Wartime Y.O.M. | Blacktop Magazine

1941-46 California License Plates

Here in California, collector car owners can register their car with period correct Y.O.M. or Year Of Make license plates.

Like any beauracracy, there are certain rules to be met. In Article 8 Section 5004.1: (a) (1): An owner of a vehicle that is a 1980 or older model-year vehicle may, after the requirements for the registration of the vehicle are complied with and with the approval of the department, utilize license plates of this state with the date of year corresponding to the model-year date when the vehicle was manufactured, if the model-year date license plate is legible and serviceable, as determined by the department, in lieu of the license plates otherwise required by this code.

This is great news and has created a boom in vintage license plates. The challenge is that the numbers of the plates you have hanging in the garage or find at a swap meet may not be “clear”. Meaning, the number sequence may be in the current system. Some number combinations were re-used or authorized with “vanity” plates. In most cases you will need both front and rear matching numbered plates. Check with your local DMV or AAA office to see if your numbers are “clear” to use.

Now to our topic at hand. Wartime Y.O.M.

Plates pictured here are passenger car plates. Truck or commercial vehicle plates have “PC” or “SC” stacked on the left side of the plate. These plates are very hard to find and we’ve heard the DMV will “generally” allow passenger car plates on trucks or commerical vehicles for YOM registration of model-years 1946 and prior. However, each office appears to do things differently so be prepared that you may be turned down when attempting to register a truck or commerical vehicle with passenger car plates for 1946 and earlier.

In 1941 California issued a new base plate with a black background and yellow lettering. For YOM registration of a 1941 model-year vehicle you will need a pair of front & rear, matching, DMV clear 1941 plates.

In 1942, California issued new base license plates with a black background and yellow lettering with a yellow background at the top and black year and CALIFORNIA text. California DMV also issued 1942 metal strip tag to be used on 1941 plates when metal became a scarce resource during World War II.

For YOM registration of a 1942 model-year vehicle you will need a pair of front & rear, matching, DMV clear 1942 plates OR a pair of front & rear, matching, DMV clear 1941 plates and a pair of 1942 metal strip tags

In 1943, California issued a new metal corner tag with a red “V” for VICTORY on a white background.

For YOM registration of a 1943 model-year vehicle you will need a pair of front & rear, matching, DMV clear 1941 plates OR 1942 plates with a metal “V” corner tab on each (front and rear) plate.

In early months of 1944 California issued a BEAR tag. They are super hard to find. Later, in accordance with steel rationing, California issued a paper sticker to attach to the inside of your windshield. For YOM registration of a 1944 model-year vehicle you will need a pair of front & rear, matching, DMV clear 1941 plates OR 1942 plates with a 1944 DMV paper windshield sticker. You do not need a ’42 metal tag on the ’41 plates, or the V corner tag on a ’41 or ’42 base plate. Those would have been removed when the car was registered in 1944.

In 1945, California issued a new base license plate featuring a black background and white lettering and only one (rear) plate was required. Again to ration steel. For YOM registration of a 1945 model-year vehicle you will need a single, DMV clear 1945 plate.

In 1946, California issued a new metal tag with a black “46” on a yellow background.

For YOM registration of a 1946 model-year vehicle you will need a single, DMV clear 1945 plate with a metal “46” tab.