Vehicle registration plates of North Dakota
The U.S. state of North Dakota first required its residents to register their motor vehicles and display license plates in 1911. Plates are currently issued by the Motor Vehicle Division of the North Dakota Department of Transportation.
Passenger baseplates
1911 to 1957
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 North Dakota license plate that complied with these standards.Image | Dates issued | Design | Slogan | Serial format | Serials issued | Notes |
1911 | Golden yellow serial on black flat metal plate; vertical "ND" and "1911" at left and right respectively | none | 1234 | 1 to approximately 7000 | ||
1912 | Embossed red serial on white plate; vertical "ND" and "1912" at left and right respectively | none | 1234 | 1 to approximately 9000 | ||
1913 | Embossed black serial on tan plate; vertical "ND" and "1913" at left and right respectively | none | 12345 | 1 to approximately 12500 | ||
1914 | Embossed black serial on yellow plate; vertical "ND" and "1914" at left and right respectively | none | 12345 | 1 to approximately 17000 | ||
1915 | Embossed black serial on green plate; vertical "ND" and "1915" at left and right respectively | none | 12345 | 1 to approximately 25000 | ||
1916 | Debossed yellow serial on black plate with border line; vertical "ND" and "1916" at left and right respectively | none | 12345 | 1 to approximately 41000 | ||
1917 | Debossed black serial on white plate with border line; vertical "ND" and "1917" at left and right respectively | none | 12-345 | 1 to approximately 50-000 | ||
1917 | As above, but embossed rather than debossed, and without border line | none | 12345 | 50001 to approximately 63000 | ||
1918 | Debossed red serial on white plate with border line; vertical "ND" and "1918" at left and right respectively | none | 12345 | 1 to approximately 72000 | ||
1919 | Debossed light green serial on black plate with border line; vertical "ND" and "1919" at left and right respectively | none | 12345 | 1 to approximately 85000 | ||
1920 | Embossed cream serial on green plate with border line; vertical "ND" and "1920" at left and right respectively | none | 12345 | 1 to approximately 91000 | ||
1921 | Embossed white serial on dark blue plate with border line; vertical "ND" and "1921" at left and right respectively | none | 12345 | 1 to approximately 92000 | ||
1922 | Embossed black serial on golden yellow plate with border line; vertical "ND" and "1922" at left and right respectively | none | 12-345 | 1 to approximately 99-000 | ||
1923 | Embossed white serial on green plate with border line; vertical "ND" and "1923" at left and right respectively | none | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 110-000 | ||
1924 | Embossed black serial on silver plate with border line; vertical "ND" and "1924" at left and right respectively | none | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 116-000 | ||
1925 | Embossed silver serial on black plate with border line; vertical "ND" and "1925" at left and right respectively | none | F12-345 | F1 to approximately F82-000 | Issued on Fords. | |
1925 | Embossed silver serial on black plate with border line; vertical "ND" and "1925" at left and right respectively | none | 12-345 | 1 to approximately 51-000 | Issued on all other vehicles. | |
1926 | Embossed red serial on gray plate with border line; vertical "ND" and "1926" at left and right respectively | none | F12-345 | F1 to approximately F85-000 | Issued on Fords. | |
1926 | Embossed red serial on gray plate with border line; vertical "ND" and "1926" at left and right respectively | none | 12-345 | 1 to approximately 56-000 | Issued on all other vehicles. | |
1927 | Embossed black serial on orange plate with border line; vertical "ND" and "1927" at left and right respectively | none | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 140-000 | ||
1928 | Embossed white serial on black plate with border line; vertical "ND" and "1928" at left and right respectively | none | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 151-000 | ||
1929 | Embossed black serial on silver plate with border line; vertical "ND" and "1929" at left and right respectively | none | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 162-000 | ||
1930 | Embossed green serial on golden yellow plate with border line; vertical "ND" and "1930" at left and right respectively | none | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 155-000 | ||
1931 | Embossed tan serial on dark blue plate with border line; vertical "ND" and "1931" at left and right respectively | none | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 145-000 | ||
1932 | Embossed white serial on maroon plate with border line; vertical "ND" and "1932" at left and right respectively | none | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 125-000 | ||
1933 | Embossed white serial on green plate with border line; vertical "ND" and "1933" at left and right respectively | none | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 149-000 | ||
1934 | Embossed blue serial on orange plate with border line; vertical "ND" and "1934" at left and right respectively | none | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 155-000 | ||
1935 | Embossed orange serial on black plate with border line; vertical "ND" and "1935" at left and right respectively | none | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 135-000 | ||
1936 | Embossed black serial on orange plate with border line; vertical "ND" and "1936" at left and right respectively | none | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 140-000 | ||
1937 | Embossed green serial on white plate with border line; vertical "ND" and "1937" at left and right respectively | none | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 140-000 | ||
1938 | Embossed black serial on yellow plate with border line; vertical "ND" and "1938" at left and right respectively | none | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 141-000 | ||
1939 | Embossed red serial on white plate with border line; vertical "ND" and "1939" at left and right respectively | none | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 142-000 | ||
1940 | Embossed yellow serial on black plate with border line; vertical "ND" and "1940" at left and right respectively | none | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 147-000 | ||
1941 | Embossed black serial on yellow plate with border line; vertical "ND" and "1941" at left and right respectively | none | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 150-000 | ||
1942 | Embossed yellow serial on red plate with border line; vertical "ND" and "1942" at left and right respectively | none | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 143-000 | Revalidated for 1943 with windshield stickers, due to metal conservation for World War II. | |
1943 | As 1942 base, but with vertical "1943" at right | none | 123-456 | 200-001 to approximately 213-000 | Issued only to new registrants. | |
1944 | Embossed yellow serial on black plate with border line; vertical "ND" and "1944" at left and right respectively | none | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 135-000 | ||
1945 | Embossed white serial on black plate with border line; vertical "ND" and "1945" at left and right respectively | none | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 130-000 | ||
1946 | Embossed red serial on silver plate with border line; vertical "ND" and "1946" at left and right respectively | none | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 140-000 | ||
1947 | Embossed black serial on yellow plate with border line; vertical "ND" and "1947" at left and right respectively | none | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 152-000 | ||
1948 | Embossed black serial on yellow plate with border line; "NORTH DAKOTA" centered at top; vertical "1948" at right | none | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 162-000 | First use of the full state name. Revalidated for 1949 with white tabs. | |
1949 | As 1948 base, but waffle-textured, and with vertical "1949" at right | none | 123-456 | 200-001 to approximately 237-000 | Issued only to new registrants. | |
1950 | Embossed black serial on orange plate with border line; "NORTH DAKOTA" centered at top; vertical "1950" at right | none | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 194-000 | ||
1951 | Embossed white serial on black plate with border line; "NORTH DAKOTA" centered at top; vertical "1951" at right | none | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 196-000 | ||
1952 | Embossed black serial on white plate with border line; "NORTH DAKOTA" centered at top; vertical "1952" at right | none | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 192-000 | ||
1953 | Embossed white serial on green plate with border line; "NORTH DAKOTA" centered at top; vertical "1953" at right | none | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 198-000 | ||
1954 | Embossed white serial on black plate with border line; "NORTH DAKOTA 54" at top | none | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 201-000 | ||
1955 | Embossed yellow serial on black plate with border line; "NORTH DAKOTA 55" at top | none | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 209-000 | ||
1956 | Embossed blue serial on white plate with border line; "NORTH DAKOTA 56" at top | "PEACE GARDEN STATE" at bottom | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 208-000 | First 6" x 12" plate, and first use of the "Peace Garden State" slogan. | |
1957 | Embossed white serial on blue plate with border line; "NORTH DAKOTA 57" at top | "PEACE GARDEN STATE" at bottom | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 213-000 |