California has officially exhausted the 1980s-era license plate sequence and will switch to a new sequence for future plates. The change marks the first plate-sequence update since the 1980s and outlines what the next numbering/lettering run will be.
WHO:California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV)
WHAT:California will change its license plate sequence after running out of the 1980s-era sequence.
WHEN:Reported Sep 11, 2026 at 6:59 PM ET
WHERE:California
WHY:Routine/scheduled item — no distinct cause reported beyond the event itself.
Reporting from 2 identified publishers across this event arc.
