Vehicle registration plates of Illinois

The U.S. state of Illinois first required motorists to register their vehicles in 1907 and began issuing license plates to registrants in 1911. Plates were issued annually until 1978.

Early history

In 1907, Illinois motorists were first required to register their vehicles with the Secretary of State’s office and pay a one time registration fee of $2. Registrants were issued a numbered aluminum disc to place on their dashboard, but they had to provide their own license plates. The registration became annual in 1909 with motorists being issued aluminum dashboard discs and still had to provide their own license plates.

1911 was the first year that the state began issuing license plates itself. The aluminum dashboard discs were also issued, matching the license plate number. The legislation authorizing the state issuance of license plates also provided for the registration and plating of motorcycles and issued special licenses and plates to mechanics and chauffeurs. Both plates and aluminum dashboard discs were issued annually.

By 1914, plates with letter prefixes (H, K, P, and R) were issued for the first time after reaching plate 99999 in order to keep the plates five characters. In 1916, the first six digit plates began to be issued. The next year, 1917, would be the final year of the issuance of the aluminum dashboard discs.

1920 marked the first year that plates were issued to different classes of vehicles. Only two general classes were specified, vehicles carrying less than seven people and those that carried more than seven people or carried freight. Trucks received their own special plate for the first time with a vertical "TRUCK" embossed onto the plate. Four years later, the first plates for trailers were issued.

Modern history

In 1956, the U.S. states and Canadian provinces came to an agreement with the Automobile Manufacturers Association that standardized the size for license plates for vehicles, except those for motorcycles, at six inches in height by twelve inches in width, with standardized mounting holes. The 1955 (dated 1956) issue was the first Illinois license plate that complied with these standards.

Passenger baseplates 1911 to 1978

Image	First issued	Description	Slogan	Serial format	Serials issued	Notes
150px	1914	Green embossed serial number and border on white base with slats between numbers (rear plate shown.) "ILL 14" on right side.	none	123456
150px	1916	Black embossed serial number and border on silver base. "ILL 16" on right side.	none	123456
150px	1920	Black embossed serial number and border on orange base. "ILL 20" on right side.	none	123456
150px	1924	Deep yellow embossed serial number and border on black base. "ILL 24" on right side.	none	123456
150px	1925	White embossed serial number and border on brown base. "ILL 25" on right side.	none	123456
150px	1927	Black embossed serial number, border, and state shape on orange base. "ILL 27" in orange base incused within state shape.	none	123456
150px	1928	White embossed serial number and border on maroon base. "ILL 28" on right side	none	123456
150px	1930	White embossed serial number and border on black base. "ILL 30" on right side	none	123456
150px	1931	Black embossed serial number and border on light green base. "ILL 31" on right side	none	123456
	1933	White embossed serial number and border on blue base. "ILL 33" on right side	none	123456
150px	1934	Yellow embossed serial number and border on black base. "ILLINOIS-1934" on bottom.	none	123456
150px	1937	Black embossed serial number and border on yellow base. "19 ILLINOIS 37" on top	none	123456
150px	1939	Yellow embossed serial number and border on black base. "ILLINOIS 39" on top	none	123456
150px	1940	White embossed serial number and border on dark brown base. "ILLINOIS 40" on bottom	none	123456
150px	1941	Black embossed serial number on yellow base. "ILLINOIS 1941" at top	none	123456
150px	1943	White lettering on green base	none	1234 567		First year plates are made of fiberboard due to WWII steel rationing
150px	1944	White lettering on brown base	none	1234 567
150px	1945	Orange lettering on black base	none	1234 567
150px	1946	White lettering on red base	none	1234 567
150px	1947	Off-white lettering on green base	none	1234 567
150px	1948	Black lettering on orange base	none	1234 567		Last year plates are made of fiberboard due to WWII steel rationing.
150px	1949	Off-white lettering on dark blue base	none	1234 567
150px	1950	Black lettering on yellow base	none	1234 567		Plates are manufactured out of aluminum for the first time
150px	1951	Maroon on unpainted aluminum	none	1234 567 A123456 123 456		Only year plates manufactured with unpainted background.
150px	1952	Blue lettering on orange base	none	1234 567 A123456 123 456
150px	1953	Red lettering on cream-colored base	none	1234 567 A123456 123 456		License plates placed under the jurisdiction of the Secretary of State
150px	1954	White lettering on black base	Land of Lincoln	1234 567 A123456 123 456		First year the "Land of Lincoln" slogan appears on plates
150px	1955	Orange lettering on blue base	Land of Lincoln	1234 567 A123456 123 456		Colors selected to honor the state's flagship university, the University of Illinois
150px	1956	Black lettering on white base	Land of Lincoln	1234 567 A123456 123 456		Size of license plates standardized to national standard of 6" by 12"
150px	1957	White lettering on red base	Land of Lincoln	1234 567 A123456 123 456		Colors chosen to commemorate the centennial of the state's oldest university, Illinois State University
150px	1958	Purple lettering on white base	Land of Lincoln	1234 567 A123456 123 456		Colors chosen to honor Northwestern University in Evanston
150px	1959	White lettering on brown base	Land of Lincoln	1234 567 A123456 123 456		Colors chosen to honor Quincy College
150px	1960	Gold lettering on royal blue base	Land of Lincoln	1234 567 A123456 123 456		Colors chosen to honor the centennials of both Augustana College and Wheaton College
150px	1961	White lettering on red base	Land of Lincoln	123 456 AB 1234		The system of pure numeric numbering of plates is modified; plates with two letters and four numbers are added to the available combinations.
150px	1962	White lettering on orange base	Land of Lincoln	123 456 AB 1234
150px	1963	Yellow lettering on dark green base	Land of Lincoln	123 456 AB 1234		Colors chosen for the quasquicentennial of the founding of the John Deere company in Moline
150px	1964	White lettering on purple base	Land of Lincoln	123 456 AB 1234
150px	1965	Green lettering on white base	Land of Lincoln	123 456 AB 1234
150px	1966	Red lettering on yellow base	Land of Lincoln	123 456 AB 1234		First-ever issue of reflective license plates
150px	1967	Black lettering on yellow base	Land of Lincoln	123 456 AB 1234
150px	1968	Red lettering on yellow base	Land of Lincoln	123 456 AB 1234		To honor the sesquicentennial of Illinois admission to the Union, "1818" is incorporated in the upper corners of all license plates
150px	1969	Black lettering on orange base	Land of Lincoln	123 456 AB 1234
150px	1970	red on reflective yellow	Land of Lincoln	123 456 AB 1234
150px	1971	black on reflective white	Land of Lincoln	123 456 AB 1234
150px	1972	blue on reflective white	Land of Lincoln	123 456 AB 1234
150px	1973	Black lettering on reflective yellow	Land of Lincoln	123 456 AB 1234		Total license plates issued exceeds five million for the first time
150px	1974	Red lettering on reflective yellow	Land of Lincoln	123 456 AB 1234		First ever license plates with three letters and three numbers; also, first handicapped plates issued
150px	1975	Black lettering on reflective yellow	Land of Lincoln	123 456 AB 1234		Colors chosen to honor the 50th anniversary of the Caterpillar Company of Peoria.
150px	1976	blue on reflective white with red and blue United States Bicentennial graphics	Land of Lincoln	AB 1234 various	? remakes of previously issued serials	Bicentennial plate design contest won by 10-year-old Kelley Jordan of Normal, Illinois
150px	1977	green on reflective white	Land of Lincoln	AB 1234 various	? remakes of previously issued serials	Plates issued reach the six million mark
150px	1978	black on reflective white	Land of Lincoln	AB 1234 various	? remakes of previously issued serials	Last single-year plate, and last year that all license plates in the state expire on the same date.

Passenger baseplates 1979 to present

Image	First issued	Description	Slogan	Serial format	Serials issued	Notes
150px	1979	dark blue on reflective white	Land of Lincoln	ABC 123 various	? remakes of previously issued serials	First multi-year plate and first plate to be issued on a staggered schedule throughout the year. Colors selected to honor the sesquicentennial of Illinois College.
150px	1980	dark blue on reflective white	Land of Lincoln	ABC 123 various	? remakes of previously issued serials	First year the state allows residents to order vanity plates, maximum of six characters
150px	1983	dark blue on reflective white	Land of Lincoln	ABC 123 A 12 345 A 123 456 various	? ? ? remakes of previously issued serials
	1984	dark blue reflective white with light and dark blue stripes, screened dark blue state name	Land of Lincoln	ABC 123 A 12 345 A 123 456 various	? ? ? remakes of previously issued serials	First new plate design since introduction of multi-year tag. Plates made of steel, with "Land of Lincoln" restored to a more prominent, readable position. Vanity plates may now be ordered with up to seven characters
	1987	dark blue reflective white with light and dark blue stripes, screened dark blue state name.	Land of Lincoln	ABC 123 A 12 345 A 123 456 various	? ? ? remakes of previously issued serials	sticker size now 1 inch tall and 3 inches wide
	2001	Reflective gradient white-to-blue fade with Abraham Lincoln portrait at center, state name screened in blue	Land of Lincoln	123 4567 A12 3456 Various ABC 1234	100 0001 to 999 9999 Letters Used As First Character beginning in early to mid-2007 (in approximate order): X, G, A, H, K, L, N, P, R, S, V, E, F, Y, Z (current) remakes of previously issued serials	First new plate design since 1984, design selected by a vote (in 2000) of the residents of Illinois, in which 230,000 persons participated

Non-passenger types

Image	Type	Design	Serial Format	Serials Issued	Notes
150px	1984 B Truck	Red reflective white with light and red stripes, screened red state name., B Truck vertical text on right	123 AB, 1234 AB	Various
150px	2001 B Truck	Full reflective white with Abraham Lincoln portrait at center, state name screened in red, B Truck vertical text on right	1234 A, 12 345 A, 1234567 (current)	Various, remakes of previous issued serials

Special Event License Plates

Image	Type	Design	Serial format	Serials issued	Notes
150px	Midwest Governor's Conference from 1987				Used for short period of time (30-60 days)
150px	LPGA optional issue from 1992				Used for short period of time (30-60 days)

External links

• Illinois Secretary of State License Plate Guide
• Illinois license plates 1969-present