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License Plate Gallery

License Plate Sticker Colours, Part 2: 1981-2000

Over half the jurisdictions in the U.S. and Canada were issuing multi-year baseplates and plate stickers by 1970. By 1982, all states and provinces were following suit...aside from New York and New Jersey, which used windshield stickers instead.

Colorado and Arizona began issuing distinctive stickers to vehicles requiring emissions tests in 1982 and 1988, respectively. Another trend that exploded in this era was the perpetuation of registration systems with expirations staggered throughout the year, described in more depth here. Stickers indicating years of issue and primary use (as opposed to dates of expiration) are noted in italics.

Canada
<	British Columbia		81	82	83	84	85	86	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95	96a	97	98	99	00	>
	Alberta		81	82	83	84b	85	86	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95	96	97	98	99	00
	Saskatchewan		81	82	83	84	85	86	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95	96	97	98	99	00
	Manitoba		81	82	-	84	85	86	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95	96	97	98	99	00
	Ontario	Jan-Mar	81	82	-	84	85	86	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95	96	97	98	99	00
<		Apr-Jun			83	84	85	86	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95	96	97	98	99	00	>
		Jul-Sep			83	84	85	86	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95	96	97	98	99	00
		Oct-Dec			83	84	85	86	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95	96	97	98	99	00
	Quebec		81	82	83	84	85	86	87	88	89	90	91	92	Discontinued after 1992.
	New Brunswick		81	82	83	84	85	-		88	89	90c	91	92	93	94	95	96	97	98	99	00
	Nova Scotia		81	82	83	84	85	86d	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95	96	97	98	99	00
<	Prince Edward Island		-	82	83	84	85	86	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95	96	97	98	99	00	>
	Newfoundland		81	82e	83e	84e	85	86	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95	96	97	98	99	00
	Yukon Territory		81	82	-	84	85	86	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95	96	97	98	99	00
	Northwest Territories		-	82	-	84	85	86	-	88	89	90f	91	92	93	94	95	96	97	98	99	00
	Nunavut		g																		99	00

^a Later examples of British Columbia '96 stickers were pink on white:

96

^b Three different colours of Alberta '84 stickers were issued, depending on the expiration and use:

All registrations (exp. Mar)	84
Extended registrations (exp. Jun)	84
Staggered registrations (exp. Oct-Dec)	84

^c New Brunswick '90 stickers beyond 03/90 were white on green:

90

^d Nova Scotia '86 stickers expiring in December for pre-1979 and non-passenger plates had reversed colours.

^e Newfoundland's '82-'84 stickers were bi-Coloured, with different colours for expiration months:

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

^f Northwest Territories '90 stickers beyond March were pink on white:

90

^g The area comprising Nunavut existed as part of the Northwest Territories before 1 April 1999.

United States
<	Alabama		81	82	83	84	85	86	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95	96	97	98	99	00	>
	Alaska		81	82	83	84	85	86	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95	96	97	98	99	00a
	Arizona	Emission	81	82	83	84	85	86	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95	96	97	98	99	00
		Non-emission									89	90	91	92	93	94	95	96	97	98	99	00
	Arkansas	Cars	81	82	83	84	85	86	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95	96	97	98	99	00
<		Motorcycles		82	83	84	85	86	87	88	89	90	91										>
	California		81	82	83	84	85	86	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95	96	97	98	99	00
	Colorado	Emission	81	82	83	84	85	86	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95	96	97	98	99	00
		Non-emission			83	84	85	86	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95	96	97	98	99	00
	Connecticut		81	82	83	84	85	86	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95	96	97b	98	99	00
	Delaware		Combined month-year stickers in various colours.
<	District of Columbia		81	82	83	84	85	86	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95	96	97	98	99	00	>
	Florida		81	82	83	84	85	86	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95	96	97	98	99	00
	Georgia		81	82	83	84	85	86	87	88	89	-	91	92	93	94	95	96	97	98	99	00c
	Hawaii		81	82	83	84	85	86	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95	96	97	98	99	00
	Idaho	Cars	81	82	83	84	85	86	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95	96	97	98	99	00
		Motorcycles	81
<	Illinois		81	82	83	84	85	86	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95	96	97	98	99	00	>
	Indiana		-	82	83	84	85	86	87	88	89	90	-	92	93	-	95	96	97	98	99	00
	Iowa		81	82	83	84	85	86	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95	96	97d	98	99	00
	Kansas	Cars	-	82	83	84	85	86	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95	96	97	98	99	00
		Trucks/MCs	81	82	83
	Kentucky	Cars/Trucks	81e	82e	83f	84	85	86	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95	96	97	98	99	00
<		Motorcycles	-		83	84	85	86	87	88	89		91	92	93	94	95	96					>
	Louisiana	Cars	81	Colours vary.			85	86	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95	96	97	98	99	00
		Trucks/MCs																	97	98
	Maine	Cars/Trucks	Colours vary.						87g	88g	89	90	91	92	93	94	95	96	97	98	99	00h
		Motorcycles	81	82	83	84	85	86	87	88
	Maryland		-	82	83	84	85	86	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95	96	97	98	99	00
								86i					91j	92j	93j	94j	95j
<	Massachusetts		81	82	83	84	85	86	87	88	89	90	91k	92	93	94	95	96	97	98	99	00	>
	Michigan		81	82	83	-	85	86	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95	96	97	98	99	00
	Minnesota		81	82	83l	84	85	86	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95	96	97	98	99	00
	Mississippi		81	82	83	84	85	86	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95	96	97	98	99	00
	Missouri		81	82	83	84	85	86	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95	96	97	-	99	00
	Montana	Cars/Trucks	81	82	83	84	85	86	87m	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95	96	97	98	99	00
<		Motorcycles	81	82	83	84	85	86	87	-	89	90	91	92	93	94	95	96	97	98	99	00	>
	Nebraska		81	82	83	84	85	86	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95	96	97	98	99	00
	Nevada		81	82	83	84	85	86	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95	96	97	98	99	00
	New Hampshire		81	82	83	84	85	86	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95	96	97	98	99	00
	New Jersey (motorcycles)		81	82	83	84	85	86	87	88	89	90	91	92n	93	94	95	96	97	98	99o	00o
<	New Mexico		81	82	83	84	85	86	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95	96	97	98	99	00	>
	New York (motorcycles)		81	82	83	84	85	86	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95	96	97	98	99	00
	North Carolina		81	82	83	84p	85p	86	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95	96	97	98	99	00
	North Dakota	Jan-Nov	81	82	83	-	85	86	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95	96	97	98	99	00
		Dec				84	85	86	87		89	90q	91q	92q	93
	Ohio		81	82	83	84	85	86	87	88	89r	90	91	92	93	94	95	96	97	98	99	00
	Oklahoma	Cars	-	82	83	84	85	86	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95	96	97	98	99	00
		Trucks/MCs	81	82	83	84	85	86	87
		Special	-		83	84	85	86	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95	96	97	98	99	00
	Oregon		81	82	83	84	85	86	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95	96	97	98	99	00
	Pennsylvania		81	82	83	84	85	86	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95	96	97	98	99	00
	Rhode Island		81	82	83	84	85	86	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95	96	97	98	99	00
<	South Carolina		-	82	83	84	85	-	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95	96	97	98	99	00	>
	South Dakota	Regular	-	82	83	84	85	86	-	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95	96	97	98	99	00c
		Special	81s										91	92	93	94	95		97	98	99	00c
	Tennessee	Cars	81	82	83	-	85	86	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95	96	97	98	99	00
		Motorcycles	Annual plates					85	86	87	88		-	91	92	93	94						-
	Texas		81	82	83	84	85	86	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95t	96t	97t	98t	99t	00t
<	Utah		81	82	83	84	85	86	87	88	89	90	91u	92	93	94	95	96	97	98	99	00	>
	Vermont		81	82	83	84	85	86	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95	96	97	98	99	00
	Virginia		81	82	83	84	85	86	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95	96	97	98	99	00
	Washington	Cars/Trucks	81	82	83	84	85	86	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95	96	97	98	99	00
		Motorcycles	v
	West Virginia		81	82	83	84	85	86	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95	96	97	98	99	00
<	Wisconsin	Cars	81	82	83	84	85	86	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95	96	97	98	99	00	>
		Trucks	-	82	83	84w	85	86	87	-
		Motorcycles		82	-	84	85	86	87	88	-		-	92	-				-		-
	Wyoming		81	82	-	84	85	86	87	-	89	90	91	92	93	94	95	96	97	98	99	00

^a Some examples of these stickers were black on white.

^b Some examples of Connecticut '97 stickers were white on magenta:

97

^c Some examples of these stickers had black characters on a colour background.

^d Some examples of these stickers were white on black.

^e Kentucky '81 and '82 stickers issued to trucks had different colour schemes:

81

82

^f Kentucky '83 stickers issued to trucks or used on the 1983 baseplate were white on green:

83

^g Used on the graphic "lobster" baseplate only.

^h Early examples of Maine '00 stickers issued to motorcycles and trailers were white on green:

00

ⁱ Later examples only.

^j Used on the optional "Treasure the Chesapeake" baseplate.

^k Later examples of Massachusetts '91 stickers issued to trucks and other non-passenger vehicles were black on red:

91

^l Some examples of Minnesota '83 stickers were blue on white:

83

^m Some Montana '87 stickers used on the optional Centennial plate were blue on white:

87

ⁿ Later examples of New Jersey '92 stickers were black on blue:

92

^o Or windshield/window sticker.

^p Some North Carolina '84-'85 stickers were created by covering obsolete stickers with a black on white strip overlay.

^q Some North Dakota stickers expiring in December of these years had different colour schemes. The reason for this is unknown:

90

91

92

^r Later examples of Ohio '89 stickers were white on yellow:

89

^s Issued to trailers only.

^t Issued to motorcycles only. Passenger cars issued windshield stickers instead.

^u Later examples of Utah '91 stickers were white on green:

91

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

Jan-Mar

Apr-Jun

Jly-Sep

Oct-Dec

^w Later examples of Wisconsin '84 stickers issued to trucks were black on yellow:

84