Vehicle registration plates of Texas

The U.S. state of Texas first required its residents to register their motor vehicles and display license plates in 1917.

Passenger baseplates 1917 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 state's first license plate that complied with these standards.

Image	First issued	Design	Slogan	Serial format	Serials issued	Notes
	1945	Black on gold	none	A/B1234	A/A10 to approximately H/L4000
	1946	Cream on black	none	A/B1234	A/A10 to approximately J/B7000
	1947	White on black	none	A/B1234	A/A10 to approximately J/U7000
	1948	Gold on black	none	A/B1234	A/A10 to approximately K/U7000
	1949	Black on gold	none	A/B1234	A/A10 to approximately L/Y8000
	1950	Gold on black	none	A/B1234	A/A10 to L/Z9999; U/A10 to approximately U/E3000
	1951	Black on gold	none	A/B1234	A/A10 to L/Z9999; U/A10 to approximately U/R8000
	1952	Gold on black	none	A/B1234	A/A10 to approximately P/J2000
	1953	Black on gold	none	A/B1234	A/A10 to approximately P/J4000
	1954	Gold on black	none	A/B1234	A/A10 to approximately P/X9000
	1955	Black on gold	none	A/B1234	A/A10 to approximately S/D3000
	1956	Gold on black	none	AB1234	AA10 to approximately SV6000
	1957	Black on white, star separator	none	AB-1234	AA-10 to approximately UR-3000
	1958	White on black, star separator	none	AB-1234	AA-10 to approximately TT-6000
	1959	Black on white, star separator	none	AB-1234	AA-10 to approximately UK-3000
	1960	White on black, star separator	none	AB-1234	AA-10 to approximately UN-7000
	1961	Black on white, star separator	none	AB-1234	AA-10 to approximately UY-9000
	1962	White on black, star separator	none	AB-1234	AA-10 to approximately VZ-4000
	1963	Black on white, star separator	none	AB-1234	AA-10 to approximately WS-7000
	1964	White on black, star separator	none	AB-1234	AA-10 to approximately YT-1000
	1965	Black on white	none	ABC 123	BBB 10 to approximately PHG 999	Vowels and Q not used. This practice continued until 1975.
	1966	White on black, star separator	none	ABC-123	BBB-10 to approximately PYK-999
	1967	Black on white, star separator	none	ABC-123	BBB-10 to approximately RKN-999
	1968	White on black, star separator	HemisFair	ABC-123	BBB-10 to approximately RSM-999
	1969	Black on white, star separator	none	ABC-123	BBB-10 to approximately RWV-999
	1970	Blue on white, star separator	none	ABC-123	BBB-10 to approximately SDN-999
	1971	Black on white, star separator	none	ABC-123	BBB-10 to approximately SWD-999
	1972	Green on white, star separator	none	ABC-123	BBB-10 to approximately TKK-999
	1973	Black on white, star separator	none	ABC-123	BBB-10 to approximately VDD-999
	1974	Red on white, star separator	none	ABC-123	BBB-10 to approximately VMG-999
	1975	Black on reflective white, star separator	none	ABC-123	AAA-10 to approximately MMV-500	I and O not used. Staggered registration introduced 1978.
	1975	As above, but with state-shaped separator			MMV-501 to ZZZ-999
	1982			123-ABC	001-AAA to 999-HEW
	1992	Dark blue and red on reflective white, flag screened next to state name	The Lone Star State	ABC-12D	BBB-12B to approximately VJK-99Z
	1995	State outline within abstract graphic.	150 Years of Statehood	ABC-12D	approximately VJL 01B to late W series	Awarded "Plate of the Year" for best new standard-issue license plate of 1995 by the Automobile License Plate Collectors Association, the first and, to date, only time Texas has been so honored. Co-recipient with Pennsylvania.
	1996	State flag to left of state name.	The Lone Star State	ABC-12D	? to ZZZ-99Z	Returned to previous base. Some late Z-series plates made on next series' graphic sheeting, with state flag to right of state name.
	1998	State flag to right of state name.	The Lone Star State	A12-BCD	B01-BBB to ?	Some early B-series plates made on previous series' graphic sheeting, with state flag to left of state name.
	1999	Dark blue on reflective white with graphic scene of space shuttle and cowboy.	The Lone Star State	A12-BCD	? to Z99-ZZZ
	2004			123-ABC	001-BBB to ?
	2005	Revised version of 1999 base: state flag motif added to state outline, flag of the United States added to space shuttle; seven stars in top left corner made more prominent in commemoration of Space Shuttle Columbia disaster, which occurred over the state; small changes to other graphic elements such as cowboy and vegetation along bottom of plate.	The Lone Star State	123-ABC	? to 999-ZZZ
	2007			ABC-123	BBB-001 to present	Still in use on many cars bought before the license plate update
	2009 - July 2010	First standard-issue non-embossed license plate issued in Texas; features the Davis Mountains against a sky backdrop, with a lone star and streaks of red and blue in the upper-left corner; state motto is retained on the bottom	The Lone Star State	AB1-C234	AA0-A001 to AZ9-Z999 (Trucks) BB0-B001 (Passenger Vehicles) XA0-A001 (Semi-Trailer Tractors)
	August 2010 - June 2012		The Lone Star State	AB1-2345 (Trucks)	AA0-0001 (Trucks)
	July 2012 - present	New "Texas Classic" black lettering on white sheeting design with double security thread in the sheeting	The Lone Star State	ABC-1234	ABC-1234 All vehicles

Non-passenger types

Image	Type	First issued	Design	Slogan	Serial format	Serials issued	Notes
	Disabled Person				1 AB CD
	Disabled Person			The Lone Star State	1 AB CD		Non-embossed

Optional types

Image	Type	First issued	Design	Slogan	Serial format	Serials issued	Notes
	4-H
	A Fine Cause
	Adopt-A-Beach
	Air Force Association
	Animal Friendly

Further reading

• The History of Texas License Plates – 80th Anniversary Edition (PDF). Austin, Texas: Texas Department of Transportation. 1999. Retrieved 2010-01-13. An extensive history and catalog of Texas license plates.

External links

• Texas license plates 1969-present