Vehicle registration plates of Missouri

Current Missouri license plate

The U.S. state of Missouri first required its residents to register their motor vehicles in 1907. Registrants had to provide their own license plates for display until 1911, when the state began to supply plates.[1]

Front and rear plates are required on all vehicles except for motorcycles. Until its closure in 2004, all plates were manufactured at the Missouri State Penitentiary.

Passenger baseplates

1911 to 1948

Image Dates issued Description Serial format Serials issued Notes
1911 Embossed unpainted aluminum numbers on yellow plate; "MISSOURI 1911" at bottom 12345 1 to approximately 16500
1912 Embossed white numbers on red plate; "MO 12" at right 12345 1 to approximately 24500
1913 Embossed white numbers on dark blue plate; "MO 13" at right 12345 1 to approximately 36000
1914 Embossed black numbers on white plate; "MO 14" at right 12345 1 to approximately 51000
1915 Embossed black numbers on bright green plate; "MO 15" at right 12345 1 to approximately 73000
1916 Embossed white numbers on black plate; "MO 16" at right 123456 1 to approximately 103000
1917 Embossed black numbers on gold plate; "MO 17" at right 123456 1 to approximately 151000
1918 Embossed blue numbers on white plate; "MO 18" at right 123456 1 to approximately 185000
1919 Embossed white numbers on dark blue plate with border line; "MO 19" at right 123456 1 to approximately 243000
1920 Embossed black numbers on light green plate with border line; "MO. 1920" centered at bottom 123-456 1 to approximately 309-000
1921 Embossed red numbers on white plate with border line; "MO. 1921" centered at bottom 123-456 1 to approximately 350-000
1922 Embossed white numbers on brown plate with border line; "MO. 1922" centered at bottom 123-456 1 to approximately 355-000
1923 Embossed light blue numbers on black plate with border line; "MO. 1923" centered at bottom 123-456 1 to approximately 431-000
1924 Embossed black numbers on orange plate with border line; "MO. 1924" centered at bottom 123-456 1 to approximately 495-000
1925 Embossed white numbers on dark green plate with border line; "MO. 1925" centered at bottom 123-456 1 to approximately 550-000
1926 Embossed black numbers on yellow plate with border line; "MO. 1926" centered at bottom 123-456 1 to approximately 595-000
1927 Embossed white numbers on dark blue plate with border line; "MO. 1927" centered at bottom 123-456 1 to approximately 606-000
1928 Embossed purple numbers on orange plate with border line; "MO. 1928" centered at bottom 123-456 1 to approximately 631-000
1929 Embossed white numbers on black plate with border line; "MO. 1929" centered at bottom 123-456 1 to approximately 662-000
1930 Embossed white numbers on brown plate with border line; "MISSOURI 1930" at bottom 123-456 1 to approximately 699-000
1931 Embossed black numbers on gray plate with border line; "1931 MISSOURI" at bottom 123-456 1 to approximately 659-000
1932 Embossed white numbers on black plate with border line; "MISSOURI 1932" at bottom 123-456 1 to approximately 657-000
1933 Embossed beige numbers on brown plate with border line; "1933 MISSOURI" at bottom 123-456 1 to approximately 598-000
1934 Embossed white numbers on black plate with border line; "MO–1934" centered at bottom 123-456 1 to approximately 627-000
1935 Embossed white numbers on dark green plate with border line; "MO–1935" centered at top 123-456 1 to approximately 655-000
1936 Embossed black numbers on white plate with border line; "MISSOURI-1936" at bottom 123-456 1 to approximately 678-000
1937 Embossed white numbers on black plate with border line; "19 MISSOURI 37" at top 123-456 1 to approximately 697-000
1938 Embossed black numbers on buff plate with border line; "19 MISSOURI 38" at bottom 123-456 1 to approximately 715-000
1939 Embossed buff numbers on black plate with border line; "MISSOURI-1939" at top 123-456 1 to approximately 731-000
1940 Embossed black numbers on white plate with border line; "MISSOURI-1940" at bottom 123-456 1 to approximately 767-000
1941 Embossed white numbers on black plate with border line; "MISSOURI-1941" at top 123-456 1 to approximately 821-000
1942–43 Embossed black numbers on white plate with border line; "MISSOURI-1942" at bottom 123-456 1 to approximately 820-000 Embossed plates revalidated for 1943 with green tabs due to metal conservation for World War II; fiberboard plates manufactured for the same reason.
Black numbers on white fiberboard plate; "MISSOURI-1942" centered at bottom 820-001 to approximately 865-000
1944 Embossed yellow numbers on black plate with border line; "MISSOURI-1944" at top 123-456 1 to approximately 696-000
1945 Embossed black numbers on buff plate with border line; "MISSOURI-1945" at bottom 123-456 1 to approximately 697-000
1946 Embossed white numbers on black plate with border line; "1946-MISSOURI" at bottom 123-456 1 to approximately 774-000
1947 Embossed black numbers on white plate with border line; "MISSOURI-1947" at top 123-456 1 to approximately 828-000
1948 Embossed white numbers on maroon plate with border line; "MISSOURI-1948" at bottom 123-456 1 to approximately 871-000

1949 to 1967

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.[2] The 1955 (dated 1956) issue was the first Missouri license plate that complied with these standards.

Image Dates issued Description Serial format Serials issued Notes
1949–55 Embossed white numbers on maroon plate with border line; "MISSOURI" centered at top; month of expiration at top left 123-456 1 to
905-000		 Staggered registration introduced. All plates validated for 1949 with orange tabs, for 1950 with green tabs, for 1951 with white tabs, and for 1952 with black tabs. Plates expiring between January and August were validated for 1953 with maroon tabs, while those expiring between September and December were validated for that year with stickers. All plates were then validated for 1954 and 1955 with stickers.
A12-345 Letter corresponds to month of expiration
1956–61 Embossed yellow numbers on black plate with border line; month of expiration at top left and "MO" at top right 123-456 1 to
999-999		 Validated with stickers each year.
A12-345
AA1-234		 First letter corresponds to month of expiration
1962–67 Embossed white numbers on maroon plate with border line; "MISSOURI" centered at top; month of expiration at top left and white box at top right containing debossed "62" AA1-234 First letter corresponds to month of expiration Valid without stickers in 1962, then revalidated with stickers each year thereafter.

1968 to 1979

Image Dates issued Description Slogan Serial format Serials issued Notes
1968 Embossed white numbers on green plate with border line; "MISSOURI" centered at bottom; month of expiration at bottom left and "68" at bottom right none AA1-234 First letter corresponds to month of expiration
1969 Embossed green numbers on white plate with border line; "MISSOURI" centered at top; "69" at top left and month of expiration at top right none AA1-234 First letter corresponds to month of expiration
1970 Embossed black numbers on white plate with border line; "MISSOURI" centered at bottom; month of expiration at bottom left and "70" at bottom right none A1A-234 First letter corresponds to month of expiration
1971 Embossed white numbers on maroon plate with border line; "MISSOURI" centered at top; month of expiration at top left and "71" at top right none AA1-234 First letter corresponds to month of expiration
1972 Embossed blue numbers on reflective white plate with border line; "MISSOURI" centered at top; month of expiration at top left and "72" at top right none A1A-234 First letter corresponds to month of expiration
1973 Embossed maroon numbers on reflective white plate with border line; "MISSOURI" centered at bottom; month of expiration at bottom left and "73" at bottom right none AA1-234 First letter corresponds to month of expiration
1974 Embossed black numbers on reflective white plate with border line; "MISSOURI" centered at top; "74" at top left and month of expiration at top right none A1A-234 First letter corresponds to month of expiration
1975 Embossed blue numbers on reflective white plate with border line; "MISSOURI" centered at bottom; "75" at bottom left and month of expiration at bottom right none AA1-234 First letter corresponds to month of expiration
1976 Embossed reflective (glass-beaded) yellow numbers on blue plate with border line; "MISSOURI" centered at top, month of expiration at top left and "76" at top right none A1A-234 First letter corresponds to month of expiration
1977 Embossed reflective (glass-beaded) white numbers on red plate with border line; embossed white stylized "76" and flag stripes centered at top; "MO" at top left and "77" and month of expiration at top right "200 YRS" at top left, below state abbreviation AA1-234 First letter corresponds to month of expiration
1978 Embossed reflective (glass-beaded) yellow numbers on black plate with border line; "MISSOURI" centered at top, "78" at top left and month of expiration at top right none A1A-234 First letter corresponds to month of expiration
1979 Embossed reflective (glass-beaded) white numbers on blue plate with border line; "MISSOURI" centered at bottom, month of expiration at bottom left and "79" at bottom right none AA1-234 First letter corresponds to month of expiration

1980 to present

Image Dates issued Description Slogan Serial format Serials issued Notes
1980–96 Embossed reflective (glass-beaded) white numbers on maroon plate with border line; "MISSOURI" centered at top; month of expiration at top left "SHOW-ME STATE" centered at bottom AAB 123 First letter corresponds to month of expiration
1986–96 A1A 234
1995–96 1A2 34A
1997 – early 2006 Embossed dark blue numbers on reflective white, blue and green gradient plate; "MISSOURI" screened in green, with wavy dark blue underline, centered at top "SHOW-ME STATE" screened in dark blue centered at bottom 123 ABC 001 AAA to 999 ZZZ Letters I, O, Q, U and V not used in serials, and D used only as the first letter.[3]
early 2006 – June 15, 2008 1AB 23C 0AA 01A to approximately 9DG 99G
June 16, 2008[4] – present Dark blue on light blue gradient fade with bluebird graphic Show Me State AA1 B2C First letter corresponds to month of expiration Letters I, O and Q not used in serials.

Month coding

The current base, first issued in June 2008, features serials coded by the month of the registration's expiration. The first letter of the serial constitutes this code. Once all available combinations beginning with the first letter assigned to that month are issued, a second code letter may be used for that month.

Non-passenger plates

Image Type Serial format Notes
Apportioned 12A B3C
Bus 123 45B
Commercial Trailer 12A 345
Dealer D1-A
D1-AB
D12-A
D12-AB
D123-A
D123-AB
D1234-A
D1234-AB		 Numerical portion of serial remains constant for each dealer; suffix letter ascends for each plate issued to that dealer.
Disabled AB 12C All disabled plates expire in September.
Local Government varies Variety of designs issued for vehicles belonging to local governments.
Motorcycle AB 1CD
Trailer 12A 3BC
Truck less than 6,000 lb. 1AB 234 Coded by month of expiration.
Truck 6,000 to 12,000 lb. 12A 3BC

Previous non-passenger plates

1998 base

Image Type Legend Serial format Serials issued Notes
Dealer Dealer D1-A
D1-AB
D12-A
D12-AB
D123-A
D123-AB
D1234-A
D1234-AB		 Annual plates. Numerical portion of serial remained constant for each dealer; suffix letter ascended for each plate issued to that dealer.
Disabled Person Disabled Progression of serial formats unknown, but included:
1 ABC
1 AB2
Disabled Person - Truck less than 6,000 lb. Disabled 1 A2B "BL6" embossed at top right.
Motorcycle none A1 234 A0 001 to Z9 999
1A 234 0A 001 to approximately 5S 000
Shuttle Bus SHUTTLE BUS 123 4SB
Trailer TRAILER ABC 123 Annual plates.
Trailer - Commercial COMM TRL 000 000
Trailer - HRC HRC TLR 000 000
Trailer - Permanent PERM TRL PA1 234
Truck 6,000 lb. and less SHOW-ME STATE 123 AB4 000 AC1 to approximately 600 XR0 "BL6" screened at top right. C, E, F, G, H, J, K, L, M, N, P, R and S used as second letter in serial.
Truck 6,000 to 12,000 lb. SHOW-ME STATE 123 AB4 000 AT1 to approximately 400 XT0 "BL12" screened at top right. T, W, X, Y and Z used as second letter in serial.
U.S. Senate Member of Congress USS-1 Black on gold. Number indicates state's senior or junior senator.

Optional types

Optional types on this base continue to be issued, likely until January 2009. Most, if not all, optional types on this base were available in personalized format and with certain non-passenger designations. Where applicable, this designation was printed in a small rectangle screened in the upper right corner of the plate.

Image Type Slogan Serial format Serials issued Notes
Conservation
Fight Terrorism
God Bless America
Helping Schools
Purple Heart
St. Louis Cardinals
Shriners
Southwest Missouri State University

References

  1. ↑ "Old Missouri License Plates". LeatherLicensePlates.com. Retrieved August 3, 2017.
  2. ↑ Garrish, Christopher (October 2016). "Reconsidering the Standard Plate Size". Plates. Vol. 62 no. 5. Automobile License Plate Collectors Association.
  3. ↑ "Missouri License Plates". allaboutlicenseplates.com. Retrieved March 6, 2018.
  4. ↑ Waters, Amelia (June 24, 2008). "The Show-Me state's new license plate changed". KHQA. Retrieved August 4, 2017.
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