Today, license plates are still issued to register “horseless carriages,” those self-propelled “monsters” of the roadways.  But now there is over 15 million of them.

Everything you always wanted to know about the history of Texas License Plates . . . . .

1899

  • The first automobile in Texas, owned by Col. E.H.R. Green of Terrell, terrorizes the Texas countryside.

1907-1916

  • 1907: Texas House Bill #93 required that all motor vehicles used on public roads be registered with the county clerk. The vehicle received a number in the order registered in each county.
  • Registration began on Aug. 10, 1907. The first Texas license number is issued, registered to a bus owned by W.B. Chenoweth of Colorado City, TX.
  • 1910: 14,286 registered vehicles

1917

  • The State Highway Department was established, and takes over vehicle registration duties from the county.   The state began issuing the first official Texas license plates.
  • The 400,000 pair of white on dark blue embossed iron with “TEX” down the right side of the plate were undated and intended to be permanent.
  • 194,720 vehicles were registered.

1918-1922

  • This same 1917 base plate was used through 1922, revalidated each year by a round (17-19) or rectangular (20-22) “radiator seal”.  Because of theft, numbers were stamped into the 1919 seal, and seals for 1920 were redesigned to show a serial number.

1923

  • Another undated base plate issued. 700,000 pairs were made initially.
  • “TEXAS” was written down both ends of the plate. A lone star separated the numbers, a feature which continued until 1944 (except 1936).

1925

  • First yearly license plate.
  • “TEXAS” down left end, “1925″ down right.

1928

  • Plates bore the legend, “front” or “rear” until 1930.
  • “FRONT” or “REAR” down left side, “TEX-28″ down right.
  • 7-digit plates issued for the first time. Serial letters not to be used again until 1931.

1933

  • The depression caused the state to extend the expiration of 1932 plates to April 1, 1933. This April-to-March registration year became the standard until 1978.
  • Passenger plate color: orange on white (University of Texas colors).

1935

  • Production of plates began at the State Prison at Huntsville. The facility has since moved to a different prison just outside of Huntsville.
    • Passenger plate color: white on maroon (Texas A&M colors).

1936

  • Texas “Centennial” plates issued. This was the only “slogan” on Texas plates until 1968.

1938

  • State Official plates first issued. The governor’s vehicle carried the number “SO-1″, as it still does today.

1939

  • Plates began having “turned-in” edges. The “Helpful Hints” book claims this was to reduce the chance of cutting one’s hands while washing a vehicle.
  • Passenger & commercial registration reaches 1,702,507.
  • A resolution to replace the “Lone Star” with a Longhorn Steer is defeated.

1940

  • At some point late in the numbering, the dies for the number 4 change.

1942

  • “Y” serial letter used after A,F, K, N, & V.
  • A program was begun to recycle old license plates for the war effort.  This is perhaps part of the reason why pre-WWII Texas plates are much more difficult to find than many other states.

1943-1944

  • As in many states, plates were not issued to conserve metal for the war effort. Thousands of old plates are collected & melted down.
  • 1942 plates were to be revalidated with a 1943 windshield sticker, but the program was killed.
  • Instead, 1942 plates were revalidated with small metal tabs for 43 & 44.

1945

  • New plates issued singularly due to continuing metal shortage.

1955

  • Legislation is introduced to add the slogan, “Tremendous Texas” to 1956 plates. The bill is rejected.

1956

  • Texas adopts the 6″ x 12″ standard plate size recommended by the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators.

1957

  • After extensive study, the black & white color scheme is adopted.
  • Plates feature a Lone Star in mid-registration (continued until 1976, except, oddly, for 1965).

1962

  • An investigation into the possibility of replacing yearly plates with semi-permanent ones finds the current system to be the most economical.

1963

  • Legislation is introduced to add the slogan, “The Lone Star State” to 1964 plates. The bill is rejected.
  • Legislation is introduced to add the slogan, “Vacation State” to 1965 plates. The bill is rejected.
  • Legislation is introduced to add the slogan, “Has Everything” to 1964 plates. The bill is rejected.

1965

  • Personalized (vanity) plates introduced.
  • To allow for more combinations, the ABC-12 or ABC-123 format is adopted, without the Lone Star for 1965 only.

1966

  • Personalized plates become reflectorized.

1968

  • “Hemisfair” plates issued to promote the international exposition in San Antonio. Non-San Antonians are not pleased.
  • Plates have “TEXAS” in small dies along top, “68 HEMISFAIR 68″ at bottom.
  • Texas begins the task of computerizing motor vehicle records.

1969

  • Plates return to the 1967 design, except all plates become reflectorized.

1975

  • Texas adopts a multi-year registration system. From now on, stickers are used to revalidate passenger plates, instead of new ones being issued annually.
  • Originally, these plates were intended to last 5 years.
  • The new base plate originally features the lone star symbol;
  • In September the star is changed (by act of Texas Legislature) to a small Texas silhouette

1978

  • Texas adopts a “staggered” registration system. Depending on the sticker, plates are renewed at different times throughout the year instead of on March 31.

1980

  • The 1975 plates held up better than expected and are to be used indefinitely.

1982

  • The ABC-123 format is exhausted in February; 123-ABC format begins.
  • All of these plates use 3 digits, instead of 2 for numbers 10 to 99.

1985

  • “SESQUICENTENNIAL” at the bottom, and “1836  1986″ & state outline in the middle.
  • At around 240-LAE,  “SESQUICENTENNIAL” is moved to the top, under the state name.

1987

  • Legislation is introduced to allow the state to produce special 14k gold-plated bronze license plates, available for an extra $1,000 fee. The bill does not pass.
  • A new base plate design is proposed, featuring a graphic image of bluebonnets, with the slogan, “Wildflower State”. The design is rejected.

1988

  • The state adopts an 8-year replacement policy for renewable plates. After 8 years of use, new plates are to be issued.

1989

  • A new base plate design is proposed with the slogan, “The Friendship State”. The design is rejected.

1990

  • A new base plate is issued featuring a waving Texas flag but no slogan.

1991

  • The slogan “Lone Star State” is found to be agreeable this time, and is added to the flag design by January, 1992.

1994

  • The last passenger license plate revalidation stickers expire; Revalidation is now done by means of a windshield sticker.

1995

  • Plates begin having a hologram down the center of the plate.

1996

  • Graphic shooting star in the middle, with the slogan, “150 Years of Statehood”.

1997

  • A new form of reflectorization begins .  These plates appear “whiter” than previous plates
  • The waving flag moves from the left of the “Texas” to the right

2003

  • The Texas Legislature’s HB 2971, taking effect 9/1/03, streamlines the license plate laws and introduces many new plate designs to the state.

2008:

  • Online voting for new 7-digit plate design. The winning design is shown below. Plates will begin issue in 2009; they will be flat-printed.

Texas Born Texas Strong

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