History of vehicle registration plates of Alaska

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Main article: Vehicle registration plates of Alaska

The state of Alaska began requiring its citizens to register their vehicles and display license plates on their cars in 1921.

Contents

[edit] Standardisation with the rest of North America

In 1956, the U.S. states and Canadian provinces came to an agreement with the Automobile Manufacturers Association that fixed the size for all their passenger vehicle plates at six inches in height by twelve inches in width, with standardised mounting holes. The 1955 (dated 1956) issue was the first Alaska license plate that met with these standards.

[edit] Passenger baseplates 1955 to present

Image First issued Description Slogan Serial format Serials issued Notes
1955 blue on white with embossed flag, 56 and tab slots none 12345 renewed with metal tab
1957 blue on yellow with embossed embossed flag, 58 and tab slots none 12345 renewed with metal tab
1959 blue on white with embossed flag, 62 and tab slots none 12345 renewed with metal tab
1961 blue on white with embossed embossed flag, 62 and tab slots none 12345 renewed with metal tab for 1963 later with stickers
1963 blue on white with embossed embossed flag none 12345 renewed with stickers
1965 yellow on blue with embossed totem pole 1867 The Great Land 1967 12345
1967 blue on white with embossed flag The Great Land 12345
1971 blue on yellow with embossed flag North to the Future 12345
1972 blue on yellow with embossed flag in center North to the Future ABC-123 Not issued Not issued
1973 blue on yellow with embossed flag North to the Future 12345
1975 red on reflective white with standing brown bear graphic ABC 123 AAA-000 to AZZ-999
1981 blue on reflective yellow with screened flag graphic in center The Last Frontier ABC-123 BAA-000 to DIJ-999
1997 black on reflective white and yellow gradient with screened mountain scene Gold Rush Centennial ABC 123 DJY-000 to ERT-999
2005 blue on reflective yellow with embossed flag graphic in center The Last Frontier ABC-123 ERU-000 to FGE-999
2007 blue on multicolored gradient with screened anniversary logo at left Celebrating Statehood 1959-2009 ABC123 FGF000 to present also used for vanity plates

[edit] The 1973 plate debacle

In 1972, the 9000 pairs of new plates for 1973 were produced. For the first time they were going to be in an ABC-123 format, with the state flag acting as the separator. The stars on the embossed flag didn't look like stars and Governor William Allen Egan rejected the plates. 1973 stickers were issued and a new base plate was introduced the following year almost identical to the previous one. The rejected plates are considered prototypes and are common enough to be easily found among license plate collectors.

[edit] References

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History of vehicle registration plates of the United States
States
Federal district
Insular areas
v • d • e
Vehicle registration plates of North America
Sovereign states

Antigua and Barbuda · Bahamas · Barbados · Belize · Canada · Costa Rica · Cuba · Dominica · Dominican Republic · El Salvador · Grenada · Guatemala · Haiti · Honduras · Jamaica · Mexico · Nicaragua · Panama1 · Saint Kitts and Nevis · Saint Lucia · St. Vincent and the Grenadines · Trinidad and Tobago1 · United States
Dependencies and
other territories

American Samoa2 · Anguilla · Aruba1 · Bermuda · British Virgin Islands · Cayman Islands · Greenland · Guadeloupe · Guam2 · Martinique · Montserrat · Navassa Island · Netherlands Antilles · Northern Mariana Islands2 · Puerto Rico · St. Barthélemy · St. Martin · St. Pierre and Miquelon · Turks and Caicos Islands · United States Virgin Islands
1 Territories also in or commonly reckoned elsewhere in the Americas (South America). 2 Territories also in or commonly reckoned to be in the Pacific basin.