Vehicle registration plates of the United States for 1956

Last updated January 21, 2023

Vehicle registration plates of the United States by year
Vehicle registration plates of the United States for 1955	Events of 1956	Vehicle registration plates of the United States for 1957

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 1956.^[1]^[2]^[3]^[4]

In 1956, the U.S. states and Canadian provinces came to an agreement with the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators, the Automobile Manufacturers Association and the National Safety Council that standardized the size for license plates for vehicles (except those for motorcycles) at 6 inches (15 cm) in height by 12 inches (30 cm) in width, with standardized mounting holes, which has been the standard size for North American license plates since.^[5] Motorcycles and other specialized vehicles often were issued smaller-sized tags.

Passenger baseplates

Passenger car plates
Region	Design	Slogan	Serial format	Serials issued	Notes
Alabama
Alaska
American Samoa
Arizona
Arkansas
California
Canal Zone
Colorado
Connecticut
Delaware
District of Columbia
Florida
Georgia
Guam
Hawai'i
Idaho
Illinois
Indiana
Iowa
Kansas
Kentucky
Louisiana	Embossed white serial with pelican separator on dark green plate with border line; "19 LOUISIANA 56" at top	none	123 456	1 001 to about 801 000
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts
Michigan
Minnesota
Mississippi
Missouri
Montana
Nebraska
Nevada
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New Mexico
New York
North Carolina	Embossed black serial on golden yellow plate with border line; "NORTH CAROLINA 56" at bottom	"DRIVE SAFELY" centered at top	A-1234 AB-1234		Serials progressed as follows: A-1 through A-9999, AA-1 through AZ-9999, B-1 through B-9999, BA-1 through BZ-9999, etc. This continued through 1972. Letters G, I, O and Q not used; this practice continued through 1968.
North Dakota
Northern Mariana Islands
Ohio
Oklahoma
Oregon
Pennsylvania
Puerto Rico
Rhode Island
South Carolina
South Dakota
Tennessee
Texas
Utah
Vermont
Virginia
Washington
West Virginia
Wisconsin	Embossed green serial on white plate; "EXP" at top left, month of expiration and "55" at top right; slogan at bottom	AMERICA'S DAIRYLAND	A12-345, AK 1234	Coded by month of expiration (A). AK 1234 format used when A12-345 format was exhausted.
Wyoming

Non-passenger plates

Non-passenger Plates
Region	Type	Design & Slogan	Serial format	Serials issued	Notes
Wisconsin	Bus	Embossed orange serial on black plate; "WIS" at top left, "BUS" at top right; "56" at bottom left, quarterly tab at far right	A 12	Coded by weight class(A)
	BX bus	Embossed black serial on orange plate; unknown format	BX123	BX 1 to unknown	First year of issue. Issued to privately-owned mass transportation vehicles; also named "Urban Bus" plates
	Canadian reciprocity	Embossed black serial on orange plate; unknown format	CR 12	CR 1 to unknown
	Dealer	Embossed red serial on white plate; "WIS" at top left, "56" at top right; "DEALER" at bottom	A 1234	Dealer number and plate number	Number is the dealer number, letters increment when a new plate is issued to that specific dealer
	Disabled veteran	Unknown format
	Farm	Embossed yellow serial on blue plate; "EXP" at top left, "DEC 55" at top right; "WIS FARM" at bottom	12345	1 to approximately 96000	Revalidated for 1956 with white on red tabs
	Heavy farm	Embossed yellow serial on blue plate; "EXP" at top left, "DEC 55" at top right; "WIS FARM" at bottom	A 1234	Coded by weight class (A)	Revalidated for 1956 with white on red tabs
	In transit	Embossed red serial on white plate; "WIS" at top left, "56" at top right; "IN TRANSIT" at bottom	AB 12	Transporter number and plate number	Number is the transporter number, letters increment every time a new plate is issued to that specific transporter
	Manufacturer	Embossed red serial on white plate; "WIS" at top left, "56" at top right; "MANUFACTURER" at bottom	AB 12	Manufacturer number and plate number	Number is the manufacturer number, letters increment every time a new plat is issued to that specific manufacturer
	Mobile home	Embossed white serial on green plate; "EXP" at top left, "DEC 55" at top right; "WIS MOBILE HOME" at bottom	1234	1 to approximately 6500	Revalidated to 1956 with red on aluminum tabs
	Motorcycle	Embossed black serial on yellow plate with border line; "A WIS 56" at top	1234	1 to approximately 9500
	Motorcycle sidecar	Embossed black serial on yellow plate with border line; "B WIS 56" at top	123	1 to approximately 100
	Motorcycle dealer	Embossed red serial on white plate with border line; "WIS 1956" at top, vertical stacked "DLR" at right	AB1, A12	Dealer number and plate number	Number is the dealer number, letters increment every time a new plate is issued to that specific dealer
	Municipal	Embossed white serial on blue plate; "WIS" at top left, "56" at top right; "MUNICIPAL" at bottom	12345	1 to approximately 14000
	Municipal motorcycle	Embossed white serial on blue plate with border line; unknown format	M123	M 1 to unknown
	Official	Embossed white serial on blue plate; "WIS" at top left, "56" at top right; "OFFICIAL" at bottom, embossed hollow at left	123	1 to approximately 700
	Permit reciprocity	Embossed orange serial on black plate; unknown format	PR123	PR 1 to approximately PR 1000	First year of issue
	School bus	Embossed orange serial on black plate; "WIS" at top left, "SCH" at top right; "56" at bottom left, quarterly tab at far right	A 12	Coded by weight class (A)
	Special-UX	Embossed orange serial on black plate; "EXP" at top left, "JUL 56" at top right; "WIS" at bottom	UX 1234	UX 1 to approximately UX 1500	First known year of issue. Used on vehicles with specific permanently-mounted equipment; plate type also called "special mobile equipment"
	Special-X	Embossed white serial on blue plate; "WIS" at top left, "56" at top right	123 X	1 X to approximately 200 X
	State patrol	Embossed black serial on white plate; "STATE" over "PATROL" at left, hollow black star to right of caption; "WISCONSIN" at bottom	123	Coded by district (1)
	Tax only	Embossed orange serial on black plate; unknown format	123	1 to unknown
	Tractor	Embossed orange serial on black plate; unknown format	A 123	Coded by weight class (A)
	Light trailer	Embossed white serial on green plate; "EXP" at top left, "DEC 55" at top right; "WIS TRAILER" at bottom	A 1234	Coded by weight class (A)	Revalidated to 1956 with red on aluminum tabs.
	Insert trailer	Embossed orange serial on black plate; "WIS" at top left, "TRL" at top right; "56" at bottom left, quarterly tab at far right	A 123	Coded by weight class (A)	Weight classes are E, F, G, H, J, K, L, M, N, R, S, T, V, X, and Y. Also issued to light trailers for hire in the A, B, C, and D weight classes.
	Commercial semi-trailer	Embossed orange serial on black plate; "EXP" at top left, "JUN 56" at top right; "WIS SEMI-TRAILER" at bottom	CS 1234	CS 1 to approximately CS 8000
	Commercial semi-trailer	Embossed orange serial on black plate; "EXP" at top left, "JUN 56" at top right; "WIS SEMI TRAILER" at bottom	CS 1234	CS 1 to approximately CS 8000
	Private semi-trailer	Embossed orange serial on black plate; "EXP" at top left, "JUN 56" at top right; "WIS SEMI-TRAILER" at bottom	PS 1234	PS 1 to approximately PS 5000
	Private semi-trailer	Embossed orange serial on black plate; "EXP" at top left, "JUN 56" at top right; "WIS SEMI TRAILER" at bottom	PS 1234	PS 1 to approximately PS 5000
	Trailer dealer	Embossed red serial on white plate; "WIS" at top left, "56" at top right; "DEALER" at bottom	A 123 TL	Dealer number and plate number	Number is the dealer number, letter prefix increments when a new plate is issued to that dealer
	Light truck	Embossed white serial on green plate; "EXP" at top left, "DEC 55" at top right; "WIS TRUCK" at bottom	A12-345	Coded by weight class (A). Serials started at A25-001	Revalidated for 1956 with black on white tabs. Weight classes are A, B, C, and D.
	Insert truck	Embossed orange serial on black plate; "WIS" at top left, "TRK" at top right; "56" at bottom left, quarterly tab at far right	A1234	Coded by weight class (A)	Weight classes are E, F, G, H, J, K, L, M, N, R, S, T, V, X. Also issued to light trucks for hire in the A, B, C, and D weight classes.

Related Research Articles

The U.S. state of Mississippi first required its residents to register their motor vehicles and display license plates in 1912. Since then, the state has gone through a variety of license plate designs and currently has several different designs for passenger, non-passenger, and optional-issue plates.

The U.S. state of Maryland first required its residents to register their motor vehicles in 1904. Registrants provided their own license plates for display until 1910, when the state began to issue plates.

Massachusetts was the first U.S. state to issue license plates, on September 1, 1903. Plates are currently issued by the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV).

Hawaii was a sovereign constitutional monarchy until this government was overthrown in January 1893, but many of its laws were already modeled after those of the United States, including registering dogs and issuing metal tags for them since the 1870s. The Republic of Hawaii which replaced the previous government was annexed as a Territory by the United States in August 1898, and the first automobiles to be shipped to the Hawaiian Islands arrived in 1899. Each of Hawaii's four counties registered vehicles completely autonomously starting with the City & County of Honolulu in 1906, and license plates were homemade / owner-provided. The first government-issued plates were used by both Honolulu and the County of Hawaii in 1915. Maui County first issued plates in 1919, while Kauai County retained homemade plates through 1921; this was the last jurisdiction in the United States to do so. All license plates were standardized throughout the Territory of Hawaii for the first time in 1922. Despite its status as a territory, Hawaii's vehicle registration laws and license plates were the same as the rest of the United States. Hawaii was admitted to the Union as the 50th state in August 1959.

The U.S. state of Kentucky first required its residents to register their motor vehicles and display license plates in 1910. Plates are currently issued by the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet through its Division of Motor Vehicle Licensing. Only rear plates have been required since 1944.

The U.S. state of Minnesota first required its residents to register their motor vehicles in 1903. Registrants provided their own license plates for display until 1909, when the state began to issue plates.

The U.S. state of North Dakota first required its residents to register their motor vehicles and display license plates in 1911. As of 2022, plates are issued by the North Dakota Department of Transportation through its Motor Vehicle Division. Front and rear plates are required for most classes of vehicles, while only rear plates are required for motorcycles and trailers.

The U.S. state of Oklahoma first required its residents to register their motor vehicles and display license plates in 1915. Plates are currently issued by the Oklahoma Tax Commission. Only rear plates have been required since 1944.

The U.S. state of Oregon first required its residents to register their motor vehicles in 1905. Registrants provided their own license plates for display until 1911, when the state began to issue plates.

The U.S. state of South Carolina first required its residents to register their motor vehicles and display license plates in 1917. As of 2022, plates are issued by the South Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles. Only rear plates have been required since 1975.

The U.S. state of Rhode Island first required its residents to register their motor vehicles and display license plates in 1904. Plates are currently issued by the Rhode Island Department of Revenue through its Division of Motor Vehicles. Front and rear plates are required for most classes of vehicles, while only rear plates are required for motorcycles and trailers.

The U.S. state of Texas first required its residents to register their motor vehicles in 1907. Registrants provided their own license plates for display, with serial numbers assigned by their county of residence, until the state began to issue plates in 1917.

The U.S. state of Vermont first required its residents to register their motor vehicles and display license plates in 1905. As of 2022, plates are issued by the Vermont Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), associated with the Vermont Agency of Transportation. Front and rear plates are required for most classes of vehicles, while only rear plates are required for motorcycles and trailers.

The U.S. state of Virginia first required its residents to register their motor vehicles and display license plates in 1906. As of 2022, plates are issued by the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). Front and rear plates are required for most classes of vehicles, while only rear plates are required for motorcycles and trailers.

The U.S. unincorporated territory of the United States Virgin Islands first required its residents to register their motor vehicles and display license plates in 1917.

The U.S. state of West Virginia first required its residents to register their motor vehicles and display license plates in 1905. As of 2022, plates are issued by the West Virginia Department of Transportation through its Division of Motor Vehicles. Only rear plates have been required since 1944.

The U.S. state of Wyoming first required its residents to register their motor vehicles and display license plates in 1913. As of 2022, plates are issued and regulated by the Wyoming Department of Transportation through its Motor Vehicle Services division.

The U.S. federal district of Washington, D.C., first required its residents to register their motor vehicles in 1903. Registrants provided their own license plates for display until 1907, when the district began to issue plates.

The Canadian province of Manitoba first required its residents to register their motor vehicles and display licence plates in 1911. As of 2022, plates are issued by Manitoba Public Insurance. Front and rear plates are required for most classes of vehicles, while only rear plates are required for motorcycles and trailers.

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 1957.

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. 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.
↑ Garrish, Christopher (October 2016). "Reconsidering the Standard Plate Size". Plates. Vol. 62, no. 5. Automobile License Plate Collectors Association.

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. 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. 58. ISBN 1-56311-975-7.

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

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

[5] Garrish, Christopher (October 2016). "Reconsidering the Standard Plate Size". Plates. Vol. 62, no. 5. Automobile License Plate Collectors Association.

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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