When the United States Began Requiring License Plates
The United States has never had a single federal start date for license plates; states set their own rules. The first legally required identification on cars appeared in New York in 1901 (owner-supplied markers displaying the driver’s initials), the first state-issued license plates were introduced by Massachusetts in 1903, and by 1918 every U.S. state required license plates. This article explains how those milestones fit together and why sources sometimes cite different dates.
Contents
How the Requirement Began
Automobiles spread rapidly at the turn of the 20th century, and states moved to identify vehicles for safety, accountability, and taxation. Early rules were patchwork and evolved quickly from owner-made identifiers to standardized, state-issued plates.
New York’s 1901 Rule: Owner-Supplied Identification
In 1901, New York became the first U.S. state to require vehicle registration and visible identification. Motorists had to display their initials on their vehicles—often using leather, wood, or metal characters—meeting a basic visibility requirement but not a uniform plate design. This is widely regarded as the first legally required automobile identification in the United States.
Massachusetts 1903: First State-Issued License Plates
Massachusetts began issuing standardized plates in 1903, the first state to manufacture and distribute official license plates. Early Massachusetts plates were porcelain-on-iron, and the famously low plate number “1” was issued and has remained active in that state’s registry. Other states rapidly followed with their own state-issued plates over the next few years.
Nationwide Adoption by 1918
Through the 1900s and 1910s, states transitioned from owner-supplied identifiers to state-issued plates. By 1918, all U.S. states required license plates for automobiles, cementing the system of state-level vehicle identification that persists today.
Key Milestones at a Glance
The following timeline highlights major steps in the adoption and standardization of license plates across the United States.
- 1901: New York requires registered motorists to display their initials—owner-supplied identification rather than a state-issued plate.
- 1903: Massachusetts issues the first state-manufactured license plates; other states begin rolling out their own plate programs shortly afterward.
- 1900s–1910s: Most states move from owner-made identifiers to standardized, state-issued plates, with formats and materials varying by jurisdiction.
- 1918: All U.S. states require license plates for automobiles.
- 1956: The U.S., Canada, and Mexico adopt a standard passenger-plate size (6 x 12 inches) through agreements involving AAMVA, the Automobile Manufacturers Association, and SAE, improving nationwide fit and legibility.
Taken together, these milestones show a progression from rudimentary identification to a modern, coordinated system of state-issued plates with continental standards for size and mounting.
What “Required” Means in Practice
License plates are a matter of state law, not federal mandate. States set rules on registration, plate issuance, renewal cycles, display (front and/or rear), and specialty plate programs. While standards such as size and mounting are now highly uniform, material, design, and serial formats (e.g., numbers vs. alphanumeric codes) remain state-specific.
Why Sources Cite Different Dates
Discrepancies usually come from what is being counted as the start: the first legal requirement to display any identifier (New York, 1901) versus the first state-issued, standardized plates (Massachusetts, 1903). Both dates are important milestones, and both are correct in their contexts.
Summary
There is no single federal start date for U.S. license plates. New York first required visible identification in 1901 (owner-supplied markers), Massachusetts introduced the first state-issued plates in 1903, and by 1918 every state required license plates. Later standardization, notably in 1956, unified plate size and mounting across North America while preserving the state-based system.
When did states start requiring license plates?
State registrations
| State | Prestate year | First year |
|---|---|---|
| American Samoa | 1924 | |
| Arizona | 1912 | 1914 |
| Arkansas | 1911 | |
| California | 1905 | 1914 |
Did cars in the 1920s have license plates?
Each of the 48 states of the United States of America plus several of its territories and the District of Columbia issued individual passenger license plates for 1920.
How do Teslas get away with no front license plate?
Many states don’t require front license plates, so Tesla doesn’t install them at the factory. Instead, cars are delivered to customers with the adhesive or screwed-on mount in the trunk and the delivery center will install it on request, but many customers choose removable mounts like SnapPlate instead.
What was the first license plate in the US?
1903 – Massachusetts Issues First State License Plates
These cobalt blue plates were made of iron and covered with porcelain enamel. The very first plate featured just the number “1.” It was issued to Frederick Tudor, who worked for the highway commission. It remains an active registration by a member of his family.
