Vehicle registration plates of Montana
The U.S. state of Montana first required its residents to register their motor vehicles and display license plates in 1913. Plates are currently issued by the Motor Vehicle Division of the Montana Department of Justice.
Passenger baseplates
1913 to 1975
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 1956 issue was the first Montana license plate that complied with these standards.| Image | Dates issued | Design | Slogan | Serial format | Serials issued | Notes |
| Embossed black serial on white plate; "M" at right | none | 12345 | 1 to approximately 10500 | Front plates were perforated in order to allow air to pass through to the vehicle's radiator, while rear plates were solid. | ||
| 1915 | Embossed white serial on black plate; "MON 1915" at right | none | 12345 | 100 to approximately 14500 | First dated plate. | |
| 1916 | Embossed light green serial on dark green plate; "MON 1916" at right | none | 12345 | 100 to approximately 24500 | ||
| 1917 | Embossed red serial on gray plate; "MONT -17" at right | none | 12345 | 1 to approximately 42000 | ||
| 1918 | Embossed white serial on dark blue plate; "MONT 1918" at left | none | 12345 | 1 to approximately 51000 | ||
| 1919 | Embossed dark green serial on light green plate with border line; "MONT –19" at left | none | 12345 | 1 to approximately 58000 | ||
| 1920 | Embossed white serial on black plate with border line; "MONT –20" at left | none | 12345 | 1 to approximately 61000 | ||
| 1921 | Embossed white serial on maroon plate with border line; "MONT –21" at left | none | 12345 | 1 to approximately 57000 | ||
| 1922 | Embossed black serial on orange plate; "MONT –22" at left | none | 12345 | 1 to approximately 55000 | ||
| 1923 | Embossed red serial on white plate; "MONT –23" at left | none | 12345 | 1 to approximately 66000 | ||
| 1924 | Embossed white serial on dark blue plate; "MONT –24" at left | none | 12345 | 1 to approximately 70000 | ||
| 1925 | Embossed white serial on red plate; "MONT –25" at left | none | 12345 | 1 to approximately 82000 | ||
| 1926 | Embossed white serial on black plate with border line; "MONT –26" at left | none | 12-345 | 1 to approximately 90-000 | ||
| 1927 | Embossed black serial on green plate with border line; "MONT –27" at left | none | 12-345 | 1 to approximately 95-000 | ||
| 1928 | Embossed black serial on orange plate with border line; "MONTANA–28" centered at bottom | none | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 103-000 | First use of the full state name. | |
| 1929 | Embossed black serial on white plate with border line; "MONTANA–29" centered at bottom | none | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 115-000 | ||
| 1930 | As 1928 base, but with "MONTANA–30" at bottom | none | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 107-000 | ||
| 1931 | As 1929 base, but with "MONTANA–31" at bottom | none | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 103-000 | ||
| 1932 | Embossed white serial on black plate with border line; "MONTANA–32" centered at bottom | none | 12-345 | 1 to approximately 87-000 | ||
| 1933 | Embossed orange serial on maroon plate with state-shaped border; "MONTANA–33" below serial | none | 12-345 | 1 to approximately 83-000 | ||
| 1934 | Embossed orange serial on black plate with state-shaped border; "34–MONTANA" below serial | none | 1-1234 10-1234 | Coded by county of issuance | First use of county codes. | |
| 1935 | Embossed white serial on black plate with state-shaped border; "MONTANA–35" below serial | none | 1-1234 10-1234 | Coded by county of issuance | ||
| 1936 | Embossed black serial on orange plate with state-shaped border; "36–MONTANA" below serial | none | 1-1234 10-1234 | Coded by county of issuance | ||
| 1937 | Embossed black serial on green plate with state-shaped border; "MONTANA–37" below serial | none | 1-12345 10-1234 | Coded by county of issuance | ||
| 1938 | Embossed black serial with buffalo skull separator on orange plate with state-shaped border; "MONTANA–38" below serial | none | 1-12345 1/0-1234 | Coded by county of issuance | ||
| 1939 | Embossed orange serial on black plate with state-shaped border; "MONTANA–39" below serial | none | 1-12345 10-1234 | Coded by county of issuance | ||
| 1940 | Embossed white serial on blue plate with state-shaped border; "MONTANA–40" below serial | none | 1-12345 10-1234 | Coded by county of issuance | ||
| 1941 | Embossed blue serial on white plate with state-shaped border; "MONTANA–41" below serial | none | 1-12345 10-1234 | Coded by county of issuance | ||
| 1942–43 | Embossed white serial on black plate with state-shaped border; "MONTANA–42" below serial | none | 1-12345 10-1234 | Coded by county of issuance | Revalidated for 1943 with red tabs, due to metal conservation for World War II. | |
| 1944 | White serial on green fiberboard plate; "MONTANA-1944" centered at bottom | none | 1-12345 10-1234 | Coded by county of issuance | Manufactured on soybean-based fiberboard due to ongoing metal conservation. | |
| 1945 | Embossed white serial on black plate with state-shaped border; "MONTANA–45" below serial | none | 1-12345 10-1234 | Coded by county of issuance | ||
| 1946–47 | Embossed black serial on white plate with state-shaped border; "MONTANA–46" below serial | none | 1-12345 10-1234 | Coded by county of issuance | Revalidated for 1947 with windshield stickers. | |
| 1948 | Embossed white serial on black plate with state-shaped border; "MONTANA–48" below serial | none | 1-12345 10-1234 | Coded by county of issuance | ||
| 1949 | Embossed black serial on white plate with state-shaped border; "MONTANA–49" below serial | none | 1-12345 10-1234 | Coded by county of issuance | ||
| 1950 | Embossed white serial on black plate with state-shaped border; "MONTANA–50" below serial | "THE TREASURE STATE" at top | 1-12345 10-1234 | Coded by county of issuance | ||
| 1951–52 | Embossed yellow serial on blue plate with state-shaped border; "MONTANA–51" below serial | "THE TREASURE STATE" at top | 1-12345 10-1234 | Coded by county of issuance | Revalidated for 1952 with windshield stickers. | |
| 1953–54 | Embossed white serial on black plate with state-shaped border; "MONTANA–53" below serial | "THE TREASURE STATE" at top | 1-12345 10-1234 | Coded by county of issuance | Revalidated for 1954 with silver tabs. | |
| 1955–56 | Embossed white serial on red plate with state-shaped border; "MONTANA–55" below serial | "THE TREASURE STATE" at top | 1-12345 10-1234 | Coded by county of issuance | Revalidated for 1956 with silver tabs. | |
| 1957–58 | Embossed white serial on black plate with border line; "MONTANA–57" centered at bottom | none | 1/ 12345 1/0 1234 | Coded by county of issuance | First 6" x 12" plate. Revalidated for 1958 with silver tabs. | |
| 1959–62 | Embossed black serial on unpainted aluminum plate with state-shaped border; "MONTANA 59" below serial, stamped "PRISON MADE" beneath state outline | none | 1·12345 10·1234 | Coded by county of issuance | Revalidated for 1960 with yellow tabs, for 1961 with black tabs, and for 1962 with blue tabs. | |
| 1963–66 | As 1959–62 base, but with "MONTANA 63" below serial | "TREASURE STATE" centered at top | 1·12345 10·1234 | Coded by county of issuance | Revalidated for 1964 with black tabs, for 1965 with blue tabs, and for 1966 with yellow tabs. | |
| 1967 | Embossed yellow serial on light blue plate with state-shaped border; "MONTANA 67" below serial | "BIG SKY COUNTRY" centered at top | 1·12345 10·1234 | Coded by county of issuance | ||
| 1968–69 | Embossed green serial on reflective white plate with state-shaped border; "MONTANA" and debossed "68" below serial | "BIG SKY COUNTRY" centered at top | 1·12345 10·1234 | Coded by county of issuance | Revalidated for 1969 with stickers. | |
| 1970–72 | Embossed blue serial on reflective white plate with state-shaped border; "MONTANA" and debossed "70" below serial | "BIG SKY COUNTRY" centered at top | 1·12345 10·1234 | Coded by county of issuance | Revalidated for 1971 and 1972 with stickers. | |
| 1973–74 | Debossed white serial on reflective green plate with state-shaped border; debossed buffalo skull at bottom left; "MONTANA 73" below serial | "BIG SKY COUNTRY" centered at top | 1·12345 10·1234 | Coded by county of issuance | Revalidated for 1974 with stickers. | |
| 1975 | Debossed white serial on reflective blue plate with state-shaped border; debossed buffalo skull at bottom left; "MONTANA 75" below serial | "BIG SKY COUNTRY" centered at top | 1·12345 10·1234 | Coded by county of issuance |