License Plates reflect Idaho’s changing vehicle registration system, state identity, and plate design preferences across different periods. Early Idaho plates used simpler formats and materials, with later versions introducing updated colors, graphics, numbering systems, and security features. Changes in plate design have often reflected administrative needs and state symbols. Examining these developments helps explain how Idaho license plates progressed from earlier basic designs to the modern plates seen on vehicles throughout the state today.
License Plates have changed in appearance, numbering, and production methods throughout Idaho’s history. Older plates can differ considerably from current versions in color, layout, serial format, and identifying features. Collectors, vehicle owners, researchers, and anyone interested in state history may find these changes useful for identifying plates from different periods. Idaho’s plate history includes standard passenger plates, specialty designs, and other registration plates created for specific vehicle categories or purposes.
How to Identify a Plate by Its Design
Old Idaho license plates can often be identified by comparing several visible features rather than relying on one detail. The year, colors, slogan, graphics, serial format, and county code can narrow down the period in which a plate was issued. Historical plates may have embossed characters, distinctive state branding, or graphics that disappeared from later issues. Comparing these features with documented Idaho plate records can help distinguish vintage plates from newer reproductions or later designs.
Check the Year and Date Markings
The year printed on an Idaho plate is one of the most useful starting points for identification. Early plates commonly displayed the registration year prominently, with placement and lettering changing across different issues. Check the top, bottom, or corners for a two- or four-digit year. If a plate has a date sticker or tab rather than a permanently printed year, consider the plate’s other characteristics before assigning a production period.
Examine Colors and Graphics
Colors can narrow the likely period of an old Idaho license plate. Historical issues used combinations such as orange and black, yellow and black, green and white, silver, and dark blue. Graphics provide another strong clue. The 1928 plate featured a large potato graphic, the 1947 issue showed a skier and mountains, and later designs introduced Sawtooth Mountains and broader scenic imagery.
Look at Slogans and Lettering
Slogans can help separate similar-looking historical plates. Examples include Vacation Wonderland, World Famous Potatoes, World Famous Potato, and Famous Potatoes. Letter placement, font style, and the position of “IDAHO” can provide further clues when comparing plates from neighboring years.
Check County Codes and Serial Format
County codes and serial formats are valuable clues for identifying legacy Idaho plates. Historical records show county-coded systems using letter combinations and numbers, with formats changing over time as registration volumes increased. Compare the first characters, separators, number of digits, and overall arrangement with documented Idaho county designators. The county code can help establish where a plate was issued, but it should be evaluated together with the year, colors, slogan, and manufacturing style.
How Idaho License Plate Designs Changed Over Time
Idaho plate designs have changed significantly since the state began issuing plates in 1913. Early plates focused on basic identification, using simple colors, dates, and serial numbers. In 1928, Idaho became the first state to place a graphic on a license plate, featuring a large potato design. Later plates introduced state slogans, scenic imagery, reflective materials, and more detailed graphics. The shift from simple embossed plates to modern screened and reflective designs shows how Idaho license plates combined vehicle identification with state branding.
Changes in Colors and Visual Identity
Older plate designs used strong combinations of black, white, orange, yellow, green, blue, and silver. These color changes helped distinguish individual registration years and gave each issue a distinct appearance. Later Idaho plate designs moved toward scenic imagery, including mountains, forests, and red, white, and blue backgrounds. The modern standard plate continues this visual identity through a red, white, and blue Scenic Idaho design.
Changes in Slogans and State Branding
Idaho plate slogans developed into a recognizable part of the state’s identity. The 1928 potato plate introduced the agricultural theme, followed by 50 Years of Statehood in 1940 and Vacation Wonderland in 1947. The 1948 issue used World Famous Potatoes, followed by World Famous Potato on later plates. In 1957, Famous Potatoes became the long-running slogan. The Scenic Idaho design later combined this potato branding with scenic imagery.
Changes in Materials and Manufacturing
Early Idaho license plates used materials such as porcelain, brass, steel, and later aluminum. Embossed serial numbers were common, creating raised characters directly in the metal. Later production introduced screened graphics and reflective film. Idaho began using retro-reflective film in 1972, improving nighttime visibility and changing the appearance of newer plates. Manufacturing methods gradually allowed more detailed mountain scenes, screened lettering, and other visual elements than early embossed plates could provide.
Changes in Plate Number and County Designators
Idaho plate number formats have changed through different periods, but county identification has remained an important feature. Historical issues used county-coded serial systems, with letters or combinations such as A, 0/A, and later more varied county formats. County designators identify the county associated with the registration and remain part of the standard Idaho plate system today. The Idaho Transportation Department’s historical records list county codes and their corresponding counties, giving collectors a useful reference for identifying older plates by serial format and county designation.
Most Notable Historic Idaho License Plate Designs
| Year | Historic design | Appearance, slogan, and importance |
|---|---|---|
| 1913 | First Idaho plate | Idaho began issuing state plates in 1913. The earliest issue was simple and primarily served vehicle identification; 2,083 plates were issued that year, with each vehicle receiving one plate. |
| 1928 | Idaho Potato plate | A large potato graphic dominated the plate, making this issue a landmark in plate design. Idaho’s historical record identifies it as the first state plate to feature a graphic. |
| 1940 | 50 Years of Statehood | The 1940 plate commemorated Idaho’s 50th anniversary of statehood. Its wording and dated design connected vehicle registration with a major state milestone. |
| 1947 | Vacation Wonderland | This dark blue plate featured an embossed skier and mountain scene with Vacation Wonderland below, highlighting Idaho as a recreational destination. |
| 1948 | World Famous Potatoes | The 1948–49 design used a silver background, a potato image, and World Famous POTATOES. It reinforced Idaho’s agricultural identity through both imagery and wording. |
| 1957 | Famous Potatoes | The 1957 plate introduced Famous Potatoes, a slogan that became a defining part of Idaho plate branding and continued on later standard issues. |
| 1985 | Sawtooth Mountains | The 1985–87 design added a screened Sawtooth Mountains graphic to the plate, pairing scenic imagery with the established Famous Potatoes slogan. |
| 1991/1992 | Scenic Idaho | The Scenic Idaho base introduced a detailed mountain landscape with a red-and-white gradient sky, blue mountains, and forest imagery, retaining Famous Potatoes below. |
Idaho Registration History, 1909–1912
Idaho’s registration history began before the state government issued its own license plates. From 1909 through 1912, city governments were responsible for registering early automobiles rather than a centralized state agency. During this period, vehicle registration was handled locally, reflecting the small number of automobiles and the early development of motor-vehicle regulation. State-issued plates did not begin until 1913, creating a clear transition from local registration practices to a statewide identification system.
How Vehicle Registration Worked Before 1913
Before statewide plates existed, city governments handled vehicle registration from 1909 through 1912. Early automobile owners therefore dealt with local authorities rather than a statewide plate-issuing system. The registration number served as an identifying mark for the vehicle, while formal state-issued plate production had not yet begun. This period represents the earliest stage of Idaho’s vehicle registration history and helps explain why surviving pre-1913 identification marks differ substantially from later state plates.
Idaho Begins Statewide License Plate Issuance in 1913
In 1913, Idaho moved to state-issued license plates, marking the beginning of its statewide plate system. The Idaho Blue Book records that the state issued its first plates that year, with the price determined by the value of the vehicle. Approximately 2,083 plates were issued in 1913, and each vehicle received a single plate. Early production also differed from modern manufacturing, with historical Idaho plates made from materials including porcelain, brass, and steel. Motorcycles initially did not receive an actual plate; owners painted their registration number, state, and year of manufacture on the rear mudguard. Actual motorcycle plates began appearing in 1917.
The First Idaho License Plates, 1913–1927
The first generation of old Idaho license plates established many of the characteristics later associated with vintage plates. Annual issues used changing colors, embossed or stamped serial numbers, and different placements for the state name and year. These early Idaho plate designs were not simply permanent identification tags; each year’s issue could have a distinctive appearance, making color, typography, borders, and serial formatting important features for identifying historical plates.
1913–1920: The First Annual Plate Designs
The first annual Idaho plates used a changing sequence of colors that made different issues visually distinct. Historical plate references document 1913 white on blue, followed by 1914 white on red, 1915 red on white, 1916 black on yellow, and 1917 yellow on black. The sequence continued with 1918 white on brown, a green 1919 issue, and a blue 1920 plate. These combinations were paired with registration numbers and year markings, creating a recognizable annual system. The plates also reflected the manufacturing methods of the period. Numbers were typically embossed or stamped into the metal, while borders and lettering varied between issues. The changing color combinations provided a simple way to distinguish one year’s registration plate from another. For collectors examining old Idaho license plates, the background and serial color can therefore provide useful clues about the plate’s issue year.
1921–1927: Changing Colors, Layouts and Number Formats
From 1921 through 1927, Idaho continued changing its plate appearance from year to year. The color schemes alternated among combinations such as orange, black, silver, yellow, white, and dark blue. At the same time, the placement of “Idaho” and the year changed, sometimes appearing at the right side and later along the bottom of the plate. Serial formats also developed, including five-digit combinations and, on some issues, hyphenated numbering. These changes show that early Idaho plate design was still developing rather than following one fixed visual template. Border lines, lettering positions, serial arrangements, and background colors all changed across annual issues. By 1927, the plates were becoming more visually structured, setting the stage for the much more distinctive design introduced the following year.
What Made These Plates Different From Modern Plates?
Early Idaho license plates differed from modern plates because they were generally annual dated designs with changing colors, embossed numbers, and period-specific materials and production methods. Standardization was more limited, and the state used each year’s design to distinguish current registration plates. Their embossed serial numbers, metal construction, and changing layouts give vintage Idaho plates a noticeably different appearance from today’s standardized plates.
The 1928 Idaho Potato Plate and the Beginning of Creative Designs
The 1928 Idaho Potato plate represents one of the most important milestones in Idaho plate history. After years of primarily identification-focused designs, Idaho introduced a large potato graphic and potato-related wording, connecting the license plate directly with the state’s agricultural identity. The Idaho Blue Book describes the 1928 issue as a major example of Idaho’s early creative approach to license plate design.
Why the 1928 Plate Was Historically Important
The 1928 plate marked a major change in the way Idaho used license plates. Instead of relying mainly on a registration number, state name, year, and color scheme, the design incorporated a large potato graphic and the words “IDAHO POTATOES.” The Idaho Blue Book identifies Idaho as a pioneer in creative plate design, while historical references commonly identify the 1928 issue as the first state plate to feature a slogan. The design turned a functional vehicle identifier into a highly recognizable piece of state imagery.
How Idaho’s Potato Identity Became Part of Plate Design
Potatoes were already strongly associated with Idaho’s agricultural economy, making the crop a natural subject for state branding. The 1928 plate placed that identity directly onto a vehicle, using both a potato graphic and related wording. Although the exact design changed in later decades, the connection between Idaho, potatoes, and license plates remained strong. Eventually, the familiar “Famous Potatoes” wording became a long-running part of Idaho plate design, linking later plates to this early experiment in visual symbolism.
Why the 1928 Plate Matters to Collectors
For collectors of vintage plates, the 1928 issue is especially significant because it represents a major turning point in Idaho’s design history. Its potato graphic, early slogan, and distinctive appearance make it one of the best-known examples of old Idaho license plates. The plate also established a connection between Idaho’s agricultural identity and its license plate designs that continued through later generations.
Idaho License Plates During the 1930s and 1940s
The 1930s and 1940s brought more structured identification features while Idaho continued experimenting with colors, slogans, and imagery. Plates from this period provide a useful record of how the state balanced registration identification with visual references to Idaho’s landscape, agriculture, and history. County-related identification became increasingly important, while commemorative and promotional wording gave individual issues a distinctive character.
1930–1939: More Structured Plate Identification
During the 1930s, Idaho license plates continued using embossed serial numbers, changing colors, and year-specific layouts. County-coded serial systems became an important part of identification, helping connect a registration number with the county where the vehicle was registered. The state continued to vary the placement of the year, “Idaho,” borders, and serial numbers. The decade also followed the creative direction established by the 1928 potato plate. While not every annual design used a large graphic, Idaho continued treating its plates as more than simple registration markers. Color combinations and serial arrangements changed from year to year, giving collectors a detailed sequence of old plate designs to distinguish.
1940: The 50 Years of Statehood Plate
The 1940 Idaho plate commemorated 50 years of statehood. Its wording connected the anniversary directly to Idaho’s admission as a state in 1890, creating the historical reference 1890–1940. The commemorative design demonstrated how Idaho used its license plates to mark important state milestones rather than relying only on standard registration information. The Idaho Blue Book specifically identifies the 1940 issue as the 50 YEARS OF STATEHOOD plate.
1941–1946: The “Scenic Idaho” Era
From 1941 through 1946, Idaho plates featured the words “Scenic Idaho.” The slogan shifted attention toward the state’s landscape and tourism identity. This period is an important step in the development of Idaho’s scenic branding, which would become much more prominent in the late 20th century. The repeated use of the phrase also established a connection between Idaho’s license plates and the state’s natural scenery.
1947: Vacation Wonderland
The 1947 plate introduced the phrase “Vacation Wonderland” along with skier or mountain-related imagery. The design reflected Idaho’s growing association with outdoor recreation and mountain landscapes. It was another example of the state using its license plate as a visual representation of Idaho rather than limiting the design to registration identification.
1948–1949: World Famous Potatoes
The 1948 issue returned strongly to Idaho’s agricultural identity with “World Famous Potatoes.” Potato imagery also appeared in the design, reinforcing a theme that had begun with the 1928 plate. These issues helped connect the earlier potato graphic with the later “Famous Potatoes” wording that became a recurring feature of Idaho plates.
Idaho License Plate Evolution From 1950 to 1971
Between 1950 and 1971, Idaho license plate designs increasingly developed a consistent visual relationship between the state name, registration number, county identification, and the potato theme. Although colors and layouts continued to change, the period helped establish a recognizable design language that would influence later Idaho plates.
1950–1957: The Famous Potatoes Slogan Takes Hold
The 1950s continued Idaho’s use of agricultural identity on license plates. Potato references remained prominent, with wording evolving from earlier versions such as “World Famous Potatoes.” By 1957, the shorter “Famous Potatoes” slogan had become established on Idaho plates. This wording proved especially durable and eventually became one of the state’s most recognizable license plate identifiers.
1958–1967: Alternating Color Schemes
During 1958–1967, Idaho used alternating green-and-white plate treatments across the annual issues. These designs were simpler than the highly graphic 1928 plate but maintained strong visual contrast between the background and embossed registration information. The recurring green and white combinations became a recognizable feature of mid-century Idaho plates, while the state continued using annual issues to distinguish registration years.
1968–1971: A New Long-Running Base Design
The 1968–1971 period introduced a more consistent base appearance featuring a white background, green lettering, and county-coded registration information. Rather than relying on dramatic annual changes, the design emphasized readability and a stable visual format. County designators remained an important identification feature, continuing Idaho’s practice of connecting plate numbers with the county of registration. This period helped bridge older annual plate styles and the more standardized designs that followed.
Reflective Plates and Design Changes, 1972–1986
The period from 1972 to 1986 combined advances in plate production with increasingly recognizable Idaho imagery. Reflective material improved nighttime visibility, while later designs incorporated mountain imagery and more developed visual references to Idaho’s landscape. These changes show how plate technology and graphic design evolved together.
1972 and the Introduction of Reflective Plate Film
1972 marked an important technological change in Idaho plate production with the introduction of continuous retro-reflective film. Reflective material improved the visibility of license plates when illuminated by vehicle headlights, making registration numbers easier to identify in low-light conditions. This was more than a cosmetic update: it changed the surface technology used to manufacture Idaho plates and helped move the state toward modern reflective license plate production.
1982–1985: Mountain-Inspired Plate Design
During 1982–1985, Idaho’s plates incorporated stronger mountain-inspired visual elements. The design included a mountain-shaped treatment associated with the letter “A,” giving the plate a more distinctly Idaho appearance. The screened design combined landscape symbolism with the established registration information and Famous Potatoes identity. These changes helped move Idaho plate design beyond simple color changes toward a more recognizable graphic style.
1985–1986: Sawtooth Mountain Imagery
The 1985–1986 period brought more prominent Sawtooth Mountains imagery into Idaho plate design. Mountain scenery reinforced the state’s outdoor and landscape identity while working alongside the long-running potato theme. The combination of mountains and “Famous Potatoes” created a visual balance between Idaho’s natural environment and agricultural reputation. This direction helped prepare the way for the more elaborate scenic plate that would become associated with Idaho in the late 1980s and early 1990s.
The Scenic Idaho Plate Era, 1987–2007
The Scenic Idaho era represents one of the most recognizable chapters in Idaho license plate history. The design combined mountains, trees, red, white, and blue colors, and the state’s established Famous Potatoes wording. Its development was closely connected to Idaho’s statehood centennial and later became the standard passenger plate design.
The 1987 Centennial-Era Design
The 1987 design was closely associated with Idaho’s centennial period and introduced a more elaborate scenic treatment. Its development brought greater emphasis to mountains, trees, color gradients, and embossed visual elements. Idaho Heritage Trust notes that the Scenic Idaho design was created for the Centennial Foundation’s efforts surrounding Idaho’s 100th anniversary as a state. The design’s visual complexity also required advances in stamping and embossing technology.
1991–1992: The Scenic Idaho Red, White and Blue Plate
The 1991–1992 Scenic Idaho plate became a defining design in the state’s modern plate history. It featured a mountain landscape, trees, and a red, white, and blue color treatment, with “Scenic Idaho” across the top and “Famous Potatoes” at the bottom. Idaho Heritage Trust states that the design was created for the statehood Centennial Foundation, with the trademark and copyright assigned to the Trust in 1991, and that the plate became Idaho’s standard plate in 1992. The plate also represented a significant production achievement. Its embossed trees, mountains, and color gradients made it more intricate than many earlier plates, requiring new stamping and embossing technology from Idaho’s plate manufacturers. The design received recognition from the Automobile License Plate Collectors Association as the best new license plate in both 1987 and 1991, reinforcing its importance among plate enthusiasts.
Why the Scenic Idaho Design Became Iconic
The Scenic Idaho design became recognizable because it brought several established Idaho themes together in one plate: mountains, trees, red-white-blue colors, “Scenic Idaho,” and “Famous Potatoes.” It connected state history, landscape, and agriculture without losing the registration plate’s identification purpose. Its long use as the standard plate helped make the design one of the most familiar symbols in Idaho’s license plate history.
Idaho License Plate Evolution From 2008 to Today
The period from 2008 to today reflects a transition toward modern plate production while retaining many of the visual elements that had become strongly associated with Idaho. Mountains, the state name, county identification, and Famous Potatoes continued to connect newer plates with earlier designs. At the same time, Idaho has continued adding specialty and alternative plate choices.
The 2008 Modern Production Series
The 2008-era modern plate series continued Idaho’s established scenic identity while using contemporary production methods and screened graphics. The state’s plate system increasingly offered different specialty designs alongside the standard plate, allowing individual programs to represent agriculture, organizations, causes, and other interests. This broader selection became an important part of modern Idaho plate culture while the standard design retained its established state imagery.
Modern Idaho Plate Design and Continuity
Modern Idaho plates continue to use recognizable elements developed over decades. The standard scenic design retains Idaho, mountain scenery, and “Famous Potatoes,” while county designators remain part of standard plate numbering. This continuity connects current plates with the state’s long history of using landscape and agricultural identity in vehicle identification. Idaho also continues to introduce additional designs, including new standard and specialty options.
2026 and the End of Registration Stickers
July 1, 2026 marks another significant point in Idaho plate history. The state stopped providing and requiring annual registration stickers on standard license plates and ended the former 10-year plate replacement requirement. Plates can now remain in use as long as they are readable and legible, while registration itself continues separately. This represents a shift from a sticker-based validation system toward permanent plates supported by electronic registration verification.
Frequently Asked Questions
This FAQ section covers common questions about Idaho license plate history, including the first state-issued plates, historic designs, the 1928 Idaho Potato plate, the “Famous Potatoes” slogan, and the introduction of reflective plate technology.
When did Idaho first issue license plates?
Idaho first issued state-issued license plates in 1913, marking an important milestone in Idaho License Plate History. Before 1913, city governments handled vehicle registration. Approximately 2,083 plates were issued during the first year of statewide issuance, with one plate assigned to each vehicle. These first Idaho plates established the foundation for Idaho’s later statewide plate system.
What did the first Idaho license plate look like?
The 1913 Idaho plate was a simple early design featuring white characters on a blue background. It displayed the vehicle’s registration number along with Idaho identification and the year. Like many old Idaho license plates from the period, it had a basic embossed or stamped appearance rather than the detailed graphics found on modern plates. Annual colors changed in subsequent years.
What was special about the 1928 Idaho license plate?
The 1928 Idaho plate was historically important because it moved Idaho plate design beyond basic vehicle identification. Known as the Idaho Potato plate, it featured potato imagery and potato-related wording, connecting the plate with Idaho’s agricultural identity. Historical references identify it as the first Idaho plate to feature a slogan, making it one of the state’s most notable historic plates.
When did Idaho start using “Famous Potatoes”?
Idaho’s potato-related plate history began before the familiar “Famous Potatoes” slogan. Earlier plates used wording such as “Idaho Potatoes” and “World Famous Potatoes.” By 1957, “Famous Potatoes” had become established on Idaho license plates. The slogan became one of the state’s longest-running plate identifiers and remains closely associated with Idaho’s plate history.
When did Idaho start using reflective license plates?
Idaho began using reflective license plate material in 1972. The introduction of retro-reflective film represented an important step in plate evolution because it improved plate visibility when illuminated by vehicle headlights. This production change helped move Idaho from traditional embossed metal surfaces toward the reflective technology used on later license plates.