Ford Custom License Plate Bulb Size

The Ford Custom license plate light requires bulb sizes 97, 1155, 67, or 63 depending on the specific application. Available data covers the period from 1950 to 1972.

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
1968-1972	97
1964-1967	1155
1957	67
1950-1952	63

Bulb Specifications

Description	Bulb Size
ANSI standard (US & Canada). Single-filament bulb with BA15s bayonet base. Variant of 1156. 12V, 13W.	97
ANSI standard (US & Canada). Single-filament bulb with BA15s bayonet base. Variant of 1156. 12V, 21W.	1155
ANSI standard (US & Canada). Single-filament bulb with BA15s bayonet base. Lower wattage variant of 1156. 12V, 8W.	67
ANSI standard (US & Canada). Single-filament bulb with BA9s base. 12V, 0.63W.	63

Other Locations

Additional Notes

The Ford Custom license plate bulb specifications cover model years 1950-1972, with three distinct bulb types appearing across that span: the 97, 1155, 67, and 63.
The bulb 97 is the most frequently specified type, covering the Ford Custom for model years 1968-1972. It is an ANSI-standard single-filament bulb rated at 12V and 13W, fitted with a BA15s bayonet base and classified as a variant of the 1156.
The 1155 is the second most commonly specified bulb, used across model years 1964-1967. Like the 97, it carries an ANSI standard rating for the US and Canada, uses a BA15s bayonet base, and is a variant of the 1156, though it draws considerably more power at 21W on a 12V circuit.
The 97 and 1155 share the same BA15s bayonet base and 1156 variant classification, but their wattage ratings differ significantly. The 97 draws 13W while the 1155 draws 21W, meaning the two are not interchangeable despite their physical similarities.
The bulb 67 is specified for the 1957 Ford Custom. It is also an ANSI-standard single-filament bulb with a BA15s bayonet base and a 1156 variant designation, but it operates at only 8W on a 12V circuit, making it the lowest-wattage BA15s fitment in these specifications.
Although the 97, 1155, and 67 all share the BA15s bayonet base, their wattage ratings of 13W, 21W, and 8W respectively reflect meaningful electrical differences that affect their suitability for a given socket.
The 1950-1952 Ford Custom uses the bulb 63, which is distinct from all other types in these specifications. It uses a BA9s base rather than a BA15s base, operates at 12V, and is rated at just 0.63W, making it physically and electrically incompatible with the BA15s fitments used in later model years.
The BA9s base on the 63 bulb is a smaller single-contact bayonet fitting compared to the BA15s base shared by the 97, 1155, and 67. The 15 in BA15s refers to a 15mm pin spacing, while BA9s uses a 9mm cap, confirming that sockets for these two base types are not interchangeable.
All four bulb types in these specifications conform to ANSI standards recognized in both the United States and Canada, indicating they follow a standardized sizing and performance classification system used across North American automotive applications.
The single-filament construction shared by all four bulb types means each produces a fixed output level with no high/low switching capability, which is consistent with the straightforward illumination function of a license plate light.