American
Samoa
STATUS: United States unincorporated Territory
PRONOUNCED: suh MO uh
CAPITAL: Pago Pago
WORLD LOCATION: South Pacific
FIRST LICENSE PLATES IN USE: 1924
MOTOR VEHICLES CURRENTLY REGISTERED: 5,000
CURRENT SLOGAN: "Motu O Fiafiaga" (Island of Paradise) - since 1967. Was originally "Pago Pago Motu O Fiafiaga" for the first few years of issuance.
GRAPHICS USED: Embossed palm tree at left of plate number - since 1967.
PLATES ARE: Officially issued. The following series are known:
Simple number - PASSENGER
CAR
AC - AGRICULTURE
AP - AIRPORT AUTHORITY
C - CARGO
CC - COMMUNITY COLLEGE
CF - CORRECTIONAL FACILITY
CI - CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION
CJ - CRIMINAL JUSTICE
CP - COMMERCIAL
DM - UNIVERSITY
DOT - COAST GUARD
EC - EARLY CHILDHOOD
DEPARTMENT
ED - EDUCATION DEPARTMENT
FA - FEDERAL AVIATION
ADMINISTRATION
FD - FIRE DEPARTMENT
GOVERNOR - The Governor's
plate has the word "Governor" as the serial number.
GS - GOVERNMENT SUPPLY
IP - IMPORTANT PERSONS
LT. GOV. - The Lt.
Governor's plate has LT.GOV as the serial number.
MC - MEDICAL CLINIC
MD - DOCTORS
Motorcycles have a simple
serial number, followed by the two digit year after a hyphen, i.e. "123-97".
MP - MOTOR POOL
MS - MEDICAL SERVICES
MT - MANPOWER TRAINING
PD - POLICE DEPARTMENT
PWD - PUBLIC WORKS
DEPARTMENT
SE - SPECIAL EDUCATION
ST - SCHOOL TRANSPORT
T - TAXI
TT - TOW TRUCK
TV - TELEVISION STATION
U.S. CONGRESS - Congress
issue plates have U.S.CONGRESS spelled out across the bottom of the plate,
instead of the slogan, and a low serial number.
UT - UTILITY DIVISION
WM - WEIGHTS & MEASURES
WR - WRECKER
COLOR CODE for all known years:
1924 - black/white; "A.S.", dash, and serial, dash, and vertical "1924";
1925 - Unknown
1926 - black/white; 13 1/2 x 5; “AS”, dash, serial, dash, & “1926” vertical
1927 - black/white; no details
1928 - gold/blue; 8 3/4 x 5; stacked “AS” left; “1928” vertical right
1929 - black/white; “A.S.”, dash, & serial; “1929” vertical right
1930 - colors uncertain; 14x5; “A.S.” + serial; “1930” vertical right
1931 - Unknown
1932 - Unknown
1933 - brass/black; 9 3/4 x 4 3/4 ; “1933 AUTOMOBILE" over "LICENSE” top; “AMERICAN SAMOA” bottom; numeric serial; solid brass plate;
NOTE! from 1934 to 1952 plates had 1 to 3 digit serial, dash, and last 2 digits of year.
1934 - brown/white; serial, dash, & “34”; “AMERICAN SAMOA” bottom;
1935 - white/blue
1936 - medium green/cream; "AMERICAN SAMOA" bottom; 00 - "36" serial format
1937 - white/red
1938 - Unknown
1939 - black/white; 10 3/4 x 5; “AMERICAN SAMOA” bottom; serial, dash, & “39”
1940 - white/red; 39 format
1941 - purple/white; 39 format
1942 - white/vermillion; 39 format
1943 - windshield sticker;
1944 - windshield sticker
1945 - white/blue; 39 format
1946 - white/dark green; 39 format
1947 - white/crimson red; 39 format
1948 - blue/yellow; 39 format
1949 - black/white; "AMERICAN SAMOA" bottom; 000 - "49" serial format
1950 - white/medium blue; 39 format (see photo)
1951 - orange/blue-violet; 39 format
1952 - black/yellow; 39 format
1953 -
1954 - white/violet; "AMERICAN SAMOA" bottom; "19" top left; "54" top right; 000 serial format
1955 - white/red; 54 format
1956 - blue/white; 12 5/8 x 6 5/8; "AMERICAN SAMOA" bottom; "19" top left; "56" top right; numeric serial
1957 - white/black; 54 format
1958 - white/red; 54 format
1959 - red/yellow; “AMERICAN SAMOA” bottom; “19” top left; “59” top right
1960 - white/dark green; 59 format
1961 - white/orange; 59 format
1962 - black/white; 59 format
1963 - olive green/white; aluminum; “19” upper left corner; “63” upper right corner; “AMERICAN SAMOA” bottom
NOTE! same format following years
1964 - white/olive green
1965 - white/red; 12 1/2 x 6 1/2
1966 - white/light blue
1967 - white/green; palm tree logo left; “19 AMERICAN SAMOA 67” top; “PAGO PAGO MOTU O FIAFIAGA” bottom
1968 - dark green/pale green; 63 format
1969 - black/yellow; 12 1/2 x 6 5/8; “19 AMERICAN SAMOA 69” top; palm tree logo left; “PAGO PAGO MOTU O FIAFIAGA” bottom
1970 undated - white/dark blue; palm tree logo left; “AMERICAN SAMOA” top; sticker box top right; “PAGO PAGO MOTU O FIAFIAGA” bottom
1970 - white/green sticker
1971 - refl white/red sticker
1972 - black/refl gold sticker
1973 - white/blue sticker
1974 undated - orange-red/white; 12 1/2 x 6 5/8; “AMERICAN SAMOA” top; sticker box upper right; palm tree logo left; numeric serial; “PAGO PAGO MOTU O FIAFIAGA” bottom
1975 - Unknown sticker colors.
1976 - black/gold sticker; 1 1/2 x 1; “SAMOA” sideways left; “76” bottom right; black/gold serial top right
1977 - undated dark blue/refl white; palm tree logo left; “MOTU O FIAFIAGA” top; “AMERICAN SAMOA” bottom; sticker box bottom right with “77” etched into the sticker box;
1977 - yellow/black sticker
1978 - white/red sticker; “SAMOA” sideways left; “78” bottom right; black/white serial with “P” prefix top
1979 - black/orange sticker; 78 format
1980 - undated white/refl light green; palm tree logo left; “MOTU O FIAFIAGA” top; “AMERICAN SAMOA” bottom flanked by sticker boxes
1981 - black/white sticker on 80 base
1982 - black/refl red sticker on 80 base
1983 - black/yellow sticker on 80 base; “EXPIRES” top; across the center is the date written “AUG-83” for example; serial bottom;
NOTE! the sticker number should match the plate number and the first number of the serial is the month of expiration
1984 - black/orange sticker on 80 base
1985 - green/white sticker on 80 base; “EXPIRES” over ”MAR. 85”
1986 - white/blue sticker on 80 base
1987 - black/white; 12 3/8 x 6; palm tree logo left; “AMERICAN SAMOA” bottom flanked by sticker boxes; “MOTU O FIAFIAGA” top;
1988 - black/yellow sticker
1989 - black/green sticker; “EXPIRES” over ”APR-88” over serial number
1990 - Unknown
1991 - Unknown
1992 - Unknown
1993 - Unknown
1994 - Unknown
1995 - Unknown
1996 - Unknown
1997 - Unknown
SINGLE PLATES OR PAIRS: Pairs
OVAL: USA ISO: AS
CARS DRIVE ON: Right
Type infomation and colors from the Klotz Archive.
|
1942 American Samoa number 1 plate. This is the first American Samoa plate issued in 1942. Possibly a governor's issue. From the PL8S archive. |
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1950 American Samoa passenger plate, from the PL8S photo archive. The last two digits indicate the year. |
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