Which state has the best-looking license plates?

Who says a license plate can’t provide identification without some flair?

License plates across the country feature various colors, logos and patterns, but which state offers the best-looking plates? (And yes, for the sake of this discussion, we’ll include Canada, too.)

Read the rest of the story

I'm sad to report that my inspiration for writing this item, the Canadian territory of Nunavut, has sense changed the shape of its license plates from this:

To this:

Here's a full set of current ones for reference:

We could also get into functional differences. Vermont plates that work around title issues? Tax-free Montana plates? Honorary mention to Ontario's briefly-issued accidental stealth plates?

In reply to Colin Wood :

That's because the Northwest Territories told them to berkeley off (not really but apparently until 2012 Nunavut licensed the plate design from them but the dies were wearing out so they decided to go their own way with the plate above).

So, that plate is still used in the Northwest Territories. 

Call me biased:

In reply to GameboyRMH :

Of the current plates, I’m always going with New Hampshire: Live free or die. 

Colorado or Alaska

Honestly, I want the dullest, most bland license plate possible in whatever color best hides on my car. Luckily, I don't have to run a front plate in NC, but I'd be even more picky if I did.

New Mexico has some real bangers. I love the chile pepper one

I like the old NY Statue of Liberty plate.

I have about all 50 state plates decorating the upper walls of my garage, including some very old plates, European plates, motorcycle plates, etc.  I even have a sheriff's association plate on one of my cars (sort of a get-out-of-a-speeding-ticket card for NC where I live, but it does not work in SC--be warned). 

Most standard issue plates are boring, but some states have become more aware of this and are offering a greater variety, but mostly at a cost to the owner.

As far as STANDARD ISSUE plates are concerned, I am drawn to MD plates where the crest or colors of their flag show up--it's almost medieval looking;the MD flag is amazing looking in my opinion and one of my faves.  

My license plate pet peeve: URLs on them. 

www.visitcoloradoforfunandadventure/colorado.2023/state.gov

GameboyRMH said:

Here's a full set of current ones for reference:

 

Not so much a "full set" as it is a representative sample. MD, for instance, has about 40 different plate designs, from organizational to "save the bay" and MD Farmers" plates, all that have different graphics and colors on them.

adam525i said:

In reply to Colin Wood :

That's because the Northwest Territories told them to berkeley off (not really but apparently until 2012 Nunavut licensed the plate design from them but the dies were wearing out so they decided to go their own way with the plate above).

So, that plate is still used in the Northwest Territories. 

Ah. The Northwest Territories is the plate I must have originally been thinking of.

Thank you for cleaning that up.

Colin Wood said:

adam525i said:

In reply to Colin Wood :

That's because the Northwest Territories told them to berkeley off (not really but apparently until 2012 Nunavut licensed the plate design from them but the dies were wearing out so they decided to go their own way with the plate above).

So, that plate is still used in the Northwest Territories. 

Ah. The Northwest Territories is the plate I must have originally been thinking of.

Thank you for cleaning that up.

Iirc they're also just numbered sequentially, so you can tell how old they are by the number. I remember seeing double digits in Yellowknife, can't remember if I saw a single digit one or not. I think I remember seeing #7. 

Chris_V said:

GameboyRMH said:

Here's a full set of current ones for reference:

 

Not so much a "full set" as it is a representative sample. MD, for instance, has about 40 different plate designs, from organizational to "save the bay" and MD Farmers" plates, all that have different graphics and colors on them.

 

CO introduced a throwback black plate with white letters. It looks incredibly generic and is very popular. Janel wants one for the black cars :) I think it would cost $7 to get one. 

In reply to NickD :

That is one of my favorites too. I would love that plate but not enough to move to New Mexico. 

Pennsylvania's Niagara plate is easily the best, especially if stealth is what you're after.  

Florida's Endless Summer plate is a personal favorite of mine.

Michigan has gone through a bunch of different plates in the past 20 years, from this plain blue to the boring white to the "bridge" plate that was probably the best of the past 10 years or so:

But last year, they brought back this classic:

That's what all my cars are now wearing.

Ours are a lovely bland. 

One of my favorites of my personal collection is the old green CO rocky plates. 

I also have a Hawaii rainbow plate, which might be retiring next year

Pictures not actually mine, just for reference. I should photograph my collection though. I have almost 40 states I think, including some hard ones like Hawaii and North Dakota.

j_tso said:

I like the old NY Statue of Liberty plate.

I like the ones where the statue is on the left. One in particular of course.

In reply to maschinenbau :

I saw a Hawaii plate driving around the countryside west of Charlotte once. I think it was a beat up old GM minivan. I have no idea how it got there.