Rick Kretschmer's License Plate Archives 

Alabama

Alabama motorcycle plates conformed to the standard 4 inch by 7 inch dimensions starting in 1968, and had the same basic design between 1974 and 1994, with the colors varying each year.  The "M" prefix was constant on motorcycle plates.  All motorcycle plates were replaced annually through 1994. 

Alaska

Alaska did a statewide replate in 1976, and those plates were used through 1982.  However, between 1976 and 1977 there were at least three versions of motorcycle plates:  one with no embossed year or plate type, one with the embossed year 76 and text "motorcycle", and one with the embossed year 77 and text "motorcycle".  The first two used 77 stickers to validate them for 1977; the third did not.  Shown at left are the first and third types.  Numbering began at 1000 M/C. 

Arizona

Arizona issued motorcycle plates with rounded corners annually from 1947 to 1979, with colors differing each year.  In 1977, numbering formats x00x and 0xx0 were both used; dimensions are 3-1/2" by 7-1/4" inches. 

Arkansas

Arkansas motorcycle plates began using numbering format xx 00 in 1968 and 4 inch by 6 inch dimensions in 1969.  New plates were issued annually.  Starting in 1971, plate colors alternated between black-on-white in odd years and white-on-black in even years.  This all ended after the 1978 plate, except that the numbering format continued to maybe about 1980. 

California

Colorado

All Colorado license plates were undated and unstickered for 1977, in anticipation of using stickers to renew them in 1978 and many years to come.  Motorcycle plates were made in non-standard 4-7/16 x 8-5/8 inch dimensions from 1942 to about 1982.  The prefix letters indicated the county; RV was one of many issued in Jefferson County, which includes the western suburbs of Denver. 

Connecticut

At the time, all Connecticut motorcycle plates expired annually each March.  There were two versions issued with March 77 expirations; one with the white painted background and no plate type indicated that had been issued since 1970 (shown at left), and one with a reflective background and the word "motorcycle" across the top, introduced in 1976. 

Delaware

Florida

Florida was transitioning between passenger car bases in 1977, but kept the old-design motorcycle plates until 1979.  The small number is a county code; "19" for Brevard County in this case.  Incidentally, Brevard County includes NASA's Kennedy Space Center.  The letter "A" indicates a motorcycle with an engine displacement of 250cc or more. 

Georgia

The 1976 Georgia base was used through 1982.  The letter "M" was constant, but the second letter advanced through the alphabet from "A" until "Z" was exhaused late in the life of the base, and then the first letter flipped to "N". 

Hawaii

Idaho

Idaho adopted the 4 inch by 7 inch North American standard dimensions for motorcycle plates in 1967.  Green-on-reflective-white multi-year base plates came out in 1968 and were renewed with stickers in subsequent years.  Motorcycle year stickers were completely different from passenger car stickers.  They do not seem to be applied in a consistent location.  What appears to be a vertical number 20 is actually a number 2 over a letter O, and is the county code for Owyhee County.  These motorcycle plates were apparently replaced in 1984 with plates that weren't identifiable by county. 

Illinois

Illinois motorcycle plates during this era were 4-1/8 by 8-11/16 inches in size and were reissued annually.  Displacements of 150cc and above used all-numeric plate numbers.  In most years during the 1970s, numbers up to five digits used these wide dies, while six-digit numbers used completely different, much narrow dies. 

Indiana

Indiana motorcycle plates were issued annually through 1996, and had only numeric plate numbers though about 2010.  Even then, because they replated regularly, the addition of letters wasn't because they had run out of numbers, but rather an effort to assign prefix letter(s) to all non-passenger plate types to eliminate duplicate plate numbers.  Motorcycle plates became reflective in 1968 and adopted standard dimensions in 1969. 

Iowa

Iowa motorcycle plates were made in non-standard 3-7/8 inch by 7-5/8 inch dimensions from 1948 to about 1996.  The two-letter, four-digit numbering format began in 1973; between 1975 and approximately the mid-1980s, the first letter was apparently always "N" or "P" on motorcycle plates.  The "75" at the bottom left is a county code for Plymouth County, and the "1977" at the bottom right is the registration year.  (By coincidence, the passenger car plate shown at right is just the opposite; the "75" next to the state name is the initial registration year (updated with a "77" sticker in the upper right corner), white the vertical "77" on the left side of the plate is the county code for Polk County.) 

Kansas

Kansas motorcycle plates were similar in design and 4 inch by 8 inch dimensions between 1961 and 1988.  New plates were issued annually through 1974.  The 1975 plate was a multi-year base plate renewed with small little stickers through 1979.  The stacked letters H/V are a code indicating the biker lived in Harvey County. 

Kentucky

Kentucky's motorcycle plates were made in a non-standard 5 by 8 inch size and were issued annually between 1962 and 1977.  Colors alternated between navy-on-white and white-on-navy each year. 

Louisiana

So far, at least, Louisiana plates are the widest of my 1977 motorcycle plates, meauring 4 inches by 9-1/8 inches.  1977 was the final year for annual motorcycle plates, but the odd dimensions continued into the early 1980s on undated, stickered plates. 

Maine

Maine motorcycle plates went to this basic design and standard dimensions in 1974, but for the first few years of issuance, the year '74' was embossed on the plate to the right of the state name.  By 1977, the now out-of-date year was omitted from the plate.  The stacked letters 'M/C' were constant. 

Maryland

Maryland motorcycle plates were larger than most and were the last to adopt the North American standard dimensions, issuing plates in this 4-1/2 inch by 8-1/2 inch size starting with the 1971 base through 2008.  This undated red-on-white base was used between March 1975 and March 1980, but is known as the 1976 base.  Numbering formats were all-numeric on this base, starting at 10001 and using both 5-digit and 6-digit numbers. 

Massachusetts

This general design was used for Massachusetts motorcycle plates between 1967 and 1990.  Motorcycle plates between 1991 and 1997 were similar, except that the state abbreviation "Mass" was screened rather than embossed.  During this entire period, the second letter on motorycycle plate numbers was always "X".  Plate dimensions were by 4-5/8 inches high by 7-3/4 inches wide. 

Michigan

Minnesota

Minnesota issued orange-on-white plates to both passenger cars and motorcycles in 1974 and renewed them with stickers in 1975.  For passenger cars, it did the same in 1976 and 1977.  But motorcycles were issued these blue-on-white plates in 1976; they were renewed with stickers through 1980.  The dimensions are close to being standard, but are actually oversized by 1/4-inch in length and 3/16-inch in height. 

Mississippi

Regular Mississippi motorcycle plates are colored red-on-white, are fully embossed, and frankly are rather boring-looking, as shown at top left.  The year "77" is debossed in the right sticker well.  On the other hand, the state issued colorful yellow-background plates like the one at bottom left to motorcycles owned by the Shriners and pretty much only used in parades.  This type began sometime in the early-to-mid 1970s and continues to the present day. 

Missouri

Missouri motorcycle plates had fixed April expirations from 1970 until just a few years ago.  New plates were issued annually through the April 1979 plate.  The 4 by 7 inch standard dimensions began on the April 1972 plate.  There is apparently no hidden meaning behind the numbering format. 

Montana

Montana takes the prize for having the tallest motorcycle plate, with its dimensions of 7 inches wide by 6 inches high.  The '18' prefix is a code for Beaverhead County. 

Nebraska

Nebraska changed from much wider motorcycle plates to standard-sized in 1976.  The green-on-white color was used on the majority of Nebraska non-passenger plate types that year.  These plates were issued through 1983 and valid through 1984.  The '10' prefix is a code for Platte County. 

Nevada

Nevada issued motorcycle plates in this design between 1972 and 1986.  Like full-sized plates, the white characters are reflective and debossed. 

New Hampshire

New Hampshire's entry is one of the smaller motorcycle plates I've collected thus far, measuring a mere 3-3/4 inches by 6-5/16 inches.  The unique bolt hole pattern with two slots at the top and two round holes at top and bottom center, dates all the way back to 1918.  This base plate was used for three years, 1977 through 1979, and was the final New Hampshire motorcycle plate to have non-standard dimensions and bolt hole placement.  What really strikes me as odd are that not only are the plate colors different from full-sized plates, but also the year sticker is completely different for no apparent reason.  It's as if two government agencies who didn't talk to each other were responsible for designing and manufacturing their respective plates and stickers. 

New Jersey

This design was issued by New Jersey between 1961 and about 1986.  This numbering format was issued between about 1974 and 1984 or so.  Dimensions are 3-1/2 inches by 8 inches. 

New Mexico

The dated 1975 New Mexico motorcycle base plate was actually issued through about 1979, and apparently remained in use through about 1991.  The funky serial dies were first used in 1959.  The "M" prefix was constant.  This plate's dimensions were slightly larger than standard by 1/16 inch, in both height and width.  It's hard to see, but there's a pink 1977 sticker at the top center of the plate. 

New York

New York issued this design between 1973 and 1986 and replaced it in either 1987 or 1988.  There were several variations with different shape and positioning of the bolt holes and location of the state abbreviation.  Apparently all motorcycle plates expired in April each year.  Motorcycle plates were one of the few types that used expiration stickers, as most vehicles got windshield stickers indicating the registration expiration date.  New York motorcycle plates have been standard-sized since 1966. 

North Carolina

North Carolina switched to both standard dimensions and reflective backgrounds in 1967.  The six-digit, all-numeric numbering format began in 1973.  Motorcycle plates continue to be issued annually through 1978. 

North Dakota

Ohio

Ohio motorcycle had these 4-3/8 inch by 7 inch dimensions between 1949 and about 2003 or so.  They were manufactured with the unusual six bolt hole pattern shown, starting in 1966.  I don't believe motorcycle plate numbers were county coded; this is apparently a consecutive plate number.  This undated, unstickered plate was issued in 1976 and 1977, and renewed with stickers through 1980. 

Oklahoma

Oklahoma motorcycle plates were made in these non-standard 4-3/8 by 7 inch dimensions and were issued annualy between 1961 and 1979.  That is, with the exception of some mid-1970s plates made by Arkansas due to a riot and fire at the Oklahoma prison that made their plates. 

Oregon

Pennsylvania

Even though Pennsylvania stopped using the abbreviation Penna on passenger car plates after 1957, and the state shaped outline after 1970, motorcycle plates continued to be made and issued with both through 2001.  Same with the non-standard 4-1/2 by 8 inch dimensions.  This undated, reflective, yellow-background base was issued as a general replacement in 1977 and was used without any validation sticker the first year. 

Rhode Island

This design, with some minor changes along the way, was issued by Rhode Island between 1971 and 1982.  It was the last one before the dimensions were standardized.  This plate measures 4-5/8 inches by 8-1/2 inches. 

South Carolina

South Carolina has used a "Z" prefix on motorcycle plate numbers in most years for over a century now, since 1925.  Dimensions became standardized in 1967.  New plates were issued annually through 1993. 

South Dakota

Tennessee

Tennessee motorcycle plates were state-shaped and county-coded between 1936 and 1965, but starting in 1966 became rectangular and conformed to the 4 inch by 7 inch standard size.  Also starting in 1966, the numbering format became Zx0000, with the "Z" fixed and the second letter variable.  A dash was added between the letters and numbers in 1970, and then was replaced with a space in 1981.  All motorcycles were issued new plates each year though 1982. 

Texas

Utah

Vermont

Virginia

Virginia introduced this undated base and staggered registrations for motorcycles in the spring of 1975.  This base was painted and non-reflective.  It was issued until the fall of 1979, and was valid into 1981.  The next base was very similar but used reflective white sheeting for the background. 

Washington

West Virginia

West Virginia motorcycle plates became standard-sized starting with the 1968 plate and were issued annually through the 1990 plate.  Most years, colors alternated between yellow-on-blue and blue-on-yellow.  Plates in odd-numbered years between 1965 and 1977 had debossed (sunken rather than raised) numbers.  West Virginia regular motorcycle plates nearly always have plate numbers with a "G" prefix. 

Wisconsin

Wisconsin replated their motorcycle plates in December 1975 with this design that was used for a little over two years; the first 16 months as shown, and the following 12 months with a red 1978 sticker affixed to the blank space to the right of the state abbreviation.  All motorcycle plates expire annually in April starting in 1977 and continuing to the present.  The non-standard 4-3/8 by 8-1/8 inch dimensions were used between 1960 and about 2002 or 2003. 

Wyoming

Wyoming motorcycle plates were issued annually through 1974, and had odd 3-1/2 inch by 8-3/16 inch dimensions between 1950 and 1993.  County prefix numbers began in 1937 and continue to the present day.  County number 10 is Fremont County, which is in the middle of nowhere in the middle of the state, with no towns anyone has ever heard of.  The 1975 plate had the year debossed, and was renewed with stickers for 1976 and 1977. 

American Samoa

American Samoa plates between 1970 or 1971 and 1981 were issued annually, and had the curious convention of using a two-digit serial suffix to indicate the year.  This plate measures 4 inches by 6 inches. 

Canal Zone

Canal Zone motorycle plates began using a "M" prefix in the plate number starting in 1956.  This particular plate has two extra drilled holes at the bottom.  The only holes at the time of manufacture were at the four corners.  It's no surprise that the biker had to do this, since the dimensions and bolt hole placement of motorcycle plates were not yet standardized. 

District of Columbia

Washington, D.C. has mostly used an "M" serial prefix on its motorcycle plates since about the early 1950s.  Plates were reissued annually until 1978.  The 1974 expiration plate was the first to used standardized dimensions and also the first to include the word "Washington". 

Guam

Puerto Rico

U.S. Virgin Islands

For most vehicle types, the U.S. Virgin Islands used 1975 plates for three years, issuing windshield stickers in 1976 and 1977 to show registration was current.  But it continued to issue new motorcycle plates annually, usually with non-standard dimensions, through 1986.  The "T" prefix indicates the vehicle was registered on the island of St. Thomas.  I think the pink background color is fitting for a tropical island.  Dimensions are 5-3/16 by 8-1/8 inches.