---

License Plate Gallery

License Plate Sticker Colours, Part 1: The Origin of Stickers

Validation stickers on license plates are ubiquitous today, and have been ubiquitous in most states for more than 40 years. How did it all begin, though? Surprisingly, ancillary means of revalidation have existed for nearly as long as license plates themselves.

The distant ancestor of the validation sticker was the metallic tax disc, usually fastened to the wooden dashboard of a car. In 1907 the state of Michigan began to issue dated dashboard discs on an annual basis, displayed in conjunction with an owner-provided multi-year plate. Michigan discontinued discs in 1910, but Nevada, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire experimented with similar systems (sometimes for motorcycles only) through the course of the teens. Other states also issued metallic dashboard discs in this era, but used them in conjunction with annual dated plates.

In 1916, the state of California issued a porcelain-enamel baseplate. The base was intended to be used for four years, and had rivet holes for annual metal tabs to be affixed directly to the license plate itself.

Several states and provinces followed California's lead and experimented with multi-year base use and metal tabs or inserts in the teens and 1920s, but few of them stuck with it for long. Small tabs were difficult to identify for validity at a glance, and easy for thieves to steal. By 1925, every jurisdiction in North America was issuing annual license plates in embossed steel.

In 1937, Connecticut bucked the prevailing trends and brought out a multi-year base that was designed to be used for many years and validated by annual date tabs from the outset. Durability concerns were mitigated by the fact that the plates were made of heavy-gauge aluminum with no background paint (making them immune to fading and rust), and the fact that the annual renewal tabs were brittle and difficult to steal helped salve concerns about security. It was a sign of trends to come.

Due to metal shortages and rationing concerns during World War II, all states and provinces were forced to look and scramble for ways to save material. Some jurisdictions issued license plates made of fiberboard or other alternate materials, some discontinued front plates in reaction, and many of them revisited the concept of multi-year baseplate use. The most common strategy was to issue metal date tabs, proven by Connecticut. Some states instead elected to issue windshield decals. Trailers and motorcycles lacked a windshield to stick things to, however...so alternate means of revalidation had to be used.

In 1943, trailers and motorcycles in Ohio were revalidated by a decal that was affixed to the license plate itself. This was the first example of a validation "sticker" in North America...although the decal was not self-adhesive and needed to be soaked in water before use. Delaware, Manitoba, and Nova Scotia also experimented with plate decals during the war.

The first self-adhesive license plate stickers in the United States were issued by Missouri in late 1952, partway through the 1953 expiration year. The trend snowballed quickly, with no fewer than six states issuing them before the decade was through:

U.S. plate stickers through 1960:
Arizona		Metal tabs			-	57	58	-	60
California		-		55a	-	57	58	59	60
Missouri		53a	54	55	56	57	58	59	60
Nevada		-		55	Annual plates
New Mexico	Cars	Annual plates							60b
	Trucks								60b
Pennsylvania	Cars/MCs	Annual plates						59	60
	Trucks							59	60
Washington	Cars	Metal tabs					58	59	60
	Trucks							59	60

^a Stickers issued to late registrants only; others received metal tabs.

^b Sticker applied to metal tab.

Validation stickers were first issued in Canada during 1963, making their appearances in the Maritime provinces of Prince Edward Island and New Brunswick that year. Since stickers were less expensive, less cumbersome, and more theft-resistant than metal tabs, the older format of revalidation made a rapid disappearance as the 1960s drew to a close. The last North American jurisdiction issuing metal tabs was Manitoba, which switched to stickers in 1971. Indiana finally discontinued issuing annual plates to passenger vehicles ten years later, and multi-year sticker-validated baseplates became universal...except in New York and New Jersey, where the stickers went on the windshield instead.

Ironically for having been the state that pioneered stickers in the 1950s, Missouri later regressed and reverted to annual dated plates from mid-1967 expirations through 1980.

---

Stickers indicating years of issue and primary use (as opposed to dates of expiration) are noted in italics.

Canada
British Columbia	Cars	Annual plates through 1970.							70	71	72	-	74	75	76	77	78	-	80	>
	Trucks	Annual plates through 1973.											74		-
	Motorcycles	Annual plates through 1974.												75	76	77	78
Alberta		Annual plates through 1973.											74	-	76	-	78	79	80
Saskatchewan		Annual plates through 1977.														77a	78	79	80
Manitoba		Metal tabs through 1970.								71	72	73	74	75	-	77	78	79	80
Ontario		Annual plates through 1973.											74	75	76	77	78	79	80	>
Quebec	Cars/Trucks	Annual plates through 1979.																	80
	Motorcycles																		80
New Brunswick		63	-	65	-	67	68	-	70	71	-	73	74	-	76	77	-	79	80
Nova Scotia	Cars/Trucks	-				67	68	-	70	71	-	73	74	75	76	77	78	79	80
	Motorcycles	Annual plates through 1972.											74		76
Prince Edward Island		63	-			67	68	-	70	71	72	-	74	75	-	77	78	79	80
Newfoundland	Cars/MCs	Annual plates through 1970.								71	72	-	74	75	-	77	78	79	80
	Trucks									71	72		74							>
Northwest Territories		Annual plates through 1975.													76	-	78	-	80

^a Used only on motorcycles.

United States
Alabama	Cars	Annual plates through 1977.																	78	79	80	>
	Trucks																		78	79
Alaska		Metal tabs			64	65	-	67	-	69	-	71	72	73	74	75	-	77	78	79	80
Arizona		-	62	63	-	65	-	67	68	-	70	71	72	-	74	75	76	77	78	79	80
Arkansas	Cars	Annual plates through 1968.							68a	69	70	71	72	73	74	75	76	77	78	79	80
	Motorcycles	Annual plates through 1979.																			80
California		61	62	-	64	65	66	67	68	69	70	71	72	73	74	75	76	77	78	79	80
													72b	73b	74b	75b
Colorado	Jan-Nov	No staggered registrations prior to 1978.																		79	80
	Dec	61	Annual plates through 1975.														76c	-	78	79	80
Connecticut		-		63d	64	65	66	67	68	69	70	71	72	73	74	75	76	77	78	79	80	>
Delaware		-	62d	63	64e	65e	Colours vary e				e f	71	72	Colours vary e
District of Columbia		Annual plates				65g	66g	67g	68	69g	70	71	72	73	74	75g	76	77	78	79	80
Florida		Annual plates through 1975.									70h	71h	72h	73h	74h	75h	76i	77	78	79	80
Georgia		Annual plates through 1971.											72	73	74	75	-	77	78	79	80
Hawaii		Windshield stickers through 1968.								-	70	71	72	73	74	75	-	77	78	79	80
Idaho	Cars	Annual plates through 1968.								69	70	71	72	73	-	75	76j	77	78	79	80	>
	Motorcycles									69	70	71	72	-	74	75	76	77	78	79	80
Illinois		Annual plates through 1979.																		79	80
Iowa		Annual plates through 1972.												73	74	-	76	77	78	-	80
Kansas	Cars	Annual plates through 1976.											72k	73k	74k	75k	76	77	78	79	80
	Trucks/MCs	Annual plates through 1975.																77	78	79	-
Kentucky		Annual plates through 1975.															76	77	78	79	80
Louisiana		Biannual plates through 1975.																77	78	79	80	>
Maine	Cars/Trucks	Metal tabs through 1967.							-	69	70	71	72	73	-	Colours vary l
	Motorcycles															-	76	77	78	79	80
Maryland		Annual plates through 1971.											72	73	74	75	-	77	78	79	80
Massachusetts		Biannual plates and windshield stickers									70gm	71m	72	73	74	75	76	77	78	79	80
Michigan		Annual plates through 1971.											72	-	74	75	-	77	78	-	80
Minnesota	Cars	Metal tabs				-	66	67	-	69	70	-	72	73	-	75	76	77	78	79	80	>
	Trucks						-	67		69	-	71	-	73			76
	Motorcycles					-		67		69		71		73			76	77
Mississippi		Annual plates through 1977.																	78	79	80
Missouri		61	-	63	64	65	66	67	Annual plates through 1980.
Montana	Cars	Metal tabs through 1966.						-		69	-	71	72	-	74	-		77	78	79	80
	Trucks									69		71
	Motorcycles	Annual plates through 1971.												-		-				79n	80
Nebraska		61	-	63	64	-		67	68	-	70	71	-	73	74	75	-	77	78	79	80	>
Nevada		-	62	63	64	-	66	67	68	-	70	71	72	73	74	75	76	77	78	79	80
New Hampshire	Cars/Trucks	Annual plates through 1973.													74	-	76	77	78	79	80
	Motorcycles	Annual plates through 1977.														75	76	77	78		80
New Jersey (motorcycles)		61	62	63	64	65	66	67	68	69	70	71	-	73	74	75	76	77	78	79	80
New Mexico	Cars	-	62	63	64	65	66	67	68	69	70	71	-	73	74	75	76	77	78	79	80
	Trucks				64	65	66	67	68	69	70	-	72	73	74	-						>
	Motorcycles	Annual plates through 1968.								69	70		-		74
New York		Metal tabs			-	65	66	67	68	69	70	71	72	73f	74b	75b	76b	77b	78b	79b	80b
North Carolina		Annual plates through 1975.															76	77	78	79	80
North Dakota		-		63	64	65	-	67	68	69	-	71	72	73	-	75	76	77	78	79	-
Ohio	Apr	Annual plates through 1974.							68o	69o	-					75	-		78	79	80
	May															75p			78	79
Oklahoma	Cars	Annual plates through 1973.													74q	Annual plates					80	>
	Trucks/MCs																				80
Oregon	Cars	61	62	63	64	65	66	67	68	69	70	71	72	73	74	75	76	77	78	79	80
	Motorcycles	Annual plates through 1966.						67	-	69	70	71		73	74		76
Pennsylvania	Cars/MCs	61	62	63	64	-	66	67	68	69	70	-	72	73	74	75	76	77r	78	79	80
	Suburbans	61	62	63	64
	Trucks	61	62	63	-	65	66	67	-	69	70	71	-	73	74	75	76	77	-
Rhode Island		61	62	63	64	65	66	67	68	69	70	71	72	73	74	75	76	77	78	79	80	>
South Carolina		Annual plates through 1976.																77	78	79	80
South Dakota		Annual plates through 1976.																77	78s	79	80
Tennessee		-		63	64	65	-	67	68	69	70	-	72	73	74	75	76	-	78	79	80
Texas		Annual plates through 1975.															76	77	78	79	80
Utah		61t	62t	-						69	70	71	72	-	74	75	76	77	78	79	80
Vermont		Annual plates through 1967.							68	-	70	71	-	73	74	75	76	-	78	79	80	>
Virginia		Annual plates through 1973.												73	74	75	76	77	78	79	80
Washington	Cars	61	62	-	64	65	66	67	68	69	70	71	72	73	74	75	76	77	78	79	80
	Trucks	61	62		64	65	66	67	68	69	70	71	72	73	74	75	76
	Motorcycles	Annual plates				65	66	67	68	69	70	71	72	73	74	75	76	Colours vary u
West Virginia		Annual plates through 1970.										71	72	73	74	75	76	76v	78	78v	80
Wisconsin	Cars	-	62	-	64	-	66	67	-	69	70	71	72	-	74	75	76	77	78	79	-	>
	Trucks/MCs	Annual plates			64		66	-	68	69	-	71	72	73	-	75	-	77	78	79w	80
Wyoming		Annual plates through 1975.															76	77	-	79	80

^a Issued to trucks only.

^b Issued to motorcycles only.

^c Stickers issued to trucks and motorcycles were black on white:

76

^d Stickers issued to late registrants only; others received metal tabs.

^e For many years, Delaware issued stickers in colours for expiration months that stayed similar from year to year. The following colours were used on expiration stickers from 1964 to 1970, although some yellow year-only stickers were also distributed in 1964 and 1965:

Mar

Jun

Sep

Dec

A 12-month colour palette was introduced for 1973 expirations and modified twice in subsequent years:

73-74	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
75	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
76-80	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec

^f Or windshield/window sticker.

^g Used on vanity plates only.

^h Half-year registration stickers for non-residents.

ⁱ Three different colours of Florida '76 stickers were issued, depending on the expiration and use:

Most registrations (exp. Jun)	76
Staggered registrations (exp. Nov-Dec)	76
Half-year non-residents (exp. Dec)	76

^j Later examples of Idaho '76 stickers issued to cars were white on blue:

76

^k Stickers used on interim/overflow plates with "Z" serial code.

^l For many years, Maine issued combined month-year stickers in unique colours for each expiration month. Due to the transition into a staggered registration system, 1975 expirations covered only the last three months of the year:

75										Oct	Nov	Dec
76	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
77	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
78	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
79	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
80	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec

^m Some examples of Massachusetts '70 and '71 stickers were reversed, with a white background:

70

71

ⁿ 1976 motorcycle baseplate validated by 1978 and 1979 passenger stickers (expiring in February), followed by 12-31-79 sticker.

^o Local tax stickers on annual dated plates.

^p Four different colours of Ohio '75 stickers were issued, depending on the expiration and use:

Passenger vehicles (exp. Apr 76)	75
Passenger vehicles (exp. May 76)	75
Motorcycles (exp. May 76)	75
Trucks & other types (exp. May 76)	75

^q Oklahoma '74 stickers issued to trucks were black on yellow:

74

^r Only used on handicapped plates.

^s South Dakota '78 stickers issued to motorcycles and trailers were black on yellow:

78

^t Used for durability tests on experimental reflective plates only.

^u Washington plate stickers issued to motorcycles from 1977 on varied in colour depending on the expiration quarter:

Jan-Mar

Apr-Jun

Jly-Sep

Oct-Dec

^v Dated with year of issue, not expiration.

^w Wisconsin '79 stickers were actually issued to light trucks in three colour schemes:

Initial registrations, up to 5000 lb:	79
Initial registrations, 5001-8000 lb:	79
Late new registrations, all weights:	79