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License Plate Gallery

The Wisconsin Pages:

Insert Truck

Prior to 1940, heavy and commercial trucks received annual plates identical to those for lighter vehicles. "Insert" truck plates (so named due to the large quarterly metal insert that initially validated the plate) were introduced in 1940, providing the option of quarterly (or in some cases, even monthly) registration to owners. What followed was one of the more unusual (and certainly colorful) series in license platedom.

Insert Truck plates originally operated on a July-to-June replacement cycle, and the stated quarters (1-4 for September, December, March, and June expirations) reflected this fact. The various letters emblazoned on insert tabs and stickers stated the vehicle class: "P" or "Z" indicated private carriers and "C" or "K" indicated contract carriers, for example. The July-to-June cycle was retained for some time after light truck plates had reverted to annual December expirations; until 1962.

[Wisconsin 1945-46 insert truck]

Overflow series, smaller dies (at)3

[Wisconsin 1951-52 insert truck]

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[Wisconsin 1957 insert truck]

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[Wisconsin 1958 insert truck]

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Metal insert tabs gave way to adhesive stickers starting in 1963. This change also coincided with the change to a January-to-December replacement cycle: From this point on, stickers for quarters from 1 to 4 expire in March, June, September, and December; respectively. Plates were replaced annually through 1971, then bi-annually from 1972 to 1993.

[Wisconsin 1964 insert truck]

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[Wisconsin 1966 insert truck]

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[Wisconsin 1970 insert truck]

Straggler with 73 sticker. (at)4

[Wisconsin 1971 insert truck]

(at)

[Wisconsin 1975 insert truck]

Reflectorized (at)

[Wisconsin 1975 insert truck]

Non-reflective (at)1

[Wisconsin 1979 insert truck]

(at)

[Wisconsin 1980/82 insert truck]

Straggler with 82 sticker. (at)1

[Wisconsin 1983 insert truck]

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[Wisconsin 1985 insert truck]

Slot at lower left (at)

[Wisconsin 1986 insert truck]

(at)

[Wisconsin 1987 insert truck]

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[Wisconsin 1989 insert truck]

(at)4

[Wisconsin 1991 insert truck]

(at)1

[Wisconsin 1992 insert truck]

(at)1

[Wisconsin 1992 insert truck]

(at)

[Wisconsin 1993 insert truck]

(at)

The 1994 insert truck issue was used for fifteen years before being replaced in late 2008. These plates are notable for featuring three distinct die types spread across 16 weight class codes; a potential total of 48 variations overall. I'm slowly attempting to photograph them all...

[Wisconsin 2005/08 insert truck]

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[Wisconsin 2000/02/03 insert truck]

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[Wisconsin 2005/07 insert truck]

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[Wisconsin 2006 insert truck]

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[Wisconsin 2008 insert truck]

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[Wisconsin 2009 insert truck]

Straggler with 09 sticker. (at)

[Wisconsin 2004 insert truck]

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[Wisconsin 1994 insert truck]

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[Wisconsin 1994 insert truck]

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[Wisconsin 2002 insert truck]

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[Wisconsin 1994 insert truck]

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[Wisconsin 1994 insert truck]

(at)

[Wisconsin 1994 insert truck]

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[Wisconsin 1995 insert truck]

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[Wisconsin 2006 insert truck]

(at)

[Wisconsin 2008 insert truck]

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[Wisconsin 2004 insert truck]

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[Wisconsin 2008 insert truck]

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[Wisconsin 2005 insert truck]

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[Wisconsin 1994 insert truck]

(at)

[Wisconsin 1994 insert truck]

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[Wisconsin 1994 insert truck]

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[Wisconsin 2006 insert truck]

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[Wisconsin 1996 insert truck]

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[Wisconsin 2007 insert truck]

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[Wisconsin 1994 insert truck]

(at)

The current black-on-gray series was introduced in late 2008. Numerically, it picks up exactly where the 1994 series left off.

[Wisconsin 2009 insert truck]

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[Wisconsin 2010 insert truck]

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[Wisconsin 2010 insert truck]

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[Wisconsin 2009 insert truck]

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[Wisconsin 2009 insert truck]

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[Wisconsin 2009 insert truck]

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[Wisconsin 2009 insert truck]

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[Wisconsin 2011 insert truck]

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[Wisconsin 2009 insert truck]

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[Wisconsin 2011 insert truck]

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[Wisconsin 2009 insert truck]

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[Wisconsin 2011 insert truck]

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[Wisconsin 2010 insert truck]

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[Wisconsin 2013 insert truck]

Monthly validation (at)

[Wisconsin 2009 insert truck]

(at)

Light Truck for Hire (Insert Truck A-C)

Although Insert Truck plates are generally issued for heavy vehicles, a comparably small number of similar plates were also issued to light trucks for hire until 2004. Pre-1978 light truck for hire plates were very similar or identical in appearance to those of heavier insert truck plates, and are shown in that category. Later issues had unique, reflectorized color schemes.

[Wisconsin 1978 light truck for hire]

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[Wisconsin 1981 light truck for hire]

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[Wisconsin 1983 light truck for hire]

(at)

[Wisconsin 1990 light truck for hire]

(CJC)

[Wisconsin 1994 light truck for hire]

(JM)

Tractor

Another related type is the Tractor type; issued singly to big rigs. Due to the advent of Apportioned plates in the late 1970s, Tractor plates aren't as universal today as they once were; though they are retained for intrastate commerce. On recent issues, the bottom letter is always "S."

[Wisconsin 1980 tractor]

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[Wisconsin 2004 tractor]

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[Wisconsin 1999 tractor]

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[Wisconsin 1999 tractor]

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[Wisconsin 1994/95 tractor]

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[Wisconsin 2005/08 tractor]

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[Wisconsin 2008 tractor]

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[Wisconsin 2012 tractor]

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[Wisconsin 2009 tractor]

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[Wisconsin 2009 tractor]

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[Wisconsin 2009 tractor]

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[Wisconsin 2010 tractor]

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[Wisconsin 2009 tractor]

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[Wisconsin 2009 tractor]

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Insert Trailer

Distinctive, insert sticker-validated plates have also been issued to trailers for many years. While Insert Truck plates were often restricted to heavier classes, however, Insert Trailer plates exist for all weight classes down to "A."

[Wisconsin 1971 insert trailer]

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[Wisconsin 1972 insert trailer]

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[Wisconsin 1981 insert trailer]

(at)1

[Wisconsin 2006 insert trailer]

(at)

[Wisconsin 2009 insert trailer]

Straggler with 09 sticker. (at)

[Wisconsin 1996 insert trailer]

(at)1

[Wisconsin 2005 insert trailer]

(at)

[Wisconsin 2008 insert trailer]

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[Wisconsin 2000 insert trailer]

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[Wisconsin 2008 insert trailer]

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[Wisconsin 2009 insert trailer]

Straggler with 09 sticker. (at)

[Wisconsin 1998 insert trailer]

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[Wisconsin 2008 insert trailer]

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[Wisconsin 2006/07 insert trailer]

(at)

[Wisconsin 2005/08 insert trailer]

(at)4

[Wisconsin 2008 insert trailer]

(at)1

[Wisconsin 2005/07 insert trailer]

(at)

[Wisconsin 2009 insert trailer]

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[Wisconsin 2009 insert trailer]

(at)

[Wisconsin 2009 insert trailer]

(at)

[Wisconsin 2009 insert trailer]

"Restricted Use" sticker

[Wisconsin 2009 insert trailer]

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[Wisconsin 2009 insert trailer]

(at)

[Wisconsin 2009 insert trailer]

(at)

[Wisconsin 2009 insert trailer]

(at)

[Wisconsin 2009 insert trailer]

(at)

[Wisconsin 2009 insert trailer]

(at)

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