Chevrolet Caprice License Plate Bulb Size

Additional Notes

• The Chevrolet Caprice license plate position uses four distinct bulb types across its model history: the 12961, 194, 168, 97, 67, 1155, and 24, reflecting changes in socket and electrical design over several decades.
• The 12961 is a Philips-designated miniature wedge bulb in the T10 form factor with a W2.1x9.5d base, rated at 12V and 5W. It fits the Chevrolet Caprice (2011-2017) and is not an ANSI-standardized part number, meaning direct substitutes must match the W2.1x9.5d base rather than simply the T10 envelope.
• The 194 is an ANSI-standard T10 miniature wedge bulb rated at 12V and 3.78W. It covers the Caprice from 1977-1992, with the exception of 1976 and 1991, and shares the same T10 form factor as the 12961 but draws less wattage.
• The 168 is also an ANSI-standard T10 miniature wedge bulb, rated at 12V and 4.9W, placing its output between the 194 and the 12961. It is specified for the 1974-1976 model years.
• Because the 194, 168, and 12961 all share the T10 wedge form factor, physical fitment across those part numbers may be possible, but wattage differences mean they are not electrically identical and should not be treated as direct interchangeable replacements without accounting for circuit tolerances.
• The 1991 Caprice uses the 24 bulb, an ANSI-standard single-filament type with a BA9s base rated at 12V and 2W. The BA9s base is physically incompatible with the wedge socket used in surrounding model years, making the 1991 fitment distinct from both the 1990 and 1992 specifications.
• The 67 bulb is an ANSI-standard single-filament type with a BA15s bayonet base, rated at 12V and 8W, and is described as a lower-wattage variant of the 1156. It is specified for the 1968-1971 model years.
• The 97 bulb shares the BA15s bayonet base with the 67 and is also a variant of the 1156, but is rated at 12V and 13W, nearly double the wattage of the 67. It covers the 1972-1973 model years. Despite the shared base type, substituting a 97 for a 67 or vice versa would result in a wattage mismatch.
• The 1155 is an ANSI-standard single-filament bulb with a BA15s bayonet base rated at 12V and 21W, specified for the 1966-1967 Caprice. At 21W, it draws substantially more power than the 97 and 67 variants that share the same base, and the three are not interchangeable despite physical compatibility at the socket.
• Across the full specification range, the license plate circuit wattage decreases significantly over time, from 21W in 1966-1967 down to 2W in 1991 and 5W in 2011-2017, reflecting broader shifts in automotive lighting electrical design.