The U.S. state of Michigan first required its residents to register their motor vehicles in 1905. Registrants provided their own license plates for display until 1910, when the state began to issue plates.

, plates are issued by the Michigan Secretary of State. Only rear plates have been required since 1981. For an extra charge, drivers can request a personalized plate serial as well as a second duplicate plate. Since January 1, 2015, drivers have been required to replace their plates every ten years.

Passenger baseplates 1910 to 1970 In 1956, the United States, Canada, and Mexico came to an agreement with the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators, the Automobile Manufacturers Association and the National Safety Council that standardized the size for license plates for vehicles (except those for motorcycles) at in height by in width, with standardized mounting holes. The 1955 (dated 1956) issue was the first Michigan license plate that complied with these standards. ImageDates issuedDesignSloganSerial formatSerials issuedNotes1910Black on white porcelain; state seal and "MICH 1910" at leftnone123451 to approximately 18500Front and rear plates issued; this practice continued until 1944.1911White on black porcelain; state seal and "MICH 1911" at leftnone123451 to approximately 275001912Black on yellow porcelain; state seal and "MICH 1912" at leftnone123451 to approximately 400001913White on green porcelain; state seal and "MICH 1913" at leftnone123451 to approximately 550001914Red on white porcelain; state seal and "MICH 1914" at leftnone123451 to approximately 770001915White on blue; aluminum state seal and "MICH 1915" at leftnone123451 to 99999First embossed plate. Only letters C and E used in the A1234 serial format.A1234C0000 to approximately E60001916Blue on white; aluminum state seal and "MICH 1916" at leftnone123451 to 99999A1234A1 to approximately F50001917White on black; aluminum state seal and "MICH 1917" at leftnone123451 to 99999A1234A1 to approximately O90001918White on green; aluminum state seal and "MICH 18" at leftnone1234561 to approximately 2450001919White on brown; aluminum state seal and "MICH 19" at leftnone123451 to 99999A1234A1 to approximately Z90001920Black on orange; stylized "MICH 20" at leftnone123-4561 to approximately 414-0001921White on black; stylized "MICH 21" at leftnone123-4561 to approximately 476-0001922White on red; stylized "MICH 22" at leftnone123-4561 to approximately 577-0001923White on green; stylized "MICH 23" at leftnone123-4561 to approximately 730-0001924Black on yellow; stylized "MICH 24" at leftnone123-4561 to approximately 879-0001925Black on gray; stylized "MICH 25" at leftnone123-4561 to approximately 996-0001926White on black; "MICH 26" at leftnone123-4561 to 999-999On both these bases, plates with the M123-456 serial format had the 'M' surrounded by a diamond, and are thus informally known as "Diamond M" plates.M123-456M1 to approximately M133-0001927Black on yellow; "MICHIGAN 1927" at bottomnone123-4561 to 999-999M123-456M1 to approximately M226-0001928White on green; "MICHIGAN 1928" at topnone1 to approximately 1-116-0001929Yellow on black; "MICHIGAN 1929" at bottomnone1 to approximately 1-234-0001930Black on yellow; "MICHIGAN 1930" at bottomnone1 to approximately 1-248-0001931Red on black; "MICHIGAN 1931" at bottomnone1 to approximately 1-223-0001932White on dark blue; "MICHIGAN 1932" at topnone1 to approximately 1-139-0001933Black on white; "MICHIGAN 1933" at bottomnone12-345A12-345Issued in blocks by county1934Black on yellow; "19 MICHIGAN 34" at topnone12-345A 12345Issued in blocks by county1935Yellow on dark blue; "19 MICHIGAN 35" at bottomnone12-345A 12345Issued in blocks by county1936Black on gray; "19 MICHIGAN 36" at topnone12-345A 12345Issued in blocks by county1937Yellow on dark blue; "1937 MICHIGAN" at bottomnone12 345A 12345Issued in blocks by county1938Black on light green; "1938 MICHIGAN" or "MICHIGAN 1938" at topnoneA 12345Issued in blocks by countyBlack on white; vertical "MICH" at left; "PASS EXP 8-31-38" at topnone1234561 to approximately 552000Half-year plates issued at lower cost to full-year plates, due to the Depression.1939Black on beige; "19 MICH 39" at bottomnoneA 12345AB 1234Issued in blocks by countyWhite on dark blue; vertical "MICH" at left; "PASS EXP 8-31-39" at bottomnone1234561 to approximately 552000Half-year plate.1940Black on silver; "MICH 40" at topnoneAB-12-34County-codedWhite on black; "MICH EXP. 8-31 40" at topnoneHalf-year plate.1941White on maroon; "MICH 41" at topnoneAB-12-34County-codedMaroon on white; "MICH EXP. 8-31 41" at topnoneHalf-year plate.White on olive green; "MICHIGAN" at top and "42" at bottomnoneAB-12-34County-codedFull and half-year plates revalidated for 1943 with metal tabs, due to metal conservation for World War II.As above, but with "EXP. 8-31-42" at bottomnoneHalf-year plate.1944White on maroon; "MICHIGAN" at bottom and "44" at topnoneAB-12-34County-codedOnly rear plates issued for both full-year and half-year plates. For full-year plates, this practice continued until 1957.Maroon on white; "MICHIGAN" at bottom and "EXP. 8-31-44" at topnoneHalf-year plate.1945Black on silver; "MICHIGAN" at top and "45" at bottomnoneAB-12-34County-codedWhite on black; "MICHIGAN" at top and "EXP. 8-31-45" at bottomnoneHalf-year plate.1946White on dark olive green; "MICHIGAN" at bottom and "46" at topnoneAB-12-34County-codedWhite on maroon; "MICHIGAN" at bottom and "EXP. 8-31-46" at topnoneLast half-year plate.1947Black on golden yellow; "MICHIGAN" at top and "47" at bottomnoneAB-12-34County-coded1948Black on silver; "MICHIGAN" at bottom and "48" at topnoneAB-12-34County coded1949White on black; "MICHIGAN" at top and "49" at bottomnoneAB-12-34County-coded1950Black on silver; "MICHIGAN" at bottom and "50" at topnoneAB-12-34County-coded1951White on black; "MICHIGAN" at top and "51" at bottomnoneAB-12-34County-coded1952Black on silver; "MICHIGAN" at bottom and "52" at topnoneAB-12-34County-coded1953White on black, "MICHIGAN" at top and "53" at bottomnoneAB-12-34County-coded1954Yellow on dark blue; "19 MICHIGAN 54" at topWater WonderlandAB-12-34County-coded1955White on green; "19 MICHIGAN 55" at topWater WonderlandAB-12-34County-coded1956Dark green on white; "19 MICHIGAN 56" at topWater WonderlandAB-1234County-codedFirst 6" x 12" plate.1957White on red; "19 MICHIGAN 57" at topWater WonderlandAB-1234County-codedFront and rear plates issued (as from 1910–43); this practice continued until 1981.1958Black on gray; "19 MICHIGAN 58" at topWater WonderlandAB-1234County-coded1959–61Yellow on green; "19 MICHIGAN 59" at topWater WonderlandAB-1234County-codedRevalidated for 1960 with yellow tabs, and for 1961 with silver tabs.1962–64Green on white; "19 MICHIGAN 62" at topWater WonderlandAB-1234County-codedRevalidated for 1963 with green tabs, and for 1964 with olive tabs.1965Yellow on blue; "MICH 65" at topWater-Winter WonderlandAB-1234County-codedFirst year using galvanized steel. First year using state school colors: 1965 honored University of Michigan.1966Dark blue on buff; "MICH 66" at topWater-Winter WonderlandAB-1234County-coded1967Maize on dark blue; "MICH 67" at topWater-Winter WonderlandAB-1234County-codedIssued in the colors of the University of Michigan, in honor of its sesquicentennial.1968Yellow on green; "19 MICHIGAN 68" at topGreat Lake StateAB-1234County-coded1969White on red; "19 MICHIGAN 69" at topGreat Lake StateAB-1234County-coded1970White on light gold; "19 MICHIGAN 70" at topGreat Lake StateABC-123BBB-000 to approximately NGS-999Issued in the colors of Oakland University, which became independent from Michigan State University in 1970. Vowels and Q not used in serials; this practice continued until 1983.

County coding Michigan used two-letter county codes from 1940 to 1969, after using county coding blocks from 1933 to 1939. The letters I, O and Q were not used in these codes.

County1942–19431955–611962–641965–69 Wayne AA-DZ AA–FZ AA–FZ AA–FZ Oakland EA-EN GA–HH GA–HZ GA–HZ Washtenaw JU-JZ HJ–HU NA–NL NA–NL Allegan LY-LZ HV–HZ NM–NR NM–NR Kent FA-FK JA–JZ JA–JZ JA–JZ Genesee GA-GK KA–KZ KA–KZ KA–KZ Ingham HA-HH LA–LN LA–LN LA–LN Saginaw HS-HX LP–LZ LP–LZ LP–LZ Macomb HJ-HH MA–MT MA–MZ MA–MZ Shiawassee LJ-LL MU–MZ NS–NV NS–NV Kalamazoo JG-JM NA–NJ PA–PL PA–PL Calhoun JA-JF NK–NT PM–PW PM–PW Ottawa KS-KV NU–NZ RL–RS RL–RS Berrien JN-JT PA–PJ RA–RK RA–RK St. Clair KL-KR PK–PS RT–RZ RT–RZ Tuscola LS-LT PT–PW TL–TN TL–TN Barry NV-NW PX–PZ TP–TR TP–TR Muskegon KF-KK RA–RJ TA–TK TA–TK Bay KW-KZ RK–RS UA–UG XA–XG Monroe LE-LH RT–RZ UH–UP XH–XP Jackson KA-KE SA–SH SA–SJ SA–SJ Ionia LW-LX SJ–SM SK–SM SK–SM Van Buren LU-LV SN–SS SN–SS SN–SS St. Joseph LM-LN ST–SW ST–SV ST–SV Alpena PC-PD SX–SZ SW–SX SW–SX Eaton MN-MP TA–TD PX–PZ PX–PZ Sanilac MT-MU TE–TH SY–SZ SY–SZ Montcalm MA-MB TJ–TM TV–TX TV–TX Lapeer MC-MD TN–TP TY–TZ TY–TZ Huron ME-MF TT–TU TS–TU TS–TU Manistee PG-PH TX–TY NY–NZ NY–NZ Gratiot MG-MH UA–UB VE–VG VE–VG Hillsdale MJ-MK UE–UF VH–VK VH–VK Clinton NL-NM UJ–UK VL–VN VL–VN Lenawee LA-LD UN–UR UR–UV YA–YE Grand Traverse NA-NB UU–UV UW–UY XR–XT Charlevoix PW-PX UY UZ XZ Midland MR-MS VA–VC VA–VD VA–VD Branch MV-MW VF–VG VP–VS VP–VS Livingston NC-ND VK–VL VT–VV VT–VV Cass NJ-NK VP–VR NW–NX NW–NX Newaygo NR-NS VU–VV VW–VX VW–VX Isabella NN-NP VX–VZ VY–VZ VY–VZ Mason PA-PB WA–WC WA–WB WA–WB Mecosta PL-PM WD–WE WC–WD WC–WD Wexford PE-PF WF–WG WE–WF WE–WF Oceana PS-PT WH WG WG Emmet PN-PR WK WH WH Osceola PU-PV WM WJ WJ Cheboygan RA-RB WP WK WK Clare PY-PZ WS WL WL Presque Isle RC-RD WU WM WM Arenac RE-RF WW WN WN Ogemaw RG-RH WY WP WP Gladwin RL-RM XA WR WR Iosco RR-RS XC WS WS Benzie RV-RW XE WT WT Missaukee SD-SE XG WU WU Otsego SH-SJ XJ WV WV Leelanau SK-SL XL WW WW Kalkaska SM-SN XN WX WX Roscommon SU-SV XR WY WY Alcona SP-SR XT WZ WZ Antrim SA-SC XU XA XU Lake SW-SX XV XB XV Crawford XW XC XW Montmorency SY-SZ XX XD XX Oscoda TC-TD XY XE XY Marquette LP-LR YA–YC XF–XJ UA–UC Houghton ME-MF YE–YH XK–XL UD–UE Delta MX-MY YJ–YK XM–XN UF–UG Dickinson NG-NH YN–YP XP–XR UH–UJ Iron PJ-PK YT–YU XS–XT UK Chippewa NT-NU YW–YX XU–XV UL–UM Menominee NX-NY ZA–ZB XW–XX UN–UP Gogebic NE-NF ZE–ZF XY–XZ UR–US Schoolcraft RJ-RK ZJ YA UT Ontonagon RN-RP ZL YB UU Alger RT-RU ZN YC UV Baraga RX-RY ZR YD UW Luce SF-SG ZT YE UX Mackinac SS-ST ZV YF UY Keweenaw TE-TF ZX YG UZ

1971 to present