Vehicle registration plates of West Virginia
The U.S. state of West Virginia first required its residents to register their motor vehicles and display license plates in 1905. Plates are currently issued by the Division of Motor Vehicles of the West Virginia Department of Transportation. Only rear plates have been required since 1944.
Passenger baseplates
1905 to 1970
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 1956–57 issue was the first West Virginia license plate that complied with these standards.| Image | Dates issued | Design | Slogan | Serial format | Serials issued | Notes |
| 1905 | unknown | none | 123 | 1 to approximately 200 | ||
| 1906 | Embossed gray serial on dark blue plate; "W. VA." at right; "LICENSED" and "1906" above and below serial respectively | none | 123 | 201 to approximately 500 | ||
| Black serial on white porcelain plate; "W. VA." at right and "LICENSED" centered at top | none | 1234 | 401 to approximately 1100 | |||
| 1909–10 | Black serial on red porcelain plate; "W. VA. 1909" at right and "LICENSED" centered at top | none | 123 | 1 to approximately 900 | ||
| 1910–11 | White serial on dark blue porcelain plate; "W. VA. 1910" at right and "LICENSED" centered at top | none | 1234 | 1 to approximately 1700 | ||
| 1911–12 | Black serial on white porcelain plate; "W VA" at left, vertical "1911" at right and "LICENSED" centered at top | none | 1234 | 1 to approximately 2500 | ||
| 1912–13 | White serial on forest green porcelain plate; vertical "1912" and "W. VA" at left and right respectively; "LICENSE" centered at top | none | 1234 | 1 to approximately 3500 | ||
| 1913–14 | Yellow serial on black porcelain plate; vertical "JULY 1914" and "W. VA." at left and right respectively; "LICENSE" centered at top | none | 1234 | 1 to approximately 6000 | ||
| 1914–15 | White serial on light blue porcelain plate; vertical "1914 1915" and "W. VA." at left and right respectively; "LICENSE" centered at top | none | 12345 | 1 to approximately 10500 | ||
| 1915–16 | White serial on red porcelain plate; vertical "1915 1916" and "W. VA." at left and right respectively; "LICENSE" centered at top | none | 12345 | 1 to approximately 16500 | ||
| 1916–17 | Navy blue serial on white flat metal plate; vertical "W. VA." and "1916-17" at left and right respectively; "LICENSED" centered at top | none | 12345 | 1 to approximately 25000 | ||
| 1917–18 | Embossed yellow serial on black plate with border line; "W.VA 17-18" at right | none | 12345 | 1 to approximately 33000 | ||
| 1918–19 | Embossed black serial on white plate with border line; "W.VA 18-19" at right | none | 12345 | 1 to approximately 43000 | ||
| 1919–20 | Embossed white serial on black plate with border line; "W.VA 19-20" at right | none | 12345 | 1 to approximately 66000 | Valid from July 1, 1919 through December 31, 1920. | |
| 1921 | Embossed white serial on dark blue plate with border line; "W VA" monogram and "1921" at right | none | 12345 | 1 to approximately 87000 | ||
| 1922 | Embossed black serial on tan plate with border line; "W VA" monogram and "1922" at right | none | 12345 | 1 to approximately 96000 | ||
| 1923 | Embossed red serial on white plate; "WEST VIRGINIA 1923" at bottom | none | 1 to approximately 141-000 | First use of the full state name. | ||
| 1924 | Embossed white serial on maroon plate; "WEST VIRGINIA 1924" at bottom | none | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 165-000 | ||
| 1925 | Embossed dark blue serial on orange plate; "WEST VIRGINIA 1925" at bottom | none | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 173-000 | ||
| 1926 | Embossed white serial on dark blue plate; "WEST VIRGINIA 1926" at top | none | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 211-000 | ||
| 1927 | Embossed black serial on gray plate; "WEST VIRGINIA 1927" at top | none | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 207-000 | ||
| 1928 | Embossed white serial on dark green plate; "WEST VIRGINIA 1928" at bottom | none | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 217-000 | ||
| 1929 | Embossed orange serial on black plate; "WEST VIRGINIA 1929" at bottom | none | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 232-000 | ||
| 1930 | Embossed black serial on gray plate; "W. VA. – 1930" centered at bottom | none | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 223-000 | ||
| 1931 | Embossed yellow serial on black plate; "W. VA. – 1931" centered at bottom | none | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 213-000 | ||
| 1932 | Embossed white serial on black plate; "W. VA. – 1932" centered at bottom | none | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 192-000 | ||
| 1933–34 | Embossed yellow serial on black plate; "W. VA. – 1933" centered at bottom | none | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 214-000 | Validated from January 1 through June 30, 1934 with windshield stickers. | |
| 1934–35 | Embossed black serial on yellow plate; "W. VA.-34-35" centered at bottom | none | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 207-000 | ||
| 1935–36 | Embossed yellow serial on black plate; "W. VA.-35-36" centered at bottom | none | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 219-000 | ||
| 1936–37 | Embossed black serial on yellow plate; "W. VA.-36-37" centered at top | none | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 224-000 | ||
| 1937–38 | Embossed yellow serial on black plate; "W. VA.-37-38" centered at top | none | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 237-000 | ||
| 1938–39 | Embossed black serial on yellow plate; "W. VA.-38-39" centered at bottom | none | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 236-000 | ||
| 1939–40 | Embossed yellow serial on black plate; "W. VA.-39-40" centered at bottom | none | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 245-000 | ||
| 1940–41 | Embossed black serial on yellow plate; "W. VA.-40-41" centered at bottom | none | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 258-000 | ||
| 1941–44 | Embossed yellow serial on black plate with border line; "W. VA. EXP.-6-30-42" at bottom | none | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 349-000 | Revalidated until June 30, 1943 with white tabs, then until June 30, 1944 with windshield stickers, due to metal conservation for World War II. | |
| 1944–45 | Embossed black serial on yellow plate with border line; "W. VA. EXP.-6-30-45" at bottom | none | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 214-000 | ||
| 1945–46 | As 1941–44 base, but with "W. VA. EXP.-6-30-46" at bottom | none | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 239-000 | ||
| 1946–47 | As 1944–45 base, but with "W. VA. EXP.-6-30-47" at bottom | none | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 250-000 | ||
| 1947–48 | As 1941–44 base, but with "W. VA. EXP.-6-30-48" at bottom | none | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 282-000 | ||
| 1948–49 | As 1944–45 base, but with "W. VA. EXP.-6-30-49" at bottom | none | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 312-000 | ||
| 1949–50 | As 1941–44 base, but with "W. VA. EXP.-6-30-50" at bottom | none | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 339-000 | ||
| 1950–51 | As 1944–45 base, but with "W. VA. EXP.-6-30-51" at bottom | none | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 365-000 | ||
| 1951–52 | As 1941–44 base, but with "W. VA. EXP.-6-30-52" at bottom | none | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 377-000 | ||
| 1952–53 | As 1944–45 base, but with "W. VA. EXP.-6-30-53" at bottom | none | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 379-000 | ||
| 1953–54 | As 1941–44 base, but with "W. VA. EXP.-6-30-54" at bottom | none | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 399-000 | ||
| 1954–55 | As 1944–45 base, but with "WEST VIRGINIA 54" at bottom | none | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 418-000 | ||
| 1955–56 | Embossed white serial on green plate with border line; "WEST VIRGINIA 56" at bottom | none | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 436-000 | ||
| 1956–57 | Embossed yellow serial on dark blue plate with border line; "WEST VIRGINIA" centered at bottom; "19" at bottom left and "57" at bottom right | none | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 461-000 | First 6" x 12" plate. | |
| 1957–58 | Embossed green serial on white plate with border line; "WEST VIRGINIA" centered at bottom; "58" at bottom right | none | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 469-000 | ||
| 1958–59 | Embossed white serial on green plate with border line; "WEST VIRGINIA" centered at bottom; "19" at bottom left and "59" at bottom right | none | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 478-000 | ||
| 1959–60 | Embossed red serial on white plate with border line; "WEST VIRGINIA" centered at bottom; "19" at bottom left and "60" at bottom right | none | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 471-000 | ||
| 1960–61 | Embossed white serial on dark red plate with border line; "WEST VIRGINIA" centered at bottom; "19" at bottom left and "61" at bottom right | none | 123-456 | 1 to | ||
| 1960–61 | As above, but with elements debossed | none | 123-456 | 141-827 to approximately 476-000 | ||
| 1961–62 | Embossed green serial on reflective white plate with border line; "WEST VIRGINIA" centered at bottom; "19" at bottom left and "62" at bottom right | none | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 488-000 | ||
| 1962–63 | Debossed yellow serial on reflective blue plate with border line; "WEST VIRGINIA" centered at bottom; "19" at bottom left and "63" at bottom right | "1863 CENTENNIAL 1963" at top | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 490-000 | Both this and the 1963–64 base commemorated West Virginia's 100 years as a separate state. | |
| 1963–64 | Embossed blue serial on reflective yellow plate with border line; "WEST VIRGINIA" centered at bottom; "19" at bottom left and "64" at bottom right | "1863 CENTENNIAL 1963" at top | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 521-000 | ||
| 1964–65 | As 1962–63 base, but with "65" at bottom right | "MOUNTAIN STATE" centered at top | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 522-000 | ||
| 1965–66 | As 1963–64 base, but with "66" at bottom right | "MOUNTAIN STATE" centered at top | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 558-000 | ||
| 1966–67 | As 1962–63 base, but with "67" at bottom right | "MOUNTAIN STATE" centered at top | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 582-000 | ||
| 1967–68 | As 1963–64 base, but with "68" at bottom right | "MOUNTAIN STATE" centered at top | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 603-000 | ||
| 1968–69 | As 1962–63 base, but with "69" at bottom right | "MOUNTAIN STATE" centered at top | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 625-000 | ||
| 1969–70 | As 1963–64 base, but with "70" at bottom right | "MOUNTAIN STATE" centered at top | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 591-000 |