Vehicle registration plates of Michigan

The U.S. state of Michigan first required its residents to register their motor vehicles and display license plates in 1910.

Passenger baseplates 1910 to present

In 1956, the U.S. states and Canadian provinces came to an agreement with the Automobile Manufacturers Association that fixed the size for license plates for vehicles, except those for motorcycles, at six inches in height by twelve inches in width, with standardized mounting holes. The 1955 (dated 1956) issue was the first Michigan license plate to comply with these standards.

Image	Dates issued	Design	Slogan	Serial format	Serials issued	Notes
	1910	Black on white with state seal		12345
	1911	White on black with state seal		12345
	1912	Black on yellow with state seal		12345
	1913	White on green with state seal		12345
	1914	Red on white with state seal		12345
	1915	White on blue with state seal		12345		State emblem made from aluminum
	1916	Blue on white with state seal		12345		State emblem made from aluminum. Front and rear plates required.
	1917	White on black with state seal		123456		State emblem made from aluminum. Front and rear plates required.
	1918	White on green with state seal		123456		State emblem made from aluminum. Front and rear plates required.
	1919	White on brown with state seal		123456		State emblem made from aluminum. Front and rear plates required.
	1920	Black on orange Stylized "MICH 20" on left		123-456		Front and rear plates required.
	1921	White on black, stylized "MICH 21" on left		123-456		Front and rear plates required.
	1922	White on red, stylized "MICH 22" on left		123-456		Front and rear plates required.
	1923	White on green, stylized "MICH 23" on left		123-456		Front and rear plates required.
	1924	Black on yellow, stylized "MICH"		123-456		Front and rear plates required.
	1925	Black on gray, stylized "MICH"		123-456		Front and rear plates required.
	1926	White on black, "MICH 26" on left		123-456		Front and rear plates required. "Diamond M" used to denote plates issued after one million registrations.
	1927	Black on yellow, "MICHIGAN 1927" on bottom		123-456		Front and rear plates required. "Diamond M" used to denote plates issued after one million registrations.
	1928	White on green, "MICHIGAN 1928" on top		123-456		Front and rear plates required.
	1929	Yellow on black, "MICHIGAN 1929" on bottom		123-456		Front and rear plates required.
	1930	Black on yellow, "MICHIGAN 1930" on bottom		123-456		Front and rear plates required.
	1931	Red on black, "MICHIGAN 1931" on bottom		1-234-567		Front and rear plates required.
	1932	White on dark blue, "MICHIGAN 1932" on top		1-234-567		Front and rear plates required.
	1933	Black on white, "MICHIGAN 1933" on bottom		1-234-567		Front and rear plates required.
	1934	Black on yellow, "19 MICHIGAN 34" on top		A 12345		Front and rear plates required.
	1935	Yellow on dark blue, "19 MICHIGAN 35" on bottom		A 12345		Front and rear plates required.
	1936	Black on gray, "19 MICHIGAN 36" on top		A 12345		Front and rear plates required.
	1937	Yellow on dark blue, "1937 MICHIGAN" on bottom		A 12345		Front and rear plates required.
	1938	Black on green, "1938 MICHIGAN" on top		A 12345		Front and rear plates required.
	1939	Black on cream, "19 MICH 39" on bottom		A 12345		Front and rear plates required.
	1940	Black on silver, "MICH 40" on top		AB-12-34		Front and rear plates required.
	1941	White on maroon, "MICH 41" on top		AB-12-34		Front and rear plates required.
	1942-43	White on olive green MICHIGAN on top - 42 on bottom		AB-12-34		Front and rear plates required. Validated in 1943 with metal tab.
	1944	White on maroon, "44" on top—"MICHIGAN" on bottom		AB-12-34		Single plate issued.
	1945	Black on silver, "MICHIGAN" on top—"45" on bottom		AB-12-34		Single plate issued
150px	1946	White on dark olive green, "46" on top—"MICHIGAN" on bottom		AB-12-34		Single plate issued
150px	1947	Black on golden yellow		AB-12-34		Single plate issued.
150px	1948	Black on silver		AB-12-34		Single plate issued.
	1949	White on black, "MICHIGAN" on top—"49" on bottom		AB-12-34		Single plate issued
150px	1950	Black on silver, "50" on top—"MICHIGAN" on bottom		AB-12-34		Single plate issued.
150px	1951	White on black, "MICHIGAN" on top—"51" on bottom		AB-12-34		Single plate issued.
150px	1952	Black on silver "52" on top—"MICHIGAN" on bottom		AB-12-34		Single plate issued.
150px	1953	White on black, "MICHIGAN" on top—"53" on bottom		AB-12-34		Single plate issued
150px	1954	Yellow on dark blue, "19 MICHIGAN 54" on top	Water Wonderland	AB-12-34		Single plate issued
150px	1955	White on green "19 MICHIGAN 55" on top	Water Wonderland	AB-12-34		Single plate issued
150px	1956	Dark green on white "19 MICHIGAN 56" on top	Water Wonderland	AB-1234		Single plate issued
150px	1957	White on red "19 MICHIGAN 57" on top	Water Wonderland	AB-1234		Front and rear plates required.
150px	1958	Black on gray, "19 MICHIGAN 58" on top	Water Wonderland	AB-1234		Front and rear plates required.
	1959–61	White on red, "19 MICHIGAN 59" on top	Water Wonderland	AB-1234		Front and rear plates required. Revalidated with metal tabs.
150px	1962–64	Green on White	Water Wonderland	AB-1234		Front and rear plates required. Validated by metal tabs in 1963 and 1964. Tabs in 1963 were white on green, and 1964 tabs were yellow on olive.
150px	1965	Yellow on blue	Water-Winter Wonderland	AB-1234		Front and rear plates required. First year using galvanized steel. First year using state school colors: 1965 honored University of Michigan.
	1966	Dark blue on "buff"	Water-Winter Wonderland	AB-1234		Front and rear plates required.
150px	1967	Maize on dark blue	Water-Winter Wonderland	AB-1234		Front and rear plates required. Colors honored University of Michigan during its sesquicentennial year.
150px	1968	Yellow on green	Great Lake State	AB-1234		Front and rear plates required.
150px	1969	White on red	Great Lake State	AB-1234		Front and rear plates required.
150px	1970	White on light gold	Great Lake State	ABC-123		Front and rear plates required. Colors are those of Oakland University. First year for ABC-123 format.
150px	1971–72	White on red	Great Lake State	ABC-123		Front and rear plates required. Plates available by mail for the first time. Validated in 1972 with black on yellow sticker.
150px	1973	White on dark blue	Great Lake State	ABC-123		Front and rear plates required. Personalized and disabled plates available for first time. Some aluminum plates issued. Validated by sticker for 1974 and 1975.
	1976–78	White on blue and red	none	ABC-123		Front and rear plates required. All plates issued were aluminum. Awarded "Plate of the Year" for best new license plate of 1976 by the Automobile License Plate Collectors Association, the first time Michigan was so honored. Validated by sticker for 1977 and 1978.
150px	1979–82	Embossed white numbers on black plate with border line; "MICHIGAN" embossed in white block letters centered above numbers; "19" embossed in top left corner and "79" in top right corner	"GREAT LAKE STATE" embossed in two lines of white block letters centered below numbers	ABC-123	BBB-000 to ZZZ-999	Front and rear plates required until April 1, 1981. Serials BBB-000 to NVM-999 were issued by county.
150px	1982–83			123-ABC	999-ZZZ to approximately 000-ZMD	Serials progress backwards.
150px	1983–90	Embossed white numbers on blue plate; "MICHIGAN" embossed in white block letters centered above numbers	"GREAT LAKES" embossed in white block letters centered below numbers	123 ABC	000 AAA to 999 ZZZ	Only rear plate required. Validated with stickers through 2007.
150px	1990–2001			ABC 123	AAA 000 to UDT 999
150px	2001–04				UDU 000 to ZZZ 999	Narrow dies introduced.
150px	2004–06			ABC1234	AAA0000 to AFP8999
150px	2006–07			ABC 1234	AFP 9000 to approximately AJR 9999	Narrower dies introduced and space added between letters and digits.
	2007–13	Embossed blue numbers on white plate; blue band screened at top with "MICHIGAN" in white serifed letters in the center	"www.Michigan.gov" screened in blue serifed letters centered below numbers	ABC 1234	BAA 0000 to approximately CPS 0999	First standard baseplate reissue since 1983.
	2013– present	Embossed blue numbers on white plate; wavy blue band screened at bottom; screened blue Pure Michigan logo centered above numbers	"michigan.org" screened in white block letters in center of wavy blue band	ABC 1234	DAA 0000 to DKV 9999 (as of December 16, 2015)

Optional types

Image	Dates issued	Design	Slogan	Serial format	Serials issued	Notes
	1996	Blue serial on background featuring the seal of the American Automobile Centennial Commission and a gold silhouette of an antique automobile outlined in red.	World's Motor Capital	ABC 12	AAA 00 to ZZZ 99	Validated with sticker until 2015 expiration.
				12 ABC	00 AAA to approximately 99 LPZ
	1997–2007	Blue serial on background featuring a sunset and the Mackinac Bridge	Great Lakes Splendor	1AB C23 A12 34B	0AA A00 to approximately 0GR A99	Validated with sticker unless the plate is more than 10 years old.
	2007– present	Black serial on background featuring buildings from the skylines of Detroit, Grand Rapids, Lansing, and Flint, the forests of Michigan, all five Great Lakes, and the Mackinac Bridge	Spectacular Peninsulas	1AB C23	0HA A00 to 1LP H99 (as of December 16, 2015)	Plate still available as of December 16, 2015.
	2013–14	Embossed white numbers on sunrise scene featuring the Mackinac Bridge, with gradient orange sky and light blue water; screened white rectangle centered above numbers, containing Pure Michigan logo	"The Mackinac Bridge" screened in black block letters centered below numbers	ABC 123	AAA 000 to approximately AJG 999	Awarded "Plate of the Year" for best new license plate of 2013 by the Automobile License Plate Collectors Association, the second time Michigan was so honored.
	2014– present	Embossed black numbers on sunrise scene featuring the Mackinac Bridge, with gradient orange and white sky and light blue water; screened Pure Michigan logo centered above numbers	"THE MACKINAC BRIDGE" screened in black block letters centered below numbers	ABC 123	AJH 000 to AYS 999 (as of December 3, 2015)	Revision of the original Mackinac Bridge base for better visibility.

External links

• Michigan license plates 1969-present
• Michigan License Plate Website