License Plate Combinations Calculator
Plate supply from letter and digit positions minus reserved series.
What it does
Plate supply is pure counting: each letter position multiplies by 26, each digit by 10, and the state subtracts reserved series from the gross. Classic 3-letter 4-digit formats each hold about 175.76 million before exclusions.
The tool above takes letters with digits and reserves. It returns total combos with available left and the counting form.
The default 3 plus 4 minus 1,000 gives 175,760,000 gross and 175,759,000 net. Two letters with five digits give 67.6 million.
Counting follows UC Berkeley combinatorics with California and Oregon DMV pattern pages behind them. All three agree on independent position multiplication used here.
How to use
- Enter letter positions.
- Enter digit positions.
- Enter reserved combos.
- Read total first.
- Read available beside it.
- Check DMV for actives.
Formula
- letters
- Letter positions, 26 each.
- digits
- Digit positions, 10 each.
- reserved
- Blocked and special series out.
Letters run A to Z case insensitive at 26 each, digits 0 to 9 at 10 each. Counts stay integers with no rounding. Reserved covers blocked words and special series; DMV availability tools track actives on top.
Worked example
Example: ABC-1234 style
Defaults: 3 letters, 4 digits, 1,000 reserved.
- Letters: 3, digits: 4, reserved 1,000.
- Letters: 26^3 = 17,576.
- Digits: 10^4 = 10,000.
- Total: 17,576 x 10,000 = 175,760,000.
- Available: minus 1,000 = 175,759,000.
- CA 1ABC123 holds the same 3 plus 4 count.
- Tool shows 175,760,000 combos, 175,759,000 left.
Reference table
| Format | Math | Total |
|---|---|---|
| ABC-1234 | 26^3 x 10^4 | 175,760,000 |
| 1ABC123 | 10 x 26^3 x 10^3 | 175,760,000 |
| AB-12345 | 26^2 x 10^5 | 67,600,000 |
| A-123456 | 26 x 10^6 | 26,000,000 |
Limits
- Gross math only; DMV decides issues.
- Reviews block more than lists show.
- Formats vary by state and type.
- Personalized rules run stricter.
Common mistakes
- Forgetting leading zeros.
- Skipping reserved series.
- Mixing state formats.
- Counting reviews as issued.
- Overflowing tiny integer types.
Try it yourself
Quick checks. Answers sit tucked under each question.
2 letters, 5 digits, none reserved?
676 x 100,000 = 67,600,000 combos.
1 letter, 6 digits?
26 x 1,000,000 = 26,000,000 combos.
Defaults with 5,000 reserved?
175,760,000 minus 5,000 = 175,755,000 left.
Questions
How are plate counts computed?
26^letters x 10^digits minus reserved and retired series. Positions multiply independently.
Does 1ABC123 match ABC-1234?
Yes: 10 x 17,576 x 1,000 holds the same 3 letters plus 4 digits.
Why do real supplies run lower?
Offensive words, retired series, and special issues retire on top of actives.
Are custom plates counted here?
Yes, with fewer positions and stricter review than sequential issues.
Do leading zeros count?
No. Digits include leading zeros, so 0001 counts like 9999.
How large can counts run?
Caps hold exact integers: 6 letters with 7 digits still computes exactly.