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.
ImageDates issuedDesignSloganSerial formatSerials issuedNotes
1911Golden yellow serial on black flat metal plate; vertical "ND" and "1911" at left and right respectivelynone12341 to approximately 7000
1912Embossed red serial on white plate; vertical "ND" and "1912" at left and right respectivelynone12341 to approximately 9000
1913Embossed black serial on tan plate; vertical "ND" and "1913" at left and right respectivelynone123451 to approximately 12500
1914Embossed black serial on yellow plate; vertical "ND" and "1914" at left and right respectivelynone123451 to approximately 17000
1915Embossed black serial on green plate; vertical "ND" and "1915" at left and right respectivelynone123451 to approximately 25000
1916Debossed yellow serial on black plate with border line; vertical "ND" and "1916" at left and right respectivelynone123451 to approximately 41000
1917Debossed black serial on white plate with border line; vertical "ND" and "1917" at left and right respectivelynone12-3451 to approximately 50-000
1917As above, but embossed rather than debossed, and without border linenone1234550001 to approximately 63000
1918Debossed red serial on white plate with border line; vertical "ND" and "1918" at left and right respectivelynone123451 to approximately 72000
1919Debossed light green serial on black plate with border line; vertical "ND" and "1919" at left and right respectivelynone123451 to approximately 85000
1920Embossed cream serial on green plate with border line; vertical "ND" and "1920" at left and right respectivelynone123451 to approximately 91000
1921Embossed white serial on dark blue plate with border line; vertical "ND" and "1921" at left and right respectivelynone123451 to approximately 92000
1922Embossed black serial on golden yellow plate with border line; vertical "ND" and "1922" at left and right respectivelynone12-3451 to approximately 99-000
1923Embossed white serial on green plate with border line; vertical "ND" and "1923" at left and right respectivelynone123-4561 to approximately 110-000
1924Embossed black serial on silver plate with border line; vertical "ND" and "1924" at left and right respectivelynone123-4561 to approximately 116-000
1925Embossed silver serial on black plate with border line; vertical "ND" and "1925" at left and right respectivelynoneF12-345F1 to approximately F82-000Issued on Fords.
1925Embossed silver serial on black plate with border line; vertical "ND" and "1925" at left and right respectivelynone12-3451 to approximately 51-000Issued on all other vehicles.
1926Embossed red serial on gray plate with border line; vertical "ND" and "1926" at left and right respectivelynoneF12-345F1 to approximately F85-000Issued on Fords.
1926Embossed red serial on gray plate with border line; vertical "ND" and "1926" at left and right respectivelynone12-3451 to approximately 56-000Issued on all other vehicles.
1927Embossed black serial on orange plate with border line; vertical "ND" and "1927" at left and right respectivelynone123-4561 to approximately 140-000
1928Embossed white serial on black plate with border line; vertical "ND" and "1928" at left and right respectivelynone123-4561 to approximately 151-000
1929Embossed black serial on silver plate with border line; vertical "ND" and "1929" at left and right respectivelynone123-4561 to approximately 162-000
1930Embossed green serial on golden yellow plate with border line; vertical "ND" and "1930" at left and right respectivelynone123-4561 to approximately 155-000
1931Embossed tan serial on dark blue plate with border line; vertical "ND" and "1931" at left and right respectivelynone123-4561 to approximately 145-000
1932Embossed white serial on maroon plate with border line; vertical "ND" and "1932" at left and right respectivelynone123-4561 to approximately 125-000
1933Embossed white serial on green plate with border line; vertical "ND" and "1933" at left and right respectivelynone123-4561 to approximately 149-000
1934Embossed blue serial on orange plate with border line; vertical "ND" and "1934" at left and right respectivelynone123-4561 to approximately 155-000
1935Embossed orange serial on black plate with border line; vertical "ND" and "1935" at left and right respectivelynone123-4561 to approximately 135-000
1936Embossed black serial on orange plate with border line; vertical "ND" and "1936" at left and right respectivelynone123-4561 to approximately 140-000
1937Embossed green serial on white plate with border line; vertical "ND" and "1937" at left and right respectivelynone123-4561 to approximately 140-000
1938Embossed black serial on yellow plate with border line; vertical "ND" and "1938" at left and right respectivelynone123-4561 to approximately 141-000
1939Embossed red serial on white plate with border line; vertical "ND" and "1939" at left and right respectivelynone123-4561 to approximately 142-000
1940Embossed yellow serial on black plate with border line; vertical "ND" and "1940" at left and right respectivelynone123-4561 to approximately 147-000
1941Embossed black serial on yellow plate with border line; vertical "ND" and "1941" at left and right respectivelynone123-4561 to approximately 150-000
1942Embossed yellow serial on red plate with border line; vertical "ND" and "1942" at left and right respectivelynone123-4561 to approximately 143-000Revalidated for 1943 with windshield stickers, due to metal conservation for World War II.
1943As 1942 base, but with vertical "1943" at rightnone123-456200-001 to approximately 213-000Issued only to new registrants.
1944Embossed yellow serial on black plate with border line; vertical "ND" and "1944" at left and right respectivelynone123-4561 to approximately 135-000
1945Embossed white serial on black plate with border line; vertical "ND" and "1945" at left and right respectivelynone123-4561 to approximately 130-000
1946Embossed red serial on silver plate with border line; vertical "ND" and "1946" at left and right respectivelynone123-4561 to approximately 140-000
1947Embossed black serial on yellow plate with border line; vertical "ND" and "1947" at left and right respectivelynone123-4561 to approximately 152-000
1948Embossed black serial on yellow plate with border line; "NORTH DAKOTA" centered at top; vertical "1948" at rightnone123-4561 to approximately 162-000First use of the full state name. Revalidated for 1949 with white tabs.
1949As 1948 base, but waffle-textured, and with vertical "1949" at rightnone123-456200-001 to approximately 237-000Issued only to new registrants.
1950Embossed black serial on orange plate with border line; "NORTH DAKOTA" centered at top; vertical "1950" at rightnone123-4561 to approximately 194-000
1951Embossed white serial on black plate with border line; "NORTH DAKOTA" centered at top; vertical "1951" at rightnone123-4561 to approximately 196-000
1952Embossed black serial on white plate with border line; "NORTH DAKOTA" centered at top; vertical "1952" at rightnone123-4561 to approximately 192-000
1953Embossed white serial on green plate with border line; "NORTH DAKOTA" centered at top; vertical "1953" at rightnone123-4561 to approximately 198-000
1954Embossed white serial on black plate with border line; "NORTH DAKOTA 54" at topnone123-4561 to approximately 201-000
1955Embossed yellow serial on black plate with border line; "NORTH DAKOTA 55" at topnone123-4561 to approximately 209-000
1956Embossed blue serial on white plate with border line; "NORTH DAKOTA 56" at top"PEACE GARDEN STATE" at bottom123-4561 to approximately 208-000First 6" x 12" plate, and first use of the "Peace Garden State" slogan.
1957Embossed white serial on blue plate with border line; "NORTH DAKOTA 57" at top"PEACE GARDEN STATE" at bottom123-4561 to approximately 213-000

1958 to present

Non-passenger plates