Vehicle registration plates of the United States by year | ||
---|---|---|
Vehicle registration plates of the United States for 1904 | Events of 1905 | Vehicle registration plates of the United States for 1906 |
In 1905 the states of Connecticut, Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, and West Virginia all began to issue their own license plates. The prestate era of plates began in the states of California, Delaware, Florida, Indiana, Michigan, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oregon, South Dakoya, Tennessee. This year saw the most changes during the prestate era. Eight states were now issuing plates and another 17 required their owners to provide their own plates.[1][2][3][4]
Passenger baseplates
editIn the table below, a light green background indicates that the owner of the vehicle was required to provide their own license plates. These plates are called "prestate" by most collectors. In the prestate era many states only provided the license plate number on a small disc or on paper, and the owner was required to have their license plate(s) made. These early license plates were created from kits that could be purchased at a hardware store, may have been available from automobile clubs or associations, they were forged by blacksmiths or other tradesmen, or the owner may have made their own plate with whatever materials they had on hand. Prestate plates were made from a variety of materials, but most often were made of leather, steel, or wood.
Legend: | Regular state issue plate(s) | Prestate era plate(s) | No plates issued by state or territory |
Image | State | Design | Slogan | Serial format | Serials issued | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Alabama | No prestate plates. State issued plates begin in 1911. | |||||
Alaska | No prestate plates. State issued plates begin in 1921. | |||||
American Samoa | No prestate plates. Territory issued plates begin in 1924. | |||||
Arizona | No prestate plates. State issued plates begin in 1914. | |||||
Arkansas | No prestate plates. State issued plates begin in 1911. | |||||
California | First year for prestate plates. State issued plates begin in 1914. | |||||
Canal Zone | No prestate plates. State issued plates begin in 1910. | |||||
Colorado | No prestate plates. State issued plates begin in 1913. | |||||
Connecticut | First year for state issued plates. | |||||
Delaware | First year for prestate plates. State issued plates begin in 1908. | |||||
District of Columbia |
District issued plates begin in 1907. | |||||
Florida | First year for prestate plates. State issued plates begin in 1918. | |||||
Georgia | No prestate plates. State issued plates begin in 1910. | |||||
Guam | No prestate plates. Territory issued plates begin in 1916. | |||||
Hawai'i | No prestate plates. Territory issued plates begin in 1922. | |||||
Idaho | No prestate plates. State issued plates begin in 1913. | |||||
Illinois | Prestate plates start in 1907. State issued plates begin in 1911. | |||||
Indiana | First year for prestate plates. State issued plates begin in 1913. | |||||
Iowa | State issued plates begin in 1911. | |||||
Kansas | No prestate plates. State issued plates begin in 1913. | |||||
Kentucky | No prestate plates. State issued plates begin in 1910. | |||||
Louisiana | No prestate plates. State issued plates begin in 1915. | |||||
Maine | First year for state issued plates. | |||||
Maryland | State issued plates begin in 1910. | |||||
Massachusetts | ||||||
Michigan | First year for prestate plates. State issued plates begin in 1910. | |||||
Minnesota | State issued plates begin in 1909. | |||||
Mississippi | No prestate plates. State issued plates begin in 1912. | |||||
Missouri | Prestate plates start in 1907. State issued plates begin in 1911. | |||||
Montana | Prestate plates start in 1913. State issued plates begin in 1915. | |||||
Nebraska | Prestate plate provided by owner with house number mounted on leather | None | 1234 | First year for prestate plates. State issued plates begin in 1915. | ||
Nevada | Prestate plates start in 1913. State issued plates begin in 1916. | |||||
New Hampshire | First year for state issued plates. | |||||
New Jersey | State issued plates begin in 1908. | |||||
New Mexico | First year for prestate plates. State issued plates begin in 1912. | |||||
New York | State issued plates begin in 1910. | |||||
North Carolina | Prestate plates start in 1909. State issued plates begin in 1913. | |||||
North Dakota | No prestate plates. State issued plates begin in 1911. | |||||
Northern Mariana Islands |
No prestate plates. Territory issued plates begin in 1944. | |||||
Ohio | No prestate plates. State issued plates begin in 1908. | |||||
Oklahoma | No prestate plates. State issued plates begin in 1915. | |||||
Oregon | First year for prestate plates. State issued plates begin in 1911. | |||||
Pennsylvania | State issued plates begin in 1906. | |||||
Puerto Rico | No prestate plates. Territory issued plates begin in 1912. | |||||
Rhode Island | ||||||
South Carolina | No prestate plates. State issued plates begin in 1917. | |||||
South Dakota | First year for prestate plates. State issued plates begin in 1913. | |||||
Tennessee | First year for prestate plates. State issued plates begin in 1915. | |||||
Texas | No prestate plates. State issued plates begin in 1917. | |||||
U.S. Virgin Islands | No prestate plates. Territory issued plates begin in 1917. | |||||
Utah | Prestate plates start in 1909. State issued plates begin in 1915. | |||||
Vermont | First year for state issued plates. | |||||
Virginia | No prestate plates.State issued plates begin in 1906. | |||||
Washington | Prestate plates start in 1906. State issued plates begin in 1915. | |||||
West Virginia | First year for state issued plates. | |||||
Wisconsin | Riveted aluminum serial on black zinc plate | none | 1234-W | 1-W to 1492-W | First year for state issued plates. Photo shows the 32nd license plate issued in the state. Serial ranges shown are plates issued in 1905. | |
Wyoming | No prestate plates. State issued plates begin in 1913. |
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Fox, Jams K. (1997). License Plates of the United States: A Pictorial History 1903-To the Present. Jerico, New York: Interstate Directory Publishing Company. ISBN 9781886777002.
- ^ Minard, Jeff; Stentiford, Tim (2004). A Moving History, 50 Years Of ALPCA. 100 Years Of License Plates. Paducah, Kentucky: Turner Publishing Company. p. 58. ISBN 1-56311-975-7.
- ^ Crisler, Bob; Crisler, Chuck, eds. (2007). License Plate Values (7th ed.). King Publishing Company.
- ^ Martells, Jack (1980). Antique Automotive Collectibles. Chicago: Contemporary Books, Inc. pp. 128–145. ISBN 0-8092-7205-9.