Vehicle registration plates of Oklahoma

The U.S. state of Oklahoma first required its residents to register their motor vehicles and display license plates in 1915.

Passenger baseplates 1915 to present

In 1956, the U.S. states and Canadian provinces came to an agreement with the Automobile Manufacturers Association that fixed the size for license plates for vehicles, except those for motorcycles, at six inches in height by twelve inches in width, with standardized mounting holes. The 1955 (dated 1956) issue was the first Oklahoma license plate that complied with these standards.

Image	Dates issued	Design	Slogan	Serial format	Serials issued	Notes
	1915	Embossed blue numbers on white plate; vertical "OKLA" and "1915" embossed at left and right respectively	none	12345
	1916	Embossed white numbers on blue plate; vertical "OKLA" and "1916" embossed at left and right respectively	none	12345
	1917	Embossed white numbers on brown plate; vertical "OKLA" and "1917" embossed at left and right respectively	none	123456
	1918	Embossed yellow numbers on green plate; vertical "OKLA" and "1918" embossed at left and right respectively	none	123456
	1919	Embossed green numbers on yellow plate with border line; vertical "OKLA" and "1919" embossed at left and right respectively	none	123456	8001 to approximately 157000
	1920	Embossed white numbers on blue plate with border line; vertical "OKLA" and "1920" embossed at left and right respectively	none	123456	8001 to approximately 203000
	1921	Embossed white numbers on brown plate with border line; vertical "OKLA" and "1921" embossed at left and right respectively	none	123456
	1922	Embossed black numbers on turquoise plate with border line; vertical "OKLA" and "1922" embossed at left and right respectively	none	123-456
	1923	Embossed white numbers on maroon plate with border line; vertical "OKLA" and "1923" embossed at left and right respectively	none	123-456
	1924	Embossed white numbers on olive green plate with border line; vertical "OKLA" and "1924" embossed at left and right respectively	none	123F456 123.456		Plates with an 'F' in the serial were issued on Fords. This practice continued until 1929.
	1925	Embossed silver numbers on black plate; silver lines at top and bottom borders; "1925 OKLA" embossed in silver at right	none	123F456 123.456
	1926	Embossed black numbers on yellow plate; black lines at top and bottom borders; "OKLA 1926" embossed in black block letters at bottom	none	123F456 123-456
	1927	Embossed yellow numbers on black plate with border line; "OKLA 1927" embossed in yellow block letters at bottom	none	123F456 123-456
	1928	Black numbering and border embossed on yellow base; "OKLA" embossed at left and "1928" at right	none	123F456 123-456
	1929	Yellow numbering and border embossed on black base; "OK–29" embossed at top	none	123-456	50-001 to approximately 571-000
	1930	Black numbering and border embossed on yellow base; "OKLA–1930" embossed at bottom	none	123-456	60-001 to approximately 597-000
	1931	Yellow numbering and border embossed on black base; "OKLA–1931" embossed at bottom	none	123-456	60-001 to approximately 564-000
	1932	Black numbering and border embossed on yellow base; "OKLAHOMA-1932" embossed at top	none	123-456	60-001 to approximately 464-000	First use of the full state name.
	1933	Yellow numbering and border embossed on black base; "OKLAHOMA-1933" embossed at bottom	none	123-456	60-001 to approximately 481-000
	1934	Black numbering and border embossed on yellow base; "OKLAHOMA-1934" embossed at top	none	123A456	60A001 to approximately 505A000
	1935	Black numbering and border embossed on gray base; "1935-OKLAHOMA" embossed at bottom	none	123A456	60A001 to approximately 505A000
	1936	Black numbering and border embossed on yellow base; "1936-OKLAHOMA" embossed at top	none	123-456	60-001 to approximately 516-000	Front and rear plates required; rear plates used an 'R' as the separator in the serial.
	1937	Yellow numbering and border embossed on black base; "1937-OKLAHOMA" embossed at bottom	none	123-456	60-001 to approximately 528-000	Front plates used an 'F' as the separator in the serial, while rear plates used an 'R'.
	1938	Black numbering and border embossed on yellow base; "OKLAHOMA-1938" embossed at top	none	123-456	60-001 to approximately 546-000
	1939	Black numbering and border embossed on gray base; "OK–39" embossed at bottom	none	A/B123	County-coded (A/B)
	1940	Black numbering and border embossed on yellow base; "OKLA–1940" embossed at top	none	1-12345 10-1234	County-coded (1 or 10)
	1941	White numbering and border embossed on black base; "OKLA–1941" embossed at bottom	none	1-12345 10-1234	County-coded (1 or 10)
	1942–43	Dark blue numbering and border embossed on white base; "OKLA-1942" embossed at top	none	1-12345 10-1234	County-coded (1 or 10)	Revalidated for 1943 with windshield stickers, due to metal conservation for World War II.
	1944	Black numbering and border embossed on yellow base; "OKLAHOMA-44" embossed at top	none	1-12345 10-1234	County-coded (1 or 10)
	1945	Orange numbering and border embossed on black base; "OKLAHOMA-45" embossed at bottom	none	1-12345 10-1234	County-coded (1 or 10)
	1946–47	White numbering and border embossed on black base; "OKLAHOMA-46" embossed at top	none	1-12345 10-1234	County-coded (1 or 10)	Revalidated for 1947 with yellow tabs.
	1948	Black numbering and border embossed on yellow base; "OKLAHOMA-48 embossed at bottom	none	1-12345 10-1234	County-coded (1 or 10)
	1949	White numbering and border embossed on black base; "49-OKLAHOMA" embossed at top	none	1-12345 10-1234	County-coded (1 or 10)
	1950	Embossed black numbers on silver plate; "50-OKLAHOMA" embossed at bottom	none	1-12345 1-A1234 10-1234 10-A123	County-coded (1 or 10)
	1951	Embossed black numbers on yellow-orange plate; "51-OKLAHOMA" embossed at top	none	1-12345 1-A1234 10-1234 10-A123	County-coded (1 or 10)
	1952	Embossed white numbers on black plate; "52-OKLAHOMA" embossed at bottom	none	1-12345 1-A1234 10-1234 10-A123	County-coded (1 or 10)
	1953	Embossed black numbers on yellow plate; "OKLAHOMA-53" embossed at top	none	1-12345 1-A1234 10-1234 10-A123	County-coded (1 or 10)
	1954	Embossed yellow numbers on black plate; "54-OKLAHOMA" embossed at bottom	none	1-12345 1-A1234 10-1234 10-A123	County-coded (1 or 10)
	1955	Embossed white numbers on black plate; "OKLAHOMA-55" embossed at top, offset to right	"VISIT" embossed in block letters to left of state name, giving "VISIT OKLAHOMA"	1-12345 1-A1234 10-1234 10-A123	County-coded (1 or 10)
	1956	Embossed black numbers on white plate; "OKLAHOMA-56" embossed at bottom, offset to right	"VISIT" embossed in block letters to left of state name, giving "VISIT OKLAHOMA"	1-123456 10-12345	County-coded (1 or 10)
	1957	Embossed white numbers on black plate; "OKLAHOMA 57" embossed at top	"VISIT" embossed in block letters to left of state name, giving "VISIT OKLAHOMA"	1-123456 10-12345	County-coded (1 or 10)
	1958	Embossed black numbers on white plate; "OKLAHOMA 58" embossed at top	"VISIT" embossed in block letters to left of state name, giving "VISIT OKLAHOMA"	1-123456 10-12345	County-coded (1 or 10)
	1959	Embossed white lettering and rims on black plate; "OKLAHOMA" embossed in block letters at top as part of slogan; "59" embossed in top right corner	"VISIT" embossed in block letters to left of state name, giving "VISIT OKLAHOMA"	1-123456 10-12345	County-coded (1 or 10)
	1960	Embossed black numbers on white plate; "OKLAHOMA" embossed in black block letters at top, offset to right; "19" embossed in top left corner and "60" in top right corner	"VISIT" embossed in black block letters to left of state name, giving "VISIT OKLAHOMA"	1-123456 10-12345	County-coded (1 or 10)
	1961	Embossed white numbers on black plate; "OKLAHOMA" embossed in white block letters at top, offset to right; "19" embossed in top left corner and "61" in top right corner	"VISIT" embossed in white block letters to left of state name, giving "VISIT OKLAHOMA"	1-123456 10-12345	County-coded (1 or 10)
	1962	As 1960 base, but with "62" in top right corner	"VISIT" as on 1960 base	1-123456 10-12345	County-coded (1 or 10)
	1963	Embossed white numbers on black plate with border line; "OKLAHOMA" embossed in white block letters centered at top; "19" embossed in top left corner and "63" in top right corner	none	AB-1234	County-coded	Two-letter county codes introduced. Leading zeros used in numbers below 1000.
	1964	Embossed black numbers on white plate; "OKLAHOMA" embossed in black block letters centered at top; "19" embossed in top left corner and "64" in top right corner	none	AB-1234	County-coded	Leading zeros used in numbers below 1000.
	1965	As 1963 base, but without border line, and with "65" embossed in top right corner	none	AB-1234	County-coded
	1966	As 1964 base, but with "66" embossed in top right corner	none	AB-1234	County-coded
	1967	Embossed red numbers on reflective white plate; "OKLAHOMA" embossed in red block letters at top, slightly offset to left; "67" embossed in top left corner	"IS OK" embossed in red block letters to right of state name, giving "OKLAHOMA IS OK"	AB-1234	County-coded
	1968	Embossed black numbers on reflective orange plate; "OKLAHOMA" embossed in black block letters at top, slightly offset to left; "68" embossed in top left corner	"IS OK" embossed in black block letters to right of state name, giving "OKLAHOMA IS OK"	AB-1234	County-coded
	1969	As 1967 base, but with "69" embossed in top left corner	"IS OK" as on 1967 base	AB-1234	County-coded
	1970	Embossed green numbers on reflective white plate; "OKLAHOMA" embossed in green block letters at top, slightly offset to left; "70" embossed in top left corner	"IS OK" embossed in green block letters to right of state name, giving "OKLAHOMA IS OK"	AB-1234	County-coded
	1971	As 1967 base, but with "71" embossed in top left corner	"IS OK" as on 1967 base	AB-1234 ABC-1234	County-coded	Three-letter county codes introduced in some counties that had exhausted their two-letter allocations.
	1972	As 1970 base, but with "72" embossed in top left corner	"IS OK" as on 1970 base	AB-1234 ABC-1234	County-coded
	1973	As 1967 base, but with "73" embossed in top left corner	"IS OK" as on 1967 base	AB-1234 ABC-1234	County-coded	Carried over into 1974 after the plate shop at Oklahoma State Penitentiary was hit by fire during a riot in July 1973, destroying the supply of 1974 plates (below).
	1973–74	As above, but with border line around plate	"IS OK" as above	AB-1234 ABC-1234	County-coded	Supplemental plates manufactured by Polyvend Inc. of Arkansas while the prison plate shop was being repaired.
	(1974)	As 1970 base, but with "74" embossed in top left corner	"IS OK" as on 1970 base	AB-1234 ABC-1234	County-coded	Most of these plates were destroyed in the prison plate shop fire of July 1973 (above); salvaged plates were not issued.
	1975	As 1970 base, but with border line, and "75" embossed in top left corner	"IS OK" as on 1970 base	AB-1234 ABC-1234	County-coded	Manufactured by Polyvend Inc. while the prison plate shop was being repaired.
	1976	Embossed red numbers on reflective white plate with border line; "OKLAHOMA" embossed in red block letters centered at top; "19" embossed in top left corner and "76" in top right corner	"BICENTENNIAL" embossed in red block letters centered at bottom, with "1776" to the left and "1976" to the right	AB-1234 ABC-1234	County-coded
	1977	As 1975 base, but with "77" embossed in top left corner	"IS OK" as on 1975 base	AB-1234 ABC-1234	County-coded
	1978	As supplemental 1973–74 plates, but with "78" embossed in top left corner	"IS OK" as on supplemental 1973–74 plates	AB-1234 ABC-1234	County-coded
	1979–80	Embossed blue numbers on reflective white plate; "OKLAHOMA" embossed in blue block letters centered at top; sticker boxes debossed in top corners with "79" further debossed in right box	none	AB-1234 ABC-1234	County-coded
	1981–82	Embossed green numbers and state-shaped separator on reflective white plate; "OKLAHOMA" embossed in green block letters at top, offset to left; sticker boxes debossed in top corners with "81" further debossed in right box	"IS OK" embossed in green block letters to right of state name, giving "OKLAHOMA IS OK"	AB-1234 ABC-1234	County-coded	Revalidated with stickers until 2009.
	1983–88	Embossed green numbers and state-shaped separator on reflective white plate; yellow band screened at bottom with a yellow sun and "Oklahoma" in black serifed letters in the middle; sticker boxes debossed in bottom corners	"is OK!" screened in black serifed letters centered below state name, giving "Oklahoma is OK!"	ABC-123	County-coded	Commonly known as the "sunbelt" plate. Revalidated with stickers until 2009.
	1989–94	Embossed green numbers on reflective white plate; battle shield of the Osage Nation screened in the center; "OKLAHOMA" screened in black cursive letters centered at top	"OK!" screened in tan cursive letters centered between state name and battle shield	ABC 123	County-coded	Awarded "Plate of the Year" for best new license plate of 1989 by the Automobile License Plate Collectors Association, the first time Oklahoma was so honored. Co-recipient with Nova Scotia. Serials in each county continued from where the 1983–88 plates left off, with leading zeros added in numbers below 100. Revalidated with stickers until 2009.
	1994–2008	Similar to 1989–94 base, but with debossed area in center containing redrawn battle shield graphic, and state name in larger serifed letters	"NATIVE AMERICA" screened in red serifed letters centered at bottom	ABC 123	County-coded	Serials in each county continued from where the 1989–94 plates left off, with the 123 ABC format introduced in counties that had exhausted their ABC 123 allocations. Revalidated with stickers until 2009.
				123 ABC
	January 2009 – December 2016	Screened red numbers on reflective white plate; Allan Houser's "Sacred Rain Arrow" sculpture (outside the Gilcrease Museum in Tulsa) screened against cloudy blue sky at left and blue bar screened at bottom; "OKLAHOMA" screened in dark blue serifed letters centered at top	"NATIVE AMERICA" screened in white block letters in center of blue bar, with white Osage Nation battle shield at right	123ABC	001AAA to approximately 999QCR	Replaced all 1981–2008 plates. Awarded "Plate of the Year" for best new license plate of 2009 by the Automobile License Plate Collectors Association, the third time Oklahoma was so honored. County coding discontinued; the county of issuance has been printed on the month revalidation sticker since 2010. C not used as the first letter in this serial format.
	January 2017 – present	Screened black on reflective blue with state-shaped separator; scissor-tailed flycatcher in the middle, mountains on the left, oceans in the background and Explore above the state name	Travelok.com	ABC-123	AAA-001 to BTW-999 (as of June 4, 2017)

County coding

The order of the numeric county codes used from 1952-61 was based on the populations of each county according to the 1950 United States Census, and the order of the codes used in 1962 was based on the populations of each county according to the 1960 Census.^[1]

Optional types

Image	Type	Dates issued	Design	Serial format	Serials issued	Notes
	"State Parks" – pavilion	2004–present	Black on multicolored background.	O/P 1234	O/P 1 to present	Awarded "Plate of the Year" for best new license plate of 2004 by the Automobile License Plate Collectors Association, the second time Oklahoma was so honored.

References

External links

• Oklahoma license plates 1969-present