Vehicle registration plates of Missouri

The U.S. state of Missouri first required its residents to register their motor vehicles in 1907. Registrants provided their own license plates for display until 1911, when the state began to issue plates.[1]

Missouri
Current series
SloganBicentennial 1821 ★ 2021
Size12 in × 6 in
30 cm × 15 cm
MaterialAluminum
Serial formatAB1 C2D (month-coded)
IntroducedOctober 15, 2018 (2018-10-15)
Availability
Issued byMissouri Department of Revenue
History
First issuedMarch 9, 1911 (1911-03-09)
(pre-state plates from 1907 to March 8, 1911)

Plates are currently manufactured at the Jefferson City Correctional Center and are issued by the Missouri Department of Revenue.[2] Front and rear plates are required for most classes of vehicles, while only rear plates are required for motorcycles and trailers.

Passenger baseplates

1911 to 1948
Image Dates issued Description Serial format Serials issued Notes
1911 Embossed unpainted aluminum serial on yellow plate; "MISSOURI 1911" at bottom 12345 1 to approximately 16500
1912 Embossed white serial on red plate; "MO 12" at right 12345 1 to approximately 24500
1913 Embossed white serial on dark blue plate; "MO 13" at right 12345 1 to approximately 36000
1914 Embossed black serial on white plate; "MO 14" at right 12345 1 to approximately 51000
1915 Embossed black serial on bright green plate; "MO 15" at right 12345 1 to approximately 73000
1916 Embossed white serial on black plate; "MO 16" at right 123456 1 to approximately 103000
1917 Embossed black serial on gold plate; "MO 17" at right 123456 1 to approximately 151000
1918 Embossed blue serial on white plate; "MO 18" at right 123456 1 to approximately 185000
1919 Embossed white serial on dark blue plate with border line; "MO 19" at right 123456 1 to approximately 243000
1920 Embossed black serial on light green plate with border line; "MO. 1920" centered at bottom 123-456 1 to approximately 309-000
1921 Embossed red serial on white plate with border line; "MO. 1921" centered at bottom 123-456 1 to approximately 350-000
1922 Embossed white serial on brown plate with border line; "MO. 1922" centered at bottom 123-456 1 to approximately 355-000
1923 Embossed light blue serial on black plate with border line; "MO. 1923" centered at bottom 123-456 1 to approximately 431-000
1924 Embossed black serial on orange plate with border line; "MO. 1924" centered at bottom 123-456 1 to approximately 495-000
1925 Embossed white serial on dark green plate with border line; "MO. 1925" centered at bottom 123-456 1 to approximately 550-000
1926 Embossed black serial on yellow plate with border line; "MO. 1926" centered at bottom 123-456 1 to approximately 595-000
1927 Embossed white serial on dark blue plate with border line; "MO. 1927" centered at bottom 123-456 1 to approximately 606-000
1928 Embossed purple serial on orange plate with border line; "MO. 1928" centered at bottom 123-456 1 to approximately 631-000
1929 Embossed white serial on black plate with border line; "MO. 1929" centered at bottom 123-456 1 to approximately 662-000
1930 Embossed white serial on brown plate with border line; "MISSOURI 1930" at bottom 123-456 1 to approximately 699-000
1931 Embossed black serial on gray plate with border line; "1931 MISSOURI" at bottom 123-456 1 to approximately 659-000
1932 Embossed white serial on black plate with border line; "MISSOURI 1932" at bottom 123-456 1 to approximately 657-000
1933 Embossed beige serial on brown plate with border line; "1933 MISSOURI" at bottom 123-456 1 to approximately 598-000
1934 Embossed white serial on black plate with border line; "MO–1934" centered at bottom 123-456 1 to approximately 627-000
1935 Embossed white serial on dark green plate with border line; "MO–1935" centered at top 123-456 1 to approximately 655-000
1936 Embossed black serial on white plate with border line; "MISSOURI-1936" at bottom 123-456 1 to approximately 678-000
1937 Embossed white serial on black plate with border line; "19 MISSOURI 37" at top 123-456 1 to approximately 697-000
1938 Embossed black serial on buff plate with border line; "19 MISSOURI 38" at bottom 123-456 1 to approximately 715-000
1939 Embossed buff serial on black plate with border line; "MISSOURI-1939" at top 123-456 1 to approximately 731-000
1940 Embossed black serial on white plate with border line; "MISSOURI-1940" at bottom 123-456 1 to approximately 767-000
1941 Embossed white serial on black plate with border line; "MISSOURI-1941" at top 123-456 1 to approximately 821-000
1942–43 Embossed black serial on white plate with border line; "MISSOURI-1942" at bottom 123-456 1 to approximately 820-000 Embossed plates revalidated for 1943 with green tabs due to metal conservation for World War II; fiberboard plates manufactured for the same reason.
Black serial on white fiberboard plate; "MISSOURI-1942" centered at bottom 820-001 to approximately 865-000
1944 Embossed yellow serial on black plate with border line; "MISSOURI-1944" at top 123-456 1 to approximately 696-000
1945 Embossed black serial on buff plate with border line; "MISSOURI-1945" at bottom 123-456 1 to approximately 697-000
1946 Embossed white serial on black plate with border line; "1946-MISSOURI" at bottom 123-456 1 to approximately 774-000
1947 Embossed black serial on white plate with border line; "MISSOURI-1947" at top 123-456 1 to approximately 828-000
1948 Embossed white serial on maroon plate with border line; "MISSOURI-1948" at bottom 123-456 1 to approximately 871-000

1949 to 1966

In 1956, the United States, Canada, and Mexico came to an agreement with the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators, the Automobile Manufacturers Association and the National Safety Council that standardized the size for license plates for vehicles (except those for motorcycles) at 6 inches (15 cm) in height by 12 inches (30 cm) in width, with standardized mounting holes.[3] The 1955 (dated 1956) issue was the first Missouri license plate that complied with these standards.

Image Dates issued Description Serial format Serials issued Notes
1949–55 Embossed white serial on maroon plate with border line; "MISSOURI" centered at top; month of expiration at top left 123-456 1 to
905-000		 Staggered registration introduced. All plates validated for 1949 with orange tabs, for 1950 with green tabs, for 1951 with white tabs, and for 1952 with black tabs. Plates expiring between January and August were validated for 1953 with maroon tabs, while those expiring between September and December were validated for that year with stickers. All plates were then validated for 1954 and 1955 with stickers.
A12-345 Letter corresponds to month of expiration
1956–61 Embossed yellow serial on black plate with border line; month of expiration at top left and "MO" at top right 123-456 1 to
999-999		 Validated with stickers each year.
A12-345
AB1-234		 First letter corresponds to month of expiration
1962–66 Embossed white serial on maroon plate with border line; "MISSOURI" centered at top; month of expiration at top left and white box at top right containing debossed "62" AB1-234 First letter corresponds to month of expiration Valid without stickers in 1962, then revalidated with stickers each year thereafter.

1967 to 1978
Image Dates issued Description Slogan Serial format Serials issued Notes
1967 Embossed white serial on green plate with border line; month of expiration, "MISSOURI" and "68" at bottom none AB1-234 First letter corresponds to month of expiration
1968 Embossed green serial on white plate with border line; "69", "MISSOURI" and month of expiration at top none AB1-234 First letter corresponds to month of expiration
1969 Embossed black serial on white plate with border line; month of expiration, "MISSOURI" and "70" at bottom none A1B-234 First letter corresponds to month of expiration
1970 Embossed white serial on maroon plate with border line; month of expiration, "MISSOURI" and "71" at top none AB1-234 First letter corresponds to month of expiration
1971 Embossed blue serial on reflective white plate with border line; month of expiration, "MISSOURI" and "72" at top none A1B-234 First letter corresponds to month of expiration
1972 Embossed maroon serial on reflective white plate with border line; month of expiration, "MISSOURI" and "73" at bottom none AB1-234 First letter corresponds to month of expiration
1973 Embossed black serial on reflective white plate with border line; "74", "MISSOURI" and month of expiration at top none A1B-234 First letter corresponds to month of expiration
1974 Embossed blue serial on reflective white plate with border line; "75", "MISSOURI" and month of expiration at bottom none AB1-234 First letter corresponds to month of expiration
1975 Embossed reflective (glass-beaded) yellow serial on blue plate with border line; month of expiration, "MISSOURI" and "76" at top none A1B-234 First letter corresponds to month of expiration
1976 Embossed reflective (glass-beaded) white serial on red plate with border line; embossed white stylized "76" and flag stripes centered at top; "MO" at top left and "77" and month of expiration at top right "200 YRS" at top left, below state abbreviation AB1-234 First letter corresponds to month of expiration
1977 Embossed reflective (glass-beaded) yellow serial on black plate with border line; "78", "MISSOURI" and month of expiration at top none A1B-234 First letter corresponds to month of expiration
1978 Embossed reflective (glass-beaded) white serial on blue plate with border line; month of expiration, "MISSOURI" and "79" at bottom none AB1-234 First letter corresponds to month of expiration

1979 to present
Image Dates issued Description Slogan Serial format Serials issued Notes
1979–96 Embossed reflective (glass-beaded) white serial on maroon plate with border line; "MISSOURI" centered at top; month of expiration at top left "SHOW-ME STATE" centered at bottom ABC 123 First letter corresponds to month of expiration
1986–96 A1B 234
1995–96 1A2 34B
1997 – early 2006 Embossed dark blue serial on reflective white, blue and green gradient plate; "MISSOURI" screened in green, with wavy dark blue underline, centered at top "SHOW-ME STATE" screened in dark blue centered at bottom 123 ABC 001 AAA to 999 ZZZ Letters I, O, Q, U and V not used in serials, and D used only as the first letter.[4]
early 2006 – June 15, 2008 1AB 23C 0AA 01A to approximately 9DG 99G
June 16, 2008[5] – October 14, 2018 Embossed dark blue on reflective light blue gradient fade with bluebird graphic Show Me State AB1 C2D First letter corresponds to month of expiration Letters I, O and Q not used in serials.
October 15, 2018 – present Embossed dark blue on reflective white with red waves at top, blue waves at bottom and state seal in center "BICENTENNIAL" centered at top; "1821 * 2021" centered at bottom AB1 C2D First letter corresponds to month of expiration

Month coding

Missouri implemented a monthly staggered registration system in 1949, when it introduced its first multi-year passenger plate. At first, serials were in an all-numeric format, with a block allocated to each month. When these were exhausted, a new format was introduced, featuring a one-letter prefix corresponding to the month. When new multi-year plates were introduced in 1956, the same all-numeric and one-letter serial formats were used, with some months then exhausting their one-letter serials and introducing a two-letter format (the first letter still corresponding to the month).[4]

Month All-numeric serials, 1949–55 All-numeric serials, 1956–61 Letter code
January 1 to 75-000 1 to 75-000 A
February 75-001 to 150-000 75-001 to 160-000 B
March 150-001 to 225-000 160-001 to 245-000 C
April 225-001 to 300-000 245-001 to 330-000 E
May 300-001 to 375-000 330-001 to 415-000 H
June 375-001 to 450-000 415-001 to 500-000 K
July 450-001 to 525-000 500-001 to 585-000 M
August 525-001 to 600-000 585-001 to 670-000 P
September 600-001 to 675-000 670-001 to 755-000 S
October 675-001 to 750-000 755-001 to 840-000 X
November 750-001 to 825-000 840-001 to 925-000 Y
December 825-001 to 905-000 925-001 to 999-999 Z

Two-letter serial formats were used exclusively from 1962 through 1978, including the twelve-year period in which Missouri reverted to the use of single-year plates (1967–78). An ABC-123 format was introduced in 1979 with the maroon "Show-Me State" plate, which was issued through 1996; months which exhausted their allocations subsequently used the A1B-234 and 1A2-34B formats.[4]

Throughout this period, the first letter in the serial continued to correspond to the month. Increasing demand resulted in each of the months from April through September being assigned a second letter code in the mid-1960s. March and October were assigned second letters in the mid-1970s, and by the 1990s all twelve months were using two letters.[6]

Month Original letter code Second letter code
January A V
February B D
March C L
April E F
May H G
June K J
July M N
August P R
September S W
October X T
November Y U
December Z Q

Since June 2008, serials on passenger and truck plates are coded by the month of the registration's expiration. The first letter of the serial constitutes this code. Once all available combinations beginning with the first letter assigned to that month are issued, a second code letter may be used for that month.

Month Codes
January A, B
February C
March D, E
April F, G
May H, J
June K, L
July M, N
August P, R
September S, T
October U, V
November W, X
December Y, Z

Non-passenger plates
Image Type Serial format Notes
Apportioned 12A B3C
Bus 123 45B
Commercial Trailer 12A 345
Dealer D1-A
D1-AB
D12-A
D12-AB
D123-A
D123-AB
D1234-A
D1234-AB		 Numerical portion of serial remains constant for each dealer; suffix letter ascends for each plate issued to that dealer.
Disabled AB 12C All disabled plates expire in September.



 Local Government varies Variety of designs issued for vehicles belonging to local governments.
Motorcycle AB 1CD
Trailer 12A 3BC
Truck less than 6,000 lb. 1AB 234

1AB C23

 Coded by month of expiration.
Truck 6,000 to 12,000 lb. 12A 3BC

Previous non-passenger plates

1998 base
Image Type Legend Serial format Serials issued Notes
Dealer Dealer D1-A
D1-AB
D12-A
D12-AB
D123-A
D123-AB
D1234-A
D1234-AB		 Annual plates. Numerical portion of serial remained constant for each dealer; suffix letter ascended for each plate issued to that dealer.
Disabled Person Disabled Progression of serial formats unknown, but included:
1 ABC
1 AB2
Disabled Person - Truck less than 6,000 lb. Disabled 1 A2B "BL6" embossed at top right.
Motorcycle none A1 234 A0 001 to Z9 999
1A 234 0A 001 to approximately 5S 000
Shuttle Bus SHUTTLE BUS 123 4SB
Trailer TRAILER ABC 123 Annual plates.
Trailer - Commercial COMM TRL 000 000
Trailer - HRC HRC TLR 000 000
Trailer - Permanent PERM TRL PA1 234
Truck 6,000 lb. and less SHOW-ME STATE 123 AB4 000 AC1 to approximately 600 XR0 "BL6" screened at top right. C, E, F, G, H, J, K, L, M, N, P, R and S used as second letter in serial.
Truck 6,000 to 12,000 lb. SHOW-ME STATE 123 AB4 000 AT1 to approximately 400 XT0 "BL12" screened at top right. T, W, X, Y and Z used as second letter in serial.
U.S. Senate Member of Congress USS-1 Black on gold. Number indicates state's senior or junior senator.

Optional types

Optional types on this base continue to be issued, likely until January 2009. Most, if not all, optional types on this base were available in personalized format and with certain non-passenger designations. Where applicable, this designation was printed in a small rectangle screened in the upper right corner of the plate.

Image Type Slogan Serial format Serials issued Notes
Conservation
Fight Terrorism
God Bless America
Helping Schools
Purple Heart
St. Louis Cardinals
Shriners
Southwest Missouri State University

References
  1. "Old Missouri License Plates". LeatherLicensePlates.com. Retrieved August 3, 2017.
  2. "About Missouri License Plates". Missouri Department of Revenue. Retrieved September 2, 2019.
  3. Garrish, Christopher (October 2016). "Reconsidering the Standard Plate Size". Plates. Vol. 62 no. 5. Automobile License Plate Collectors Association.
  4. Tanner, Eric N. "Missouri Passenger License Plates". allaboutlicenseplates.com. Retrieved November 10, 2020.
  5. Waters, Amelia (June 24, 2008). "The Show-Me state's new license plate changed". KHQA. Retrieved August 4, 2017.
  6. Turnbull, Andrew. "Coding the Month: The Secrets of Staggered Registration, Part 3". The Andrew Turnbull Network. Retrieved June 16, 2020.
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