When will Minnesota switch to 7 digit license plates? (2013, cars)

[JohnnyMN]

Pretty soon, it's going to become necessary.

[Glenfield]

Not anytime soon. There are about 5 million vehicles of all types registered in Minnesota and over 13 million combinations of license plate numbers are currently possible.

License plates consist of three digits followed by three letters. how many license plates are possible? - Yahoo! Answers

[iNviNciBL3]

Plus you have all those Critical Habitat plates that have 5 digits.

[JohnnyMN]

But it's possible that discarded plates have taken up the 13 million combinations

[Thegonagle]

Actually, it's a lot more than 13 million. The number of combinations is doubled because every time the reach the end, they switch from numbers first to letters first and vise-versa.

They avoid duplication on old cars by issuing new plates every 8 years.

I suppose they'll change when they run into trouble keeping at least an 8-year "supply" of numbers with the current sequencing.

[Thegonagle]

Originally Posted by JohnnyMN

But it's possible that discarded plates have taken up the 13 million combinations

It's a given. But since each license plate number is retired after 8 years, it's not a problem.

[Beenhere4ever]

You already get seven characters on a vanity plate.

[shotz90s]

No worries. In 10 years cars will get bar code plates and patrol cars will have grill or dash mounted scanners. The plates will also transmit a signal.

[Thegonagle]

Originally Posted by shotz90s

No worries. In 10 years cars will get bar code plates and patrol cars will have grill or dash mounted scanners.

Where have you been? They started doing that several years ago, but with modern video analysis software, no bar code is needed. They can read the block letters on a license plate.

You Are Being Tracked: How License Plate Readers Are Being Used to Record Americans' Movements | American Civil Liberties Union

[iNviNciBL3]

Ive seen Saint Paul police cars like this.