Vehicle registration plates of Wyoming
The U.S. state of Wyoming first required its residents to register their motor vehicles and display license plates in 1913. Plates are issued and regulated by the Wyoming Department of Transportation through its Motor Vehicle Services division.
Wyoming license plates have included an image of a Bucking Horse and Rider since 1936.
Wyoming state law usually requires front and rear license plates. However, on July 1, 2015, a new law took effect that allowed custom and antique vehicles to display only rear plates, as well as vehicles that were originally manufactured without a plate bracket on the front.[1]
Passenger baseplates 1913 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 Wyoming license plate that complied with these standards.
Image | First issued | Design | Slogan | Serial format | Serials issued | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1913 | Red on white | none | 1234 | |||
1914 | White on blue | none | 1234 | |||
1915 | White on black | none | 1234 | |||
1916 | Blue on white | none | 1234 | |||
1917 | Brown on light yellow | none | 12345 | |||
1918 | Embossed white numbers and lettering on brown plate with white border line; "1918 WYO." embossed at left | none | 12345 | 1 to approximately 20900 | ||
1919 | Embossed black numbers and lettering on light green plate; "1919 WYO." embossed in black at left | none | 12345 | 1 to approximately 21600 | ||
1920 | Embossed white numbers and lettering on green plate; "1920 WYO." embossed in white at left | none | 12345 | 1 to approximately 23100 | ||
1921 | Embossed white numbers on green 1920 base plate; "1921 WYO" embossed in black on green metal insert at left | none | 12345 | 1 to approximately 24500 | ||
1921 (New registrations only) | Embossed black numbers and lettering on orange plate; "1921 WYO. embossed in black at left | none | 12345 | 1 to approximately 26700 | ||
1922 | Embossed navy blue numbers on cream plate; "1922 WYO" embossed in navy blue at left | none | 12345 | 1 to approximately 28000 | ||
1923 | Embossed white numbers on navy blue plate; "WYO 1923" embossed in white at left | none | 12345 | 1 to approximately 36000 | ||
1924 | Embossed white numbers on red plate; "1924 WYO" embossed in white at left | none | 12345 | 1 to approximately 39000 | ||
1925 | Embossed black numbers on white plate; "1925 WYO" embossed in black at left | none | 12345 | 1 to approximately 45000 | ||
1926 | Embossed white numbers on green plate; white lines at top and bottom borders; "WYO 1926" embossed in white at left | none | 12345 | 1 to approximately 45000 | ||
1927 | Embossed black numbers on yellow plate; "1927 WYO" embossed in black at left | none | 12345 | 1 to approximately 47000 | ||
1928 | Embossed yellow numbers on navy blue plate; yellow lines at top and bottom borders; "WYO 1928" embossed in yellow at left | none | 12345 | 1 to approximately 49000 | ||
1929 | Embossed red numbers on white plate; red lines at top and bottom borders; "WYO 1929" embossed in red at left | none | 12345 | 1 to approximately 52000 | ||
1930 | Embossed white numbers on black plate; white lines at top and bottom borders; "WYOMING 1930" embossed in white block letters at bottom | none | 1-1234 10-1234 |
Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10) |
||
1931 | Embossed green numbers on gray plate; green lines at top and bottom borders; "WYOMING 1931" embossed in green block letters at bottom | none | 1-1234 10-1234 |
Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10) |
||
1932 | Embossed cream numbers on brown plate; cream lines at top and bottom borders; "WYOMING 1932" embossed in cream block letters at bottom | none | 1-1234 10-1234 |
Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10) |
||
1933 | Embossed black numbers on white plate; black lines at top and bottom borders; "WYOMING 1933" embossed in black block letters at bottom | none | 1-1234 10-1234 |
Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10) |
||
1934 | Embossed white numbers on dark red plate; white lines at top and bottom borders; "WYOMING 1934" embossed in white block letters at bottom | none | 1-1234 10-1234 |
Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10) |
||
1935 | Embossed blue numbers on white plate; blue lines at top and bottom borders; "WYOMING 1935" embossed in blue block letters at bottom | none | 1-1234 10-1234 |
Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10) |
||
1936 | Embossed black numbers and Bucking Horse and Rider on white plate with border line; "1936 WYOMING" embossed in black block letters at top | none | 1-1234 10-1234 |
Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10) |
First use of the Bucking Horse and Rider. | |
1937 | Embossed yellow numbers and Bucking Horse and Rider on brown plate with border line; "1937 WYOMING" embossed in yellow block letters at top | none | 1-1234 10-1234 |
Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10) |
Issued in the colors of the University of Wyoming, in honor of its 50th anniversary.[2] | |
1938 | Embossed yellow numbers and Bucking Horse and Rider on navy blue plate with border line; "1938 WYOMING" embossed in yellow block letters at top | none | 1-1234 10-1234 |
Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10) |
||
1939 | Embossed navy blue numbers and Bucking Horse and Rider on golden yellow plate with border line; "1939 WYOMING" embossed in navy blue block letters at bottom | none | 1-1234 10-1234 |
Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10) |
||
1940 | Embossed white numbers and Bucking Horse and Rider on turquoise plate with border line; "1940 WYOMING" embossed in white block letters at top | none | 1-1234 10-1234 |
Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10) |
||
1941 | Embossed red numbers and Bucking Horse and Rider on white plate with border line; "1941 WYOMING" embossed in red block letters at top | none | 1-1234 2-A123 10-1234 |
Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10) |
One-letter, three-digit serials issued in Laramie County after 2-9999 was reached. This occurred again in 1942. | |
1942 | Embossed black numbers and Bucking Horse and Rider on white plate with border line; "1942 WYOMING" embossed in black block letters at top | none | 1-1234 2-A123 10-1234 |
Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10) |
||
1943 | Embossed golden yellow numbers and Bucking Horse and Rider on black plate with border line; "1943 WYOMING" embossed in golden yellow block letters at top | none | 1-12345 10-1234 |
Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10) |
Five-digit serials issued in Laramie County after 2-9999 was reached; this occurred on each subsequent base until 1956. Natrona County followed suit from 1949. | |
1944 | Black numbers and Bucking Horse and Rider on golden yellow plate with border line; "1944 WYOMING" in black block letters at top | none | 1-12345 10-1234 |
Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10) |
Manufactured on soybean-based fiberboard due to metal conservation for World War II. | |
1945 | Embossed black numbers and Bucking Horse and Rider on white plate with border line; "1945 WYOMING" embossed in black block letters at top | none | 1-12345 10-1234 |
Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10) |
||
1946 | Embossed green numbers and Bucking Horse and Rider on beige plate with border line; "1946 WYOMING" embossed in green block letters at top | none | 1-12345 10-1234 |
Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10) |
||
1947 | Embossed white numbers and Bucking Horse and Rider on black plate with border line; "1947 WYOMING" embossed in white block letters at top | none | 1-12345 10-1234 |
Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10) |
||
1948 | Embossed brown numbers and Bucking Horse and Rider on golden yellow plate with border line; "1948 WYOMING" embossed in brown block letters at top | none | 1-12345 10-1234 |
Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10) |
||
1949 | Embossed red numbers and Bucking Horse and Rider on white plate with border line; "1949 WYOMING" embossed in red block letters at bottom | none | 1-12345 10-1234 |
Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10) |
||
1950 | Embossed white numbers and Bucking Horse and Rider on black plate with border line; "1950 WYOMING" embossed in white block letters at top | none | 1-12345 10-1234 |
Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10) |
||
1951 | Embossed black numbers and Bucking Horse and Rider on white plate with border line; "1951 WYOMING" embossed in black block letters at top | none | 1-12345 10-1234 |
Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10) |
||
1952 | Embossed yellow numbers and Bucking Horse and Rider on black plate with border line; "52 WYOMING" embossed in yellow block letters at bottom | none | 1-12345 10-1234 |
Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10) |
||
1953 | Embossed white numbers and Bucking Horse and Rider on black plate with white border line; "53 WYOMING" embossed in white block letters at bottom | none | 1-12345 10-1234 |
Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10) |
||
1954 | Embossed black numbers and Bucking Horse and Rider on white plate with border line; "54 WYOMING" embossed in black block letters at bottom | none | 1-12345 10-1234 |
Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10) |
||
1955 | Embossed yellow numbers and Bucking Horse and Rider on black plate with border line; "55 WYOMING" embossed in yellow block letters at top | none | 1-12345 10-1234 |
Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10) |
||
1956 | Embossed white numbers and Bucking Horse and Rider on black plate with border line; "56 WYOMING" embossed in white block letters at bottom | none | 1-1234 1-123A 1/0-1234 |
Coded by county of issuance (1 or 1/0) |
First 6" x 12" plate. Stacked county codes introduced in two-digit counties; all serials restricted to four characters in length. | |
1957 | Embossed yellow numbers and Bucking Horse and Rider on black plate with border line; "WYO 57" embossed in yellow block letters at top right | none | 1-1234 1-123A 1/0-1234 |
Coded by county of issuance (1 or 1/0) |
||
1958 | Embossed yellow numbers and Bucking Horse and Rider on green plate with border line; "WYO 58" embossed in yellow block letters at bottom right | none | 1-1234 1-123A 1/0-1234 |
Coded by county of issuance (1 or 1/0) |
||
1959 | Embossed white numbers and Bucking Horse and Rider on black plate with border line; "WYO 59" embossed in white block letters at top right | none | 1-1234 1-123A 1/0-1234 |
Coded by county of issuance (1 or 1/0) |
||
1960 | Embossed yellow numbers and Bucking Horse and Rider on black plate with border line; "WYO 60" embossed in yellow block letters at bottom right | none | 1-1234 1-123A 1/0-1234 |
Coded by county of issuance (1 or 1/0) |
||
1961 | Embossed white numbers and Bucking Horse and Rider on red plate with border line; "WYO 61" embossed in white block letters at top right | none | 1-1234 1-123A 1/0-1234 1/0-123A |
Coded by county of issuance (1 or 1/0) |
||
1962 | Embossed white numbers and Bucking Horse and Rider on Columbia blue plate with border line; "WYO 62" embossed in white block letters at bottom right | none | 1-1234 1-123A 1/0-1234 1/0-123A |
Coded by county of issuance (1 or 1/0) |
||
1963 | Embossed white numbers and Bucking Horse and Rider on black plate with border line; "WYO 63" embossed in white block letters at top right | none | 1-1234 1-123A 1/0-1234 1/0-123A |
Coded by county of issuance (1 or 1/0) |
||
1964 | Embossed white numbers and Bucking Horse and Rider on red plate with border line; "WYO 64" embossed in white block letters at bottom right | none | 1-1234 1-123A 1-A123 1/0-1234 1/0-123A |
Coded by county of issuance (1 or 1/0) |
||
1965 | Embossed yellow numbers and Bucking Horse and Rider on black plate with border line; "WYO 65" embossed in yellow block letters at top right | none | 1-1234 1-123A 1-A123 1/0-1234 1/0-123A |
Coded by county of issuance (1 or 1/0) |
||
1966 | Embossed white numbers and Bucking Horse and Rider on dark green plate with border line; "WYO 66" embossed in white block letters at bottom right | none | 1-1234 1-123A 1-A123 1/0-1234 1/0-123A |
Coded by county of issuance (1 or 1/0) |
||
1967 | Embossed white numbers and Bucking Horse and Rider on red plate with border line; "WYO 67" embossed in white block letters at top right | none | 1-1234 1-123A 1-A123 1/0-1234 1/0-123A |
Coded by county of issuance (1 or 1/0) |
||
1968 | Embossed yellow numbers and Bucking Horse and Rider on brown plate with border line; "WYO 68" embossed in yellow block letters at bottom right | none | 1-1234 1-123A 1-A123 1/0-1234 1/0-123A |
Coded by county of issuance (1 or 1/0) |
||
1969 | Embossed white numbers and Bucking Horse and Rider on dark blue plate with border line; "WYO 69" embossed in white block letters at top right | none | 1-1234 1-123A 1-A123 1/0-1234 1/0-123A |
Coded by county of issuance (1 or 1/0) |
||
1970 | Embossed yellow numbers and Bucking Horse and Rider on dark green plate with border line; "WYO 70" embossed in yellow block letters at bottom right | none | 1-1234 1-123A 1-A123 1/0-1234 1/0-123A |
Coded by county of issuance (1 or 1/0) |
||
1971 | Embossed white numbers and Bucking Horse and Rider on black plate with border line; "WYO 71" embossed in white block letters at top right | none | 1-1234 1-123A 1-A123 1/0-1234 1/0-123A |
Coded by county of issuance (1 or 1/0) |
||
1972 | Embossed brown numbers and Bucking Horse and Rider on yellow plate with border line; "WYO 72" embossed in brown block letters at bottom right | none | 1-1234 1-123A 1-A123 1/0-1234 1/0-123A |
Coded by county of issuance (1 or 1/0) |
Awarded "Plate of the Year" for best new license plate of 1972 by the Automobile License Plate Collectors Association, the first time Wyoming was so honored. | |
1973 | Embossed black numbers and Bucking Horse and Rider on white plate with border line; "WYO 73" embossed in black block letters at top right | none | 1-1234 1-123A 1-A123 1/0-1234 1/0-123A |
Coded by county of issuance (1 or 1/0) |
||
1974 | As 1972 base, but with "WYO 74" embossed at bottom right | none | 1-1234 1-123A 1-A123 1/0-1234 1/0-123A |
Coded by county of issuance (1 or 1/0) |
||
1975-77 | Embossed light blue numbers and screened light blue Bucking Horse and Rider on white plate with light blue border line; red band screened at bottom containing "WYOMING" in white block letters in the center, "19" on the left and "75" on the right | "THE SPIRIT OF '76 — In the American West!" screened in red Wild West-style font centered at top | 1-1234 1-123A 1-A123 1-A/B123 1/0-1234 1/0-123A |
Coded by county of issuance (1 or 1/0) |
Revalidated for 1976 and 1977 with stickers. Five-character serials, with two stacked letters, issued in Laramie and Natrona Counties from 1977 after four-character serials were exhausted. | |
1978-82 | Embossed brown numbers and Bucking Horse and Rider on white plate; brown wooden fence graphic screened at bottom; "WYOMING" screened in Wild West-style font on wooden sign graphic at top, offset to right; "78" screened in same manner in top left corner | none | 1-1234 1-123A/B 1/0-1234 1/0-123A/B |
Coded by county of issuance (1 or 1/0) |
Awarded "Plate of the Year" for best new license plate of 1978 by the Automobile License Plate Collectors Association, the second time Wyoming was so honored. | |
1983- December 1987 | Embossed brown numbers and screened brown Bucking Horse and Rider on yellow plate; brown wooden fence graphic screened at bottom; "WYOMING" screened in brown serifed letters at top, offset to right; "83" screened in top left corner | none | 1-1234 1-123A/B 1/0-1234 1/0-123A/B |
Coded by county of issuance (1 or 1/0) |
||
January 1988 - December 1992 | Embossed red numbers and Bucking Horse and Rider on graphic plate featuring white cloud-covered mountains against a blue sky; "Wyoming" screened in dark blue serifed letters at top, offset to right | "1890 Centennial 1990" screened in dark blue serifed letters at bottom | 1-1234 1-123A/B 1/0-1234 1/0-123A/B |
Coded by county of issuance (1 or 1/0) |
||
January 1993 - December 1999 | Embossed dark blue numbers and Bucking Horse and Rider on graphic plate with blue, green and yellow mountains against a pale blue sky; "Wyoming" screened in dark blue serifed letters at top, offset to right | none | 1-1234 1-123A/B 1/0-1234 1/0-123A/B |
Coded by county of issuance (1 or 1/0) |
||
January 2000 - September 2001 | Embossed black numbers and Bucking Horse and Rider on graphic plate with Devils Tower screened at right against a cloudy blue sky; "WYOMING" screened in white serifed letters at bottom, offset to right | none | 1-1234 1-123A 1-12AB 1-1ABC 1/0-1234 1/0-123A 1/0-12AB |
Coded by county of issuance (1 or 1/0) |
Awarded "Plate of the Year" for best new license plate of 2000 by the Automobile License Plate Collectors Association, the third time Wyoming was so honored. | |
File:Wyoming plate 2008.jpg | October 2001 - December 2007[3] | As above, but with numbers and Bucking Horse and Rider screened rather than embossed | Bucking Horse and Rider originally the same shape as on embossed plates, but later given greater detail. | |||
File:Wyoming Plate 2014.jpg | January 2008 - December 2015 | Screened black numbers and Bucking Horse and Rider on graphic plate featuring the Teton Range, with cloudy blue sky above and green forest below; "WYOMING" screened in white serifed letters centered at bottom | none | 1-12345 1-1234A 10-12345 |
Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10) |
Full-size county codes for two-digit counties, and serials with five full-size characters, used for the first time since 1955. |
January 2016 -present | Screened black numbers and Bucking Horse and Rider on graphic plate featuring the desert, with the river at the bottom with cloudy blue sky above, and mountains at right, "WYOMING" screened in yellow-orange serifed letters centered at top | none | 1-12345 1-1234A 10-12345 |
Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10) |
Non-passenger plates
First issued in 2008.
Image | Type | Slogan | Serial format | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Truck | None | Coded by county of issuance:
00-00000 (variable number of digits following divider) |
Black on reflective white with Teton Range background graphic TRUCK at top of plate | |
Apportioned | None | A00000 (variable number of digits following divider) | Black on reflective white with Teton Range background graphic APPORTIONED at top of plate | |
Commercial | None | Coded by county of issuance:
00-00000 (variable number of digits following divider) |
Black on reflective white with Teton Range background graphic COMMERCIAL at top of plate | |
Exempt | None | E/X-12345 (variable number of digits following divider) | Black on reflective white with Teton Range background graphic EXEMPT at top of plate | |
City | None | CI-12345 (variable number of digits following divider) | Black on reflective white with Teton Range background graphic EXEMPT at top of plate |
Previous non-passenger plates
Image | First issued | Type | Serial format | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
1993 | House Trailer | Coded by county of issuance:
00H/T0000 (variable number of digits following divider) |
Mountains HOUSE TRL at bottom of plate |
Specialty plates
First issued in 2008.
Image | Type | Logo used | Serial format | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Amateur Radio | None | Amateur Radio Call Sign | Black on reflective white with Teton Range background graphic AMATEUR RADIO at top of plate | |
Disabled Veteran | American Flag DV Overlay |
Coded in serial: 0000 | Black on reflective white with Teton Range background graphic DISABLED VETERAN at top of plate | |
Emergency Medical Technician | Star of Life | Coded in serial: 0000 | Black on reflective white with Teton Range background graphic | |
Firefighter | Firefighter Logo | Coded in serial: 0000 | Black on reflective white with Teton Range background graphic FIREFIGHTER at top of plate | |
Pearl Harbor Survivor | American Flag PHS Overlay |
Coded in serial: 0000 | Black on reflective white with Teton Range background graphic PEARL HARBOR SURVIVOR at top of plate | |
Pioneer (Antique) | None | Coded in serial: WYO-0000 | Reflective white on black
PIONEER at top of plate | |
Prestige | None | Coded by county number: 00-0000 with any acceptable combination of up to four letters and numbers following county prefix personalized by owner | Black on reflective white with Teton Range background graphic | |
Prisoner of War | POW-MIA Banner | Coded in serial: 0000 | Black on reflective white with Teton Range background graphic PRISONER OF WAR at top of plate | |
Purple Heart Recipient | Purple Heart | Coded in serial: 0000 | Black on reflective white with Teton Range background graphic COMBAT WOUNDED at top of plate | |
University of Wyoming | None | Coded by county of issuance:
00-0000 (variable number of digits following divider) |
Reflective yellow on brown
UNIVERSITY OF WYOMING at bottom of plate | |
Veteran | American Flag Seal of Branch of Service Overlay |
Coded in serial: AR000 (Army), NA000 (Navy), AF000 (Air Force), MC000 (Marine Corps), CG000 (Coast Guard), MM000 (Merchant Marine) | Black on reflective white with Teton Range background graphic VETERAN at top of plate | |
Wyoming National Guard | National Guard Flags | Coded in serial: 0000 | Black on reflective white with Teton Range background graphic NATIONAL GUARD at top of plate |
County codes
Code | County |
---|---|
1 | Natrona |
2 | Laramie |
3 | Sheridan |
4 | Sweetwater |
5 | Albany |
6 | Carbon |
7 | Goshen |
8 | Platte |
9 | Big Horn |
10 | Fremont |
11 | Park |
12 | Lincoln |
13 | Converse |
14 | Niobrara |
15 | Hot Springs |
16 | Johnson |
17 | Campbell |
18 | Crook |
19 | Uinta |
20 | Washakie |
21 | Weston |
22 | Teton |
23 | Sublette |
99 | Rental vehicle |
References
- ^ "Wyoming Bill to Provide Single License Plate Signed Into Law". SEMA. March 5, 2015. Retrieved January 31, 2016.
- ^ "New Wyoming Auto License Plates Appear". Weston County Gazette. Upton. October 15, 1936. Retrieved January 28, 2016.
- ^ "March of the Flats". The Andrew Turnbull Network. Retrieved December 24, 2014.