Vehicle registration plates of Washington (state)
The U.S. state of Washington first required its residents to register their motor vehicles in 1905. Registrants provided their own license plates for display until 1915, when the state began to issue plates.
Plates are currently issued by the Washington State Department of Licensing. Front and rear plates are required for most classes of vehicles, while only rear plates are required for motorcycles and trailers.
Passenger baseplates
1915 to 1949
1950 to present
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 first Washington license plate that complied with these standards was a modification of the 1954 plate, introduced in January 1956.| Image | Dates issued | Design | Slogan | Serial format | Serials issued | Notes |
| 1950 | Embossed green serial on white plate; "WASHINGTON 50" at bottom | none | A123·456 AB·1234 | County-coded | Revalidated for 1951 with silver tabs, for 1952 with windshield stickers, and for 1953 with green tabs. | |
| 1951–53 | As above, but with "51" instead of "50" | none | A123·456 AB·1234 | County-coded | Single plate issued only to new registrants. Revalidated for 1952 and 1953 in the same manner as for 1950 plates. | |
| 1954–57 | Embossed white serial on green plate; "54 WASHINGTON" at bottom | none | 123-456 A | County-coded | Revalidated for 1955 with silver tabs, for 1956 with white tabs, and for :File:1957 Washington license plate.jpg|1957 with green tabs. | |
| 1956–57 | As above, but to 6" x 12" size, and with narrower dies and border line | none | 123-456 A | County-coded | Validated for 1956 and 1957 in the same manner as for 1954–55 plates. | |
| 1958–62 | Embossed white serial on green plate with border line; "WASHINGTON" centered at bottom | none | ABC 123 | County-coded | Validated each year with plate stickers. | |
| 1963–64 | Embossed green serial on non-reflective white plate with border line; "WASH. 63" centered at bottom | none | ABC 123 | County-coded | ||
| 1965–67 | As above, but with "WASHINGTON" centered at bottom | none | ABC 123 | County-coded | ||
| 1968–82 | As above, but reflective, and with "WASHINGTON" at top, offset to left | none | ABC 123 | County-coded | ||
| 1983–86 | As above, but with "WASHINGTON" screened rather than embossed | none | ABC 123 | County-coded | ||
| 1987 – late 1990 | Embossed dark blue serial on reflective white plate with light blue Mount Rainier graphic and dark blue border line; "Washington" screened in red centered at top | "Centennial Celebration" screened in red centered at bottom | 123-ABC | 000-AAA to 999-DGP | ||
| late 1990 – July 1998 | Embossed dark blue serial on reflective white plate with light blue Mount Rainier graphic and dark blue border line; "Washington" screened in red centered at top | none | 123-ABC | 999-JNZ | ||
| July 1998 – December 31, 2009 | As above, but without dark blue border line, and with "WASHINGTON" screened in red at top, offset to left | "EVERGREEN STATE" screened in red centered at bottom | 123-ABC | 000-JOA to 999-ZZZ | ||
| January 1, 2010 – present | As above, but without dark blue border line, and with "WASHINGTON" screened in red at top, offset to left | "EVERGREEN STATE" screened in red centered at bottom | ABC1234 | AAA0000 to BVH0722 |