---

Licence Plate Gallery

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

Validation stickers on licence 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 licence 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 licence 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 licence 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 licence 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 licence 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 licence 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 fourteen other states introducing them over the next ten years:

U.S. plate stickers through 1962:
Arizona		Metal tabs.			-	57	58	-	60	-	62
California		-		55a	-	57	58	59	60	61	62
Colorado		Annual plates through 1960.								61	-
Delaware		Metal tabs through 1961.									62b
Missouri		53a	54	55	56	57	58	59	60	61	-
Nebraska		Annual plates and metal tabs.								61	-
Nevada		-		55	Annual plates.						62
New Jersey (motorcycles)		Annual plates through 1961.								61	62
New Mexico	Cars	Annual plates							60c	-	62
	Trucks								60c
Oregon		Metal tabs through 1960.								61	62
Pennsylvania	Cars/MCs	Annual plates						59	60	61	62
	Suburbans	(Not issued until 1960)								61	62
	Trucks	Annual plates						59	60	61	62
Rhode Island		Metal tabs through 1960.								61	62
Utah		Annual plates through 1960.								61d	62d
Washington	Cars	Metal tabs					58	59	60	61	62
	Trucks							59	60	61	62
Wisconsin		Metal tabs through 1960.								-	62

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

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

^c Sticker applied to metal tab.

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

---

The Second Decade

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	81	82	>
	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	81	82
Saskatchewan		Annual plates through 1977.														77a	78	79	80	81	82
Manitoba		Metal tabs through 1970.								71	72	73	74	75	-	77	78	79	80	81	82
Ontario		Annual plates through 1973.											74	75	76	77	78	79	80	81	82	>
Quebec	Cars/Trucks	Annual plates through 1979.																	80	81	82
	Motorcycles																		80
New Brunswick		63	-	65	-	67	68	-	70	71	-	73	74	-	76	77	-	79	80	81	82
Nova Scotia	Cars/Trucks	-				67	68	-	70	71	-	73	74	75	76	77	78	79	80	81	82
	Motorcycles	Annual plates through 1972.											74		76
Prince Edward Island		63	-			67	68	-	70	71	72	-	74	75	-	77	78	79	80	-	82
Newfoundland	Cars/MCs	Annual plates through 1970.								71	72	-	74	75	-	77	78	79	80	81	82b
	Trucks									71	72		74									>
Northwest Territories		Annual plates through 1975.													76	-	78	-	80	-	82
Yukon Territory		Annual plates through 1980.															78a	-		81	82

^a Used only on motorcycles.

^b 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

United States
Alabama	Cars	Annual plates through 1977.															78	79	80	81	82	>
	Trucks																78	79
Alaska		-	64	65	-	67	-	69	-	71	72	73	74	75	-	77	78	79	80	81	82
Arizona		63	-	65	-	67	68	-	70	71	72	-	74	75	76	77	78	79	80	81	82
Arkansas	Cars	Annual plates					68a	69	70	71	72	73	74	75	76	77	78	79	80	81	82
	Motorcycles	Annual plates through 1979.																	80		82
California		-	64	65	66	67	68	69	70	71	72	73	74	75	76	77	78	79	80	81	82
											72b	73b	74b	75b
Colorado	Jan-Nov	No staggered registrations prior to 1978.																79	80	81	82
	Dec	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	81	82	>
Delaware		63	64e	65e	Colours vary e				e f	71	72	Colours vary e
District of Columbia		-		65g	66g	67g	68	69g	70	71	72	73	74	75g	76	77	78	79	80	81	82
Florida		Annual plates through 1975.							70h	71h	72h	73h	74h	75h	76i	77	78	79	80	81	82
Georgia		Annual plates through 1971.									72	73	74	75	-	77	78	79	80	81	82
Hawaii		Windshield stickers						-	70	71	72	73	74	75	-	77	78	79	80	81	82
Idaho	Cars	Annual plates through 1968.						69	70	71	72	73	-	75	76j	77	78	79	80	81	82	>
	Motorcycles							69	70	71	72	-	74	75	76	77	78	79	80	81
Illinois		Annual plates through 1979.																79	80	81	82
Indiana		Annual plates through 1982.																			82
Iowa		Annual plates through 1972.										73	74	-	76	77	78	-	80	81	82
Kansas	Cars	Annual plates through 1976.									72k	73k	74k	75k	76	77	78	79	80	-	82
	Trucks/MCs	Annual plates through 1975.														77	78	79	-	81	82
Kentucky		Annual plates through 1975.													76	77	78	79	80	81l	82l
Louisiana		Biannual plates through 1975.														77	78	79	80	81	m	>
Maine	Cars/Trucks	Metal tabs through 1967.					-	69	70	71	72	73	-	Colours vary n
	Motorcycles													-	76	77	78	79	80	81	82
Maryland		Annual plates through 1971.									72	73	74	75	-	77	78	79	80	-	82
Massachusetts		Biannual plates and windshield stickers							70go	71o	72	73	74	75	76	77	78	79	80	81	82
Michigan		Annual plates through 1971.									72	-	74	75	-	77	78	-	80	81	82
Minnesota	Cars	Metal tabs		-	66	67	-	69	70	-	72	73	-	75	76	77	78	79	80	81	82	>
	Trucks				-	67		69	-	71	-	73			76
	Motorcycles			-		67		69		71		73			76	77
Mississippi		Annual plates through 1977.															78	79	80	81	82
Missouri		63	64	65	66	67	Annual plates through 1980.													81	82
Montana	Cars	Metal tabs				-		69	-	71	72	-	74	-		77	78	79	80	81	82
	Trucks							69		71
	Motorcycles	Annual plates through 1971.										-		-				79p	80	81	82
Nebraska		63	64	-		67	68	-	70	71	-	73	74	75	-	77	78	79	80	81	82	>
Nevada		63	64	-	66	67	68	-	70	71	72	73	74	75	76	77	78	79	80	81	82
New Hampshire	Cars/Trucks	Annual plates through 1973.											74	-	76	77	78	79	80	81	82
	Motorcycles	Annual plates through 1977.												75	76	77	78		80
New Jersey (motorcycles)		63	64	65	66	67	68	69	70	71	-	73	74	75	76	77	78	79	80	81	82
New Mexico	Cars	63	64	65	66	67	68	69	70	71	-	73	74	75	76	77	78	79	80	81	82
	Trucks		64	65	66	67	68	69	70	-	72	73	74	-								>
	Motorcycles	Annual plates through 1968.						69	70		-		74
New York		-		65	66	67	68	69	70	71	72	73f	74b	75b	76b	77b	78b	79b	80b	81b	82b
North Carolina		Annual plates through 1975.													76	77	78	79	80	81	82
North Dakota		63	64	65	-	67	68	69	-	71	72	73	-	75	76	77	78	79	-	81	82
Ohio	Apr	Annual plates through 1974.					68q	69q	-					75	-		78	79	80	81	82
	May													75r			78	79
Oklahoma	Cars	Annual plates through 1973.											74s	Annual plates					80	-	82	>
	Trucks/MCs																		80	81	82
Oregon	Cars	63	64	65	66	67	68	69	70	71	72	73	74	75	76	77	78	79	80	81	82
	Motorcycles	Annual plates				67	-	69	70	71		73	74		76
Pennsylvania	Cars/MCs	63	64	-	66	67	68	69	70	-	72	73	74	75	76	77t	78	79	80	81	82
	Suburbans	63	64
	Trucks	63	-	65	66	67	-	69	70	71	-	73	74	75	76	77	-
Rhode Island		63	64	65	66	67	68	69	70	71	72	73	74	75	76	77	78	79	80	81	82	>
South Carolina		Annual plates through 1976.														77	78	79	80	-	82
South Dakota		Annual plates through 1976.														77	78u	79	80	81u	82
Tennessee		63	64	65	-	67	68	69	70	-	72	73	74	75	76	-	78	79	80	81	82
Texas		Annual plates through 1975.													76	77	78	79	80	81	82
Utah		Annual plates through 1968.						69	70	71	72	-	74	75	76	77	78	79	80	81	82
Vermont		Annual plates through 1967.					68	-	70	71	-	73	74	75	76	-	78	79	80	81	82	>
Virginia		Annual plates through 1973.										73	74	75	76	77	78	79	80	81	82
Washington	Cars	-	64	65	66	67	68	69	70	71	72	73	74	75	76	77	78	79	80	81	82
	Trucks		64	65	66	67	68	69	70	71	72	73	74	75	76
	Motorcycles	-		65	66	67	68	69	70	71	72	73	74	75	76	Colours vary w
West Virginia		Annual plates through 1970.								71	72	73	74	75	76	76x	78	78x	80	81	82
Wisconsin	Cars	-	64	-	66	67	-	69	70	71	72	-	74	75	76	77	78	79	-	81	82	>
	Trucks	-	64		66	-	68	69	-	71	72	73	-	75	-	77	78	79y	80	-	82
	Motorcycles	Annual plates									-					-		-			82
Wyoming		Annual plates through 1975.													76	77	-	79	80	81	82

^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
76-81	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 Kentucky '81-'82 stickers issued to trucks had different colour schemes:

81

82

^m Combined month-year stickers in unique colours for each expiration month:

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

ⁿ 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
81	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
82	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec

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

70

71

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

^q Local tax stickers on annual dated plates.

^r 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

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

74

^t Only used on handicapped plates.

^u South Dakota stickers issued to motorcycles and trailers these years were black on yellow. Additionally, trailers were the only type to receive stickers in 1981; for other types, a new dated plate was issued.

^w Washington plate stickers issued to motorcycles from 1977 to 1981 varied in colour depending on the expiration quarter:

Jan-Mar

Apr-Jun

Jly-Sep

Oct-Dec

^x Dated with year of issue, not expiration.

^y 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