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US license plates are as diverse as the states they come from. From plates that showcase state symbols to those that display famous landmarks or historical figures, each one has a story to tell.
AdvertisementPlates from mountainous states like Colorado and Nevada proudly display ranges such as the Rockies and the Sierra Nevadas. In states where farming is a common industry (Iowa, Wisconsin), you'll find plates that depict rural life.
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Scroll down to see what license plates look like in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.
AdvertisementTechnically a distinctive license plate rather than a standard-issue one, the patriotic "God Bless America" plate became so popular in Alabama that the state decided not to charge drivers extra for it. The upper right corner features a heart inscribed with Alabama's nickname, the "Heart of Dixie."
In contrast, the standard Alabama plate depicts a bucolic nature scene — a river and green hills backdropped by a golden sky.
Alaska's current license plate features the state's nickname, "The Last Frontier," paired with an image of the state flag. The stars on the flag are the Big Dipper and Polaris (the North Star). They respectively symbolize strength and Alaska's northern location.
AdvertisementArizona's license plate informs people of the state's nickname (the "Grand Canyon State") and showcases its famous desert landscape.
AdvertisementIn Arkansas, typical license plates are characterized by a diamond graphic. The gem symbolizes one of the state's most significant natural resources. (Arkansas is home to Crater of Diamonds State Park.)
AdvertisementThe white, blue, and red California license plate you see today has been around since 1998, when the state celebrated its sesquicentennial (150th anniversary).
Colorado's license plate is embossed with a mountain design — a fitting choice for the state where you'll find the Rocky Mountains. In fact, the style of the plate hasn't changed much since the 1960s.
AdvertisementLicense plates in Connecticut proclaim its legacy as the "Constitution State."
But the constitution in question isn't the document that laid the groundwork for American democracy. The nickname actually refers to a set of local government rules circa 1639 called the Fundamental Orders.
Delaware, "The First State," ratified the US Constitution before any other state on December 7, 1787. The nickname wasn't official until a first grade class made the suggestion in 2002.
AdvertisementThe District of Columbia's license plate is a bit tongue-in-cheek. Washington's slogan, "Taxation without Representation," references the fact that District residents have no representatives in Congress.
AdvertisementFlorida is known for its oranges, so it make sense that the citrus fruits — set against an outline of the state — adorn the Sunshine State's license plate.
AdvertisementSimilar to Florida's license plate, Georgia's shows its most famous export — peaches — and an outline of the state.
Hawaii's license plate is the most magical of the lot. But the pretty image is far from arbitrary, signifying the Aloha State's status as a rainbow-viewing destination. In fact, Honolulu, is known as the "rainbow capital of the world."
AdvertisementIdaho's license plate stresses its scenery even more than its spuds.
AdvertisementUntil last year, Illinois' license plates focused solely on the state's identity as the "Land of Lincoln" (Abraham Lincoln lived in the state capital, Springfield, between 1837 and 1861).
The clunkier new design — which has been criticized by the public — crams half of Lincoln's face, Chicago's Willis Tower, and the Illinois Capitol Building onto one plate.
AdvertisementBetween 1998 and 2002, Indiana issued this classy license plate bearing the state's motto, "The Crossroads of America." (The moniker dates to 1937 and is a reference to the numerous interstates that intersect Indiana.)
The current design, which features one of the covered bridges the state is known for, is a little cartoonish but has more character.
AdvertisementIowa's license plate not only tells other drivers which state a resident's car is from — it also identifies his or her county. The background is a composite city/country image.
AdvertisementKansas' license plate includes half of the state seal, including the state motto "Ad astra per aspera" (Latin for "to the stars through difficulties").
The Kentucky license plate, like Iowa's, has a spot for county names. The gradient blue hue is a fitting color for the Bluegrass State.
AdvertisementLouisiana's license plate is inscribed with one of the state's nicknames, "Sportsman's Paradise," which refers to the region's abundant spots to fish and hunt.
The plate also depicts the state bird, the pelican.
AdvertisementAnother state that attracts visitors with its natural diversity, Maine offers a "Support Wildlife" sportsman plate.
Maine's standard-issue plate, on the other hand, depicts the state bird (the black-capped chickadee) and a pine cone to symbolize the state tree (the eastern white pine). The plate also advertises that Maine is "vacationland."
AdvertisementBetween 2010 and 2016, Maryland's standard-issue license plate commemorated the War of 1812 in honor of the bicentennial of the conflict. Given that the state didn't fare so well in the war, Marylanders weren't thrilled about the focus.
More innocuous, the current plate's design incorporates the state flag.
Along with a patriotic color scheme, Massachusetts' license plate features the slogan "The Spirit of America." The phrase is a truncated version of the state's former motto, "The Spirit of Massachusetts is the Spirit of America."
AdvertisementOne of four standard-issue license plates in Michigan, the "Spectacular Peninsulas" plate displays some of the state's best-known features, including the eponymous peninsulas, the Great Lakes, and the Mackinac Bridge.
Minnesota's license plate references one of the state's nicknames, the "Land of 10,000 Lakes."
AdvertisementIn 2007, Mississippi unveiled the Biloxi Lighthouse license plate, a tribute to the resilience of the state's gulf coast in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.
As of 2012, Mississippi plates instead honor blues singer BB King and his legendary guitar, "Lucille."
AdvertisementLicense plates from the "Show Me" state, Missouri, depict several state symbols: the state bird (the eastern bluebird) and the state flower (the white hawthorn blossom).
AdvertisementMontana offers several environmentally-oriented specialty plates, including the "Yellowstone Forever" plate.
The standard-issue plate is much simpler, showing a silhouette of the state and Montana's nickname, the "Treasure State."
Although its current license plate features a minimalistic rendering of the state capitol building, Nebraska's plates were more colorful until 2016, when they were enlivened by the warm tones of the state bird and flower (the western meadowlark and goldenrod, respectively).
AdvertisementBetween 2001 and 2017, Nevada issued the "Sunset" license plate depicting the Sierra Nevada mountains.
Beginning in 2016, the state introduced the "Home Means Nevada" plate, which is predominantly sky-blue with a stylized, multicolored rendering of the mountains.
New Hampshire's license plate bears the state's bold slogan, "Live Free or Die." The motto was popularized by General John Stark, a hero of the American Revolution.
AdvertisementNew Jersey's license plate is no-nonsense. Other states advertise their exports or their natural wonders on their plates, but Jersey's reputation as the Garden State clearly precedes it.
With its captivating green, yellow, and red color combo, New Mexico's license plate lives up to the state's nickname, the "Land of Enchantment." Featuring the state flower, the yucca, it's also the only American license plate to specify "USA."
AdvertisementThe regal, two-tone New York license plate supports the state's identity as the "Empire State." In fact, the orange color is known as "Empire Gold."
AdvertisementIn 2015, North Carolina discontinued the "First in Flight" license plate, which paid homage to the Wright Brothers' first flight at Kitty Hawk.
As historical evidence revealed in 2013, the brothers might not have been the first to successfully fly a plane. Another contender for the honor (among many) is Gustave Whitehead, a German-born aviation pioneer from Connecticut.
Instead, North Carolina's plates now boast that the state is "First in Freedom," in recognition of two 18th-century documents that predate the Declaration of Independence.
