Current All-State License Plates: Designs and Serial Formats

A license plate is a small, rectangular plastic or metallic plate attached to a motor vehicle to give it a unique identity. In the United States, a typical license plate contains an alpha-numeric character assigned to a vehicle by the state’s Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). These characters are called license plate numbers, and they serve as unique identifiers for each vehicle. Sometimes, vehicle owners customize their license plate numbers for varying reasons, including demonstrating affiliations to certain organizations or professional groups and expressing personal interests.

Generally, license plates issued by each state depict the state’s identity through colors, pictures, designs, and symbols. The color on any U.S. state license plate usually reflects the distinctive colors associated with the issuing state. In the case of customized plates, a license plate color may portray a certain professional group, organization, interest, or any other affiliation. Although license plate designs may differ by state, a typical license plate in any state includes a registration number and the name of the state where it is issued. In some cases, they may have an inscribed slogan.

Beyond serving identification purposes, license plates have also become cultural symbols. Each artwork or symbol engraved or printed on a license plate generally represents the culture, landscape, or history of the issuing state.