Vehicle registration plates of Montana

The U.S. state of Montana first required its residents to register their motor vehicles and display license plates in 1915.

Passenger baseplates 1915 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 1956 (dated 1957) issue was the first Montana license plate that complied with these standards.

Dates issued	Design	Slogan	Serial format	Serials issued	Notes
1915	Embossed white lettering on black base.	none	12345	1 to approximately 15400
1916	Embossed green lettering on black base.	none	12345	1 to approximately 19600
1917	Embossed red lettering on gray base.	none	12345	1 to approximately 21500
1918	Embossed white lettering on dark blue base.	none	12345	1 to approximately 23700
1919	Embossed black lettering and rims on white base.	none	12345	1 to approximately 24900
1920	Embossed white lettering and rims on black base.	none	12345	1 to approximately 26400
1921	Embossed white lettering and rims on red base.	none	12345	1 to approximately 29800
1922	Embossed brown lettering on orange base.	none	12345	1 to approximately 32900
1923	Embossed red lettering on white base.	none	12345	1 to approximately 35600
1924	Embossed white lettering on blue base.	none	12345	1 to approximately 38700
1925	Embossed white lettering on red base.	none	12345	1 to approximately 39800
1926	Embossed white lettering on black base.	none	12-345	1 to approximately 41-000
1927	Embossed black lettering on green base.	none	12-345	1 to approximately 46-000
1928	Embossed black lettering on orange base.	none	12-345	1 to approximately 57-000
1929	Embossed blue lettering on white base.	none	12-345	1 to approximately 69-000
1930	Embossed black lettering on orange base.	none	12-345	1 to approximately 77-000
1931	Embossed blue lettering on white base.	none	12-345	1 to approximately 86-000
1932	Embossed white lettering on black base.	none	12-345	1 to approximately 99-000
1933	Embossed yellow numbers on maroon plate with state-shaped border; "MONTANA-33" embossed in yellow block letters at bottom	none	12-3456	1 to approximately 15-0000
1934	Embossed orange numbers on black plate with state-shaped border; "34-MONTANA" embossed in orange block letters at bottom	none	12-3456	1 to approximately 29-0000
1935	Embossed white numbers on black plate with state-shaped border; "MONTANA-35" embossed in white block letters at bottom	none	12-3456	1 to approximately 42-0000
1936	Embossed black numbers on orange plate with state-shaped border; "36-MONTANA" embossed in black block letters at bottom	none	12-3456	1 to approximately 58-0000
1937	Embossed black numbers on sea green plate with state-shaped border; "MONTANA-37" embossed in black block letters at bottom	none	12-3456	1 to approximately 67-0000
1938	Embossed black numbers on orange plate with state-shaped border; embossed black buffalo skull used as separator; "MONTANA–38" embossed in black block letters below numbers	none	1-12345 1/0-1234	Coded by county of issuance (1 or 1/0)
1939	Embossed orange numbers on black plate with state-shaped border; "MONTANA–39" embossed in orange block letters below numbers	none	1-12345 10-1234	Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10)
1940	Embossed white numbers on blue plate with state-shaped border; "MONTANA–40" embossed in white block letters below numbers	none	1-12345 10-1234	Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10)
1941	Embossed blue numbers on white plate with state-shaped border; "MONTANA–41" embossed in blue block letters below numbers	none	1-12345 10-1234	Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10)
1942–43	Embossed white numbers on black plate with state-shaped border; "MONTANA–42" embossed in white block letters below numbers	none	1-12345 10-1234	Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10)	Revalidated for 1943 with red tabs, due to metal conservation for World War II.
1944	White numbers on green plate; "MONTANA-1944" in white block letters centered at bottom	none	1-12345 10-1234	Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10)	Manufactured on soybean-based fiberboard due to ongoing metal conservation.
1945	As 1942–43 base, but with "MONTANA–45" below numbers	none	1-12345 10-1234	Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10)
1946–47	Embossed black numbers on white plate with state-shaped border; "MONTANA–46" embossed in black block letters below numbers	none	1-12345 10-1234	Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10)	Revalidated for 1947 with windshield stickers.
1948	As 1942–43 base, but with "MONTANA–48" below numbers	none	1-12345 10-1234	Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10)
1949	As 1946–47 base, but with "MONTANA–49" below numbers	none	1-12345 10-1234	Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10)
1950	As 1942–43 base, but with "MONTANA–50" centered below numbers	"THE TREASURE STATE" embossed in white block letters above numbers	1-12345 10-1234	Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10)
1951–52	Embossed yellow numbers on blue plate with state-shaped border; "MONTANA–51" embossed in yellow block letters centered below numbers	"THE TREASURE STATE" embossed in yellow block letters above numbers	1-12345 10-1234	Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10)	Revalidated for 1952 with windshield stickers.
1953–54	As 1942–43 base, but with "MONTANA–53" centered below numbers	"THE TREASURE STATE" embossed in white block letters above numbers	1-12345 10-1234	Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10)	Revalidated for 1954 with silver tabs.
1955–56	Embossed white numbers on red plate with state-shaped border; "MONTANA–55" embossed in white block letters centered below numbers	"THE TREASURE STATE" embossed in white block letters above numbers	1-12345 10-1234	Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10)	Revalidated for 1956 with silver tabs.
1957–58	Embossed white numbers on black plate with border line; "MONTANA–57" embossed in white block letters centered at bottom	none	1/ 12345 1/0 1234	Coded by county of issuance (1 or 1/0)	First 6" x 12" plate. Revalidated for 1958 with silver tabs.
1959–62	Embossed black numbers on unpainted aluminum plate with state-shaped border; "MONTANA" embossed in wide black block letters centered below numbers; embossed "59" to right of state name	none	1·12345 10·1234	Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10)	Revalidated for 1960 with yellow tabs, for 1961 with black tabs, and for 1962 with blue tabs.
1963–66	As 1959–62 base, but with embossed "63" to right of state name	"TREASURE STATE" embossed in narrow black block letters centered above numbers	1·12345 10·1234	Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10)	Revalidated for 1964 with black tabs, for 1965 with blue tabs, and for 1966 with yellow tabs.
1967	Embossed yellow numbers on light blue plate with state-shaped border; "MONTANA" embossed in wide yellow block letters centered below numbers; embossed "67" to right of state name	"BIG SKY COUNTRY" embossed in narrow yellow block letters centered above numbers	1·12345 10·1234	Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10)
1968–69	Embossed green numbers on reflective white plate with state-shaped border; "MONTANA" embossed in wide green block letters centered below numbers; debossed "68" to right of state name	"BIG SKY COUNTRY" embossed in narrow green block letters centered above numbers	1·12345 10·1234	Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10)	Revalidated for 1969 with stickers.
1970–72	Embossed blue numbers on reflective white plate with state-shaped border; "MONTANA" embossed in wide blue block letters centered below numbers; debossed "70" to right of state name	"BIG SKY COUNTRY" embossed in narrow blue block letters centered above numbers	1·12345 10·1234	Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10)	Revalidated for 1971 and 1972 with stickers.
1973–74	Debossed white numbers on reflective green plate with state-shaped border; debossed white buffalo skull in bottom left corner; "MONTANA" debossed in wide white block letters centered below numbers; debossed "73" to right of state name	"BIG SKY COUNTRY" debossed in narrow white block letters centered above numbers	1·12345 10·1234	Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10)	Revalidated for 1974 with stickers.
1975	Debossed white numbers on reflective blue plate with state-shaped border; debossed white buffalo skull in bottom left corner; "MONTANA" debossed in wide white block letters centered below numbers; debossed "75" to right of state name	"BIG SKY COUNTRY" debossed in narrow white block letters centered above numbers	1·12345 10·1234	Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10)
1976–91	Embossed sky blue numbers on reflective white plate with screened red state-shaped border; red "76 Bicentennial" logo and sky blue buffalo skull screened at top left and bottom left corners respectively; red band screened above numbers containing "MONTANA" in white block letters; screened sky blue "'76" in bottom right corner	"BIG SKY" screened in sky blue block letters centered at bottom	1·123456 10·12345	Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10)	A straight-line die was originally used for the number '1', before being replaced by a serifed version.
1991–2000	Embossed dark blue numbers on reflective sky blue and white gradient plate; white and pale blue state outline screened around plate and yellow, orange and purple band, resembling a mountain range, screened above numbers; "MONTANA" screened in white block letters in top left corner	"Big Sky" screened in sky blue handwritten font in bottom right corner, along with a sky blue buffalo skull	1P·1234A 3P·123AB 10·1234A	Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10)	Three-digit, two-letter serials briefly issued in Yellowstone County after 3P·9999Z was reached.
2000–03	Embossed black numbers on reflective graphic plate with sky blue background and gradient sky blue and white state shape containing purple mountain range and orange badlands; "MONTANA" screened in blue block letters centered above numbers; "2000" screened in white above state name	"BIG SKY" screened in sky blue block letters in bottom left corner, with words separated by a blue buffalo skull	1·A12345 10·A1234	Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10)
2003–06	As above, but with numbers screened rather than embossed		1·A12345 10·A1234	Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10)
2006–09	Screened black numbers, with buffalo skull as separator, on reflective graphic plate with gradient dark blue and white background, yellow state outline and mountain range and forest at bottom; "MONTANA" screened in gold stylized serifed letters, with curved underline, centered above numbers	"Big Sky Country" screened in brown serifed letters between state name and numbers	1C-12345 1C-1234A 10-12345	Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10)	Still currently revalidated, due to mixed reception of the 2010 blue base (below) and financial concerns.
2010–present	Screened white numbers, with buffalo skull as separator, on reflective blue plate with white state-shaped border; "MONTANA - 10" screened in white block letters centered below numbers	"TREASURE STATE" screened in white block letters centered at top	1-12345A 10-1234A	Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10)
2012–present	As 1991–2000 base, but with numbers screened and buffalo skull used as separator	"Big Sky" as on original 1991–2000 base			Replicas of 1991, 2000 and 2006 bases and the optional Montana Centennial plate, issued due to mixed reception of the 2010 blue base. Motorists can choose any one of these five plates. Montana Centennial replicas use the same serial format as current optional plates.
	As 2000–06 base, with numbers screened as from 2003 onwards, but with buffalo skull used as separator	"BIG SKY" as on original 2000–06 base
	As 2006–09 base	"Big Sky Country" as on original 2006–09 base
	As optional Montana Centennial plate (see Optional types below), but with numbers screened	"100 YEARS" as on original Montana Centennial plate	ABC123

Optional types

Image	Type	Dates issued	Design	Slogan	Serial format	Serials issued	Notes
	Montana Centennial	1987–89	Embossed blue numbers on graphic plate with gold background, white state shape and brown mountain range at top; "MONTANA" screened in bottom right corner, with a brown Montana Centennial logo for the 'O' and brown serifed letters for the remainder	"100 YEARS" screened in two rows of brown serifed letters in bottom left corner	1ABC12 10AB12	Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10)	Remained valid until 1996.

Non-passenger plates

Image	Type	Dates issued	Design	Serial format	Serials issued	Notes
	Motorcycle	1988–present	Embossed dark blue numbers on white plate; "MONTANA" embossed in dark blue block letters at bottom; "CYCLE" embossed in same letters at top, offset to left	1-1234 1-A123 1-AB12 10-123 10-A12 10-AB1	Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10)

County coding

Code	County	County seat
1	Silver Bow	Butte
2	Cascade	Great Falls
3	Yellowstone	Billings
4	Missoula	Missoula
5	Lewis and Clark	Helena
6	Gallatin	Bozeman
7	Flathead	Kalispell
8	Fergus	Lewistown
9	Powder River	Broadus
10	Carbon	Red Lodge
11	Phillips	Malta
12	Hill	Havre
13	Ravalli	Hamilton
14	Custer	Miles City
15	Lake	Polson
16	Dawson	Glendive
17	Roosevelt	Wolf Point
18	Beaverhead	Dillon
19	Chouteau	Fort Benton
20	Valley	Glasgow
21	Toole	Shelby
22	Big Horn	Hardin
23	Musselshell	Roundup
24	Blaine	Chinook
25	Madison	Virginia City
26	Pondera	Conrad
27	Richland	Sidney
28	Powell	Deer Lodge
29	Rosebud	Forsyth
30	Deer Lodge	Anaconda
31	Teton	Choteau
32	Stillwater	Columbus
33	Treasure	Hysham
34	Sheridan	Plentywood
35	Sanders	Thompson Falls
36	Judith Basin	Stanford
37	Daniels	Scobey
38	Glacier	Cut Bank
39	Fallon	Baker
40	Sweet Grass	Big Timber
41	McCone	Circle
42	Carter	Ekalaka
43	Broadwater	Townsend
44	Wheatland	Harlowton
45	Prairie	Terry
46	Granite	Philipsburg
47	Meagher	White Sulphur Springs
48	Liberty	Chester
49	Park	Livingston
50	Garfield	Jordan
51	Jefferson	Boulder
52	Wibaux	Wibaux
53	Golden Valley	Ryegate
54	Mineral	Superior
55	Petroleum	Winnett
56	Lincoln	Libby

External links

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	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

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

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 11/20/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.