Vehicle registration plates of the United States for 1903

Last updated January 21, 2023

Vehicle registration plates of the United States by year
Vehicle registration plates of the United States for 1902	Events of 1903	Vehicle registration plates of the United States for 1904

Massachusetts became the first state to officially issue vehicle license plates in 1903.^[1]^[2] New York continued to require their residents to register their vehicles with the state, but the owner had to supply their own license plate. Connecticut, Minnesota, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and the District of Columbia all began to require vehicle registration with the vehicle owners also supplying their own plate.^[3]^[4] Each of the other states of the United States of America plus several of its territories did not require or issue license plates during 1903.^[5]^[6]^[7]^[8]

Passenger baseplates

In the table below, a light green background indicates that the owner of the vehicle was required to provide their own license plates. These plates are called "prestate" by most collectors. In the prestate era many states only provided the license plate number on a small disc or on paper, and the owner was required to have their license plate(s) made. These early license plates were created from kits that could be purchased at a hardware store, may have been available from automobile clubs or associations, they were forged by blacksmiths or other tradesmen, or the owner may have made their own plate with whatever materials they had on hand. Prestate plates were made from a variety of materials, but most often were made of leather, steel, or wood.

Legend:	Massachusetts	Prestate era plate(s)	No plates issued by state or territory

State	Design	Slogan	Serial format	Serials issued	Notes
Alabama					No prestate plates. State issued plates begin in 1911.
Alaska					No prestate plates. Territory issued plates begin in 1921.
American Samoa					No prestate plates. Territory issued plates begin in 1924.
Arizona					No prestate plates. State issued plates begin in 1914.
Arkansas					No prestate plates. State issued plates begin in 1911.
California					Prestate plates start in 1905. State issued plates begin in 1914.
Canal Zone					No prestate plates. Territory issued plates begin in 1910.
Colorado					No prestate plates. State issued plates begin in 1913.
Connecticut					First year for prestate plates. State issued plates begin in 1905.^[9]
Delaware					Prestate plates start in 1905. State issued plates begin in 1908.
District of Columbia					First year for prestate plates. District issued plates begin in 1907.^[10]
Florida					Prestate plates start in 1905. State issued plates begin in 1918.
Georgia					No prestate plates. State issued plates begin in 1910.
Guam					No prestate plates. Territory issued plates begin in 1916.
Hawai'i					No prestate plates. Territory issued plates begin in 1922.
Idaho					No prestate plates. State issued plates begin in 1913.
Illinois					Prestate plates start in 1907. State issued plates begin in 1911.
Indiana					Prestate plates start in 1905. State issued plates begin in 1913.
Iowa					Prestate plates start in 1904. State issued plates begin in 1911.
Kansas					No prestate plates. State issued plates begin in 1913.
Kentucky					No prestate plates. State issued plates begin in 1910.
Louisiana					No prestate plates. State issued plates begin in 1915.
Maine					No prestate plates. State issued plates begin in 1905.
Maryland					Prestate plates start in 1904. State issued plates begin in 1910.
Massachusetts	White serial and Mass. Automobile register. in uppercase text on dark blue porcelain background	none	1234	1 to 3241	First state to issue license plates.^[11]
Michigan					Prestate plates start in 1905. State issued plates begin in 1910.
Minnesota	Brass serial riveted on black leather				First year for prestate plates. State issued plates begin in 1909.^[12] Photo shows the first Minnesota license plate. This was either made by the vehicle owner or he had it made.
Mississippi					No prestate plates. State issued plates begin in 1912.
Missouri					Prestate plates start in 1907. State issued plates begin in 1911.
Montana					Prestate plates start in 1913. State issued plates begin in 1915.
Nebraska					No prestate plates. State issued plates begin in 1915.
Nevada					Prestate plates start in 1913. State issued plates begin in 1916.
New Hampshire					No prestate plates. State issued plates begin in 1905.
New Jersey					First year for prestate plates. State issued plates begin in 1908.^[13]
New Mexico					Prestate plates start in 1905. State issued plates begin in 1912.
New York					Prestate plates started in 1901 State issued plates begin in 1910.^[14]
North Carolina					Prestate plates start in 1909. State issued plates begin in 1913.
North Dakota					No prestate plates. State issued plates begin in 1911.
Northern Mariana Islands					No prestate plates. Territory issued plates begin in 1944.
Ohio					No prestate plates. State issued plates begin in 1908.
Oklahoma					No prestate plates. State issued plates begin in 1915.
Oregon					Prestate plates start in 1905. State issued plates begin in 1911.
Pennsylvania					First year for prestate plates. State issued plates begin in 1906.^[15]
Puerto Rico					No prestate plates. Territory issued plates begin in 1912.
Rhode Island					No prestate plates. State issued plates begin in 1904.
South Carolina					No prestate plates. State issued plates begin in 1917.
South Dakota					Prestate plates start in 1905. State issued plates begin in 1913.
Tennessee					Prestate plates start in 1905. State issued plates begin in 1915.
Texas					No prestate plates. State issued plates begin in 1917.
U.S. Virgin Islands					No prestate plates. State issued plates begin in 1917.
Utah					Prestate plates start in 1909. State issued plates begin in 1915.
Vermont					No prestate plates. State issued plates begin in 1905.
Virginia					No prestate plates.State issued plates begin in 1906.
Washington					Prestate plates start in 1906. State issued plates begin in 1915.
West Virginia					No prestate plates. State issued plates begin in 1905.
Wisconsin					No prestate plates. State issued plates begin in 1905.
Wyoming					No prestate plates. State issued plates begin in 1913.

Related Research Articles

Each of the 48 states of the United States of America plus several of its territories and the District of Columbia issued individual passenger license plates for 1921.

Each of the 48 states of the United States of America plus several of its territories and the District of Columbia issued individual passenger license plates for 1922.

Each of the 48 states of the United States of America plus several of its territories and the District of Columbia issued individual passenger license plates for 1935.

Each of the 48 states of the United States of America plus several of its territories and the District of Columbia issued individual passenger license plates for 1937.

Each of the 48 states of the United States of America plus several of its territories and the District of Columbia issued individual passenger license plates for 1953.

Each of the 50 states of the United States of America plus several of its territories and the District of Columbia issued individual passenger license plates for 1966.

Each of the 50 constituent states of the United States of America plus several of its territories and the District of Columbia issued individual passenger license plates for 1976.

Each of the 50 states of the United States of America plus several of its territories and the District of Columbia issued individual passenger license plates for 1987.

Each of the 50 states of the United States of America plus several of its territories and the District of Columbia issued individual passenger license plates for 1994.

Each of the 50 states of the United States of America plus several of its territories and the District of Columbia issued individual passenger license plates for 2001.

Each of the 50 states of the United States of America plus several of its territories and the District of Columbia issued individual passenger license plates for 2003.

Each of the 50 states of the United States of America plus several of its territories and the District of Columbia issued individual passenger license plates for 2017.

Each of the 50 states of the United States of America plus several of its territories and the District of Columbia issued individual passenger license plates for 2019.

In 1915 Louisiana, Montana, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Utah, and Washington joined the list of states and territories providing license plates to vehicle owners, and no new states entered the prestate era. There were now 44 states and 3 territories that were issuing license plates and 2 other states requiring owners to provide their own license plates.

In 1916 Guam and Nevada joined the list of states and territories providing license plates to vehicle owners, and no new states entered the prestate era. There were now 45 states and 4 territories that were issuing license plates and 1 other state requiring owners to provide their own license plates.

In 1918 Florida joined the list of states and territories providing license plates to vehicle owners, and no new states entered the prestate era. There were now 48 states and 5 territories that were issuing license plates. The prestate era ended when Florida began to issue license plates.

At this early point in the history of license plates in the United States of America, none of the 45 states, territories, or the District of Columbia, was issuing its own plates. In this year New York became the first state to require vehicle owners to register their vehicles. The owners of these early New York vehicles had to provide their own license plates with only their initials on them. Plates were often made of metal letters on a thick leather background or on a steel base. This system of using the owners initials lasted until 1903 when a change to using a number provided by the state began.

In 1904 Rhode Island became the second state, joining Massachusetts, to issue its own license plates, and the states of Iowa and Maryland began to require owners to provide their own license plates.

In 1909 Minnesota joined the list of states and territories providing license plates to vehicle owners, and North Carolina and Utah entered the prestate era. There were now 15 states and territories that were issuing license plates and 17 other states requiring owners to provide their own license plates.

At this early point in the history of license plates in the United States of America, none of the 45 states, territories, or the District of Columbia, was issuing its own plates. The state of New York remained the only state that required vehicle owners to register their automobiles. The system of using the owner's initials as the registration number, begun in 1901, remained in effect. This would change in 1903 when a number was assigned to each owner to display on their vehicle. Across the country the increases in the number of automobiles was being noticed, and there were many cities, like Chicago, that had already begun to require their owners to register their vehicles.

References

↑ Fox, Jams K. (1997). License Plates of the United States: A Pictorial History 1903-To the Present. Jerico, New York: Interstate Directory Publishing Company. p. 53. ISBN 9781886777002.
↑ Minard, Jeff; Stentiford, Tim (2004). A Moving History, 50 Years Of ALPCA. 100 Years Of License Plates. Paducah, Kentucky: Turner Publishing Company. p. 51. ISBN 1-56311-975-7.
↑ Fox, James K. (1997). License Plates of the United States: A Pictorial History 1903-To the Present. Jerico, New York: Interstate Directory Publishing Company. p. 23, 27, 57, 71, 87. ISBN 9781886777002.
↑ Dragon, Rich (February 2013). "The Nation's Capitol, District of Columbia". Plates. Vol. 59, no. 1. Rumney Depot, New Hampshire: Automobile License Plate Collectors Association. pp. 6–7.
↑ Fox, Jams K. (1997). License Plates of the United States: A Pictorial History 1903-To the Present. Jerico, New York: Interstate Directory Publishing Company. ISBN 9781886777002.
↑ Minard, Jeff; Stentiford, Tim (2004). A Moving History, 50 Years Of ALPCA. 100 Years Of License Plates. Paducah, Kentucky: Turner Publishing Company. p. 58. ISBN 1-56311-975-7.
↑ Crisler, Bob; Crisler, Chuck, eds. (2007). License Plate Values (7th ed.). King Publishing Company.
↑ Martells, Jack (1980). Antique Automotive Collectibles. Chicago: Contemporary Books, Inc. pp. 128–145. ISBN 0-8092-7205-9.
↑ Fox, James K. (1997). License Plates of the United States: A Pictorial History 1903-To the Present. Jerico, New York: Interstate Directory Publishing Company. p. 23. ISBN 9781886777002.
↑ Fox, James K. (1997). License Plates of the United States: A Pictorial History 1903-To the Present. Jerico, New York: Interstate Directory Publishing Company. p. 27. ISBN 9781886777002.
↑ Fox, James K. (1997). License Plates of the United States: A Pictorial History 1903-To the Present. Jerico, New York: Interstate Directory Publishing Company. p. 53. ISBN 9781886777002.
↑ Fox, James K. (1997). License Plates of the United States: A Pictorial History 1903-To the Present. Jerico, New York: Interstate Directory Publishing Company. p. 57. ISBN 9781886777002.
↑ Fox, James K. (1997). License Plates of the United States: A Pictorial History 1903-To the Present. Jerico, New York: Interstate Directory Publishing Company. p. 71. ISBN 9781886777002.
↑ Fox, James K. (1997). License Plates of the United States: A Pictorial History 1903-To the Present. Jerico, New York: Interstate Directory Publishing Company. p. 75. ISBN 9781886777002.
↑ Fox, James K. (1997). License Plates of the United States: A Pictorial History 1903-To the Present. Jerico, New York: Interstate Directory Publishing Company. p. 87. ISBN 9781886777002.

External links

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[1] Fox, Jams K. (1997). License Plates of the United States: A Pictorial History 1903-To the Present. Jerico, New York: Interstate Directory Publishing Company. p. 53. ISBN 9781886777002.

[2] Minard, Jeff; Stentiford, Tim (2004). A Moving History, 50 Years Of ALPCA. 100 Years Of License Plates. Paducah, Kentucky: Turner Publishing Company. p. 51. ISBN 1-56311-975-7.

[3] Fox, James K. (1997). License Plates of the United States: A Pictorial History 1903-To the Present. Jerico, New York: Interstate Directory Publishing Company. p. 23, 27, 57, 71, 87. ISBN 9781886777002.

[4] Dragon, Rich (February 2013). "The Nation's Capitol, District of Columbia". Plates. Vol. 59, no. 1. Rumney Depot, New Hampshire: Automobile License Plate Collectors Association. pp. 6–7.

[5] Fox, Jams K. (1997). License Plates of the United States: A Pictorial History 1903-To the Present. Jerico, New York: Interstate Directory Publishing Company. ISBN 9781886777002.

[6] Minard, Jeff; Stentiford, Tim (2004). A Moving History, 50 Years Of ALPCA. 100 Years Of License Plates. Paducah, Kentucky: Turner Publishing Company. p. 58. ISBN 1-56311-975-7.

[7] Crisler, Bob; Crisler, Chuck, eds. (2007). License Plate Values (7th ed.). King Publishing Company.

[8] Martells, Jack (1980). Antique Automotive Collectibles. Chicago: Contemporary Books, Inc. pp. 128–145. ISBN 0-8092-7205-9.

[9] Fox, James K. (1997). License Plates of the United States: A Pictorial History 1903-To the Present. Jerico, New York: Interstate Directory Publishing Company. p. 23. ISBN 9781886777002.

[10] Fox, James K. (1997). License Plates of the United States: A Pictorial History 1903-To the Present. Jerico, New York: Interstate Directory Publishing Company. p. 27. ISBN 9781886777002.

[11] Fox, James K. (1997). License Plates of the United States: A Pictorial History 1903-To the Present. Jerico, New York: Interstate Directory Publishing Company. p. 53. ISBN 9781886777002.

[12] Fox, James K. (1997). License Plates of the United States: A Pictorial History 1903-To the Present. Jerico, New York: Interstate Directory Publishing Company. p. 57. ISBN 9781886777002.

[13] Fox, James K. (1997). License Plates of the United States: A Pictorial History 1903-To the Present. Jerico, New York: Interstate Directory Publishing Company. p. 71. ISBN 9781886777002.

[14] Fox, James K. (1997). License Plates of the United States: A Pictorial History 1903-To the Present. Jerico, New York: Interstate Directory Publishing Company. p. 75. ISBN 9781886777002.

[15] Fox, James K. (1997). License Plates of the United States: A Pictorial History 1903-To the Present. Jerico, New York: Interstate Directory Publishing Company. p. 87. ISBN 9781886777002.

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v t e Vehicle registration plates of the United States
States	Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming
Federal district	Washington, D.C.
Insular areas	American Samoa Guam Northern Mariana Islands Puerto Rico U.S. Virgin Islands
Other registration plates	Canal Zone Native American tribes Designs and serial formats
By year	1901 1902 1903 1904 1905 1906 1907 1908 1909 1910 1911 1912 1913 1914 1915 1916 1917 1918 1919 1920 1921 1922 1923 1924 1925 1926 1927 1928 1929 1930 1931 1932 1933 1934 1935 1936 1937 1938 1939 1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023

v t e Vehicle registration plates of North America
Sovereign states	Antigua and Barbuda Bahamas Barbados Belize Canada Costa Rica Cuba Dominica Dominican Republic El Salvador Grenada Guatemala Haiti Honduras Jamaica Mexico Nicaragua Panama Saint Kitts and Nevis Saint Lucia Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Trinidad and Tobago United States
Dependencies and other territories	Anguilla Aruba Bermuda Bonaire British Virgin Islands Cayman Islands Curaçao Greenland Guadeloupe Martinique Montserrat Puerto Rico Saint Barthélemy Saint Martin Saint Pierre and Miquelon Saba Sint Eustatius Sint Maarten Turks and Caicos Islands United States Virgin Islands

Vehicle registration plates of the United States for 1903

Contents

Passenger baseplates

See also

Related Research Articles

References

External links