Vehicle registration plates of the United States for 1915
By 1915, Louisiana, Montana, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Utah, and Washington joined the list of states and territories that provided license plates to vehicle owners. No new states entered the prestate era that year. There were now 44 states and 3 territories issuing plates, while 2 other states required owners to provide their own plates. In the table below, a light green background shows where the owner had to supply their own plates, called "prestate" by collectors. In the prestate era, many states only gave the plate number on a small disc or on paper, and owners had to have their plates made. These early plates could come from kits bought at hardware stores, from auto clubs or associations, or be forged by blacksmiths or other workers, or the owner could make their own plate with whatever materials they had. Prestate plates were made from various materials, most commonly leather, steel, or wood.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 20:18 (CET).