| Vehicle registration plates of the United States by year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Vehicle registration plates of the United States for 1955 | Events of 1956 | Vehicle registration plates of the United States for 1957 |
Each of the 48 states of the United States of America plus several of its territories and the District of Columbia issued individual passenger license plates for 1956. [1] [2] [3] [4]
In 1956, the U.S. states and Canadian provinces 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 (except those for motorcycles) at 6 inches (15 cm) in height by 12 inches (30 cm) in width, with standardized mounting holes, which has been the standard size for North American license plates since. [5] Motorcycles and other specialized vehicles often were issued smaller-sized tags.
Passenger baseplates
| Image | Region | Design | Slogan | Serial format | Serials issued | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Alabama | |||||
|
Alaska | |||||
|
|
American Samoa | |||||
|
Arizona | |||||
|
Arkansas | |||||
|
California | |||||
|
|
Canal Zone | |||||
|
Colorado | |||||
|
|
Connecticut | |||||
|
|
Delaware | |||||
|
|
District of Columbia |
|||||
_License_Plate.JPG)
|
Florida | |||||
| Georgia | ||||||
|
|
Guam | |||||
|
|
Hawai'i | |||||
|
|
Idaho | |||||
|
Illinois | |||||
|
|
Indiana | |||||
|
Iowa | |||||
|
Kansas | |||||
|
Kentucky | |||||
|
Louisiana | Embossed white serial with pelican separator on dark green plate with border line; "19 LOUISIANA 56" at top | none | 123 456 | 1 001 to about 801 000 | |
|
Maine | |||||
|
Maryland | |||||
|
|
Massachusetts | |||||
|
Michigan | |||||
|
Minnesota | |||||
|
Mississippi | |||||
|
Missouri | |||||
|
|
Montana | |||||
|
|
Nebraska | |||||
|
|
Nevada | |||||
|
|
New Hampshire | |||||
|
New Jersey | |||||
|
|
New Mexico | |||||
|
New York | |||||
|
North Carolina | Embossed black serial on golden yellow plate with border line; "NORTH CAROLINA 56" at bottom | "DRIVE SAFELY" centered at top | A-1234 AB-1234 |
Serials progressed as follows: A-1 through A-9999, AA-1 through AZ-9999, B-1 through B-9999, BA-1 through BZ-9999, etc. This continued through 1972. Letters G, I, O and Q not used; this practice continued through 1968. | |
|
|
North Dakota | |||||
|
|
Northern Mariana Islands |
|||||
|
Ohio | |||||
|
|
Oklahoma | |||||
|
|
Oregon | |||||
|
Pennsylvania | |||||
|
|
Puerto Rico | |||||
|
|
Rhode Island | |||||
|
|
South Carolina | |||||
|
|
South Dakota | |||||
|
|
Tennessee | |||||
|
Texas | |||||
|
Utah | |||||
|
|
Vermont | |||||
|
|
Virginia | |||||
|
|
Washington | |||||
|
West Virginia | |||||
|
Wisconsin | Embossed green serial on white plate; "EXP" at top left, month of expiration and "55" at top right; slogan at bottom | AMERICA'S DAIRYLAND | A12-345, AK 1234 | Coded by month of expiration (A). AK 1234 format used when A12-345 format was exhausted. | |
|
Wyoming |
Non-passenger plates
| Image (standard) | Region | Type | Design & Slogan | Serial format | Serials issued | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
Wisconsin | Bus | Embossed orange serial on black plate; "WIS" at top left, "BUS" at top right; "56" at bottom left, quarterly tab at far right | A 12 | Coded by weight class(A) | |
|
|
BX bus | Embossed black serial on orange plate; unknown format | BX123 | BX 1 to unknown | First year of issue. Issued to privately-owned mass transportation vehicles; also named "Urban Bus" plates | |
|
|
Canadian reciprocity | Embossed black serial on orange plate; unknown format | CR 12 | CR 1 to unknown | ||
|
|
Dealer | Embossed red serial on white plate; "WIS" at top left, "56" at top right; "DEALER" at bottom | A 1234 | Dealer number and plate number | Number is the dealer number, letters increment when a new plate is issued to that specific dealer | |
|
|
Disabled veteran | Unknown format | ||||
|
Farm | Embossed yellow serial on blue plate; "EXP" at top left, "DEC 55" at top right; "WIS FARM" at bottom | 12345 | 1 to approximately 96000 | Revalidated for 1956 with white on red tabs | |
|
|
Heavy farm | Embossed yellow serial on blue plate; "EXP" at top left, "DEC 55" at top right; "WIS FARM" at bottom | A 1234 | Coded by weight class (A) | Revalidated for 1956 with white on red tabs | |
|
|
In transit | Embossed red serial on white plate; "WIS" at top left, "56" at top right; "IN TRANSIT" at bottom | AB 12 | Transporter number and plate number | Number is the transporter number, letters increment every time a new plate is issued to that specific transporter | |
|
|
Manufacturer | Embossed red serial on white plate; "WIS" at top left, "56" at top right; "MANUFACTURER" at bottom | AB 12 | Manufacturer number and plate number | Number is the manufacturer number, letters increment every time a new plat is issued to that specific manufacturer | |
|
|
Mobile home | Embossed white serial on green plate; "EXP" at top left, "DEC 55" at top right; "WIS MOBILE HOME" at bottom | 1234 | 1 to approximately 6500 | Revalidated to 1956 with red on aluminum tabs | |
|
|
Motorcycle | Embossed black serial on yellow plate with border line; "A WIS 56" at top | 1234 | 1 to approximately 9500 | ||
|
|
Motorcycle sidecar | Embossed black serial on yellow plate with border line; "B WIS 56" at top | 123 | 1 to approximately 100 | ||
|
|
Motorcycle dealer | Embossed red serial on white plate with border line; "WIS 1956" at top, vertical stacked "DLR" at right | AB1, A12 | Dealer number and plate number | Number is the dealer number, letters increment every time a new plate is issued to that specific dealer | |
|
|
Municipal | Embossed white serial on blue plate; "WIS" at top left, "56" at top right; "MUNICIPAL" at bottom | 12345 | 1 to approximately 14000 | ||
|
|
Municipal motorcycle | Embossed white serial on blue plate with border line; unknown format | M123 | M 1 to unknown | ||
|
|
Official | Embossed white serial on blue plate; "WIS" at top left, "56" at top right; "OFFICIAL" at bottom, embossed hollow at left | 123 | 1 to approximately 700 | ||
|
|
Permit reciprocity | Embossed orange serial on black plate; unknown format | PR123 | PR 1 to approximately PR 1000 | First year of issue | |
|
|
School bus | Embossed orange serial on black plate; "WIS" at top left, "SCH" at top right; "56" at bottom left, quarterly tab at far right | A 12 | Coded by weight class (A) | ||
|
|
Special-UX | Embossed orange serial on black plate; "EXP" at top left, "JUL 56" at top right; "WIS" at bottom | UX 1234 | UX 1 to approximately UX 1500 | First known year of issue. Used on vehicles with specific permanently-mounted equipment; plate type also called "special mobile equipment" | |
|
|
Special-X | Embossed white serial on blue plate; "WIS" at top left, "56" at top right | 123 X | 1 X to approximately 200 X | ||
|
|
State patrol | Embossed black serial on white plate; "STATE" over "PATROL" at left, hollow black star to right of caption; "WISCONSIN" at bottom | 123 | Coded by district (1) | ||
|
|
Tax only | Embossed orange serial on black plate; unknown format | 123 | 1 to unknown | ||
|
|
Tractor | Embossed orange serial on black plate; unknown format | A 123 | Coded by weight class (A) | ||
|
|
Light trailer | Embossed white serial on green plate; "EXP" at top left, "DEC 55" at top right; "WIS TRAILER" at bottom | A 1234 | Coded by weight class (A) | Revalidated to 1956 with red on aluminum tabs. | |
|
|
Insert trailer | Embossed orange serial on black plate; "WIS" at top left, "TRL" at top right; "56" at bottom left, quarterly tab at far right | A 123 | Coded by weight class (A) | Weight classes are E, F, G, H, J, K, L, M, N, R, S, T, V, X, and Y. Also issued to light trailers for hire in the A, B, C, and D weight classes. | |
|
|
Commercial semi-trailer | Embossed orange serial on black plate; "EXP" at top left, "JUN 56" at top right; "WIS SEMI-TRAILER" at bottom | CS 1234 | CS 1 to approximately CS 8000 | ||
|
|
Embossed orange serial on black plate; "EXP" at top left, "JUN 56" at top right; "WIS SEMI TRAILER" at bottom | |||||
|
|
Private semi-trailer | Embossed orange serial on black plate; "EXP" at top left, "JUN 56" at top right; "WIS SEMI-TRAILER" at bottom | PS 1234 | PS 1 to approximately PS 5000 | ||
|
|
Embossed orange serial on black plate; "EXP" at top left, "JUN 56" at top right; "WIS SEMI TRAILER" at bottom | |||||
|
|
Trailer dealer | Embossed red serial on white plate; "WIS" at top left, "56" at top right; "DEALER" at bottom | A 123 TL | Dealer number and plate number | Number is the dealer number, letter prefix increments when a new plate is issued to that dealer | |
|
|
Light truck | Embossed white serial on green plate; "EXP" at top left, "DEC 55" at top right; "WIS TRUCK" at bottom | A12-345 | Coded by weight class (A). Serials started at A25-001 | Revalidated for 1956 with black on white tabs. Weight classes are A, B, C, and D. | |
|
|
Insert truck | Embossed orange serial on black plate; "WIS" at top left, "TRK" at top right; "56" at bottom left, quarterly tab at far right | A1234 | Coded by weight class (A) | Weight classes are E, F, G, H, J, K, L, M, N, R, S, T, V, X. Also issued to light trucks for hire in the A, B, C, and D weight classes. |
See also
References
- ^ Fox, Jams K. (1997). License Plates of the United States: A Pictorial History 1903-To the Present. Jerico, New York: Interstate Directory Publishing Company. ISBN 9781886777002.
- ^ Minard, Jeff; Stentiford, Tim (2004). A Moving History, 50 Years Of ALPCA. 100 Years Of License Plates. Paducah, Kentucky: Turner Publishing Company. p. 58. ISBN 1-56311-975-7.
- ^ Crisler, Bob; Crisler, Chuck, eds. (2007). License Plate Values (7th ed.). King Publishing Company.
- ^ Martells, Jack (1980). Antique Automotive Collectibles. Chicago: Contemporary Books, Inc. pp. 128–145. ISBN 0-8092-7205-9.
- ^ Garrish, Christopher (October 2016). "Reconsidering the Standard Plate Size". Plates. Vol. 62, no. 5. Automobile License Plate Collectors Association.