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Illustrated History of Connecticut License Plates
Joe Wasielewski - ALPCA Member 6996
All-Terrain
Ambulance
Amateur Radio
Apportioned
Boat Ramp
Bus
Camp Trailer to 1957
Camp Trailer 1958-
Camper
Classic Vehicle
Combination 1
Combination 2
Commercial to 1957
Commercial 1958-
Common
Construction
Dealer Motorcycle
Dealer New to 1969
Dealer New 1970-1989
Dealer New 1990-
Dealer Spec. Equip.
Dealer Used to 1969
Dealer Used 1970-1989
Dealer Used 1990-
Dismantler
Early American
Error Plates
Exp. Test
Factory
Farm
Fire Apparatus
Fish
Foreign Consul
Gasoline
Handicapped
Hearse
High Mileage Veh.
Interstate
Junk
Livery
Marine Trailer
M.F.G.
Military
Miscellaneous/Local
Motorcycle
Municipal
M.V. Dept
Official
Parade
Permits
Political - State
Political - US
Postmaster
POW
Prototype
PUC
Repair to 1969
Repair 1970-
Sample
School Bus
Service Bus
Snowmobile
Special Equipment
Sphinx
State
Student Transport
Taxi
Temp. Metal Plates
Temp. Non-Passenger
Temp. Pass.
Temp. Reg. Certificate
Toll
Trailer
Trans.
Vanpool
Veteran
Volunteer Firefighter
Wrecker
Fire Apparatus
Click to see this type in useThese plates are issued to firefighting-related vehicles upon request of a fire chief. They are used by volunteer, municipal, and corporate fire departments.  Not all fire trucks use license plates in Connecticut.

This type started around 1963, with white letters on a blue background, and a red decal strip across the top with the "FIRE APPARATUS" legend engraved into the plate. Eventually the plates used red letters on a white background.

When the "blue fade" base was introduced, many of these plates were issued with blue numbers, such as the one in the photo to the left. I have no idea why. Red letters are once again the standard for this type.

'Vanities' are also becoming more common, with the unit number as the plate number: e.g. 'E-177' for Engine 177,  'S-213' for Willington's Service Vehicle 213, 'F-139' for Broad Brook's Forestry 139 Vehicle, and even 'RESQ-1' for Cheshire's Rescue 1.

Click the image above to see this type in use.

 


1977  
1977  Map base, ca. 1990s
   
Map base 2001
Map base, ca. 1990s 2001
   
02  
ca. 2001  
   
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