Vehicle registration plates of Michigan
The U.S. state of Michigan first required its residents to register their motor vehicles in 1905. Registrants provided their own license plates for display until 1910, when the state began to issue plates.
Plates are currently issued by the Michigan Department of State. Only rear plates have been required since 1981.
Passenger baseplates
1910 to 1970
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 at in height by in width, with standardized mounting holes. The 1955 issue was the first Michigan license plate that complied with these standards.| Image | Dates issued | Design | Slogan | Serial format | Serials issued | Notes |
| 1910 | Black on white porcelain; state seal and "MICH 1910" at left | none | 12345 | 1 to approximately 18500 | Front and rear plates issued; this practice continued until 1944. | |
| 1911 | White on black porcelain; state seal and "MICH 1911" at left | none | 12345 | 1 to approximately 27500 | ||
| 1912 | Black on yellow porcelain; state seal and "MICH 1912" at left | none | 12345 | 1 to approximately 40000 | ||
| 1913 | White on green porcelain; state seal and "MICH 1913" at left | none | 12345 | 1 to approximately 55000 | ||
| 1914 | Red on white porcelain; state seal and "MICH 1914" at left | none | 12345 | 1 to approximately 77000 | ||
| 1915 | White on blue; aluminum state seal and "MICH 1915" at left | none | 12345 | 1 to 99999 | First embossed plate. Only letters C and E used in the A1234 serial format. | |
| 1915 | White on blue; aluminum state seal and "MICH 1915" at left | none | A1234 | C0000 to approximately E6000 | First embossed plate. Only letters C and E used in the A1234 serial format. | |
| 1916 | Blue on white; aluminum state seal and "MICH 1916" at left | none | 12345 | 1 to 99999 | ||
| 1916 | Blue on white; aluminum state seal and "MICH 1916" at left | none | A1234 | A1 to approximately F5000 | ||
| 1917 | White on black; aluminum state seal and "MICH 1917" at left | none | 12345 | 1 to 99999 | ||
| 1917 | White on black; aluminum state seal and "MICH 1917" at left | none | A1234 | A1 to approximately O9000 | ||
| 1918 | White on green; aluminum state seal and "MICH 18" at left | none | 123456 | 1 to approximately 245000 | ||
| 1919 | White on brown; aluminum state seal and "MICH 19" at left | none | 12345 | 1 to 99999 | ||
| 1919 | White on brown; aluminum state seal and "MICH 19" at left | none | A1234 | A1 to approximately Z9000 | ||
| 1920 | Black on orange; stylized "MICH 20" at left | none | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 414-000 | ||
| 1921 | White on black; stylized "MICH 21" at left | none | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 476-000 | ||
| 1922 | White on red; stylized "MICH 22" at left | none | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 577-000 | ||
| 1923 | White on green; stylized "MICH 23" at left | none | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 730-000 | ||
| 1924 | Black on yellow; stylized "MICH 24" at left | none | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 879-000 | ||
| 1925 | Black on gray; stylized "MICH 25" at left | none | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 996-000 | ||
| 1926 | White on black; "MICH 26" at left | none | 123-456 | 1 to 999-999 | On both these bases, plates with the M123-456 serial format had the 'M' surrounded by a diamond, and are thus informally known as "Diamond M" plates. | |
| 1926 | White on black; "MICH 26" at left | none | M123-456 | M1 to approximately M133-000 | On both these bases, plates with the M123-456 serial format had the 'M' surrounded by a diamond, and are thus informally known as "Diamond M" plates. | |
| 1927 | Black on yellow; "MICHIGAN 1927" at bottom | none | 123-456 | 1 to 999-999 | On both these bases, plates with the M123-456 serial format had the 'M' surrounded by a diamond, and are thus informally known as "Diamond M" plates. | |
| 1927 | Black on yellow; "MICHIGAN 1927" at bottom | none | M123-456 | M1 to approximately M226-000 | On both these bases, plates with the M123-456 serial format had the 'M' surrounded by a diamond, and are thus informally known as "Diamond M" plates. | |
| 1928 | White on green; "MICHIGAN 1928" at top | none | 1 to approximately 1-116-000 | |||
| 1929 | Yellow on black; "MICHIGAN 1929" at bottom | none | 1 to approximately 1-234-000 | |||
| 1930 | Black on yellow; "MICHIGAN 1930" at bottom | none | 1 to approximately 1-248-000 | |||
| 1931 | Red on black; "MICHIGAN 1931" at bottom | none | 1 to approximately 1-223-000 | |||
| 1932 | White on dark blue; "MICHIGAN 1932" at top | none | 1 to approximately 1-139-000 | |||
| 1933 | Black on white; "MICHIGAN 1933" at bottom | none | 12-345 A12-345 | Issued in blocks by county | ||
| 1934 | Black on yellow; "19 MICHIGAN 34" at top | none | 12-345 A 12345 | Issued in blocks by county | ||
| 1935 | Yellow on dark blue; "19 MICHIGAN 35" at bottom | none | 12-345 A 12345 | Issued in blocks by county | ||
| 1936 | Black on gray; "19 MICHIGAN 36" at top | none | 12-345 A 12345 | Issued in blocks by county | ||
| 1937 | Yellow on dark blue; "1937 MICHIGAN" at bottom | none | 12 345 A 12345 | Issued in blocks by county | ||
| 1938 | Black on light green; "1938 MICHIGAN" or "MICHIGAN 1938" at top | none | A 12345 | Issued in blocks by county | ||
| 1938 | Black on white; vertical "MICH" at left; "PASS EXP 8-31-38" at top | none | 123456 | 1 to approximately 552000 | Half-year plates issued at lower cost to full-year plates, due to the Depression. | |
| 1939 | Black on beige; "19 MICH 39" at bottom | none | A 12345 AB 1234 | Issued in blocks by county | ||
| 1939 | White on dark blue; vertical "MICH" at left; "PASS EXP 8-31-39" at bottom | none | 123456 | 1 to approximately 552000 | Half-year plate. | |
| 1940 | Black on silver; "MICH 40" at top | none | AB-12-34 | County-coded | ||
| 1940 | White on black; "MICH EXP. 8-31 40" at top | none | AB-12-34 | County-coded | Half-year plate. | |
| 1941 | White on maroon; "MICH 41" at top | none | AB-12-34 | County-coded | ||
| 1941 | Maroon on white; "MICH EXP. 8-31 41" at top | none | AB-12-34 | County-coded | Half-year plate. | |
| White on olive green; "MICHIGAN" at top and "42" at bottom | none | AB-12-34 | County-coded | Full and half-year plates revalidated for 1943 with metal tabs, due to metal conservation for World War II. | ||
| As above, but with "EXP. 8-31-42" at bottom | none | AB-12-34 | County-coded | Half-year plate. | ||
| 1944 | White on maroon; "MICHIGAN" at bottom and "44" at top | none | AB-12-34 | County-coded | Only rear plates issued for both full-year and half-year plates. For full-year plates, this practice continued until 1957. | |
| 1944 | Maroon on white; "MICHIGAN" at bottom and "EXP. 8-31-44" at top | none | AB-12-34 | County-coded | Half-year plate. | |
| 1945 | Black on silver; "MICHIGAN" at top and "45" at bottom | none | AB-12-34 | County-coded | ||
| 1945 | White on black; "MICHIGAN" at top and "EXP. 8-31-45" at bottom | none | AB-12-34 | County-coded | Half-year plate. | |
| 1946 | White on dark olive green; "MICHIGAN" at bottom and "46" at top | none | AB-12-34 | County-coded | ||
| 1946 | White on maroon; "MICHIGAN" at bottom and "EXP. 8-31-46" at top | none | AB-12-34 | County-coded | Last half-year plate. | |
| 1947 | Black on golden yellow; "MICHIGAN" at top and "47" at bottom | none | AB-12-34 | County-coded | ||
| 1948 | Black on silver; "MICHIGAN" at bottom and "48" at top | none | AB-12-34 | County coded | ||
| 1949 | White on black; "MICHIGAN" at top and "49" at bottom | none | AB-12-34 | County-coded | ||
| 1950 | Black on silver; "MICHIGAN" at bottom and "50" at top | none | AB-12-34 | County-coded | ||
| 1951 | White on black; "MICHIGAN" at top and "51" at bottom | none | AB-12-34 | County-coded | ||
| 1952 | Black on silver; "MICHIGAN" at bottom and "52" at top | none | AB-12-34 | County-coded | ||
| 1953 | White on black, "MICHIGAN" at top and "53" at bottom | none | AB-12-34 | County-coded | ||
| 1954 | Yellow on dark blue; "19 MICHIGAN 54" at top | Water Wonderland | AB-12-34 | County-coded | ||
| 1955 | White on green; "19 MICHIGAN 55" at top | Water Wonderland | AB-12-34 | County-coded | ||
| 1956 | Dark green on white; "19 MICHIGAN 56" at top | Water Wonderland | AB-1234 | County-coded | First 6" x 12" plate. | |
| 1957 | White on red; "19 MICHIGAN 57" at top | Water Wonderland | AB-1234 | County-coded | Front and rear plates issued ; this practice continued until 1981. | |
| 1958 | Black on gray; "19 MICHIGAN 58" at top | Water Wonderland | AB-1234 | County-coded | ||
| 1959–61 | Yellow on green; "19 MICHIGAN 59" at top | Water Wonderland | AB-1234 | County-coded | Revalidated for 1960 with yellow tabs, and for 1961 with silver tabs. | |
| 1962–64 | Green on white; "19 MICHIGAN 62" at top | Water Wonderland | AB-1234 | County-coded | Revalidated for 1963 with green tabs, and for 1964 with olive tabs. | |
| 1965 | Yellow on blue; "MICH 65" at top | Water-Winter Wonderland | AB-1234 | County-coded | First year using galvanized steel. First year using state school colors: 1965 honored University of Michigan. | |
| 1966 | Dark blue on buff; "MICH 66" at top | Water-Winter Wonderland | AB-1234 | County-coded | ||
| 1967 | Maize on dark blue; "MICH 67" at top | Water-Winter Wonderland | AB-1234 | County-coded | Issued in the colors of the University of Michigan, in honor of its sesquicentennial. | |
| 1968 | Yellow on green; "19 MICHIGAN 68" at top | Great Lake State | AB-1234 | County-coded | ||
| 1969 | White on red; "19 MICHIGAN 69" at top | Great Lake State | AB-1234 | County-coded | ||
| 1970 | White on light gold; "19 MICHIGAN 70" at top | Great Lake State | ABC-123 | BBB-000 to approximately NGS-999 | Issued in the colors of Oakland University, which became independent from Michigan State University in 1970. Vowels and Q not used in serials; this practice continued until 1983. |