Missouri License Plate history

Missouri has a long and storied history with motor vehicles. From Route 66 cutting through the Show Me State to the old Corvette plant in north St. Louis to the massive auto plants in Kansas City, we have always had a love affair with our cars. In fact, our history with autos goes so far back that Missouri was one of the early states in adopting license plates for cars so we have a long history with license plates.

The first plates in Missouri date back to 1911, only 10 years behind the very first state, New York, to require motor vehicles to be registered with the state. Plates were first designed so that every car had the initials of the vehicle’s owner!

1911-1948

The format and color scheme in Missouri changed over the years. For the first 37 years of license plate existence in Missouri (1911 – 1948), a new plate was designed every year. They were pretty basic, but had a different color every year.

---

1949

It wasn’t until 1949 that stickers began to be put on the plates so officials would know if they were expired. The registrations were staggered by month to help staff keep up with demand, while also making it possible for transportation officials to see which vehicles were not properly registered. The plates still had the month of registration stamped on them, along with MISSOURI in all caps.

1955-1960

In 1955, the color scheme changed to black and yellow. The month was still stamped into the metal, but the word Missouri was replaced with MO.

1961-1976

In 1961, the colors were changed again to red with white letters and MISSOURI was once again stamped into the plate. This basic designed lasted for the next 15 years with the color scheme changing nearly every year.

1976

In 1976, the 1976 United States bicentennial logo was added and the plates were changed back to red. But the design only lasted one year. In 1977, the plates went back to the previous design.

1979-1997

Plates began to change in 1979 with the advent of more efficient ways of producing the plates. The “Show Me State” slogan was added and the plates stayed basically the same until 1997.

1997-2008

In the late 1990’s, many states across the country started changing their designs on license plates to make them more aesthetically pleasing. So, Missouri decided it was time for a change as well. The red plates were changed in 1997 to a green, blue, and white design after a statewide competition to come up with the new look. The color scheme was designed to be reminiscent of a river, for which Missouri is famous.

2008-2018

In 2004, state lawmakers passed a law requiring yet another redesign. Dozens of designs made the final cut, but an overwhelming number of Missourians voted in favor of a blue plate with the state bird and the state flower on them. These went into effect in 2008 and remained the standard plate for the next decade.

2018-Current

In 2018, the Missouri Bicentennial plates were released. Red waves were added across the top while a row of blue waves were added on the bottom.

Other Options

But as we know, license plates became a way to raise money and awareness for organizations across the state. So universities and non-profit organizations have also gotten on board with designing license plates. Now there are dozens of license plate designs available, along with personalized plate options.

Two Plate State

As a side note, 19 states currently only require a single license plate, whereas Missouri requires one on the front and rear of the car.

Under Missouri law (301.130.5, RSMo) most Missouri motor vehicle registrations require two license plates to be displayed on the vehicle (front and rear). The exceptions include motorcycles, vehicles with historic Year of Manufacture registrations, and commercial vehicles registered for 18,000 lbs or greater.

Missouri Dept of Revenue