A heart shape at the bottom right corner imprinted with the words “Heart of Dixie” and a river and mountains backdropped by a yellow sky

A mixture of yellow, cyan, black, blue, and magenta

Standard passenger license plate (Flat)

1A2345B or 12A345B, depending on the county

Alabama offers specialty plates, collegiate plates, organization plates, and military plates

An Alabama license plate expiration month depends on the first letter of the owner’s name, as the state registers vehicles under a staggered registration system. For instance, a vehicle owner whose last name starts with the letter N, G, or F is required to renew their license plate in April.

Alaska license plates feature varying designs, depending on the type. The standard-issue plate features the state’s flag in the center of the license plate number and the words “The Last Frontier” at the bottom of the plate

Blue characters on a yellow background

Embossed standard-issue license plate

ABC123 (Three letters followed by 3 numbers)

Alaska offers various personalized and specialty license plates, including those that support varying causes, disability plates, university plates, military/veteran plates, and fraternal organization plates

The month and year sticker or tab affixed to the top corners of an Alaska license plate indicates its expiration date.

An Arizona standard license plate showcases the state’s famous desert landscape with a golden sunset, a teal gradient, purple cacti, and the state’s nickname, “GRAND CANYON STATE” written in bold lettering

Gold, teal, and turquoise

Standard plate (Flat)

ABC1234 (Randomly generated 7-digit alphanumeric characters in no particular order - random letters and number combinations)

Alabama offers varying specialty license plates and allows interested people to personalize standard license plates

The sticker on an Arizona license plate indicates the month of expiration. For instance, JUL 25 means the registration expires July 2025.

The design features a diamond image, which symbolizes one of the most notable natural resources in Arkansas.

White and gradient sky blue with black serial characters

Standard license plate (Embossed characters)

ABC12D (Three letters followed by two numbers, then another letter)

Arkansas offers specialty plates for education, civil service, state parks, special interest, military, and physically disabled people

One decal on the license plate indicates the month of expiration, while the other shows the year.

There are no special design features on a standard California license plate, just a gradient white background.

White, red, and blue

Standard license plate (Embossed)

1ABC234 (A number followed by three letters and then three digits)

California offers personalized plates, specialty plates, and special interest license plates.

While California license plates have stickers showing the month and year of expiration, the DMV advises checking the registration card for the exact expiration date.

The design features a range of white mountains on a green background

White and green

Regular license plate (Typically embossed, but flat for print-on-demand plates)

123-ABC (three numbers and three letters)

Colorado offers various types of specialty license plates, including group license plates and military license plates.

One tab on a Colorado license plate indicates the expiration month, and the other shows the year of expiration.

No special design, but the plate showcases the state’s legacy as the Constitution State

Blue lettering against a reflective white background

Standard license plate (Embossed)

123ABC (Typically three numbers and three digits in no particular order)

Connecticut offers different vanity license plates and varying specialty plates for anyone who wishes to show their affiliation to different groups and organizations

License plates expiration dates are no longer embedded in the plates. They are now issued on separate stickers, which are typically placed on the windshield.

Reflective characters on a plate with the slogan “THE FIRST STATE” at the top

Gold and blue

Standard license plate (Flat)

123456 (A combination of six digits, no letters at all)

Customizable license plates in Delaware include college plates, special plates, and military plates

While a Delaware license plate does not bear an expiration date, the registration tab or sticker issued during registration (and affixed to the plate) usually carries the expiration date of the vehicle’s registration.

The plate design primarily features the DC flag.

Red, white, and blue

Standard license plate (embossed)

AB 1234

DC offers varying specialty license plates, including veteran plates and breast cancer awareness plates.

The expiration date can be found on the windshield sticker.

The design features an orange blossom and two Florida oranges over an outline of an inverted F at the center of the plate

Green (characters) and white (background)

Standard license plate (Embossed)

ABC D12, 123 ABCD (Usually six alphanumeric characters with multiple configurations)

Several types of personalized and specialty license plates, including collegiate, special interest, disabled person, and military services plates, are offered in Florida.

It features a design of the state’s most popular export, peaches, at the center of the plate

Black (lettering) and white (background)

Standard license plate (Flat)

ABC1234 (usually a combination of three letters and four numbers)

There are various designs of specialty and prestige (vanity) license plates in Georgia.

The expiration date is typically displayed on a sticker affixed to the license plate or in bold characters written on the plate. For instance, MAR 25 means the expiration date is March 2025

It features a rainbow image in the plate’s background, signifying the state’s status as the rainbow capital of the world

Black lettering on a white background

Standard license plate (Embossed)

ABC123 (The first letter typically indicates the county of registration)

Hawaii issues personalized and certain specialty license plates

This plate features images of trees against a multicolored background

White, red, and blue

Standard plate (Flat)

1A BC234 (The first two characters represent the country of issuance)

Idaho offers personalized and specialty plates

The expiration date is indicated on the colored registration sticker affixed to the plate

Abraham Lincoln’s portrait and a sky gradient in the background

Dark red, white, and blue

Standard plate (Embossed)

A12 3456, AB 12345, 123 356, or 123 4567

There are numerous designs for personalized and vanity license plates in Illinois

Illinois’s license plate expiration date is displayed on a sticker attached to the plate. It indicates the month and the year.

An image of a red, covered bridge in the middle of a green vegetation

Blue, green, red, and reflective white

Standard plate (Flat)

123 ABC (Typically six characters starting with three numbers and followed by three letters)

Indiana offers personalized and specialty license plates, including organization plates, university & college plates, and military plates

The sticker affixed to the license plate indicates the expiration day, month, and year

The background features the image/theme of a composite city or country and a city skyline. It typically identifies the county of registration

Blue, white, and gray

Standard plate (Embossed)

ABC 123 (typically three letters followed by three digits for standard plates)

There are several designs for specialty and personalized license plates in Iowa, including those issued for firefighters, veterans, military, and colleges

The design features the Kansas Statehouse dome placed in the bottom left corner of the plate with a multi-colored gradient background

White, yellow, and blue with black letterings

Standard license plate (Flat)

123ABC4

Kansas issues various types of personalized and specialty plates, including those of educational institutions, military, and organizations

License plates expire based on the first letter of the vehicle owner’s last name. The expiration date is usually indicated on the vehicle registration tag

The design features a gradient blue hue, which is a fitting color for the Bluegrass State and a spot for the issuing county

white, deep blue, and faded blue

Standard-issue passenger plate (Embossed)

123 ABC or ABC 123

Kentucky issues specialized and personalized license plates

The expiration date is printed on a decal affixed to the license plate

It features the image of the state bird, the pelican, at the center of the plate

Red, yellow, and white

Standard license plate (Embossed)

123 ABC or ABC 123

Louisiana issues several specialized license plates, including those of educational institutions and the military

A pine cone, which symbolizes the state tree (the eastern white pine) and the black-capped chickadee, the state bird

Green, black, and white

Standard-issue license plate (Embossed)

1234 AB

Maine offers various specialty plates and vanity license plate

The design features the state flag

Red, black, blue, and white

Standard-issue license plate (Embossed)

1A/B 2345 (One number followed by two vertically-aligned letters, and four numbers)

Interested persons may obtain personalized plates and specialty license plates

The two stickers at the top corners of the license plate indicate the month and year of expiration, respectively.

A pine cone, which symbolizes the state tree (the eastern white pine), and the black-capped chickadee, the state bird.

Green, black, and white

Standard-issue license plate (embossed)

1234 AB

Maine offers various specialty plates and vanity license plates.

The expiration date is shown on two different stickers. One indicates the month, and the other, the year of expiration.

The design features the state flag.

Red, black, blue, and white

Standard-issue license plate (embossed)

1A/B 2345 (One number followed by two vertically-aligned letters, and four numbers)

Interested persons may obtain personalized plates and specialty license plates.

The two stickers at the top corners of the license plate indicate the month and year of expiration, respectively.

No special design feature, but it incorporates the slogan “The Spirit of America.”

Blue, red, and white

Standard passenger plate (Embossed)

1ABC 23, 1AB 234, or 123 AB4

Massachusetts offers various specialty license plates in addition to the standard passenger plate

The expiration month is typically crested on the plate, while the affixed sticker indicates the year of expiration

Standard passenger license plate exists in four different designs. One of them features the Great Lakes, eponymous peninsulas, and the Mackinac Bridge

Blue, green, and black

Standard passenger plate (Embossed)

ABC 1234, A12 34B

Michigan provides access to legacy license plates, military and veteran plates, disability plates, special cause fundraising plates, and other specialty license plates

License plates do not carry expiration dates. The dates are on the associated vehicle’s documents, and they are typically vehicle owners’ birthdays.

The design incorporates an image of the state’s map at the center of the plate

Blue, black, and white

Standard passenger plate (Flat)

ABC 123, 123 ABC

Minnesota offers other personalized and specialized license plates

The expiration month and year are displayed on the lower left corner and lower right corner of the license plate.

A magnolia flower, which is identical to the one on the state’s flag, is placed in a navy circle at the center of the license plate

Blue and white

Standard license plate (Embossed)

ABC 123

Mississippi issues numerous types of specialized and personalized license plates

The design features the state flower, the white hawthorn blossom, and the state bird, the eastern bluebird. There is also an image of the state’s map at the background of the plate

White, dark blue, and light blue

Standard plate (Embossed)

AB1 C3D

Missouri offers various types of specialized and personalized license plates

The expiration month is embossed on the top-left corner of the plate, while the expiration year is indicated in a color-coded tab placed at the center of the plate

The design incorporates the familiar silhouette of a bison skull at the center of the plate, while an outline of the state map is in the background

Black, gold, and white

Standard license plate (Flat)

12 3456A (the first two characters are the county prefix while the last five represents the plate number)

Interested persons can choose from varying personalized and specialty license plate designs

The rear plate of a vehicle typically displays the month and year of expiration

It features a mosaic called the Genius of Creative Energy, which depicts a Roman character harnessing wind, earth, fire, and air

Blue and white

Standard passenger plate (Flat)

ABC 123

Nebraska offers vehicle owners various types of specialty, organizational, military, and special use license plates

A plate’s expiration is written on the vehicle registration license or card

The plate features the Sierra Nevada mountains

Light blue, yellow, orange, and black

Standard plate (Embossed)

123 ABC

Nevada has a range of specialty license plates, including veteran plates, collegiate plates, charitable plates, and organization plates

Registration decals affixed to the upper right-hand corner of the rear license plate indicate the month and year of expiration

The design incorporates a graphic of the Old Man of the Mountain and features the state motto, “Live Free or Die.”

Green and white

Standard passenger plate (Embossed)

123 4567

New Hampshire offers vanity plates and specialty license plates, such as state parks plates, veteran plates, and conservation parks plates

The expiration month is displayed on the lower-left corner of the plate, while a sticker on the lower right-hand corner bears the expiration year

It features the image of the American Goldfinch, New Jersey’s state bird, at the center of the plate

Yellow and black

Standard-issue plate (Embossed)

A12 BCD

In addition to standard license plates, New Jersey offers specialty plates, personalized plates, special vehicle plates, special interest plates, and sport license plates

License plates expiration dates are written in vehicle registration documents

This plate features the Zia sun symbol

Yellow, turquoise, red, and white

Standard plate (embossed)

ABC 123

New Mexico offers other license plates, such as personalized plates, organizations and causes plates, collegiate plates, and military and veterans plates.

A validation sticker indicating the expiration month and date is affixed to the plate.

No special design, but the plate supports New York’s identity, the “Empire State.”

Yellow and blue

Standard plate (embossed)

ABC 1234

The state offers personalized and several types of custom plates.

Expiration stickers are not affixed to license plates in New York. The windshield sticker generally contains a vehicle’s registration expiration date.

The design features show respect for the first powered flight by the Wright Brothers at Kitty Hawk, NC in 1903.

Blue, red, and white

Standard plate (Embossed)

ABC 1234

North Carolina issues various types of specialty license plates and allows personalizing both standard and special license plates.

A sticker placed on an NC license plate indicates the month and year of expiration

It features a photorealistic bison at the bottom corner of the plate

Blue, black, and gold

Standard license plate (Embossed)

ABC 123, 123 ABC

North Dakota issues specialized license plates in addition to standard plates

The plates incorporate a city and rural design, which includes a ray of sunshine, a cityscape, a river, fields, and Ohio’s seal

Blue, red, green, and white

Standard plate (Flat)

ABC 1234

Several types of special interest license plates are issued in Ohio

There is a sticker on the lower right-hand corner of the plate that indicates the expiration month and year

It features a star-46 icon placed at the center of the plate. The plate also incorporates hand-drawn symbols that represent wind turbine, American bison, waving wheat, red-tailed hawk, golden driller, skydance bridge, sacred rain arrow statue, Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum, and Route 66 and the pops sculpture

Red, white, and blue

Standard plate (Embossed)

ABC 123, 123 ABC

Oklahomans can choose from the varying specialty license plate designs in addition to the standard plate

The expiration month and year are indicated on two different stickers affixed to the plate.

It incorporates an image of the Douglas Fir (the state tree) against a mountainous backdrop.

Muted blue, green, and violet

Standard-issue plate (Embossed)

123 ABC

There are several specialty license plate designs from which anyone can choose in Oregon

The sticker at the bottom right carries the expiration date

The plate displays a small keystone-shaped emblem at the center

Blue, white, and yellow

Standard plate (Embossed)

ABC 1234

Vehicle users can obtain specialty plates or personalize standard or specialty license plates

A sticker at the top left bears the month and year of expiration

It has a wave graphic representing the state’s “Ocean State” identity

Light blue, dark blue, and white

Standard plate (Embossed)

123-456

Rhode Island issues other types of plates, including charity plates, vanity plates, and military and veteran plates

The sticker attached to the rear plate carries the expiration date

It incorporates South Carolina’s tree, the sabal palmetto, and the crescent design

White, indigo, and blue

Regular license plate (Flat)

AB 123

In addition to the regular plates, South Carolina offers specialty plates, organization plates, military plates, sports plates, and college plates, among others

The expiration date is written on a sticker affixed to the plate.

This plate features images of the presidential heads of Mount Rushmore and a bright blue sky

Blue, red, and white

Standard plate (Embossed)

1AB 234, 1A2 345, or 12A 345

Personalized and various specialty license plates are also offered in South Dakota

The registration decals placed on the plate bears the expiration date

Three stars in a circle placed at the center with an optional “In God We Trust” phrase around the circle

Red, white, and blue

Standard license plate (Flat)

ABC 1234 or 123 ABCD

Tennessee offers vehicle owners the opportunity to personalize license plates and choose from specialty plates

No special design, but the state emblem is placed at the center of the plate

Black and white

Standard-issue plate (Embossed)

ABC 1234

Certain types of specialty license plates are issued in Texas

The expiration date is displayed on a tag affixed to the windshield.

The design incorporates a person skiing down on a mountain slope

Dark blue and white

Standard-issue plate (Embossed)

A12 3BC

In addition to standard-issue license plates, Utah offers varying special group plates

Typically, each of the two registration decals affixed to the plate indicates the expiration month and year, respectively

No special design, but it features the image of a tree, illustrating that most part of Vermont is covered by forests

Green and white

Standard plate (flat-debossed)

ABC 123

Alabama offers vanity plates and specialty plates for different organizations, and cause Vermont issues personalized and special plates

The expiration date can be found in the vehicle registration documents

There are no special designs.

White and blue

Standard plate (Embossed)

ABC 1234

Virginia issues personalized license plates and different types of specialty plates

The expiration date is displayed on two decals attached to the license plate.

The design features an image of Mount Rainier, the highest mountain in the Pacific Northwest’s Cascade Range

Dark blue, light blue, and white

Standard-issue plate (Embossed)

ABC1234

Washington offers personalized and specialized license plates

The registration tabs showing the expiration month and year are affixed to the rear license plate.

The gold and blue stripes at the bottom indicate the state’s official hues

White, gold, and dark blue

Standard plate (Embossed)

1AB 234 or ABC 123

West Virginia offers special license plates, including organizations, general interest, military, and associations, and personalized plates

The expiration date can be found in the vehicle registration documents.

The plate features images of a field and a barn depicting farm life

Red, black, and white

Standard license plate (Embossed)

123-ABC or ABC-123

Wisconsin issues personalized plates and specialty license plates

The two different stickers on the plate indicate the month and year of expiration.

The plate features the Burking Horse and Rider

Navy blue, white, grey, and red

Standard license plate (Flat)

1A 2345 or 1/1A 2345

Various types of specialty license plates are also issued in Wyoming

A sticker affixed to the plate displays the expiration month and date.