Vehicle registration plates of Kentucky
The U.S. state of Kentucky first required its residents to register their motor vehicles and display license plates in 1910. Plates are currently issued by the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet through its Division of Motor Vehicle Licensing. Only rear plates have been required since 1944.
Passenger baseplates
1910 to 1974
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 Kentucky license plate that complied with these standards.| Image | Dates issued | Design | Slogan | Serial format | Serials issued | Notes |
| 1910–11 | White serial on black porcelain plate; vertical "KY" at right, above circle containing 'B' | none | 1234 | 1 to approximately 3200 | Front and rear plates issued; this practice continued through 1943. | |
| 1911–12 | White serial on black porcelain plate; vertical "KY" at right, above circle containing 'L' | none | 1234 | 4001 to approximately 8300 | ||
| 1912–13 | White serial on black porcelain plate; white horizontal stripes at top and bottom; vertical "KY" at right, above square containing 'M' | none | 1234 | 1 to approximately 8000 | ||
| 1913–14 | White serial on black porcelain plate; red horizontal stripes at top and bottom; vertical "KY" at right, above diamond containing red 'G' | none | 12345 | 10001 to approximately 19000 | ||
| 1914 | Embossed black serial on white plate; "KY 1914" at right | none | 12345 | 20001 to approximately 26400 | First dated and embossed plate. Issued only from June through December 1914. | |
| 1915 | Embossed red serial on white plate; "KY 1915" at right | none | 12345 | 1 to approximately 19500 | ||
| 1916 | Embossed white serial on blue plate; "KY 1916" at right | none | 12345 | 1 to approximately 29500 | ||
| 1917 | Embossed black serial on white plate with border line; "KY. 1917" at right | none | 12345 | 1 to approximately 47500 | ||
| 1918 | Embossed yellow serial on black plate with border line; "KY. 1918" at right | none | 12345 | 1 to approximately 64000 | ||
| 1919 | Embossed white serial on green plate with border line; "KY. 1919" at right | none | 12345 | 1 to approximately 81000 | ||
| 1920 | Embossed black serial on white plate with border line; "KY. 1920" at right | none | 12345 | 1 to approximately 96000 | ||
| 1921 | Embossed white serial on brown plate with border line; "KY. 1921" at right | none | 123456 | 1 to approximately 157000 | ||
| 1922 | Embossed black serial on orange plate with border line; "KY. 1922" at right | none | 123456 | 1 to approximately 167000 | ||
| 1923 | Embossed blue serial on gray plate with border line; "KY. 1923" at right | none | 123456 | 1 to approximately 185000 | ||
| 1924 | Embossed white serial on dark blue plate with border line; "KY 1924" at right | none | 123456 | |||
| 1925 | Embossed white serial on green plate with border line; "KENTUCKY·1925" centered at bottom | none | 123-456 | First use of the full state name. | ||
| 1926 | Embossed white serial on maroon plate with border line; "KENTUCKY·1926" centered at bottom | none | 123-456 | |||
| 1927 | Embossed white serial on blue plate. Plate divided into four sections, each surrounded by border lines, with "KY", county name and "27" in top section and serial numbers in bottom left and bottom right sections | none | 12 34 12 345 | Began at 1 in each county | First state-issued passenger plate in the U.S. to feature the name of the county of issuance. | |
| 1928 | Embossed white serial on green plate. Plate divided into four sections, each surrounded by border lines, with "KY. 28" in bottom center section, county name in top section and serial numbers in bottom left and bottom right sections | none | 12 34 12 345 | Began at 1 in each county | ||
| 1929 | Pair of plates with blue base with white embossed lettering and border. Front: top of plate emblazoned with "19 KENTUCKY 29" with county name at bottom. Serial numbers in center separated by "FRONT" in small letters in middle. Rear: top of plate emblazoned with "19 KENTUCKY 29" with "FOR" in center of plate between serial numbers and "PROGRESS" emblazoned at bottom. | "FOR PROGRESS" on rear plates | 123-456 | 1 to 850-000 | A block of serials was assigned to each county in alphabetical order; this practice continued through 1936. | |
| 1930 | Pair of plates, each with white base with red embossed lettering and border. Front: top of plate emblazoned with "19 KENTUCKY 30" with county name at bottom and serial numbers in center. Rear: top of plate emblazoned with "19 KENTUCKY 30" with serial in center of plate and "FOR PROGRESS" emblazoned at bottom. | "FOR PROGRESS" on rear plates | 123-456 | 1 to 850-000 | ||
| 1931 | Embossed white serial on green plate with border line; "19 KENTUCKY 31" or "KY", county name and "31" at bottom | none | 123-456 | 1 to 850-000 | ||
| 1932 | Embossed white serial on maroon plate with border line; "19 KENTUCKY 32" or "KY", county name and "32" at bottom | none | 123-456 | 1 to 850-000 | ||
| 1933 | Embossed white serial on green plate with border line; "KY", county name and "33" at bottom | none | 123-456 | 1 to 850-000 | ||
| 1934 | Embossed black serial on white plate with border line; "KY", county name and "34" at top | none | 123-456 | 1 to 850-000 | ||
| 1935 | Embossed black serial on yellow plate with border line; "KY", county name and "35" at bottom | none | 123-456 | 1 to 850-000 | ||
| 1936 | Embossed silver serial on black plate with border line; "KY", county name and "36" at bottom | none | 123-456 | 1 to 850-000 | ||
| 1937 | Embossed dark blue serial on white plate with border line; "KENTUCKY-'37" and county name centered at top and bottom respectively | none | 12345 A1234 1A234 12A34 123A4 | Issued in blocks by county | ||
| 1938 | Embossed green serial on white plate with border line; "KENTUCKY-'38" and county name centered at top and bottom respectively | none | 12345 A1234 1A234 12A34 123A4 | Issued in blocks by county | ||
| 1939 | Embossed white serial on green plate with border line; "KENTUCKY-'39" and county name centered at top and bottom respectively | none | 12345 A1234 1A234 12A34 123A4 | Issued in blocks by county | ||
| 1940 | Embossed red serial on white plate with border line; "KENTUCKY-'40" and county name centered at top and bottom respectively | none | 12345 A1234 1A234 12A34 123A4 | Issued in blocks by county | ||
| 1941 | Embossed black serial on silver plate with border line; "KENTUCKY-'41" and county name centered at top and bottom respectively | none | 12345 A1234 1A234 12A34 123A4 | Issued in blocks by county | ||
| Embossed silver serial on black plate with border line; "KENTUCKY-'42" and county name centered at top and bottom respectively | none | 12345 A1234 1A234 12A34 123A4 | Issued in blocks by county | with windshield stickers, due to metal conservation for World War II. | ||
| 1944–45 | Embossed yellow serial on black plate with border line; "KENTUCKY-'44" and county name centered at top and bottom respectively | none | 12345 A1234 1A234 12A34 123A4 | Issued in blocks by county | Only rear plates issued; this practice continues today. Revalidated for 1945 with windshield stickers. | |
| 1946–47 | Embossed silver serial on black plate with border line; "KENTUCKY-'46" and county name centered at top and bottom respectively | none | 123-456 | Issued in blocks by county | Revalidated for 1947 with windshield stickers. | |
| 1948 | Embossed orange serial on unpainted aluminum plate; "KENTUCKY-'48" and county name centered at top and bottom respectively | none | 123-456 | Issued in blocks by county | ||
| 1949 | Embossed black serial on waffle-textured silver plate; "KENTUCKY-'49" and county name centered at top and bottom respectively | none | 123-456 | Issued in blocks by county | ||
| 1950 | Embossed white serial on waffle-textured green plate; "KENTUCKY-'50" and county name centered at top and bottom respectively | none | 123-456 | Issued in blocks by county | ||
| 1951–52 | Embossed black serial on silver plate; county name centered at bottom | "TOUR KENTUCKY-'51" centered at top | 123-456 | Issued in blocks by county | Revalidated for 1952 with windshield stickers, due to metal conservation for the Korean War. | |
| 1953 | Embossed white serial on dark blue plate; county name centered at bottom | "TOUR KENTUCKY-'53" centered at top | 123-456 | Issued in blocks by county | ||
| 1954 | Embossed dark blue serial on white plate; county name centered at bottom | "TOUR KENTUCKY-'54" centered at top | 123-456 | Issued in blocks by county | ||
| 1955 | Embossed white serial on dark blue plate; county name centered at bottom | "TOUR KENTUCKY-'55" centered at top | 123-456 | Issued in blocks by county | ||
| 1956 | Embossed dark blue serial on white plate; "19" at top left and "56" at top right; county name centered at bottom | "TOUR KENTUCKY" centered at top | 123-456 | Issued in blocks by county | ||
| 1957 | Embossed white serial on dark blue plate; "19" at top left and "57" at top right; county name centered at bottom | "TOUR KENTUCKY" centered at top | 123-456 | Issued in blocks by county | One-letter, five-digit serials introduced in counties that had exhausted their all-numeric allocations. | |
| 1958 | Embossed dark blue serial on white plate; "19 KENTUCKY 58" at top; county name centered at bottom | none | 123-456 A12-345 | Issued in blocks by county | ||
| 1959 | Embossed white serial on dark blue plate; "19 KENTUCKY 59" at top; county name centered at bottom | none | 123-456 A12-345 | Issued in blocks by county | ||
| 1960 | As 1958 base, but with "60" at top right | none | 123-456 A12-345 | Issued in blocks by county | ||
| 1961 | As 1959 base, but with "61" at top right | none | 123-456 A12-345 | Issued in blocks by county | ||
| 1962 | As 1958 base, but with "62" at top right; border line added on later plates | none | 123-456 A12-345 | Issued in blocks by county | ||
| 1963 | Embossed white serial on dark blue plate with border line; "19 KENTUCKY 63" at top; county name centered at bottom | none | 123-456 A12-345 | Issued in blocks by county | ||
| 1964 | Embossed dark blue serial on white plate with border line; "19 KENTUCKY 64" at top; county name centered at bottom | none | 123-456 A12-345 | Issued in blocks by county | ||
| 1965 | As 1963 base, but with "65" at top right | none | 123-456 A12-345 | Issued in blocks by county | ||
| 1966 | As 1964 base, but with "66" at top right | none | 123-456 A12-345 | Issued in blocks by county | ||
| 1967 | As 1963 base, but with "67" at top right | none | 123-456 A12-345 | Issued in blocks by county | ||
| 1968 | As 1964 base, but with "68" at top right | none | 123-456 A12-345 | Issued in blocks by county | ||
| 1969 | As 1963 base, but with "69" at top right | none | 123-456 A12-345 | Issued in blocks by county | ||
| 1970 | As 1964 base, but with "70" at top right | none | 123-456 A12-345 | Issued in blocks by county | ||
| 1971 | As 1963 base, but with "71" at top right | none | 123-456 A12-345 | Issued in blocks by county | ||
| 1972 | As 1964 base, but with "72" at top right | none | 123-456 A12-345 | Issued in blocks by county | ||
| 1973 | As 1963 base, but with "73" at top right | none | 123-456 A12-345 | Issued in blocks by county | ||
| 1974 | As 1964 base, but with "74" at top right | none | 123-456 A12-345 | Issued in blocks by county |