Vehicle registration plates of Louisiana
The U.S. state of Louisiana first required its residents to register their motor vehicles and display license plates in 1915. Plates are currently issued by the Louisiana Department of Public Safety and Corrections. Only rear plates have been required since 1952.
Passenger baseplates
1915 to 1963
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 1954 issue was the first Louisiana license plate that complied with these standards.| Image | Dates issued | Design | Slogan | Serial format | Serials issued | Notes |
| 1915 | Embossed white serial on dark blue plate; vertical "LA" and "1915" at left and right respectively | none | 12345 | 1 to approximately 10500 | ||
| 1916 | Embossed white serial on green plate; stylized "LA" and "16" at left | none | 12345 | 1 to approximately 16000 | ||
| 1917 | Embossed dark blue serial on white plate; stylized "LA" and "17" at left | none | 12345 | 1 to approximately 27000 | ||
| 1918 | Embossed black serial on orange plate with border line; stylized "LA" and "18" at left | none | 12345 | 1 to approximately 40000 | ||
| 1919 | Embossed black serial on light green plate with border line; stylized "LA" and "19" at left | none | 12345 | 1 to approximately 50000 | ||
| 1920 | Embossed white serial on maroon plate; stylized "LA" and "20" at left | none | 12345 | 1 to approximately 54000 | ||
| 1921 | Embossed black serial on gray plate with border line; stylized "LA" and "21" at left | none | 12345 | 1 to approximately 79000 | ||
| 1922 | Embossed white serial on green plate with border line; stylized "LA" and "22" at left | none | 123456 | 1 to 20000; 100001 to approximately 105000 | Separate bases issued for vehicles up to 23 hp and for vehicles above this power; this practice continued through 1929. In all years, the base with low-numbered serials was issued on the vehicles above 23 hp. | |
| 1922 | Embossed maroon serial on white plate with border line; stylized "LA" and "22" at left | none | 123456 | 20001 to 100000 | Separate bases issued for vehicles up to 23 hp and for vehicles above this power; this practice continued through 1929. In all years, the base with low-numbered serials was issued on the vehicles above 23 hp. | |
| 1923 | Embossed black serial on gray plate with border line; "LA 23" at left | none | 123456 | 1 to 30000 | ||
| 1923 | Embossed white serial on black plate with border line; "LA 23" at left | none | 123456 | 30001 to approximately 116000 | ||
| 1924 | Embossed white serial on dark blue plate with border line; "LA 24" at right | none | 123456 | 1 to 30000 | ||
| 1924 | Embossed black serial on white plate with border line; "LA 24" at right | none | 123456 | 30001 to approximately 143000 | ||
| 1925 | Embossed red serial on gray plate with border line; "LA 25" at right | none | 123456 | 1 to 40000 | ||
| 1925 | Embossed white serial on maroon plate with border line; "LA 25" at right | none | 123456 | 40001 to approximately 179000 | ||
| 1926 | Embossed white serial on dark blue plate with border line; "LA-1926" centered at bottom | none | 123-456 | 1 to 40-000; 200-001 to approximately 205-000 | ||
| 1926 | Embossed maroon serial on white plate with border line; "LA-1926" centered at bottom | none | 123-456 | 40-001 to 200-000 | ||
| 1927 | Embossed white serial on green plate with border line; "LA-1927" centered at bottom | none | 123-456 | 1 to 50-000 | ||
| 1927 | Embossed black serial on cream plate with border line; "LA-1927" centered at bottom | none | 123-456 | 50-001 to approximately 224-000 | ||
| 1928 | Embossed white serial on dark blue plate with border line; "LA-1928" centered at bottom | none | 123-456 | 1 to 70-000 | ||
| 1928 | Embossed dark blue serial on white plate with border line; "LA-1928" centered at bottom | none | 123-456 | 70-001 to approximately 232-000 | ||
| 1929 | Embossed yellow serial on black plate with border line; "LOUISIANA 1929" at bottom, slightly offset to right; vertical "FRONT" or "REAR" at left | none | 123-456 | 1 to 70-000; 234-001 to approximately 268-000 | First use of the full state name. | |
| 1929 | Embossed black serial on orange plate with border line; "LOUISIANA 1929" at bottom, slightly offset to right; vertical "FRONT" or "REAR" at left | none | 123-456 | 70-001 to 234-000 | First use of the full state name. | |
| 1930 | Embossed yellow serial on green plate with border line; "LOUISIANA-30" centered at bottom; vertical "FRONT" or "REAR" at left | none | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 254-000 | ||
| 1931 | Embossed white serial on dark blue plate with border line; "LOUISIANA–1931" centered at top; vertical "FRONT" or "REAR" at left | none | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 249-000 | ||
| 1932 | Embossed white serial with pelican separator on red plate with border line; "LOUISIANA" centered at top; vertical "1932" at right and vertical "FRONT" or "REAR" at left | none | 123-456 | Issued in blocks by horsepower class and branch office | First base to feature a pelican in any form. | |
| 1933 | Embossed black serial with pelican separator on orange plate with border line; "LA–33" centered at top | none | 123-456 | Issued in blocks by horsepower class and branch office | ||
| 1934 | Embossed white serial with pelican separator on dark blue plate with border line; "LA" and "34" above and below pelican respectively | none | 123-456 | Issued in blocks by horsepower class and branch office | ||
| 1935 | Embossed yellow serial with pelican separator on purple plate with border line; "35" and "LA" above and below pelican respectively | none | 123-456 | Issued in blocks by horsepower class and branch office | ||
| 1936 | Embossed light blue serial with pelican separator on olive green plate with border line; "LOUISIANA–1936" centered at top | none | 123-456 | Issued in blocks by horsepower class and branch office | ||
| 1937 | Embossed golden yellow serial with pelican separator on maroon plate with border line; "LOUISIANA–1937" centered at bottom | none | 123-456 | Issued in blocks by horsepower class and branch office | ||
| 1938 | Embossed white serial with pelican separator on red plate with border line; "LOUISIANA–1938" centered at top | none | 123-456 | Issued in blocks by horsepower class and branch office | ||
| 1939 | Embossed orange serial with pelican separator on black plate with border line; "LOUISIANA–1939" centered at bottom | none | 123-456 | Issued in blocks by horsepower class and branch office | ||
| 1940 | Embossed dark blue serial with state-shaped separator on orange plate with border line; "LOUISIANA–1940" centered at top | none | 123-456 | Issued in blocks by horsepower class and branch office | ||
| 1941 | Embossed black serial with state-shaped separator on white plate with border line; "LOUISIANA–1941" centered at bottom | none | 123-456 | 1-001 to approximately 406-000 | ||
| Embossed white serial with pelican separator on red plate with border line; "LOUISIANA–1942" centered at top | none | 123-456 | 1-001 to approximately 384-000 | Revalidated for 1943 with windshield stickers, due to metal conservation for World War II. | ||
| 1944 | Black serial with pelican separator on yellow fiberboard plate; "LOUISIANA - 1944" centered at top | none | 123-456 | 1-001 to approximately 380-000 | Manufactured on soybean-based fiberboard due to ongoing metal conservation. | |
| 1945 | Embossed white serial with pelican separator on black plate with border line; "19 LOUISIANA 45" at top | none | 123-456 | 1-001 to approximately 341-000 | ||
| 1946 | Embossed black serial with pelican separator on white plate with border line; "19 LOUISIANA 46" at top | none | 123-456 | 1-001 to approximately 337-000 | ||
| 1947 | Embossed black serial with pelican separator on unpainted aluminum plate with border line; "19 LOUISIANA 47" at bottom | none | 123-456 | 1-001 to approximately 356-000 | ||
| 1948 | Embossed white serial with pelican separator on dark green plate with border line; "19 LOUISIANA 48" at top | none | 123-456 | 1-001 to 380-000; 400-001 to approximately 410-000 | ||
| 1949 | Embossed black serial with pelican separator on yellow plate with border line; "19 LOUISIANA 49" at bottom | none | 123-456 | 1-001 to 380-000; 435-001 to approximately 485-000 | ||
| 1950 | Embossed yellow serial on royal blue plate with border line; pelican decal used as separator; "19 LOUISIANA 50" at bottom | none | 123-456 | 1-001 to 490-000; 550-001 to approximately 615-000 | ||
| 1951 | Embossed yellow serial with pelican separator on dark green plate with border line; "LOUISIANA–1951" at bottom | none | 123-456 | 1-001 to approximately 566-000 | ||
| 1952 | Embossed white serial with pelican separator on dark green plate with border line; "19 LOUISIANA 52" at bottom | none | 123-456 | 1-001 to approximately 590-000 | ||
| 1953 | Embossed yellow serial with pelican separator on green plate with border line; "LOUISIANA-1953" at bottom | none | 123-456 | 1-001 to approximately 638-000 | ||
| 1954 | Embossed blue serial with pelican separator on beige plate with border line; "19" at bottom left and "54" at bottom right | "LOUISIANA-YAMS" centered at bottom | 123-456 | 1-001 to approximately 700-000 | ||
| 1955 | Embossed white serial with pelican separator on black plate with border line; "LOUISIANA 1955" at bottom | none | 123-456 | 1-001 to approximately 740-000 | First 6" x 12" plate. | |
| 1956 | Embossed white serial with pelican separator on dark green plate with border line; "19 LOUISIANA 56" at top | none | 123-456 | 1-001 to approximately 801-000 | ||
| 1957 | Embossed golden yellow serial with pelican separator on purple plate with border line; "LOUISIANA 1957" at bottom | none | 123-456 | 1-001 to approximately 865-000 | ||
| 1958 | Embossed white serial with pelican separator on red plate with border line; "19 LOUISIANA 58" at bottom | "SPORTSMEN'S PARADISE" at top | 123-456 | 1-001 to approximately 880-000 | ||
| 1959 | Embossed white serial with pelican separator on dark blue plate with border line; "19 LOUISIANA 59" at top | "SPORTSMAN'S PARADISE" at bottom | 123-456 | 1-001 to approximately 910-000 | ||
| 1960 | Embossed golden yellow serial with pelican separator on purple plate with border line; "19 LOUISIANA 60" at bottom | "LSU CENTENNIAL" at top | 123-456 | 1-001 to approximately 934-000 | ||
| 1961 | Embossed golden yellow serial with pelican separator on dark green plate with border line; "19 LOUISIANA 61" at bottom | "SPORTSMEN'S PARADISE" at top | 123-456 | 1-001 to approximately 948-000 | ||
| 1962 | Embossed white serial with pelican separator on brown plate with border line; "19 LOUISIANA 62" at bottom | "SPORTSMEN'S PARADISE" at top | 123-456 1234567 | 1-001 to approximately 1006000 | Plates with seven-digit serials omitted the pelican. This occurred again in 1963. | |
| 1963 | Embossed white serial with pelican separator on dark green plate with border line; "19 LOUISIANA 63" at bottom | "SPORTSMEN'S PARADISE" at top | 123-456 1234567 | 1-001 to approximately 1036000 | Last base to feature the embossed pelican. |
1964 to present
Non-passenger plates
Optional plates
Optional plates do not use leading zeros in their serials.| Image | Type | Design | First issued | Serial format | Notes |
| American Indian | A/I 1234 | ||||
| Animal Friendly | F/A 1234 | ||||
| Bring Back the Bobwhite | 12 | ||||
| Chez Nous Autres "our home" in Cajun | French spelling "Louisiane" printed instead of English spelling "Louisiana" | C/Z 123 | |||
| Choose Life | C/L 1234 | ||||
| Emergency Medical Technician | |||||
| Firefighter—Retired | 123 | ||||
| "In God We Trust" | T/G 1234 | ||||
| Louisiana Tech University | 123 | ||||
| Marine Corps League | 12 | ||||
| Our Environment...Our Future | Black on reflective light blue, white, and dark blue with multicolored graphic of pelican at right. | 123 E/E 1234 | |||
| "Preserve Our Hunting Heritage" | W/D 1234 | ||||
| Save the Louisiana Black Bear | B/B 1234 | ||||
| Sons of Confederate Veterans | C/V 1234 | ||||
| Special Olympics | 12 | ||||
| Think Safe Kids | 12 | ||||
| U.S. Veteran—Marine Corps | "USMC" printed diagonally to left of serial | M/A 1234 | |||
| U.S. Veteran—Navy—Retired | "NAVY" printed diagonally and "RETIRED" printed horizontally to left of serial | 123 |
Government plates
State Police troop codes
From 1964 until 1993, Louisiana State Police troop area codes were used as part of the serial on the plate, invariably in the center of the serial. From 1993 until 1996, stickers were used to show the troop. This was done to give some idea of where the plates were issued. However, registrants who applied via the mail got plates with the "X" code, which was used for Baton Rouge.| Code | Troop or area |
| A | Baton Rouge |
| B | New Orleans |
| C | Raceland, |
| D | Lake Charles |
| E | Alexandria |
| F | Monroe |
| G | Shreveport |
| H | Leesville |
| I | Lafayette |
| K | Opelousas |
| L | Covington |
| M | Raceland |
| N | New Orleans |
| X | Baton Rouge/statewide mail |