Toyota Tacoma License Plate Bulb Size

Additional Notes

• The 168 and 194 are both ANSI-standardized miniature wedge bulbs sharing the T10 form factor and a 12-volt operating voltage, making them physically interchangeable in terms of socket fitment on the Toyota Tacoma.
• Despite their shared T10 socket type, the 168 and 194 differ in wattage. The 168 operates at 4.9W, while the 194 draws 3.78W, meaning the two are not electrically identical replacements for one another.
• The Toyota Tacoma uses the 168 bulb for the license plate position across the 2005-2023 model years, with the exception of 2016, 2017, 2019, and 2020, and also covering 1995-1996.
• The 194 bulb is specified for the Toyota Tacoma license plate position across the 1997-2004 model years.
• The T10 wedge base is a pinless design where the glass envelope itself acts as the retention mechanism within the socket, a construction common to low-wattage automotive lighting applications.
• Both the 168 and 194 are governed by ANSI standards applicable in the United States and Canada, indicating that bulbs from different manufacturers carrying these designations conform to the same electrical and physical specifications.
• The wattage difference between the 168 and 194 reflects a distinction in filament design rather than voltage compatibility, as both operate on a standard 12-volt automotive electrical system.
• The shift from the 194 to the 168 specification between the 2004 and 2005 Tacoma model years corresponds to a change in the required wattage output for the license plate lamp position.