The 1975 tab was good through March 31, 1976
The 1976 tab covered the period from April 1, 1976 to March 31, 1977


1972 Rhode Island plates sporting 76 expiration tabs.
Passenger car plates used am AA-000, and A 000 numbering.


1972 Rhode Island sample plate with 76 tab.

1967 Rhode Island license plates with 76 tabs.
The black on non-reflectorized white plates painted on on aluminum are tough to find in decent condition.
Many of them were used until 1980.

The serial on this plate comes with a single letter and no dot separator.

1968 Rhode Island plate used through the early part of 1976 showing 1975 expiration tab.

1967 Rhode Island Discover base samples with 1976 expiration stickers

1975 Rhode Island dealer plate updated with 1976 tab
1976 expiration tab on hand painted Rhode Island dealer type plate

1973 Rhode Island base trailer license plates with 1976 expiration stickers.

5 digit plates like the one above are mentioned in the book Registered in Rhode Island by Richard E. Dragon.
According to that source,"Since at least 1947, registration number 10,000 has been issued to the city of Providence. and used on the mayor's official vehicle.
"The practice continued until the 1990's.
Other cities used 20000, 30000 etc.
Traditionally, each mayor with such a plate has been allowed to assign, to individuals of his choice, several additional plates with numbers following his or her own."
I believe that is the case with this plate.
It was made to be used in Providence, probably by mayoral staff or friends.
The fact that it appears unused, however, may mean it was never actually assigned to an individual or a vehicle.


1972 Rhode Island courtesy license plates updated with 1976 tabs.

1968 Rhode Island reflective courtesy license plates updated with 1976 tabs.

Vanity plate with 1975 expiration tab that could have been used into the first quarter of 1976.
Owner painted the dot between I and R on this plate
Vanity plate with 1977 expiration likely used in late 1976


1973 style Rhode Island commercial plate updated with 1976 tab on the left
The one on the right with the lighter background was probably not issued until 1977
It was during 1977 that the shade of the reflective sheeting of 72 type Rhode Island base plates was changed to a brighter white

1968 Rhode Island commercial plate used through 1976


1972 style Rhode Island camper license plates updated with 1976 tabs


1968 Rhode Island suburban license plate issued to owners of vehicles for both commercial and private purposes.
This one is missing most of its paint as the Rhode Island weather was hard on non reflective issues used over long periods of time.
It is updated with a 1977 tab, and has the 76 and 75 tabs underneath it.
On the right, is one of the 1972 versions of the Rhode Island suburban plates updated with a 1076 expiration sticker.



1968 Rhode Island town plate pair are still in use updated with current expiration stickers
This one has a 1976 tab as its last one. As you can see, the paint flakes badly on 1968 bases exposed to the ocean weathering of Rhode Island
1968 base Rhode Island town plate with 1977 expiration issued in 1976

1976 Rhode Island city vehicle plate
1976 Rhode Island town vehicle plate

1976 Rhode Island state vehicle license plate

1972 style Rhode Island public license plates updated through 1978 and 1976.
The 76 tab is buried beneath the 77 tab, and a 75 tab is showing noting its use during 1976.
Public plates were used on vehicles,"intended to carry one or more passengers for hire that must be summoned or otherwise prearranged for, and are most often seen on school buses, motor coaches, and ambulances," according to Registered in Rhode Island by Richard Dragon.

Restored Rhode Island News Photographer plate with 1975 and 1976 expiration stickers

1968 Rhode Island Jitney license plate updated with 76 expiration.

Rhode Island school bus plate in use in 1977 and 1976

1976 Rhode Island racer tow license plate

1962 Rhode Island farm plate updated with 75 and 76 expiration stickers.

Rhode Island transporter plate of early 70's type with 1975 expiration used into 1976
Early 60s Rhode Island In Transit plate used on construction equipment with 1976 expiration

1974 through 1981 Rhode Island State Police license plate.


70's style Rhode Island State Police motorcycle of the type that would have been used in 1976.
According to Registered in Rhode Island by Richard Dragon,"Because a market exists for Rhode Island state police plates, many have been produced for collector purposes.
Also, a sticker not actually used on a particular base may be applied by a collector without regard to its correctness: it may be the wrong month, year or both."
My guess is that this is the case with this particular plate.
It is an example of what would have been used during 1976, however.
The plates come with both a reflectorized (shown above) and non-reflectorized background.

1972 type of Rhode Island State House plate used through 1976 and a State Senate plate updated with a 1977 tab

1972 through 1979 Rhode Island State United States Senate plates

On left is the 1968 Rhode Island antique auto plate updated with a 76 tab
On the right is the 1972 version of the plate, also updated with a 76 tab


1976 Rhode Island motorcycle license plate with reflective background made in New York
1971 Rhode Island motorcycle plate updated with 1976 expiration sticker

Plates I am looking for from Rhode Island:

You can contact me at mikesells@aol.com
For more on Rhode Island license plates, you can follow these links:

State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations Division of Motor Vehicles

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