Researching Vehicle Registration Plates

The History of Vehicle Registration Plates in the United States

The invention of the automobile radically transformed modern society, bringing with it a need for motor vehicle laws, traffic systems, and nationwide roadway standards. Among these was the development of vehicle registration plates or license plates as we commonly call them today. The history of these vehicle registration plates in the United States is not just a story about tracking vehicle ownership and registering vehicles, but also reflects broader societal changes, technological advancements, and policy priorities. We will take you on an historical journey from the very first vehicle registration plates to the modern license plates that include a multitude of customizable options, specializations, and even digital license plates.

The Birth of Vehicle Registration Plates

The early years of automobile travel, roadways and driving behaviors were unregulated and sometimes a bit chaotic. Without a standardized system for identifying vehicles, tracking vehicles was difficult or even impossible. A good example is an incident like a hit-and-run accident. These were sometimes very difficult to resolve since there were no real means to track a vehicle except for whatever physical description someone might have given to the police. To address this, as well as creating a vehicle registration system, in 1901, New York became the first state to require automobiles to display a vehicle registration number. However, in the first few years, it was up to the vehicle owners to create their own vehicle registration plates, often resulting in plates made of leather or metal with painted-on numbers. There was yet to be a standard that was used for all vehicles.

Then in 1903, Massachusetts was the first state to begin issuing registration plates, made of iron and covered with porcelain enamel. These early plates were relatively short-lived due to their fragility; porcelain plates were prone to shatter upon impact and the plates would have to replaced somewhat often. As automobiles proliferated and expanded across the entire United States, a variety of materials and different metals were used, but there was still not a nationwide standard. It wasn’t until the 1950’s that a nationwide standard was created.

Material Evolution of Vehicle Registration Plates

The first major shift in materials for vehicle plates began in the mid 1910’s, when embossed metal plates began to replace the brittle porcelain ones. At first these were flat metal plates, but they quickly evolved into embossed plates, where the numbers and letters were raised above the surface, providing better visibility and durability. Even if the paint rubbed off on the registration plate, you could still see the embossed plate number stamped into the metal.

Then after WWII, there was a significant improvement in the materials used, as aluminum became the metal of choice. The switch to aluminum was primarily a cost-saving measure as it was cheaper, but it was also lighter and more resistant to corrosion than steel. Then beginning in the mid 1950’s, the aluminum vehicle registration plates were coated with a reflective paint so they were more visible, especially at night. At this point in history, people also started calling those registration plates, license plates. Aluminum still remains the material used for most license plates today, with the exception of digital license plates that are only available in a few states. 

The Standardization of Vehicle Registration Plates

The early 20th century saw a large variety of shapes, sizes, and color schemes for vehicle plates. It wasn’t until 1956 that standardization came into play, led by the Automobile Manufacturers Association (AMA). They recommended a size of 6 by 12 inches, which was adopted by all states in the U.S. by 1957. This new standard size was important to the design of new automobiles, as it allowed for a uniform space in vehicle design for plate display, which was usually just on the rear of most vehicles.

Another major  milestone in standardization of vehicle registration plates was the formatting and sequencing of letters and numbers on the plates. Originally, vehicle plates had a sequential numbering system, which was limited by how many characters and combinations of numbers. As the number of vehicles increased, this became impractical and letters were also introduced into the schema. Most states then adopted an alphanumeric system, using both letters and numbers which are on all standard license plates today. 

State By State Vehicle Registration Plate Rollout 

New York was the first state to require registration plates on vehicles. Then after New York was Massachusetts, Missouri, Pennsylvania and West Virginia. They all started requiring registration plates on vehicles by the end of 1903. Shortly after, more and more states followed suit. Then by 1918, most every state required vehicle registration license plates. Alaska and Hawaii were the exception, which began requiring plates in 1921 and 1922 respectively, partially because they were still territories and did not full emerge as states until 1959. Even though there was a state-wide standard and every state required vehicles to be registered, it was still a decentralized means of registration, meaning it was not done on a national level. It was not until the Vehicle Registration and Title Information System (VRTIS) was initiated which allowed states to share vehicle title information. This system is now called the National Motor Vehicle Title Information System (NMVTIS) , which was created in 1992.

Design Innovations, Specialty Plates and Personalized Plates

By the 1970s and 1980s, there was a movement to improve the aesthetics and overall look of registration plates, now officially called license plates, with new designs and graphics. This was the beginning of the slogan, or state nickname, that was placed on standard state license plates. These additions essentially made license plates the new state ambassadors. The very first state slogan on a license plate was issued in Maine in 1936, it said, “Vacationland”. Within the next few years, many other states followed their lead, with popular slogans like “Empire State” from New York, of “The Sunshine State” Florida, or “The Lone Star State”  from Texas. These slogans were intended to reflect the identity, history, or the distinguishing features of the state and make them recognizable on the road. It was now easier than ever to know where someone was from just by looking at their license plate.

It was relatively soon after states started to customize their standard plates that personalized plates, or vanity plates emerged, in the early 1970’s. These plates allowed vehicle owners to choose their character combinations (often representing names, phrases, or acronyms), and added a personal touch to the legacy system. California was the first state to offer these plates in 1972, where the DMV offered this program for an extra fee. Over time, other states started to introduce their versions of personalized plates, with some states offering a myriad of special plates supporting causes, organizations, or colleges. This became a hit with both vehicle owners and with the DMV as it created a additional revenue stream for the state. Fast forwarding to today, all the various non-standard license plate options create millions of extra dollars of revenue each year, for each state. Often times, a portion of the revenue created from personalized and specialty plates goes to specific funds or causes. For example, Florida environmental specialty plates support environmental programs such as saving the coral reefs or manatees. Similarly, collegiate license plates can support state college scholarships. 

Digital License Plates and Future Developments

As we moved into the 2010’s, digital technology started to make its mark on license plates as well. Some states began to experiment with digital license plates, such as South Carolina, California, Arizona and Michigan. In 2013, South Carolina became the first state to conduct testing for electronic license plates (aka digital license plates). By 2018, digital license plates became available for purchase in California. 

The advent of digital plates brings a lot of benefits to both the DMV and vehicle owners. These plates have the ability to display alerts like ‘Stolen,’ ‘Expired,’ or ‘Uninsured’ in case of an emergency or violation. They can also save states a lot of money by not having to produce and mail out new registration stickers each year, the registration status could be automatically updated as soon as the vehicle owner pays their registration fees. 

Despite these obvious benefits, the adoption of digital plates by many states has been slow due to concerns about privacy, security, and costs. As of June 2023, CA electronic plates cost over $1000, so that is a big financial barrier for most vehicle owners. Once they come down in price they might become more popular in the state.

As we move further into the future, we can expect more advancements in vehicle registration technology. For instance, the integration of RFID chips into license plates is a potential next step that a lot of states are considering, which can be used for tracking and identification of the vehicle by law enforcement and the DMV. This will greatly assist law enforcement as they won’t have to run a license plate lookup through their onboard automatic license plate reader (ALPR). Instead, they will be able to read the RFID chip to get all the information they need about a specific vehicle and it’s registered owner. And as electric and autonomous vehicles become more popular, there will most likely be new legislation and regulations that will have an impact on how we identify and register vehicles in the United States. 

Vehicle Registration and the Vehicle Identification Number

In 1954, the Detroit automobile manufacturers began to use Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs), but they were not standardized, they varied in length and format depending on the manufacturer. It wasn’t until 1981 that there became a standard VIN with 17 digit alpha-numeric code, which was because of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s new regulations. Every car manufactured since then has a unique 17 digit VIN, allowing for easy tracking and identification of vehicles and their ownership. VINs offer a wealth of information, including the manufacturing country, the make and model, and the year of manufacture, as well as all the options that were included in that specific vehicle. 

The use of VINs and license plates now intertwines, providing a clear and uniform system for vehicle tracking, identification, and can be used to lookup car owner information by law enforcement and auto insurance companies. Many people also use the VIN to research used vehicles they want to purchase. Anyone can easily lookup a vehicle’s history, vehicle title status, odometer verification, recalls and vehicle safety issues with a quick VIN check on most any public record website.

The journey of license plates and VINs in the United States paints a fascinating picture of innovation, standardization, and regulation. As we move into the future with digital license plates and further advancements, we can look back at this rich history as the foundation of our current vehicle registration system.

Conclusion

The history of vehicle registration plates shows how innovative the United States is, and its ability to adapt and come up with new ideas. Beginning with the very first  hand-painted leather registration plates in 1901, to the digital license plates of today, vehicle registration has come a long way. Yet, their primary function remains the same, helping us keep track of cars to make things safer and more organized. As we keep innovating and updating our technologies, license plates are going to stay an important part of the world of vehicles.