Vehicle registration plates of Washington (state)

1915 to 1949

Image	Dates issued	Design	Slogan	Serial format	Serials issued	Notes
	1915–16	Embossed white numbers on dark blue plate with border line; vertical "WN" and "1916" at left and right respectively	none	12345	1 to approximately 45000, with gaps (see right)	Single series of all-numeric serials used for all classes of vehicles, including trucks, vehicles for hire and dealer vehicles.[2]
	1916–17	Embossed white numbers on lavender plate with border line; "WN" at left and vertical "X17" at right	none	12345	1 to approximately 64000, with gaps	The 'X' indicated the passenger class of vehicles; other letters were used for other classes.[2]
	1917–18	Embossed white numbers on black plate with border line; "WN" at left and vertical "X18" at right	none	12345	1 to approximately 96000, with gaps
	1918–19	Embossed black numbers on yellow plate with border line; "WN X-19" at left	none	123456	1 to approximately 114000	Revalidated until February 29, 1920 with white porcelain tabs.
	1919–20	Black numbers on yellow and white porcelain plate; "WN X-20" on white section at left	none	123456	144001 to approximately 157000, with gaps	Both these plates issued only to new registrants.
		As above, but fully embossed with border line	none	123456	157501 to approximately 194000, with gaps
	1920–21	Embossed white numbers on green plate; "WN X-21" at left	none	123456	1 to approximately 181000, with gaps
	1921	Embossed black numbers on gray plate; "WN X:21" at left	none	123456	1 to approximately 184000, with gaps
	1922	Embossed white numbers on brown plate; "WN X-22" at left	none	123456	1 to approximately 195000, with gaps
	1923	Embossed dark blue numbers on white plate; "WN X:23" at left	none	123456	1 to 200000; 300001 to approximately 319000
	1924	Embossed white numbers on dark blue plate; "WN X:24" at left	none	123456	1 to approximately 253000
	1925	Embossed dark blue numbers on white plate; "WN X-25" at left	none	123456	1 to approximately 282000
	1926	Embossed white numbers on green plate; "WASHINGTON" at bottom, slightly offset to right; vertical "X26" at left	none	123-456	1 to approximately 311-000	First use of the full state name.
	1927	Embossed green numbers on white plate; "WASHINGTON" at bottom, slightly offset to right; vertical "X27" at left	none	123-456	1 to approximately 326-000
	1928	Embossed black numbers on orange plate with border line; "X WASHINGTON-28" at bottom	none	123-456	1 to approximately 343-000
	1929	Embossed white numbers on green plate with border line; "X WASHINGTON-29" at bottom	none	123-456	1 to approximately 394-000
	1930	Embossed green numbers on white plate with border line; "30 WASHINGTON X" at bottom	none	123-456	1 to approximately 380-000
	1931	Embossed white numbers on green plate with border line; "X WASHINGTON 31" at bottom	none	123-456	1 to approximately 348-000
	1932	Embossed green numbers on white plate with border line; "X 32 WASHINGTON" at bottom	none	123-456	1 to approximately 381-000
	1933	Embossed white numbers on green plate with border line; "X WASHINGTON 33" at top	none	123-456	1 to approximately 359-000
	1934	Embossed green numbers on white plate with border line; "X WASHINGTON 34" at bottom	none	123-456	1 to approximately 358-000
	1935	Embossed white numbers on dark blue plate with border line; "X WASHINGTON 35" at bottom	none	A-12345 123-456 AB-1234	County-coded (A or AB)	First use of county codes, and last use of 'X' to indicate the passenger class. Six-digit all-numeric serials issued in King County following A-99999; this occurred again in 1936.[2]
	1936	Embossed dark blue numbers on white plate with border line; "19 WASHINGTON 36" at bottom	none	A-12345 123-456 AB-1234	County-coded (A or AB)
	1937	Embossed white numbers on dark blue plate with border line; "WASHINGTON 1937" at top	none	A-123-456 AB-1234	County-coded (A or AB)
	1938	Embossed green numbers on white plate with border line; "1938 WASHINGTON" at top	none	A-123-456 AB-1234	County-coded (A or AB)
	1939	Embossed golden yellow numbers on green plate with border line; "STATE OF WASHINGTON" at bottom	"1889-GOLDEN JUBILEE-1939" at top	A-123-456 AB-1234	County-coded (A or AB)	Commemorated Washington's 50 years of statehood.
	1940	Embossed green numbers on white plate with border line; "WASHINGTON 1940" at bottom	none	A-123-456 AB-1234	County-coded (A or AB)
	1941	Embossed white numbers on green plate with border line; "WASHINGTON 1941" at top	none	A-123-456 AB-1234	County-coded (A or AB)
	1942–44	Embossed green numbers on white plate; "WASHINGTON 1942" at bottom	none	A-123-456 AB-1234	County-coded (A or AB)	Revalidated for 1943 and 1944 with windshield stickers, due to metal conservation for World War II.
	1944	As 1942 base, but with "WASHINGTON 1944" at bottom	none	12345	1 to approximately 89000	Issued only to new registrants.
	1945–46	Embossed green numbers on white plate; "WASHINGTON 1945" at top	none	A-123-456 AB-1234	County-coded (A or AB)	Revalidated for 1946 with windshield stickers.
	1947–48	Embossed green numbers on unpainted aluminum plate; "WASHINGTON 1947" at bottom	none	A·123·456 AB·1234	County-coded (A or AB)	Revalidated for 1948 with windshield stickers.
	1949	Embossed green numbers on unpainted aluminum plate; "WASHINGTON 1949" at top	none	A123·456 AB·1234	County-coded (A or AB)

1950 to present

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.^[3] The first Washington license plate that complied with these standards was a modification of the 1954 plate, introduced in January 1956.

Image	Dates issued	Design	Slogan	Serial format	Serials issued	Notes
	1950	Embossed green numbers on white plate; "WASHINGTON 50" at bottom	none	A123·456 AB·1234	County-coded (A or AB)	Revalidated for 1951 with silver tabs, for 1952 with windshield stickers, and for 1953 with green tabs.
	1951–53	As above, but with "51" instead of "50"				Single plate issued only to new registrants. Revalidated for 1952 and 1953 in the same manner as for 1950 plates.
	1954–57	Embossed white numbers on green plate; "54 WASHINGTON" at bottom	none	123-456 A 12-345 AB	County-coded (A or AB)	Revalidated for 1955 with silver tabs, for 1956 with white tabs, and for 1957 with green tabs.
	1956–57	As above, but to 6" x 12" size, and with narrower dies and border line				Validated for 1956 and 1957 in the same manner as for 1954–55 plates.
	1958–62	Embossed white numbers on green plate with border line; "WASHINGTON" centered at bottom	none	ABC 123	County-coded
	1963–64	Embossed green numbers on non-reflective white plate with border line; "WASH. 63" centered at bottom	none	ABC 123	County-coded (until 1981)
	1965–67	As above, but with "WASHINGTON" centered at bottom
	1968–82	As above, but reflective, and with "WASHINGTON" at top, offset to left
	1983–86	As above, but with "WASHINGTON" screened rather than embossed
	1987 – late 1990	Embossed dark blue numbers on reflective white plate with light blue Mount Rainier graphic and dark blue border line; "Washington" screened in red centered at top	"Centennial Celebration" screened in red centered at bottom	123-ABC	000-AAA to 999-DGP
	late 1990 – July 1998		none		000-DGQ to 999-JNZ
	July 1998 – December 31, 2009	As above, but without dark blue border line, and with "WASHINGTON" screened in red at top, offset to left	"EVERGREEN STATE" screened in red centered at bottom		000-JOA to 999-ZZZ
	January 1, 2010 – present			ABC1234	AAA0000 to BMF9999 (as of October 5, 2018)