Vehicle registration plates of Wyoming

Summary

The U.S. state of Wyoming first required its residents to register their motor vehicles and display license plates in 1913. As of 2023, plates are issued and regulated by the Wyoming Department of Transportation through its Motor Vehicle Services division.

Wyoming
Current series
Size12 in × 6 in
30 cm × 15 cm
MaterialAluminum
Serial format1-12345
2-1234A
1/0-12345
(county-coded)
IntroducedJanuary 2016 (2016-01)
Availability
Issued byWyoming Department of Transportation
History
First issued1913 (1913)

Wyoming license plates have included an image of a Bucking Horse and Rider since 1936.

Wyoming state law usually requires front and rear license plates. However, on July 1, 2015, a new law took effect that allowed custom and antique vehicles to display only rear plates, as well as vehicles that were originally manufactured without a plate bracket on the front.[1]

Passenger baseplates edit

1913 to 1974 edit

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.[2] The 1955 (dated 1956) issue was the first Wyoming license plate that complied with these standards.

No slogans were used on passenger plates during the period covered by this subsection.

Image Dates issued Design Serial format Serials issued Notes
  1913 Embossed red serial on white plate; "WYO" at bottom left with silver state seal above 1234 1 to approximately 1600
  1914 Embossed white serial on blue plate; "WYO" at bottom left with silver state seal above 1234 1 to approximately 2500
  1915 Embossed white serial on black plate; "WYO" at bottom left with embossed state seal above 1234 1 to approximately 4000
  1916 Blue serial on white porcelain plate; "WYO." at bottom left with black state seal above 1234 1 to approximately 7000 Only porcelain plate.
  1917 Embossed brown serial on light yellow plate with border line; "WYO." at bottom left with silver state seal above 12345 1 to approximately 12500
  1918 Embossed white serial on brown plate with border line; "1918 WYO." at left 12345 1 to approximately 18000 First dated plate.
  1919 Embossed black serial on light green plate with border line; "1919 WYO" at left 12345 1 to approximately 22000
 
 
1920–21 Embossed white serial on dark green plate; "1920 WYO" at left 12345 1 to approximately 30000 Revalidated for 1921 with light green tabs.
  1921 Embossed black serial on orange plate; "1921 WYO" at left 12345 30001 to approximately 36500 Issued only to new registrants. Serials continued from where the 1920–21 plates left off.
  1922 Embossed navy blue serial on cream plate; "1922 WYO" at left 12345 1 to approximately 28000
  1923 Embossed white serial on navy blue plate; "WYO 1923" at left 12345 1 to approximately 36000
  1924 Embossed white serial on red plate; "1924 WYO" at left 12345 1 to approximately 39000
  1925 Embossed black serial on white plate; "1925 WYO" at left 12345 1 to approximately 45000
  1926 Embossed white serial on green plate; white lines at top and bottom borders; "WYO 1926" at left 12345 1 to approximately 45000
  1927 Embossed black serial on yellow plate; "1927 WYO" at left 12345 1 to approximately 47000
  1928 Embossed yellow serial on navy blue plate; yellow lines at top and bottom borders; "WYO 1928" at left 12345 1 to approximately 49000
  1929 Embossed red serial on white plate; red lines at top and bottom borders; "WYO 1929" at left 12345 1 to approximately 52000
  1930 Embossed white serial on black plate; white lines at top and bottom borders; "WYOMING 1930" at bottom 1-1234
10-1234
Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10) First use of the full state name.
  1931 Embossed green serial on gray plate; green lines at top and bottom borders; "WYOMING 1931" at bottom 1-1234
10-1234
Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10)
  1932 Embossed cream serial on brown plate; cream lines at top and bottom borders; "WYOMING 1932" at bottom 1-1234
10-1234
Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10)
  1933 Embossed black serial on white plate; black lines at top and bottom borders; "WYOMING 1933" at bottom 1-1234
10-1234
Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10)
  1934 Embossed white serial on dark red plate; white lines at top and bottom borders; "WYOMING 1934" at bottom 1-1234
10-1234
Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10)
  1935 Embossed blue serial on white plate; blue lines at top and bottom borders; "WYOMING 1935" at bottom 1-1234
10-1234
Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10)
  1936 Embossed black serial and Bucking Horse and Rider on white plate with border line; "1936 WYOMING" at top 1-1234
10-1234
Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10) First use of the Bucking Horse and Rider.
  1937 Embossed yellow serial and Bucking Horse and Rider on brown plate with border line; "1937 WYOMING" at top 1-1234
10-1234
Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10) Issued in the colors of the University of Wyoming, in honor of its 50th anniversary.[3]
  1938 Embossed yellow serial and Bucking Horse and Rider on navy blue plate with border line; "1938 WYOMING" at top 1-1234
10-1234
Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10)
  1939 Embossed navy blue serial and Bucking Horse and Rider on golden yellow plate with border line; "1939 WYOMING" at bottom 1-1234
10-1234
Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10)
  1940 Embossed white serial and Bucking Horse and Rider on turquoise plate with border line; "1940 WYOMING" at top 1-1234
10-1234
Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10)
  1941 Embossed red serial and Bucking Horse and Rider on white plate with border line; "1941 WYOMING" at top 1-1234
2-A123
10-1234
Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10) One-letter, three-digit serials issued in Laramie County after 2-9999 was reached. This occurred again in 1942.
  1942 Embossed black serial and Bucking Horse and Rider on white plate with border line; "1942 WYOMING" at top 1-1234
2-A123
10-1234
Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10)
  1943 Embossed golden yellow serial and Bucking Horse and Rider on black plate with border line; "1943 WYOMING" at top 1-12345
10-1234
Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10) Five-digit serials issued in Laramie County after 2-9999 was reached; this occurred on each subsequent base through 1955. Natrona County followed suit from 1949.
  1944 Black serial and Bucking Horse and Rider on golden yellow fiberboard plate with border line; "1944 WYOMING" at top 1-12345
10-1234
Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10) Manufactured on soybean-based fiberboard due to metal conservation for World War II.
  1945 Embossed black serial and Bucking Horse and Rider on white plate with border line; "1945 WYOMING" at top 1-12345
10-1234
Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10)
  1946 Embossed green serial and Bucking Horse and Rider on beige plate with border line; "1946 WYOMING" at top 1-12345
10-1234
Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10)
  1947 Embossed white serial and Bucking Horse and Rider on black plate with border line; "1947 WYOMING" at top 1-12345
10-1234
Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10)
  1948 Embossed brown serial and Bucking Horse and Rider on golden yellow plate with border line; "1948 WYOMING" at top 1-12345
10-1234
Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10)
  1949 Embossed red serial and Bucking Horse and Rider on white plate with border line; "1949 WYOMING" at bottom 1-12345
10-1234
Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10)
  1950 Embossed white serial and Bucking Horse and Rider on black plate with border line; "1950 WYOMING" at top 1-12345
10-1234
Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10)
  1951 Embossed black serial and Bucking Horse and Rider on white plate with border line; "1951 WYOMING" at top 1-12345
10-1234
Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10)
  1952 Embossed yellow serial and Bucking Horse and Rider on black plate with border line; "52 WYOMING" at bottom 1-12345
10-1234
Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10)
  1953 Embossed white serial and Bucking Horse and Rider on black plate with white border line; "53 WYOMING" at bottom 1-12345
10-1234
Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10)
  1954 Embossed black serial and Bucking Horse and Rider on white plate with border line; "54 WYOMING" at bottom 1-12345
10-1234
Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10)
  1955 Embossed yellow serial and Bucking Horse and Rider on black plate with border line; "55 WYOMING" at top 1-12345
10-1234
Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10)
  1956 Embossed white serial and Bucking Horse and Rider on black plate with border line; "56 WYOMING" at bottom 1-1234
1-123A
1/0-1234
Coded by county of issuance (1 or 1/0) First 6" x 12" plate. Stacked county codes introduced in two-digit counties; all serials restricted to four characters in length.
  1957 Embossed yellow serial and Bucking Horse and Rider on black plate with border line; "WYO 57" at top right 1-1234
1-123A
1/0-1234
Coded by county of issuance (1 or 1/0)
  1958 Embossed yellow serial and Bucking Horse and Rider on green plate with border line; "WYO 58" at bottom right 1-1234
1-123A
1/0-1234
Coded by county of issuance (1 or 1/0)
  1959 Embossed white serial and Bucking Horse and Rider on black plate with border line; "WYO 59" at top right 1-1234
1-123A
1/0-1234
Coded by county of issuance (1 or 1/0)
  1960 Embossed yellow serial and Bucking Horse and Rider on black plate with border line; "WYO 60" at bottom right 1-1234
1-123A
1/0-1234
Coded by county of issuance (1 or 1/0)
  1961 Embossed white serial and Bucking Horse and Rider on red plate with border line; "WYO 61" at top right 1-1234
1-123A
1/0-1234
1/0-123A
Coded by county of issuance (1 or 1/0)
  1962 Embossed white serial and Bucking Horse and Rider on Columbia blue plate with border line; "WYO 62" at bottom right 1-1234
1-123A
1/0-1234
1/0-123A
Coded by county of issuance (1 or 1/0)
  1963 Embossed white serial and Bucking Horse and Rider on black plate with border line; "WYO 63" at top right 1-1234
1-123A
1/0-1234
1/0-123A
Coded by county of issuance (1 or 1/0)
  1964 Embossed white serial and Bucking Horse and Rider on red plate with border line; "WYO 64" at bottom right 1-1234
1-123A
1-A123
1/0-1234
1/0-123A
Coded by county of issuance (1 or 1/0)
  1965 Embossed yellow serial and Bucking Horse and Rider on black plate with border line; "WYO 65" at top right 1-1234
1-123A
1-A123
1/0-1234
1/0-123A
Coded by county of issuance (1 or 1/0)
  1966 Embossed white serial and Bucking Horse and Rider on dark green plate with border line; "WYO 66" at bottom right 1-1234
1-123A
1-A123
1/0-1234
1/0-123A
Coded by county of issuance (1 or 1/0)
  1967 Embossed white serial and Bucking Horse and Rider on red plate with border line; "WYO 67" at top right 1-1234
1-123A
1-A123
1/0-1234
1/0-123A
Coded by county of issuance (1 or 1/0)
  1968 Embossed yellow serial and Bucking Horse and Rider on brown plate with border line; "WYO 68" at bottom right 1-1234
1-123A
1-A123
1/0-1234
1/0-123A
Coded by county of issuance (1 or 1/0)
  1969 Embossed white serial and Bucking Horse and Rider on dark blue plate with border line; "WYO 69" at top right 1-1234
1-123A
1-A123
1/0-1234
1/0-123A
Coded by county of issuance (1 or 1/0)
  1970 Embossed yellow serial and Bucking Horse and Rider on dark green plate with border line; "WYO 70" at bottom right 1-1234
1-123A
1-A123
1/0-1234
1/0-123A
Coded by county of issuance (1 or 1/0)
  1971 Embossed white serial and Bucking Horse and Rider on black plate with border line; "WYO 71" at top right 1-1234
1-123A
1-A123
1/0-1234
1/0-123A
Coded by county of issuance (1 or 1/0)
  1972 Embossed brown serial and Bucking Horse and Rider on yellow plate with border line; "WYO 72" at bottom right 1-1234
1-123A
1-A123
1/0-1234
1/0-123A
Coded by county of issuance (1 or 1/0) Awarded "Plate of the Year" for best new license plate of 1972 by the Automobile License Plate Collectors Association, the first time Wyoming was so honored.
  1973 Embossed black serial and Bucking Horse and Rider on white plate with border line; "WYO 73" at top right 1-1234
1-123A
1-A123
1/0-1234
1/0-123A
Coded by county of issuance (1 or 1/0)
  1974 As 1972 base, but with "WYO 74" at bottom right 1-1234
1-123A
1-A123
1/0-1234
1/0-123A
Coded by county of issuance (1 or 1/0)

1975 to present edit

Image Dates issued Design Slogan Serial format Serials issued Notes
  1975–77 Embossed light blue serial and screened light blue Bucking Horse and Rider on white plate with light blue border line; red band screened at bottom containing "19 WYOMING 75" in white "THE SPIRIT OF '76 — In the American West!" screened in red Wild West-style font centered at top 1-1234
1-123A
1-A123
1-A/B123
1/0-1234
1/0-123A
Coded by county of issuance
(1 or 1/0)
Revalidated for 1976 and 1977 with stickers. Five-character serials, with two stacked letters, issued in Laramie and Natrona Counties from 1977 after four-character serials were exhausted.
  1978–82 Embossed brown serial and Bucking Horse and Rider on white plate; brown wooden fence graphic screened at bottom; "WYOMING" screened in Wild West-style font on wooden sign graphic at top, offset to right; "78" screened in same manner at top left none 1-1234
1-123A/B
1/0-1234
1/0-123A/B
Coded by county of issuance
(1 or 1/0)
Awarded "Plate of the Year" for best new license plate of 1978 by the Automobile License Plate Collectors Association, the second time Wyoming was so honored.
  1983 – December 1987 Embossed brown serial and screened brown Bucking Horse and Rider on yellow plate; brown wooden fence graphic screened at bottom; "WYOMING" screened in brown at top, offset to right; "83" screened at top left none 1-1234
1-123A/B
1/0-1234
1/0-123A/B
Coded by county of issuance
(1 or 1/0)
  January 1988 – December 1992 Embossed red serial and Bucking Horse and Rider on graphic plate featuring white cloud-covered mountains against a blue sky; "Wyoming" screened in dark blue at top, offset to right "1890 Centennial 1990" screened in dark blue at bottom 1-1234
1-123A/B
1/0-1234
1/0-123A/B
Coded by county of issuance
(1 or 1/0)
Commemorated Wyoming's 100 years of statehood.
  January 1993 – December 1999 Embossed dark blue serial and Bucking Horse and Rider on graphic plate with blue, green and yellow mountains against a pale blue sky; "Wyoming" screened in dark blue at top, offset to right none 1-1234
1-123A/B
1/0-1234
1/0-123A/B
Coded by county of issuance
(1 or 1/0)
  January 2000 – early 2005 Embossed black serial and Bucking Horse and Rider on graphic plate with Devils Tower screened at right against a cloudy blue sky; "WYOMING" screened in white at bottom, offset to right none 1-1234
1-123A
1-12AB
1-1ABC
1/0-1234
1/0-123A
1/0-12AB
Coded by county of issuance
(1 or 1/0)
Awarded "Plate of the Year" for best new license plate of 2000 by the Automobile License Plate Collectors Association, the third time Wyoming was so honored.
  October 2001[4] – December 2007 As above, but with serial and Bucking Horse and Rider screened rather than embossed Bucking Horse and Rider originally the same shape as on embossed plates, but later given greater detail. Each county started issuing screened plates after exhausting their supplies of embossed plates.
  January 2008 – December 2015 Screened black serial and Bucking Horse and Rider on graphic plate featuring the Teton Range, with cloudy blue sky above and green forest below; "WYOMING" screened in white centered at bottom none 1-12345
1-1234A
10-12345
Coded by county of issuance
(1 or 10)
Full-size county codes for two-digit counties, and serials with five full-size characters, used for the first time since 1955.
  January 2016 – present Screened black serial and Bucking Horse and Rider on graphic plate featuring the Green River Lakes and Squaretop Mountain against a cloudy blue sky; golden yellow rope border around plate; "WYOMING" screened in yellow centered at top none 1-12345
2-1234A
1/0-12345
Coded by county of issuance
(1 or 1/0)

Non-passenger plates edit

First issued in 2008.

Image Type Design Serial format Notes
  Apportioned As Teton Range passenger base; "APPORTIONED" at top A12345
  Apportioned Trailer T/R/L A12345 No Bucking Horse and Rider.
  Commercial As Teton Range passenger base; "COMMERCIAL" at top 1-1234
10-1234
Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10)
  Exempt – City As Teton Range passenger base; "EXEMPT" at top C/I/T/Y-1234
  Exempt – County C/O-1234
  Exempt – State S-1234
  Exempt – University of Wyoming U/W-123
  Multi-purpose Vehicle (MPV) As Green River and Squaretop Mountain passenger base; "MPV" at top with orange border 1-1234
10-1234
Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10)
No Bucking Horse and Rider.
  Truck As Teton Range passenger base; "TRUCK" at top 1-12345
10-12345
Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10)

Previous non-passenger plates edit

Image Type First issued Design Serial format Notes
  House Trailer 1993 As 1993 passenger base, but without Bucking Horse and Rider; "HOUSE TRL" embossed at bottom 1 H/T 1234
1/0 H/T 1234
Coded by county of issuance (1 or 1/0)

Specialty plates edit

First issued in 2017 (except for the Wildlife Conservation plate).

Image Type Design Serial format Notes
  Amateur Radio As Squaretop Mountain passenger base; "AMATEUR RADIO" at bottom FCC call sign
  Disabled Veteran As Squaretop Mountain passenger base; national flag at left and "DISABLED VETERAN" at bottom D/V1234
  Emergency Medical Technician As Squaretop Mountain passenger base; Star of Life at left and "EMERGENCY MED TECH" at bottom E/T1234
  Firefighter As Squaretop Mountain passenger base; firefighter badge at left and "FIRE FIGHTER" at bottom F/F1234
  Gold Star Family As Squaretop Mountain passenger base; Gold Star graphic and "REMEMBER THE FALLEN" over national flag at left and "GOLD STAR FAMILY" at bottom G/S1234
  National Guard As Squaretop Mountain passenger base; Wyoming Military Department logo at left and "NATIONAL GUARD" at bottom N/G1234
  Pearl Harbor Survivor As Squaretop Mountain passenger base; national flag at left and "PEARL HARBOR SURVIVOR" at bottom P/S1234
  Pioneer Screened white on black; "PIONEER" at top, offset to right W/Y/O-1234
  Prestige As Squaretop Mountain passenger base County code followed by any acceptable combination of up to five letters and numbers, personalized by owner
  Prisoner of War As Squaretop Mountain passenger base; POW-MIA badge at left and "PRISONER OF WAR" at bottom P/W1234
  Purple Heart Recipient As Squaretop Mountain passenger base; Purple Heart medal graphic at left and "COMBAT WOUNDED" at bottom P/H1234
  University of Wyoming Screened brown on gold; "UNIVERSITY OF WYOMING" at bottom 1-1234
1/0-1234
Coded by county of issuance (1 or 1/0)
'A' type code between county code and Bucking Horse and Rider.
  Veteran As Squaretop Mountain passenger base; seal of branch of service over national flag at left and "VETERAN" at bottom A/F1234 (Air Force)
A/R1234 (Army)
C/G1234 (Coast Guard)
M/C1234 (Marine Corps)
M/M1234 (Merchant Marine)
N/A1234 (Navy)
  Wildlife Conservation Screened yellow on graphic plate featuring mule deer in grass; "WILDLIFE CONSERVATION" at bottom W/C1234 Introduced January 2019.

County codes edit

 
 
Campbell County license plates on display at Campbell County Rockpile Museum in Gillette
Code County
1 Natrona
2 Laramie
3 Sheridan
4 Sweetwater
5 Albany
6 Carbon
7 Goshen
8 Platte
9 Big Horn
10 Fremont
11 Park
12 Lincoln
13 Converse
14 Niobrara
15 Hot Springs
16 Johnson
17 Campbell
18 Crook
19 Uinta
20 Washakie
21 Weston
22 Teton
23 Sublette
99 Rental vehicle

References edit

  1. ^ "Wyoming Bill to Provide Single License Plate Signed Into Law". SEMA. March 5, 2015. Archived from the original on August 12, 2020. Retrieved January 31, 2016.
  2. ^ Garrish, Christopher (October 2016). "Reconsidering the Standard Plate Size". Plates. Vol. 62, no. 5. Automobile License Plate Collectors Association.
  3. ^ "New Wyoming Auto License Plates Appear". Weston County Gazette. Upton. October 15, 1936. Retrieved January 28, 2016.
  4. ^ Turnbull, Andrew. "March of the Flats". The Andrew Turnbull Network. Retrieved December 24, 2014.

External links edit

  • Wyoming license plates, 1969–present