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License Plate Gallery

License Plate Sticker Colors, Part 2: 1976-1995

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.

United States
<	Alabama		-		78	79	80	81	82	83	84	85	86	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95	>
	Alaska		-	77	78	79	80	81	82	83	84	85	86	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95
	Arizona	Emission	76	77	78	79	80	81	82	83	84	85	86	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95
		Non-emission														89	90	91	92	93	94	95
	Arkansas	Cars	76	77	78	79	80	81	82	83	84	85	86	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95
		Motorcycles	Annual plates				80		82	83	84	85	86	87	88	89	90	91
<	California		76	77	78	79	80	81	82	83	84	85	86	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95	>
	Colorado	Emission	76a	-	78	79b	80b	81	82b	83	84	85	86	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95
		Non-emission								83	84	85	86	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95
	Connecticut		76	77	78	79	80	81	82	83	84	85	86	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95
	Delaware		Combined month-year stickers in various colors.
<	District of Columbia		76	77	78	79	80	81	82	83	84	85	86	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95	>
	Florida		76cd	77	78	79	80	81	82	83	84	85	86	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95
	Georgia		-	77	78	79	80	81	82	83	84	85	86	87	88	89	-	91	92	93	94	95
	Hawaii		-	77	78	79	80	81	82	83	84	85	86	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95
	Idaho	Cars	76e	77	78	79	80	81	82	83	84	85	86	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95
		Motorcycles	76	77	78	79	80	81
<	Illinois		Annual plates			79	80	81	82	83	84	85	86	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95	>
	Indiana		Annual plates through 1982.						82	83	84	85	86	87	88	89	90	-	92	93	-	95
	Iowa		76	77	78	-	80	81	82	83	84	85	86	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95
	Kansas	Cars	-	77	78	79	80	-	82	83	84	85	86	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95
		Motorcycles	76	77	78	79	-	81	82	83
	Kentucky	Cars	76	77	78	79	80	81	82	83f	84	85	86	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95
<		Motorcycles	Annual plates through 1983.							83	84	85	86	87	88	89		91	92	93	94	95	>
	Louisiana		-	77	78	79	80	81	Various colors			85	86	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95
	Maine		Combined month-year stickers in various colors.											87g	88g	89	90	91	92	93	94	95
	Maryland		-	77	78	79	80	-	82	83	84	85	86h	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95
																		91i	92i	93i	94i	95i
	Massachusetts		76	77	78	79	80	81	82	83	84	85	86	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95
<	Michigan		-	77	78	-	80	81	82	83	-	85	86	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95	>
	Minnesota	Cars	76	77	78	79	80	81	82	83j	84	85	86	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95
		Motorcycles	76	77
	Mississippi		-		78	79	80	81	82	83	84	85	86	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95
	Missouri		Annual plates					81	82	83	84	85	86	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95
	Montana	Cars	-	77	78	79	80	81	82	83	84	85	86	87k	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95
<		Motorcycles		-		79	80	81	82	83	84	85	86	87	-	89	90	91	92	93	94	95	>
	Nebraska		-	77	78	79	80	81	82	83	84	85	86	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95
	Nevada		76	77	78	79	80	81	82	83	84	85	86	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95
	New Hampshire	Cars	76	77	78	79	80	81	82	83	84	85	86	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95
		Motorcycles	76	77	78		80
	New Jersey (motorcycles)		76	77	78	79	80	81	82	83	84	85	86	87	88	89	90	91	92l	93	94	95
<	New Mexico		76	77	78	79	80	81	82	83	84	85	86	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95	>
	New York (motorcycles)		76	77	78	79	80	81	82	83	84	85	86	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95
	North Carolina		76	77	78	79	80	81	82	83	84m	85m	86	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95
	North Dakota	Jan-Nov	76	77	78	79	-	81	82	83	-	85	86	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95
		Dec									84	85	86	87		89	90n	91n	92n	93
	Ohio	Apr (78-79)	-		78	79	80	81	82	83	84	85	86	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95
<		May (78-79)			78	79										89o							>
	Oklahoma	Cars	Annual plates				80	-	82	83	84	85	86	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95
		Motorcycles	Annual plates through 1980.					81	82	83	84	85	86	87
	Oregon		76p	77	78	79	80	81	82	83	84	85	86	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95
	Pennsylvania		76	-	78	79	80	81	82	83	84	85	86	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95
	Rhode Island		76	77	78	79	80	81	82	83	84	85	86	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95
<	South Carolina		-	77	78	79	80	-	82	83	84	85	-	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95	>
	South Dakota		-	77	78q	79	80	-	82	83	84	85	86	-	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95
	Tennessee	Cars	76	-	78	79	80	81	82	83	-	85	86	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95
		Motorcycles	Annual plates through 1983.									85	86	87	88	-		91	92	93	94	-
	Texas		76	77	78	79	80	81	82	83	84	85	86	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95r
	Utah		76	77	78	79	80	81	82	83	84	85	86	87	88	89	90	91s	92	93	94	95
<	Vermont		76	-	78	79	80	81	82	83	84	85	86	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95	>
	Virginia		76	77	78	79	80	81	82	83	84	85	86	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95
	Washington	Cars	76	77	78	79	80	81	82	83	84	85	86	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95
		Motorcycles	76	Quarterly sticker colors.
	West Virginia		76	76t	78	78t	80	81	82	83	84	85	86	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95
	Wisconsin	Cars	76	77	78	79	-	81	82	83	84	85	86	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95
<		Motorcycles	-		78	-	80	-		-	84	85	86	87	88	-		-	92	-			>
	Wyoming		76	77	-	79	80	81	82	-	84	85	86	87	-	89	90	91	92	93	94	95

^a Stickers for use on motorcycle plates were black on white:

76

^b Colorado '79 and '80 stickers expiring in December had different color schemes:

79

80

In addition, some examples of '82 stickers were black on red:

82

^c Half-year registration stickers for non-residents.

^d Three different colors 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

^e Later examples of Idaho '76 stickers were white on blue:

76

^f Later examples of Kentucky '83 stickers (used on the 1983 baseplate) were white on green:

83

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

^h Maryland '86 stickers beyond March were black on white:

86

ⁱ Used on the optional "Treasure the Chesapeake" baseplate.

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

83

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

87

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

92

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

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

90

91

92

^o Later examples only.

^p Oregon '76 stickers used on motorcycles were white on blue:

76

^q South Dakota '78 stickers used on motorcycles were black on yellow:

78

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

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

91

^t Dated with year of issue, not expiration.

Canada
<	British Columbia	Cars	76	77	78	-	80	81	82	83	84	85	86	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95	>
		Motorcycles	76	77	78
	Alberta		76	-	78	79	80	81	82	83	84a	85	86	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95
	Saskatchewan		-	77b	78	79	80	81	82	83	84	85	86	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95
	Manitoba		-	77	78	79	80	81	82	-	84	85	86	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95
	Ontario	Jan-Mar	76	77	78	79	80	81	82	-	84	85	86	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95
<		Apr-Jun								83	84	85	86	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95	>
		Jul-Sep								83	84	85	86	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95
		Oct-Dec								83	84	85	86	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95
	Québec		Annual plates				80c	81	82	83	84	85	86	87	88	89	90	91	92	Discontinued
	New Brunswick		76	77	-	79	80	81	82	83	84	85	-		88	89	90d	91	92	93	94	95
	Nova Scotia		76	77	78	79	80	81	82	83	84	85	86e	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95
<	Prince Edward Island		-	77	78	79	80	-	82	83	84	85	86	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95	>
	Newfoundland & Labrador		-	77	78	79	80	81	82f	83f	84f	85	86	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95
	Yukon Territory		-		78b	-		81	82	-	84	85	86	87	88	89	90	91	92	93	94	95
	Northwest Territories		76	-	78	-	80	-	82	-	84	85	86	-	88	89	90g	91	92	93	94	95

^a Three different colors 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

^b Used only on motorcycles.

^c Quebec '80 stickers used on motorcycles were red on white:

80

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

90

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

^f Newfoundland's '82-'84 stickers were bi-colored, with different colors for expiration months:

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

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

90