When License Plates Became Mandatory: A Global Timeline

License plates became mandatory in most places during the early 1900s, with the first legal requirements appearing in the 1890s. France introduced early rules in 1893, the Netherlands adopted the first national system in 1898, the United Kingdom made plates compulsory from 1904, and U.S. states moved from owner-made identifiers (New York, 1901) to state-issued plates (Massachusetts, 1903), with all states requiring plates by the late 1910s. The spread was rapid as automobiles proliferated and governments sought standardized identification.

What “mandatory” meant and why dates vary

“Mandatory” license plates were introduced at different times depending on whether the rules applied locally or nationally, and whether governments required owners to make their own identifiers or issued official plates. In practice, jurisdictions experimented with registration marks in the 1890s, scaled them up in the early 1900s, and by the 1910s–1920s had broadly standardized plate requirements to support policing, taxation, and road safety.

At a glance: Key early milestones

The following highlights widely cited milestones that mark the shift from ad hoc identification to compulsory, government-recognized license plates.

• 1893: France introduces early regulations requiring motor vehicles to carry identifying numbers (initially in and around Paris), later standardized nationally in the early 1900s.
• 1898: The Netherlands becomes the first country to implement a national license plate system.
• 1901: New York requires motor vehicle registration and display of identifiers (owner-made) in the United States.
• 1903: Massachusetts issues the first state-made license plates in the U.S.
• 1904: The United Kingdom makes registration marks compulsory under the Motor Car Act 1903 (effective 1 January 1904).
• 1906–1909: German states roll out plate requirements that later become unified.
• Late 1910s: All U.S. states require license plates; similar consolidation occurs across much of Europe and parts of the Commonwealth.

Taken together, these developments show how local experiments in the 1890s quickly matured into nationwide systems in the 1900s, with near-universal adoption across industrialized countries by the end of the 1910s.

United States: From owner-made numbers to universal state issuance

In the U.S., plate mandates evolved quickly as car ownership surged, moving from simple identification to standardized, state-issued plates within a few years.

• 1901: New York requires vehicle registration and display of identifying letters/numbers made by the vehicle owner.
• 1903: Massachusetts issues the first government-made plates; other states follow rapidly.
• By the late 1910s (commonly cited as 1918): Every U.S. state requires license plates, transitioning from owner-supplied identifiers to standardized, state-issued tags.

This progression reflects the country’s decentralized system: states set their own timelines but converged quickly on mandatory, standardized plates as vehicle numbers climbed.

Europe: Pioneers and standardization

Europe led early adoption, with a mix of municipal and national rules converging on compulsory plates in the first decade of the 20th century.

• France: Early mandates appear in 1893, with national standardization in the early 1900s as cars spread beyond major cities.
• The Netherlands: First national license plates introduced in 1898, often cited as the earliest nationwide system.
• United Kingdom: Motor Car Act 1903 makes plates mandatory from 1904, establishing a model widely imitated elsewhere.
• German states: Plate requirements introduced across several states between 1906 and 1909, later harmonized.

By the 1910s, most European motorists were legally required to display plates, and later decades brought further harmonization and design standards.

Elsewhere in the world: A rapid 1900s–1910s rollout

Outside Europe and the U.S., plate mandates followed a broadly similar trajectory, typically beginning in the early 1900s and standardizing by the 1910s.

• Canada: Provinces moved from owner-made identifiers to provincial plates between roughly 1903 and the mid-1910s.
• Australia: State-by-state mandates appeared in the 1900s; by the 1910s, plates were compulsory nationwide.
• New Zealand: Compulsory registration began in 1906, with plates in use shortly thereafter and successive national standardizations.
• Japan and East Asia: Early urban and prefectural systems emerged in the late 1900s to 1910s, with broader national frameworks following.
• Latin America and Africa: Major cities and national governments rolled out plate requirements mainly from the 1910s through the 1930s, aligned with motorization.

These patterns reflect how mandates tracked urbanization and car adoption: early trials in major cities, followed by national rules as vehicle fleets grew.

Why license plates became mandatory

Governments made license plates compulsory for practical reasons tied to public safety and administration as automobiles became common.

• Identification and accountability: Plates let authorities trace vehicles involved in crashes or crimes.
• Taxation and regulation: Registration enabled road taxation and enforcement of insurance and inspection requirements.
• Standardization: Uniform plates improved legibility and inter-jurisdiction recognition, aiding cross-border travel and policing.
• Public safety: Visible identifiers supported traffic law enforcement in rapidly motorizing cities.

Over time, these objectives also shaped plate design—such as size, reflectivity, and serial formats—to improve readability and interoperability.

Summary

License plates became mandatory in stages: pioneering rules in the 1890s (notably France and the Netherlands), widespread national mandates in the early 1900s (including the UK from 1904), rapid U.S. adoption from 1901 to state-issued plates by 1903, and near-universal state requirements by the late 1910s. Across the rest of the world, mandates followed in the 1900s–1910s, driven by the need for vehicle identification, taxation, and road safety as automobiles transformed transportation.

When did the US start requiring license plates?

Apr. 25, 1901
When New York became the first U.S. state to require license plates, 115 years ago Monday, the plates weren’t the long alphanumeric combinations drivers would recognize from today. On Apr. 25, 1901, New York Governor Benjamin Odell Jr.

Does the state of Nebraska require a front license plate?

Yes, Nebraska law requires a front license plate on most vehicles, though there are options for vehicles without a front bracket, such as a single plate option for specific vehicles or a front sticker option for collectible cars. Lawmakers are considering changes, with a bill approved in April 2025 to eliminate the front license plate requirement by 2029 for most vehicles.
 
Current Law (as of late 2025) 

• Nebraska statutes require that when two plates are issued, one must be displayed prominently on the front and one on the rear of the vehicle.

Exceptions and Alternatives

• Single Plate Option: Opens in new tabDrivers of passenger cars not manufactured with a front license plate bracket can request a single license plate. 
• Collectible Car Option: Opens in new tabCollectible car owners may apply for a single, front-sticker option instead of a full plate to preserve the vehicle’s aesthetics. 
• Legislative Bill 97: Opens in new tabA bill passed by state lawmakers in April 2025 would eliminate the requirement for front license plates by 2029 for most vehicles, with the change taking effect with the next license plate cycle. 

In summary, while a front license plate is currently required by Nebraska law, there are provisions for alternative display methods, and the law is set to change significantly in the coming years.

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.

Is it illegal to not have a front license plate in Idaho?

No, it is not illegal to not have a front license plate in Idaho if your vehicle does not have a front license plate mounting bracket, as a new law took effect on July 1, 2025. If your vehicle does have a front mounting bracket, then a front license plate is still required. 
Here’s a breakdown of the current law: 

• No Front Bracket: Opens in new tabIf your car doesn’t have a front license plate bracket, you are not required to display a front license plate. 
• With Front Bracket: Opens in new tabIf your vehicle is “equipped with a front license plate mounting bracket,” you must attach a front license plate. 
• Unclear “Equipped”: Opens in new tabThe law doesn’t define “equipped,” so if your vehicle has a bracket, it’s up to interpretation by law enforcement and judges whether the front plate is required.