The former U.S. territory of the Canal Zone first issued license plates in 1910, and this continued until September 1979. (The 1979 plate was the 1978 plate with a 1979 decal affixed.) A single plate was issued for all years. The country of Panama also issued license plates identifying United States citizens that lived in Panama but worked in the Canal Zone, but these plates have the country name "Panama" clearly showing on them. Since reciprocity for license plates between the Canal Zone and Panama did not exist until 1950, old photos often show local vehicles with two different license plates mounted on the vehicle.
Passenger baseplates 1910 to 1955 ImageDateDesignSloganSerial formatSerials issuedNotes1231910White on dark blueNone123 1 to ?Plates started at number one and continued sequentially.1231911Dark blue on whiteNone123Plate numbers are believed to have continued sequentially from where they left off in 1910. The 1910 plate numbers issued were not reused. This scheme continued through 1916.1231912White on dark blueNone1231231913Dark blue on whiteNone1231231914White on dark blueNone1231231915Dark blue on whiteNone12312341916White on dark blueNone123and1234Some four digit plates are known, but the numbers are too high to fit into the sequence of plates issued. 12341917Black on yellowNone1234All previous plates were cancelled and renumbering started at number one.12341918Black on whiteNone123412341919White on dark blueNone12341920Black on dark yellowNone12341921Black on gray-greenNone123412341922White on blackNone123412341923Black on yellowNone123412341924Yellow on dark blueNone123412341925White on dark blueNone123412341926Black on yellowNone123412341927Red on whiteNone1234First year that "Canal Zone" is spelled out.12341928Black on light orangeNone123412341929Red on whiteNone123412341930Black on yellowNone123412341931Red on whiteNone123412341932Black on yellowNone123412341933Red on whiteNone123412341934White on medium blueNone123412341935Medium blue on yellowNone123412341936Red on whiteNone1234123451937White on dark greenNone12345123451938White on redNone12345123451939Black on yellowNone123451940Yellow on dark greenNone12345123451941Black on yellowNone123451942-44White on dark blueNone123451942: Base plate only1943: Round black on yellow validation tab with "43" at top and serial number below1944: Rectangular black on red validation tab with serial number followed by "44"123451945Black on orangeNone12345123451946Yellow on blackNone123451947White on blackNone123451948Dark blue on whiteNone123451949Off white on blueNone12345123451950White on maroonNone12345123451951White on dark greenNone12345123451952Dark green on yellowNone12345123451953Maroon on whiteNone12345123451954White on orangeNone12345123451955Yellow on blackNone12345
1956 to 1979 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 in height by in width, with standardized mounting holes.
ImageDateDesignSloganSerial formatSerials issuedNotes123451956Black on yellowNone12345123451957Yellow on blackNone12345123451958Black on yellowNone123451959Yellow on blackNone12345Sample plate shown.1960Black on yellowNone12345123451961Yellow on blackFunnel For World Commerce12345123451962Black on yellowFunnel For World Commerce12345123451963Yellow on blackFunnel For World Commerce12345123451964Black on yellowFunnel For World Commerce12345123451965Yellow on blackFunnel For World Commerce12345123451966Black on yellowFunnel For World Commerce12345123451967Yellow on blackFunnel For World Commerce12345123451968Black on yellowFunnel For World Commerce123451969Yellow on blackFunnel For World Commerce12345Sample plate shown.123451970Black on yellowFunnel For World Commerce12345123451971Yellow on blackFunnel For World Commerce12345123451972Green on whiteFunnel For World Commerce12345First year for reflective background.123451973Blue on whiteFunnel For World Commerce12345123451974Green on whiteFunnel For World Commerce12345123451975Blue on whiteFunnel For World Commerce12345123451976Green on whiteFunnel For World Commerce123451977Blue on whiteFunnel For World Commerce123451978–79Green on whiteFunnel For World Commerce123451978: Base plate only1979: Rectangular black on red validation sticker with small "Canal Zone" at top, "79" in center, and small "No" and serial number at bottom
Non-passenger plates Image TypeDesignSerial formatSerials issuedNotes1971 MotorcycleYellow on black with border line M-1231979 TrailerGreen on white with border line T-123Sticker on 1978 base
Miniature automobile license plate
Miniature automobile license plates were included in boxes of Wheaties cereal in 1953, and they are oftentimes called bicycle license plates. Included in one of the sets issued by General Mills was a Canal Zone license plate. Other plates in this set included the following locations: Alaska, District of Columbia, Dominican Republic, Guam, Hawaii, Italy-Military, Philippines, Virgin Islands, and the Maharajah plate with a golden double headed eagle. Note that all of the license plates issued for each state, province, territory, or country had the same serial number (Canal Zone plates all have the W3966 serial number).
See also
References
External links