The U.S. state of Minnesota first required its residents to register their motor vehicles in 1903. Registrants provided their own license plates for display until 1909, when the state began to issue plates.

, plates are issued by the Minnesota Department of Public Safety through its Driver and Vehicle Services Division. Front and rear plates are required for most classes of vehicles, while only rear plates are required for motorcycles and trailers.

Passenger baseplates

1909 to 1954 ImageDates issuedDesignSloganSerial formatSerials issuedNotes1909Silver serial on orange flat metal plate; vertical "MINN" and "1909" in silver at left and right respectivelynone12341 to approximately 70001910Gold serial on black flat metal plate; vertical "MINN" and "1910" in gold at left and right respectivelynone123451 to approximately 120001911White serial on dark blue porcelain plate; vertical "MINN" and "1911" in white at left and right respectivelynone123451 to approximately 20000Black serial on silver plate; vertical "MINN" in black at left and "1912", "1913" and "1914" at rightnone123451 to approximately 670001915–16Red serial on silver plate; vertical "MINNESOTA" at left and "1915", "1916" and "1917" at rightnone1234561 to approximately 1390001917As above, but with vertical "MINN" in red at left139001 to approximately 1910001918–20Embossed white serial on black plate; vertical "MINN" at left and "1918", "1919" and "1920" at rightnone1234561 to approximately 3250001920As above, but with only "1920" at right325001 to approximately 3330001921Embossed black serial on sky blue plate with border line; vertical "MINN" at right; "21" at bottom leftnoneA123-456A1 to approximately A142-000Weight classes introduced, with 'A' used for vehicles weighing 2,000 lb or less, and 'B' for vehicles above 2,000 lb. This practice continued through 1939.B123-456B1 to approximately B160-0001922Embossed black serial on off-white plate; vertical "MINN" at right; "22" at bottom leftnoneA123-456A1 to approximately A176-000B123-456B1 to approximately B175-0001923Embossed brown serial on gray plate with border line; vertical "MINN" at right; "23" at bottom leftnoneA123-456A1 to approximately A224-000B123-456B1 to approximately B173-0001924Embossed white serial on dark blue plate with border line; vertical "MINN" at left; "24" at bottom rightnone123-456A1A to approximately 242-000A123-456B1B to approximately 222-000B1925Embossed black serial on silver plate with border line; vertical "MINN" at right; "25" at bottom leftnoneA123-456A1 to approximately A268-000B123-456B1 to approximately B256-0001926Embossed white serial on black plate with border line; vertical "MINN" at right; "26" at bottom leftnoneA123-456A1 to approximately A249-000B123-456B1 to approximately B302-0001927Embossed light green serial on dark green plate with border line; vertical "MINN" at right; "27" at bottom leftnoneA123-456A1 to approximately A258-000B123-456B1 to approximately B293-0001928Embossed black serial on tan plate with border line; vertical "MINN" at right; "28" at bottom leftnoneA123-456A1 to approximately A243-000B123-456B1 to approximately B326-0001929Embossed white serial on black plate with border line; vertical "MINN" at right; "29" at bottom leftnoneA123-456A1 to approximately A245-000B123-456B1 to approximately B379-0001930Embossed black serial on silver plate with border line; vertical "MINN" at right; "30" at bottom leftnoneA123-456A1 to approximately A196-000B123-456B1 to approximately B428-0001931Embossed white serial on black plate with border line; vertical "MINN" at right; "31" at bottom leftnoneA123-456A1 to approximately A130-000B123-456B1 to approximately B453-0001932Embossed golden yellow serial on maroon plate with border line; vertical "MINN" at right; "32" at bottom leftnoneA123-456A1 to approximately A111-000B123-456B1 to approximately B457-0001933As 1930 base, but with "33" at bottom leftnoneA12-345A1 to approximately A94-000B123-456B1 to approximately B475-0001934As 1931 base, but with "34" at bottom leftnoneA12-345A1 to approximately A89-000B123-456B1 to approximately B499-0001935As 1932 base, but with "35" at bottom leftnoneA12-345A1 to approximately A72-000B123-456B1 to approximately B545-0001936Embossed white serial on dark blue plate with border line; vertical "MINN" at right; "36" at bottom leftnoneA12-345A1 to approximately A58-000B123-456B1 to approximately B612-0001937Embossed black serial on silver plate with border line; vertical "MINN" at right; "37" at bottom leftnoneA12-345A1 to approximately A40-000B123-456B1 to approximately B664-0001938Embossed silver serial on black plate with border line; vertical "MINN" at right; "38" at bottom leftnoneA12-345A1 to approximately A25-000B123-456B1 to approximately B674-0001939Embossed black serial on golden yellow plate with border line; vertical "MINN" at right; "39" at bottom leftnoneA12-345A1 to approximately A15-000B123-456B1 to approximately B696-0001940Embossed white serial on black plate with border line; "MINN - 1940" or "MINNESOTA 1940" (see right) centered at bottom none123-4561 to approximately 734-000The abbreviated state name was used on plates with serials of up to four digits (1 through 9999), and the full state name on plates with five- or six-digit serials. This practice continued through 1948.1941Embossed black serial on silver plate with border line; "MINN - 1941" or "MINNESOTA 1941" centered at bottomnone123-4561 to approximately 763-0001942–43Embossed red serial on cream plate with border line; "MINN - 1942" or "MINNESOTA 1942" centered at bottomnone123-4561 to approximately 748-000Revalidated for 1943 with black tabs, due to metal conservation for World War II.1944Embossed white serial on navy blue plate with border line; "MINN - 1944" or "MINNESOTA 1944" centered at bottom none123-4561 to approximately 641-0001945As 1941 base, but with "MINN - 1945" or "MINNESOTA 1945" at bottomnone123-4561 to approximately 633-0001946As 1940 base, but with "MINN - 1946" or "MINNESOTA 1946" at bottomnone123-4561 to approximately 660-0001947As 1941 base, but with "MINN - 1947" or "MINNESOTA 1947" at bottomnone123-4561 to approximately 717-0001948As 1940 base, but with "MINN - 1948" or "MINNESOTA 1948" at bottomnone123-4561 to approximately 801-0001949Embossed black serial on waffle-textured silver plate; "MINNESOTA" centered at top"1849 - CENTENNIAL - 1949" at bottom123-4561 to approximately 871-000Commemorated the 100th anniversary of the creation of the Minnesota Territory.1950Embossed white serial on black plate with border line; "19 MINNESOTA 50" at bottom"10,000 LAKES" centered at top123-4561 to approximately 962-000First use of the "10,000 Lakes" slogan.1951Embossed black serial on silver plate with border line; "19 MINNESOTA 51" at bottom"10,000 LAKES" centered at top123-456 1 to approximately 1-005-0001952Embossed blue serial on gold plate with border line; "19 MINNESOTA 52" at bottom"10,000 LAKES" centered at top123-4561 to approximately 994-0001953Embossed white serial on black plate with border line; "19 MINNESOTA 53" at bottom"10,000 LAKES" centered at top123-4561-234-5671 to approximately 1-040-0001954Embossed blue serial on cream plate with border line; "19 MINNESOTA 54" at bottom"10,000 LAKES" centered at top123-4561-234-5671 to approximately 1-075-000

1955 to present 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 1954 (dated 1955) issue was the first Minnesota license plate that complied with these standards.

Since 1989, Minnesota law has required license plates to be replaced every seven years, due to deterioration of the reflective material.