Chevrolet Chevette License Plate Bulb Size

The Chevrolet Chevette license plate light requires 194 and 168 bulb sizes for the exterior lighting system. Available information covers the production span from 1976 through 1987.

The year-by-year compatibility chart below provides a quick reference to verify the correct bulb size for your vehicle.

Bulb Size by Year Range

Years	Bulb Size
1977-1987	194
1976	168

Bulb Specifications

Description	Bulb Size
ANSI standard (US & Canada). Miniature wedge bulb (T10). 12V, 3.78W.	194
ANSI standard (US & Canada). Miniature wedge bulb (T10). 12V, 4.9W.	168

Other Locations

Additional Notes

The Chevrolet Chevette uses the 194 bulb for its license plate across the 1977-1987 model years, with the sole exception of the 1976 model year, which uses the 168 bulb instead.
Both the 194 and 168 are ANSI-standardized miniature wedge bulbs sharing the T10 form factor and a 12-volt operating voltage.
Despite their shared T10 wedge base and voltage rating, the 194 and 168 are not electrically identical. The 194 is rated at 3.78 watts, while the 168 draws 4.9 watts, reflecting a meaningful difference in current draw.
The T10 wedge base is a pinless design in which the glass envelope itself acts as the retention mechanism when inserted into the socket, a construction common to low-wattage automotive lighting applications.
Because the 194 and 168 share the same T10 physical base, one bulb may fit the socket of the other. However, the wattage difference means substituting one for the other results in a circuit drawing more or less current than the original specification.
The 194 bulb is among the most widely used miniature automotive bulbs in North American vehicles, frequently appearing in license plate, courtesy, and instrument panel lighting positions across many makes.