Vehicle registration plates of the United States for 1904

Vehicle registration plates of the United States by year
Vehicle registration plates of the United States for 1903 Events of 1904 Vehicle registration plates of the United States for 1905

In 1904 Rhode Island became the second state, joining Massachusetts, to issue its own license plates, and the states of Iowa and Maryland began to require owners to provide their own license plates. [1][2][3][4]

Passenger baseplates

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In the table below, a light green background indicates that the owner of the vehicle was required to provide their own license plates. These plates are called "prestate" by most collectors. In the prestate era many states only provided the license plate number on a small disc or on paper, and the owner was required to have their license plate(s) made. These early license plates were created from kits that could be purchased at a hardware store, may have been available from automobile clubs or associations, they were forged by blacksmiths or other tradesmen, or the owner may have made their own plate with whatever materials they had on hand. Prestate plates were made from a variety of materials, but most often were made of leather, steel, or wood.

Legend: Regular state issue plate(s) Prestate era plate(s) No plates issued by state or territory
Image State Design Slogan Serial format Serials issued Notes
  Alabama No prestate plates. State issued plates begin in 1911.
  Alaska No prestate plates. State issued plates begin in 1921.
  American Samoa No prestate plates. Territory issued plates begin in 1924.
  Arizona No prestate plates. State issued plates begin in 1914.
  Arkansas No prestate plates. State issued plates begin in 1911.
  California Prestate plates start in 1905. State issued plates begin in 1914.
  Canal Zone No prestate plates. State issued plates begin in 1910.
  Colorado No prestate plates. State issued plates begin in 1913.
  Connecticut Last year for prestate plates. State issued plates begin in 1905.
  Delaware Prestate plates start in 1905. State issued plates begin in 1908.
  District of
Columbia
District issued plates begin in 1907.
  Florida Prestate plates start in 1905. State issued plates begin in 1918.
  Georgia No prestate plates. State issued plates begin in 1910.
  Guam No prestate plates. Territory issued plates begin in 1916.
  Hawai'i No prestate plates. Territory issued plates begin in 1922.
  Idaho No prestate plates. State issued plates begin in 1913.
  Illinois Prestate plates start in 1907. State issued plates begin in 1911.
  Indiana Prestate plates start in 1905. State issued plates begin in 1913.
  Iowa First year for prestate plates. State issued plates begin in 1911.
  Kansas No prestate plates. State issued plates begin in 1913.
  Kentucky No prestate plates. State issued plates begin in 1910.
  Louisiana No prestate plates. State issued plates begin in 1915.
  Maine No prestate plates. State issued plates begin in 1905.
  Maryland First year for prestate plates. State issued plates begin in 1910.
  Massachusetts
  Michigan Prestate plates start in 1905. State issued plates begin in 1910.
  Minnesota State issued plates begin in 1909.
  Mississippi No prestate plates. State issued plates begin in 1912.
  Missouri Prestate plates start in 1907. State issued plates begin in 1911.
  Montana Prestate plates start in 1913. State issued plates begin in 1915.
  Nebraska Prestate plates start in 1905. State issued plates begin in 1915.
  Nevada Prestate plates start in 1913. State issued plates begin in 1916.
  New Hampshire No prestate plates. State issued plates begin in 1905.
  New Jersey State issued plates begin in 1908.
  New Mexico Prestate plates start in 1905. State issued plates begin in 1912.
  New York State issued plates begin in 1910.
  North Carolina Prestate plates start in 1909. State issued plates begin in 1913.
  North Dakota No prestate plates. State issued plates begin in 1911.
  Northern Mariana
Islands
No prestate plates. Territory issued plates begin in 1944.
  Ohio No prestate plates. State issued plates begin in 1908.
  Oklahoma No prestate plates. State issued plates begin in 1915.
  Oregon Prestate plates start in 1905. State issued plates begin in 1911.
  Pennsylvania State issued plates begin in 1906.
  Puerto Rico No prestate plates. Territory issued plates begin in 1912.
  Rhode Island First year for state issued plates. Second state to issue license plates.[5]
  South Carolina No prestate plates. State issued plates begin in 1917.
  South Dakota Prestate plates start in 1905. State issued plates begin in 1913.
  Tennessee Prestate plates start in 1905. State issued plates begin in 1915.
  Texas No prestate plates. State issued plates begin in 1917.
  U.S. Virgin Islands No prestate plates. Territory issued plates begin in 1917.
  Utah Prestate plates start in 1909. State issued plates begin in 1915.
  Vermont No prestate plates. State issued plates begin in 1905.
  Virginia No prestate plates.State issued plates begin in 1906.
  Washington Prestate plates start in 1906. State issued plates begin in 1915.
  West Virginia No prestate plates. State issued plates begin in 1905.
  Wisconsin No prestate plates. State issued plates begin in 1905.
  Wyoming No prestate plates. State issued plates begin in 1913.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Fox, Jams K. (1997). License Plates of the United States: A Pictorial History 1903-To the Present. Jerico, New York: Interstate Directory Publishing Company. ISBN 9781886777002.
  2. ^ Minard, Jeff; Stentiford, Tim (2004). A Moving History, 50 Years Of ALPCA. 100 Years Of License Plates. Paducah, Kentucky: Turner Publishing Company. p. 58. ISBN 1-56311-975-7.
  3. ^ Crisler, Bob; Crisler, Chuck, eds. (2007). License Plate Values (7th ed.). King Publishing Company.
  4. ^ Martells, Jack (1980). Antique Automotive Collectibles. Chicago: Contemporary Books, Inc. pp. 128–145. ISBN 0-8092-7205-9.
  5. ^ Fox, James K. (1997). License Plates of the United States: A Pictorial History 1903-To the Present. Jerico, New York: Interstate Directory Publishing Company. p. 89. ISBN 9781886777002.
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