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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
Temp. Pass.
These plates are issued to passenger vehicles for temporary registrations - such as when purchasing a used car or registering a car temporarily in order to have it inspected for permanent registration.

These are verified back into the 1940s, as cardboard plates similar to the design of the 1954 pictured below. Various design tweaks as pictured below took place over the years.

These plates have holes punched in them for attachment in the same manner as a regular plate, however they often appear taped inside the rear windshield of the vehicle.

These plates are now valid for a period of 10 days.

In 2015 the design of these plates was completely overhauled.

Up until the early 1980s there were also metal temporary plates of similar design to regular passenger plates, with a 'T' suffix. These were typically used for vehicles whose plates were lost.

From 1992 until the late-2000s, when purchasing a new car, the car was issued either regular passenger license plates through the dealer or a yellow 'Temporary Registration Certificate'. These are detailed on their own page.



 1951
 1954
1951 1954
   
1964  
1964
From a 1937 Cord Phaeton Conv. bought from an individual in Haddam, CT on Nov. 27, 1964
 
   
 1965  1966
1965 1966
   
1966 1967
Another 1966
Very nice condition for one of these plates
1967
   
 1968 1968
1968
The "CONN" legend lost its serifs sometime between late 1967 and early 1968, possibly as the numbering series rolled over. The date legend typeface was changed as well.
1968
Next, a letter suffix was introduced.
   
 1971 1978
1971 1978. Numbering series rolled over back to 'A'.
I have no idea why the caption was reversed from "TEMP. PASS." to "PASS. TEMP." for a short period of time.
   
1982 1984
1982 1984
   
 1986  
1987
1986
Minor change in formatting.
1987
   
 1987  1988
1987
A new numbering format was introduced in 1987. A full-sized letter was used for the first time.
1988
   
 1988 1989 
1988
The "computerized" design came out in 1988, and the plates were changed from printed cardboard to a lighter cardstock.
1989
   
 1990 1991
1990 1991
   
 1992  1995
1992 1995
   
 1996 1997
1996
Very slight changes in the font for the "CONN" and lower legends.
1997
The more "modern-looking" computerized plates came next. However, the fonts for the "CONN" and lower legends took a step backwards to the previous design.
   
 1999  2000
1999 2000
   
 2004  2006
2004
I've about given up on trying to figure out the numbering system on these plates.
2006
   
 2007  
2007  
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