the 1994 base, the letters of passenger plate serials indicated the village of issuance. These three-letter codes were displayed in a smaller font size than was the numerical portion of the plate serial.

Village Code
Agana AGA
Agat AGT
Agana Heights AHT
Asan-Maina ASA
Barrigada BAR
Chalan Pago CHP
Dededo DED
Inarajan INA
Maite MAI
Mangilao MAN
Merizo MER
Mongmong MNG
Ordot ORD
Piti PIT
Sinajana SNJ
Santa Rita STR
Talofofo TAL
Tamuning TAM
Toto TOT
Tumon TUM
Umatac UMA
Yigo YIG
Yona YON

On the 2009 base, the letters of passenger plate serials again indicate the village of issuance. These two-letter codes are displayed in the same font size as is the numerical portion of the plate serial.

Village Code
Agat AT
Asan-Maina AN
Barrigada BR
Dededo DE
Hagåtña HG
Inarajan IN
Mangilao MN
Merizo ME
Ordot OR
Piti PT
Talofofo TL
Toto TO
Tumon TU
Tamuning TM
Umatac UM
Yigo YG
Yona YN

Non-passenger

edit

On the 1994 base, commercial truck plates were coded by location of issuance, but using a different geographical coding system than for passenger plates. These codes were based on more specific geographical areas or geographical features, rather than political jurisdictions.

Bus, dealer, taxi, and trailer plates were coded only by type, not location of issuance.

Image Type Serial format Code Location
  Commercial Truck 1234ABC FAP Fort Apugan (Hagåtña)
FSO Fort Soledad, Umatac
MLL Mount Lamlam
PDE Plaza de España (Hagåtña)
TFL Talofofo Falls, Talofofo
TLP Two Lovers Point (Tumon)
  Bus BUS 123 BUS all
  Dealer DLR 123 DLR
 
 
 
Government of Guam 1234 none
  Taxi TXI 123 TXI
  Trailer 1234 TRL TRL

Optional plates

edit
Image Type First issued Design Serial format Notes
  VeteranUnited States Air Force Blue on reflective white with full-color graphics of the flag of the United States and the flag of Guam AF 123
  Veteran—United States Navy Blue on reflective white with full-color graphics of the flag of the United States and the flag of Guam N 123

Other plates

edit
Image Type First issued Design Slogan Serial format Notes
  Consular 1986 As 1986–93 passenger base Hafa Adai
  Naval Base 1960 White on yellow 1234

References

edit
  1. ^ Garrish, Christopher (October 2016). "Reconsidering the Standard Plate Size". Plates. Vol. 62, no. 5. Automobile License Plate Collectors Association.
  2. ^ "» Origin of CHamoru as an Ethnic Identifier". 5 October 2009.
  3. ^ "DRT launches new license plates"
edit