License plates beginning with the letter "B" are expected to be issued beginning in February 2025. (Photo courtesy Wisconsin DOT)
MADISON, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — After nearly eight years, newly issued license plates in Wisconsin will start with the letter “B.”
Standard-issue, non-personalized plates had all started with the letter “A” since the Division of Motor Vehicles began issuing seven-character plates in 2017.
There were 4.7 million letter and number combinations beginning with “A.”
“Wisconsin DMV is proud to provide Wisconsin drivers the credentials they need to safely get from point A to point B and now we’re moving from A to B,” DMV Administrator Tommy Winkler said in a news release. “Drivers can ‘B’ on the lookout for the new license plates when they begin rolling out statewide this month.”
Each year, the DMV issues more than 600,000 license plates. About 3.5 million vehicles have standard plates in Wisconsin.
Wisconsin license plates had six characters from 1986 until 2017. In 2000, the plates switched from starting with letters to starting with numbers.
Using seven characters yields about 100 million combinations, compared to about 20 million for six characters. The letters “I,” “O” and “Q” are not used because they resemble numbers.
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