Once a year, the Division of Motor Vehicles in Delaware becomes a joyful place for a select few individuals. It’s time for Tag-A-Palooza, the annual lottery for low-digit license plates. Online registration for the statewide lottery will begin on October 23, and the giveaway to winners will start on November 6.
In Delaware, license plate numbers hold significant value, just like real estate. You can keep your plate for your entire life, transferring it from one car to another. You can also sell it or pass it down to your children. Some low-number plates have been sold for hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Reserved for the governor, lieutenant governor, and secretary of state, license plate numbers 1 to 3 hold a special status. However, Delaware continues numbering from “4” and beyond. Plates with low numbers are a symbol of pride, honor, and prestige. In a state with a strong car culture, the digits on your license plate can matter more than the car itself.
Low-digit license plates can be bought and sold, with prices reaching staggering amounts. For instance, the Fusco family purchased the “6” license plate for $675,000 in 2008, and plate number 14 recently sold for $325,000. Websites like Low Digit Tags specialize in buying and selling Delaware plates priced in the tens of thousands of dollars.
For those who cannot afford such high prices, there is the low-digit tag lottery, offering an equal opportunity for individuals to win a coveted plate. This year, the online lottery is the primary method of participation, with registration open from October 23 to November 2. Winners will be announced daily from November 6 to November 10.
Participants can also sign up for the lottery in person at four designated locations. Giveaways will take place at the Dover DMV on November 6, the Georgetown DMV on November 7, the Wilmington DMV on November 9, and the Delaware City DMV on November 9. It is important to note that if you win a low-digit tag in person, you are ineligible to win another tag online.
The number of available low-digit tags varies based on the tag type. There are seven types available: PV (5-digit, numbers only) with 530 tags released each day, C (Commercial) with 55 tags released daily, PC (Passenger Car) with 145 tags released per day, T (Trailer) with 406 tags released daily, MC (Motorcycle) with 381 tags released daily, RT (Recreational Trailer) with 33 tags released daily, and RV (Recreational Vehicle) with 35 tags released daily.
Winning a low-digit license plate can also make you eligible to purchase historic black-and-white or porcelain plates, further enhancing your prestige. Good luck to all participants in the Delaware low-digit tag lottery!
[Image: An address sign at the Morse home in Dagsboro designed like a low-digit black-and-white Delaware license plate.]
[Image: Jordan Irazabal of Wilmington capturing photos of Delaware’s low-number license plates.]
[Image: Delaware’s unique black-and-white license plates featured on caps sold at the BMW Championship merchandise shop at Wilmington Country Club.]
[Image: A vintage Delaware license plate from 1909.]
[Correction: License plate No. 14 recently sold for $325,000, not No. 17.]
[Contact: Matthew Korfhage at mkorfhage@delawareonline.com]