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Licence Plate Gallery

Licence Plate Sticker Colours, Part 2: 1982-2001

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		83	84	85	86	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95	96a	97	98	99	00	01	02	>
	Alberta		83	84b	85	86	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95	96	97	98	99	00	01	02
	Saskatchewan		83	84	85	86	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95	96	97	98	99	00	01	02
	Manitoba		-	84	85	86	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95	96	97	98	99	00	01	02
	Ontario	Jan-Mar	-	84	85	86	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95	96	97	98	99	00	01	02
<		Apr-Jun	83	84	85	86	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95	96	97	98	99	00	01	02	>
		Jul-Sep	83	84	85	86	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95	96	97	98	99	00	01	02
		Oct-Dec	83	84	85	86	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95	96	97	98	99	00	01	02
	Quebec		83	84	85	86	87	88	89	90	91	92	Discontinued after 1992.
	New Brunswick		83	84	85	-		88	89	90c	91	92	93	94	95	96	97	98	99	00	01	02
	Nova Scotia		83	84	85	86d	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95	96	97	98	99	00	01	02
<	Prince Edward Island		83	84	85	86	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95	96	97	98	99	00	01	02	>
	Newfoundland		83e	84e	85	86	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95	96	97	98	99	00	01	02
	Yukon Territory		-	84	85	86	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95	96	97	98	99	00	01	02
	Northwest Territories		-	84	85	86	-	88	89	90f	91	92	93	94	95	96	97	98	99	00	01	02
	Nunavut		g																99	00	01	02

^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		83	84	85	86	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95	96	97	98	99	00	01	02	>
	Alaska		83	84	85	86	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95	96	97	98	99	00a	01	02
	Arizona	Emission	83	84	85	86	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95	96	97	98	99	00	01	02
		Non-emission							89	90	91	92	93	94	95	96	97	98	99	00	01	02
	Arkansas	Cars	83	84	85	86	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95	96	97	98	99	00	01	02
<		Motorcycles	83	84	85	86	87	88	89	90	91												>
	California		83	84	85	86	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95	96	97	98	99	00	01	02
	Colorado	Emission	83	84	85	86	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95	96	97	98	99	00	01	02
		Non-emission	83	84	85	86	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95	96	97	98	99	00	01	02
	Connecticut		83	84	85	86	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95	96	97b	98	99	00	01	02
	Delaware		Combined month-year stickers in various colours.
<	District of Columbia		83	84	85	86	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95	96	97	98	99	00	01	02	>
	Florida		83	84	85	86	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95	96	97	98	99	00	01c	02
	Georgia		83	84	85	86	87	88	89	-	91	92	93	94	95	96	97	98	99	00d	01	02
	Hawaii		83	84	85	86	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95	96	97	98	99	00	01	02
	Idaho		83	84	85	86	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95	96	97	98	99	00	01	02
<	Illinois		83	84	85	86	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95	96	97	98	99	00	01	02	>
	Indiana		83	84	85	86	87	88	89	90	-	92	93	-	95	96	97	98	99	00	01	02
	Iowa		83	84	85	86	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95	96	97e	98	99	00	01	02
	Kansas	Cars	83	84	85	86	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95	96	97	98	99	00	01	02
		Trucks/MCs	83
	Kentucky	Cars/Trucks	83f	84	85	86	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95	96	97	98	99	00	01	02
<		Motorcycles	83	84	85	86	87	88	89		91	92	93	94	95	96							>
	Louisiana	Cars	Colours vary.		85	86	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95	96	97	98	99	00	01	02
		Trucks/MCs															97	98
	Maine	Cars/Trucks	Colours vary.				87g	88g	89	90	91	92	93	94	95	96	97	98	99	00h	01	02
		Motorcycles	83	84	85	86	87	88
	Maryland		83	84	85	86	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95	96	97	98	99	00	01	02
						86i					91j	92j	93j	94j	95j
<	Massachusetts		83	84	85	86	87	88	89	90	91k	92	93	94	95	96	97	98	99	00	01	02	>
	Michigan		83	-	85	86	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95	96	97	98	99	00	01	02
	Minnesota		83l	84	85	86	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95	96	97	98	99	00	01	02
	Mississippi		83	84	85	86	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95	96	97	98	99	00	01	02
	Missouri		83	84	85	86	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95	96	97	-	99	00	01	02
	Montana	Cars/Trucks	83	84	85	86	87m	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95	96	97	98	99	00	01	02
<		Motorcycles	83	84	85	86	87	-	89	90	91	92	93	94	95	96	97	98	99	00	01		>
	Nebraska		83	84	85	86	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95	96	97	98	99	00	01	02
	Nevada		83	84	85	86	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95	96	97	98	99	00	01	02
	New Hampshire		83	84	85	86	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95	96	97	98	99	00	01	02
	New Jersey (motorcycles)		83	84	85	86	87	88	89	90	91	92n	93	94	95	96	97	98	99o	00o	01	02
<	New Mexico		83	84	85	86	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95	96	97	98	99	00	01a	02a	>
	New York (motorcycles)		83	84	85	86	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95	96	97	98	99	00	01	02
	North Carolina		83	84p	85p	86	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95	96	97	98	99	00	01	02
	North Dakota	Jan-Nov	83	-	85	86	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95	96	97	98	99	00	01	02
		Dec		84	85	86	87		89	90q	91q	92q	93
	Ohio		83	84	85	86	87	88	89r	90	91	92	93	94	95	96	97	98	99	00	01	02
	Oklahoma	Cars	83	84	85	86	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95	96	97	98	99	00	01	02
		Trucks/MCs	83	84	85	86	87
		Special	83	84	85	86	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95	96	97	98	99	00	01	02
	Oregon		83	84	85	86	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95	96	97	98	99	00	01	02
	Pennsylvania		83	84	85	86	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95	96	97	98	99	00	01o	02o
	Rhode Island		83	84	85	86	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95	96	97	98	99	00	01	02
<	South Carolina		83	84	85	-	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95	96	97	98	99	00	01	02	>
	South Dakota	Regular	83	84	85	86	-	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95	96	97	98	99	00d	01	02
		Special									91	92	93	94	95		97	98	99	00d
	Tennessee	Cars	83	-	85	86	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95	96	97	98	99	00	01	02
		Motorcycles	-		85	86	87	88	-		91	92	93	94	-
	Texas		83	84	85	86	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95s	96s	97s	98s	99s	00s	01s	02s
<	Utah		83	84	85	86	87	88	89	90	91t	92	93	94	95	96	97	98	99	00	01	02	>
	Vermont		83	84	85	86	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95	96	97	98	99	00	01	02
	Virginia		83	84	85	86	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95	96	97	98	99	00	01	02
	Washington		83	84	85	86	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95	96	97	98	99	00	01	02
	West Virginia		83	84	85	86	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95	96	97	98	99	00	01	02
<	Wisconsin	Cars	83	84	85	86	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95	96	97	98	99	00	01	02	>
		Trucks	83	84u	85	86	87	-
		Motorcycles	-	84	85	86	87	88	-		-	92	-				-		-		-
	Wyoming		-	84	85	86	87	-	89	90	91	92	93	94	95	96	97	98	99	00	01	02

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

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

97

^c Later examples of Florida '01 stickers were black on yellow:

01

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

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

^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 motorcycles only. Passenger cars issued windshield stickers instead.

^t Later examples of Utah '91 stickers were white on green:

91

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

84