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Private/Passenger
Plate History
Prefixes
Non-Passenger/Other
    Abnormal Vehicle
    Automobile Agency
    Bus
    Dealer
    Diesel Truck
    ESSO Refinery & Lago Colony
    Garage, Repair
    Government
    Hire
    Motorcycle (Private)
    Motorcycle (Official, Rental)
    Rental
    Special Event
    Taxi
    Tourist
    Truck
    Vanity
Jurisdiction Information
Credits

Private/Passenger

Passenger License Plates
Since 1961: In July of each year, plates are revalidated by a metal plate in reversed colors from the base plate. It bears the serial (top), the letter "A" for private vehicles (center) and the year (bottom).

(A) 2015 plates were revalidated by a windshield sticker in 2016, 2017 and 2018.

(B) 2020 plates are valid until 2024.


Plate History

1931 - 1969

1970 - 1979

1980 - 1989

1990 - 1999

2000 - 2009


Prefixes

A Private/Passenger
AG Automobile Agency
B Bus
BR Dealer
D Government, Official
DT Diesel Truck (Since 1978)
GAR Garage / Repair
H Hire 1950's only, now discontinued.
MFA Private Motorcycle
MFD Official Motorcycle
MFV Rental Motorcycle
O Abnormal Vehicle: Bus allowed to pick up passengers anywhere. Used with "B", "DT", "T" plates
T Tourist Vehicle
TR Truck
TX Taxi
V Rental Car

Non-Passenger/Other

Abnormal Vehicle*

Abnormal Vehicle License Plates
* Bus allowed to pick up passengers anywhere. Used with "B" (Bus), "DT" (Diesel Truck) and "T" (Tourist) plates

Automobile Agency

Automobile Agency License Plates

Bus

Bus License Plates

Dealer

Dealer License Plates

Diesel Truck

Diesel Truck License Plates

ESSO Refinery and Lago Colony

Esso Refinery License Plate
Lago Colony was a community on the eastern end of Aruba in an area now called Seroe Colorado. The colony served, for the most part, as a company town for Lago Oil and Transport Company, Ltd., which owned and operated a refinery on the island.

Lago Oil was a subsidiary of Standard Oil Company (New Jersey), later known as Exxon Corporation.

At its peak, Lago Colony included about 700 homes for employees and their families and included a school, a hospital, a church, and a variety of social and recreational opportunities. Residents of the colony were mostly Americans but other nationalities were also represented.

The refinery, which began operating in 1924 as a trans-shipping facility for crude oil from Lake Maracaibo (Venezuela), was at one time the largest refinery complex in the world. The facility remained in operation until 1985 when Exxon moved to shut down and dismantle the refinery and Lago Colony. Parts of the facility were sold to the Aruban government and later to Coastal Petroleum. Though a much smaller operation today, Valero Energy Corporation now operates the refinery.

An undated license plate was issued to vehicles that did not go outside the concession.

Source: See (6) Credits


Garage, Repair

Garage, Repair License Plates

Government

Government License Plates

Hire

Hire License Plates
1950's and 1960's only, now discontinued and replaced by "TX" (Taxi)

Motorcycle (Private)

Private Motorcycle License Plates

Motorcycle (Official, Rental)

Official and Rental Motorcycle License Plates

Rental

Rental Vehicle License Plates

Special Event

Special Event License Plate

Taxi

Taxi License Plates

Tourist

Tourist Vehicle License Plates

Truck

Truck License Plates

Vanity

Vanity License Plates

Jurisdiction Information

Map of Aruba

Location Caribbean
Capital Oranjestad
Main Religion Christianity
Main Languages Dutch, Papiamento
Political Status Autonomous state within the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Full autonomy in internal affairs. The government of the Netherlands is responsible for defense and foreign affairs.
History Dutch since 1634
International Oval (none)
ISO Code AW

Credits

(1) Jim Fox/Greg Gibson
(2) Mark O'Neil
(3) Michiel van der Veur
(4) Ephraim Martina
(5) Tom Hondong
(6) Briscoe Center for American History

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