Home  |  About this site  |  Contact

GENERAL PLATE DISPLAYS  |  Antique, Classic, etc.  |  Bus, Limo, Taxi, etc.  |  Dealer & MV Business |  Misc. Plates  |  Official Plates  |  Political Plates   |  Veterans Plates

SPECIALTY & SPECIAL ORG.  |  College, University, etc.  |  Fire, EMS & Police  |  Fraternal, Non-Profit, etc.  |  NASCAR  |  Special Fund Plates  |  Pending/Proposed Plates

UNUSUAL & UNIQUE PLATES  |  Governor Plates  |  Mystery, Oddballs, etc.  |  Special Event Plates  |  Front Plates  |  Group Displays

REFERENCE MATERIAL |  Old Documents  |  Legislation  |  Plate Codes  |  Plate Hist A-M  |  Plate Hist N-Z |  Plate Hist Pass  |  Plate Hist Truck  | Plate Hist Spec Org |  Stickers   |  Links

ARCHIVED HOME PAGES  | '19Archives  |  '18Archives  |  '17Archives  |  '16 Archives  |  '15 Archives  |  '14 Archives  |  2013 Archives  |  '12 Archives  |  '11 Archives  |  '10 Archives  |  '09 Archives  |  '08 Archives  |  '07 Archives  |  '06 Archives

SPECIAL VETERAN PLATES

A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z

PLATE TYPE (first year of issue)

PLATE FORMATTING

REFERENCE INFORMATION

PLATE PHOTOS & NEEDED IMAGES

UPDATES

SAMPLES AND PROTOTYPES

IS PLATE  VANITY ELIGIBLE?

FORMAT: The center of the plate shall bear a golden bronze replica of the appropriate medal. The initials of each recipient shall be embossed to the left of the medal and the letters MOH (for Medal of Honor) shall be embossed to the right of the medal.  This formatting differs somewhat from that spelled out in the vehicle code.

The plate shown here was issued to Gino J. Merli for his heroic efforts in World War II.

Look up Gino Merli and read his heroic account.

All above photos were taken by John Clark

Sample

Air Force Cross (2012)

Type added 11/4/12

from Tom Perri

Yes

Personalized, up to 5 characters with flat screened AC suffix.

Bronze Star (2012)

Type added 11/4/12

The Bronze Star Medal, unofficially the Bronze Star, is a United States decoration awarded to members of the United States Armed Forces for either heroic achievement, heroic service, meritorious achievement, or meritorious service in a combat zone.

from Jordan Irazabal

from Tom Perri

from Ryan Battin

from Jim McDevitt

Yes

Personalized, up to 5 characters with flat screened BZ suffix.

from Arthur Levine

from Jeff Lawson

Personalized, up to 5 characters with flat screened BZ suffix. Removal of sticker well and addition of map outline.

from Jordan Irazabal

Removal of sticker well and addition of map outline.  This change dates back to at least 6/12/18

from Bruce Bufalini

from John Fedorchak

Images

added

2/10

Bronze Star for Valor (2012)

Type added 11/4/12.  The Bronze Star Medal, unofficially the Bronze Star, is a United States decoration awarded to members of the United States Armed Forces for either heroic achievement, heroic service, meritorious achievement, or meritorious service in a combat zone.

Whenever the medal is awarded by the Army and Air Force for acts of valor in combat, the "V" Device is authorized for wearing on the medal and whenever the medal is awarded by the Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard for acts of valor or meritorious service in combat, the Combat "V" is authorized for wearing on the medal.

from Bruce Bufalini

from Jordan Irazabal

and Tom Perri

from Arthur Levine

from Jaska Börner

Yes

Personalized, up to 5 characters with flat screened BV suffix.

Personalized, up to 5 characters with flat screened BV suffix.  No sticker well.

from Tom Perri

Removal of sticker well and addition of map outline. Format change added 2/18/18

from Ryan Battin

from Brendan Sherry

Personalized, up to 5 characters with flat screened BV suffix.

This series of Combat Action plates came about as a result of Act 109 of 2014.

Type added 11/2/14

from Nathan Krawzyk

from Bruce Bufalini

from Kyle Kuser

Yes

Personalized, up to 5 characters with flat screened CO suffix.

from Arthur Levine

from Tom Perri

This series of Combat Action plates came about as a result of Act 109 of 2014.

Type added 11/2/14

from Tom Perri

and Jordan Irazabal

Yes

Personalized, up to 5 characters with flat screened CO suffix.

from Tom Perri

Combat Action Ribbon (2014)

Type added 11/2/14

from Nick Tsilakis

from Steve Ondik

Personalized, up to 5 characters with flat screened CO suffix.

from Jordan Irazabal

Combat Infantryman Badge (2014)

Type added 11/2/14

from Nick Tsilakis

from Jordan Irazabal

from Steve Ondik

Personalized, up to 5 characters with flat screened CO suffix. With sticker well.

Removal of sticker well and addition of map outline. Format change added 11/19/17

from Tom Perri

Personalized, up to 5 characters, no sticker well and has map outline.

from Jeff Lawson

This series of Combat Action plates came about as a result of Act 109 of 2014.

Type added 11/2/14

Yes

Personalized, up to 5 characters with flat screened CO suffix.

from Nick Tsilakis

On visitPA base with screened image, P/H and Tag Line.  First spotted 11/17/04.

from Nick Tsilakis

from Nick Tsilakis

from Nick Tsilakis

from Jordan Irazabal

from Jordan Irazabal

from Ryan Battin

from Tom Perri

and Jordan Irazabal

Yes

Personalized, up to 5 characters permitted.

from Chuck Harrington

Combat Wounded Veteran Motorcycle (Purple Heart) (2019)

Plate is expected to be available 2/21/19.

Disabled Veteran (1976)

FORMAT 1: DV-0000 to DV-9999

PENNSYLVANIA on top; DISABLED VETERAN on bottom, condensed legend font, 2 sticker wells on top left and right.

from Tom Firth

Image

added

2/17

Stacked prefix, PENNSYLVANIA on bottom; DISABLED VETERAN on top, wide legend font, sticker well bottom left.

from Tom Perri

and Jordan Irazabal

from Ryan Battin

from Nick Tsilakis

from Jordan Irazabal

from Ryan Battin

FORMAT 9: From DV-79000 and are issued in pairs.

Vehicle owners who have equipment on the rear of the vehicle for carrying a wheelchair or personal assistive device are authorized to be issued two plates since the assistive device and carrier may block visibility of the vehicle mounted plate.

While these plates have their own unique number series and are issued in pairs, the plates have the DV prefix flat screened as well as PENNSYLVANIA in dark blue on top and DISABLED VETERAN in red on bottom.

from Nick Tsilakis

from Nick Tsilakis

FORMAT 10: DV- 0

Personalized, up to 5 characters with flat screened DV- prefix. The plates have the DV prefix flat screened as well as PENNSYLVANIA in dark blue on top and DISABLED VETERAN in red on bottom.

from Brian Craig

from Bruce Bufalini

from Steve Ondik

FORMAT 10A: DV-36750 to to current high

Flat screened DV- prefix, plus PENNSYLVANIA in dark blue on top and DISABLED VETERAN in red on bottom.  Sticker well upper left.

from Nick Tsilakis

DV-37007

spotted by Nick Tsilakis 2/13/17

from Bruce Bufalini

Disabled Veteran, Severe Disability (1986)

The plate to the right is a bit of a mystery.  The plate is obviously old, yet the number series is way too high for Disabled Veteran.  My first guess is that it is an early issue of Severely Disabled Veteran. 

The plate to the right is another example of the plate above.  While this one is not current it is a better image and offers some indication of vintage.

Unknown format

Yes, as configured in Format 3C below

PENNSYLVANIA on top and DISABLED VETERAN on bottom.

DISABLES VETERAN on top and PENNSYLVANIA on bottom.

from Brendan Sherry

from Jordan Irazabal

Flat screened PENNSYLVANIA on top and DISABLED VETERAN on bottom, wheelchair & stacked DV.  Sticker well upper left.  First seen around 6/2013.

from Ryan Battin

from Ryan Battin

from Ryan Battin

from Ryan Battin

from Tom Perri

Image added 1/20

Vehicle owners who have a device on the rear of the vehicle for carrying a wheelchair or personal assistive device are authorized to be issued two plates since the assistive device and carrier may block visibility of the vehicle mounted plate.

Image needed

Personalized, up to 5 characters permitted.  Sticker well upper left.

from Ryan Battin

from Tom Perri

from Ron Lunn

from Bill Stephens

from Jordan Irazabal

from Brendan Sherry

Flat screened PENNSYLVANIA on top and DISABLED VETERAN on bottom, wheelchair & stacked DV.  Sticker well has been removed.  First seen early 2017.

from Jordan Irazabal

from Ryan Battin

from Bruce Bufalini

from Bruce Bufalini

Personalized, up to 5 characters permitted.  Sticker well has been removed. 

from Arthur Levine

from Nick Tsilakis

from Jordan Irazabal

Yes

Type added 11/4/12

from Bill Ceravola

from Tom Perri

and Jordan Irazabal

from Jaska Börner

Yes

Personalized, up to 5 characters with flat screened FC suffix.

Type added 11/4/12

Image needed

Yes

Personalized, up to 5 characters with flat screened CO suffix.

Expeditionary Forces (1995)

Base is white, EF stacked prefix, followed by 4 digit serial number followed by VETERAN stacked to the right all in blue, Expeditionary Forces along top in red, PENNSYLVANIA along bottom, and border all in red.  Sticker well lower left.  

Narrow separation between the prefix and the numbers. Changeover points are approximate.

from Colin M.

from Jordan Irazabal

Same as above except wide separation between the prefix and the numbers. Changeover points are approximate.

from Jordan Irazabal

from Heather Butera-Howel

Same as above except narrow separation between the prefix and the numbers. Changeover points are approximate

from Tom Perri

from Tom Perri

Reid Williamson

thru Jordan Irazabal

from Jordan Irazabal

from Tom Perri

New design 3/9/14.  Same colors, all features are now flat screened except 4 digit number.

from Tom Perri

from Brendan Sherry

New design 12/14.  VisitPA base, Expeditionary Forces medal on left, stacked EF prefix.  Only 4 digit serial number is embossed.  Bottom legend reads Expeditionary Forces Veteran.

from Ryan Battin

from Steve Ondik

Yes 

Personalized, up to 5 characters permitted.

Personalized, up to 5 characters permitted.  No sticker well & no map outline.

from Nick Tsilakis

from Jordan Irazabal

Gold Star Family (2006)

Type added 10/8/06

Plate was released early November 2006

from Jordan Irazabal

from Bill Ceravola

from Steve Ondik

Yes

Personalized, up to 4 characters permitted.

from Tom Perri

from Jeff Lawson

Type added 7/10.

from Johnny Di Pasquale

from Tom Perri

from Ryan Battin

from Jerry McCoy

Yes

Personalized, up to 5 characters with flat screened CO suffix.

from Matt Boyer

 Korean War Veteran (1993)

from Jeff Lawson

No

Legion of Merit (2019)

Plate is expected to be available 2/21/19.

 Navy Cross (2012)

Type added 11/4/12

from Fred Monahan

from Tom Perri &

Jordan Irazabal

Yes

Personalized, up to 5 characters with flat screened CO suffix.

 Operation Enduring Freedom Veteran (2005)

reserve issue

from Nick Tsilakis

Yes

general issue

Type added 7/17/05, moved to active 9/18/05

from Nick Tsilakis

from Ryan Battin

from Michael Sherry

from Jaska Börner

Personalized, up to 5 characters permitted.

from Bruce Bufalini

Operation Iraqi Freedom Veteran (2005)

reserve issue

from Bruce Bufalini

from Nick Tsilakis

from Eric Conner

Yes

general issue

Type added 7/17/05, moved to active 9/18/05

from Nick Tsilakis

from Ian Emmett

from Brendan Sherry

from Jordan Irazabal

from Steve Ondik

from Jordan Irazabal

Personalized, up to 5 characters permitted.

from Ian Emmett

Personalized, up to 5 characters permitted.  With map outline, 1/27/19.

from Ian Emmett

Image added 1/27

 PA National Guard (2018)

Type added 3/4/2018.  Plates in use by mid-may 2018.  Plates active by 5/20/18.

Image needed

 Pearl Harbor Survivor (1990)

from Tom Perri

No

The plate with the P/H/S000 format is an unknown/unverified format.

from Michael Wiener

Persian Gulf War Veteran (1993)

This early edition was made with the logo inverted.

upright logo, plus some earlier plates that were replaced.

from Jeff Hinkle

from Brent W. Thompson

from Ryan Battin

Now on visitPA base, July 2015. South West Asia Service Medal on plate.

from Bruce Bufalini

from Nick Tsilakis

from Jonathan Ortman

Yes

to current high.  With map outline.

from John Fedorchak

Personalized, up to 5 characters permitted.  With map outline.

from Arthur Levine

 Prisoner of War (1982)

FORMAT 1: POW-000 to POW-999, two sticker wells at top.  There may have been a run of these plates with the placement of PENNSYLVANIA and PRISONER OF WAR reversed.

from Steve Ondik

Note: Sample images do not necessarily correspond to the various formats.

Yes ($50)

FORMAT 2: 000-POW to 999-POW, two sticker wells.

from Michael Wiener

FORMAT 3: POW-A00 to POW-V67 or beyond.

FORMAT 4: POW-V68 or above to current high  New design 8/11/13.

from Bruce Bufalini

Silver Star (2012)

Type added 11/4/12

from Tom Perri

from Jaska Börner

from Bruce Bufalini

Yes

Up to 5 characters permitted

U.S. Air Force (Active Duty)

Type added 2/5/17

Plates active ~ 5/2017

Image needed

Yes

Up to 5 characters permitted

U.S. Air Force Veteran (2009)

or higher.  With sticker well.  Type added 11/19/09

Yes

FORMAT 1A: Note, these plates, at least in the range shown here, are missing the words Air Force at the bottom of the logo.

from Tom Perri

from Angel Kisses

Personalized, up to 5 characters permitted.

from Arthur Levine

from Bruce Bufalini

from Jordan Irazabal

and Tom Perri

Personalized, up to 5 characters permitted.  No sticker well.

from Arthur Levine

FORMAT 3: From 22932^A/_F or lower to current high.  With map outline.  Format added 10/7/18

from Bruce Bufalini

U.S. Army (Active Duty)

Type added 2/5/17

Plates active ~ 5/2017

Image needed

Yes

Up to 5 characters permitted

U.S. Army Veteran (2009)

13700^A/_R

Type added 11/19/09

from Bill Ceravola

from Brendan Sherry

from Ryan Battin

from Tom Perri

Yes

Up to 5 characters permitted

from Nick Tsilakis

from Jeff Lawson

from Jeff Lawson

from Ron Lunn

from Arthur Levine

FORMAT 2: Likely from 13701^A/_R  to current high

With map outline.  Format added 4/1/18

from Tom Perri

from Bruce Bufalini

from Jordan Irazabal

Image added 11/4

Up to 5 characters permitted.  With map outline.

from Bruce Bufalini

U.S. Coast Guard (Active Duty)

Type added 2/5/17

Plates active ~ 5/2017

Image needed

Yes

Up to 5 characters permitted

U.S. Coast Guard Veteran (2009)

Type added 11/19/09

from Jordan Irazabal

and Tom Perri

from Tom Perri

from Brendan Sherry

Personalized, up to 5 characters with flat screened CG suffix.

from Jeff Lawson

from Nick Tsilakis

Image added 2/3

U.S. Marine Corps (Active Duty)

Type added 2/5/17

Plates active ~ 5/2017

from Jordan Irazabal

Yes

Up to 5 characters permitted

U.S. Marine Corps Veteran (2009)

Type added 11/19/09

from Nick Tsilakis

from Brendan Sherry

from Ryan Battin

from Steve Ondik

Yes

Up to 5 characters permitted

from Arthur Levine

from Bruce Bufalini

Format added 9/2/18.  No sticker well.

from Steve Ondik

from Jordan Irazabal

from Clayton Moore

Up to 5 characters permitted.  Format added 9/2/18.  No sticker well.

from Kyle Goodhead

U.S. Merchant Marine (2013)

Type added 4/28/13

Plates active ~ 6/2013

from Ed Pfaeffle

Yes

Up to 5 characters permitted

U.S. Military Airborne Units (2013)

Type added 4/28/13

from Michael Sherry

from Ryan Battin

from Bruce Bufalini

Yes

Personalized, up to 5 characters with flat screened CO suffix.

U.S. Navy (Active Duty) (2017)

Type added 2/5/17

Plates active ~ 5/2017

Up to 5 characters permitted

U.S. Navy Veteran (2009)

Type added 11/19/09

from Steve Ondik

from Ryan Battin

from Ryan Battin

from Jeff Lawson

Yes

Personalized, up to 5 characters permitted.

from Brendan Sherry

from Steve Ondik

from Jeff Lawson

Personalized, up to 5 characters permitted, with small map outline.

from Brendan Sherry

from Jeff Lawson

Veteran (2005)

FORMAT 1:

Found this #1 image of a veteran plate on PA State Rep. Dick Stevenson's website.  When this new series of plates came out, the first over-the-counter plates were issued with a 00100 U/S format.  Now it has been confirmed that plates with numbers below 100 have been issued.  I have emailed Rep. Stevenson requesting a clarification and received no response.

from Arnold Cummings

from Tom Perri

from Brendan Sherry

from Nick Tsilakis

Yes

Type added 7/17/05, moved to active 9/18/05.

from Ned Flynn

from Brendan Sherry

Personalized, up to 5 characters permitted.

from Nick Tsilakis

Veteran Motorcycle (2004)

FORMAT: V0100  to current high

INFORMATION UPDATED 7/17/04

See Form MV-150 These new license plates available around 9/04..

from Thomas Zangla

Yes

Personalized

Vietnam War Veteran (1999)

This colorized plate appears to have been hand painted and is not a newer graphic type.

from Steve Ondik

from Ryan Battin

Yes

On visitPA base

New design 11/6/14.

from Jeff Lawson

from Ryan Battin

from Jordan Irazabal

from Jaska Börner

from Tom Perri

Personalized, up to 5 characters permitted.

from Jordan Irazabal

from Jeff Lawson

from Steve Ondik

from Steve Ondik

No sticker well.  Higher plate above still has sticker well.

from Jordan Irazabal

No sticker well.  Higher plate above still has sticker well.

from Arthur Levine

World War II Veteran (1995)

from Matt Ciecka

from Ryan Battin

from Tom Perri

Not available

Page Up  |  Home  |  Contact