Vehicle registration plates of Texas
The U.S. state of Texas first required its residents to register their motor vehicles and display license plates in 1917.
Passenger baseplates 1995 to present
| Image | First issued | Design | Slogan | Serial format | Serials issued | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1995 | State outline within abstract graphic. | 150 Years of Statehood | ABC-12D | approximately VJL 01B to late W series | Awarded "Plate of the Year" for best new standard-issue license plate of 1995 by the Automobile License Plate Collectors Association, the first and, to date, only time Texas has been so honored. Co-recipient with Pennsylvania. |
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1996 | State flag to left of state name. | The Lone Star State | ABC-12D | ? to ZZZ-99Z | Returned to previous base. Some late Z-series plates made on next series' graphic sheeting, with state flag to right of state name. |
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1998 | State flag to right of state name. | The Lone Star State | A12-BCD | B01-BBB to ? | Some early B-series plates made on previous series' graphic sheeting, with state flag to left of state name. |
| 1999 | Dark blue on reflective white with graphic scene of space shuttle and cowboy. | The Lone Star State | A12-BCD | ? to Z99-ZZZ | ||
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2004 | 123-ABC | 001-BBB to ? | |||
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2005 | Revised version of 1999 base: state flag motif added to state outline, flag of the United States added to space shuttle; seven stars in top left corner made more prominent in commemoration of Space Shuttle Columbia disaster, which occurred over the state; small changes to other graphic elements such as cowboy and vegetation along bottom of plate. | The Lone Star State | 123-ABC | ? to 999-ZZZ | |
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2007 | ABC-123 | BBB-001 to present | Still in use on many cars bought before the license plate update | ||
| 150px | 2009 | First standard-issue non-embossed license plate issued in Texas; features the Davis Mountains against a sky backdrop, with a lone star and streaks of red and blue in the upper-left corner; state motto is retained on the bottom | The Lone Star State | AB1-C234 |
(Trucks)
(Passenger Vehicles)
(Semi-Trailer Tractors) | |
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|
August 2010 | The Lone Star State | AB1-2345 (Trucks) |
(Trucks) |
References
Further reading
- The History of Texas License Plates – 80th Anniversary Edition (PDF). Austin, Texas: Texas Department of Transportation. 1999. Retrieved 2010-01-13. An extensive history and catalog of Texas license plates.
