The U.S. state of Wisconsin first required its residents to register their motor vehicles and display license plates in 1905. Plates are currently issued by the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) through its Division of Motor Vehicles. Front and rear plates are required for most classes of vehicles, while only rear plates are required for motorcycles and trailers.
Passenger baseplates
1905 to 1941 ImageDates issuedDesignSloganSerial formatSerials issuedNotesRiveted aluminum serial on black platenone12345-W1-W to 21983-W1911Riveted aluminum serial on dark green plate; vertical "1911" at leftnone1234W1W to 1287WFirst dated plate. Issued only to new registrants from August 1 through December 31, 1911.1912Riveted aluminum serial on red plate; vertical "1912" at leftnone12345W1W to approximately 24600W1913Riveted aluminum serial on dark blue plate; vertical "1913" at leftnone12345W1W to approximately 34100W1914Embossed black serial on white plate; vertical "1914" at leftnone12345W1W to approximately 53500WFirst embossed plate.1915Embossed white serial on black plate; "W 15" at rightnone123451 to approximately 795001916Embossed red serial on white plate; vertical "WIS." and "16" at rightnone1234561 to approximately 1150001917Embossed white serial on olive green plate; vertical "WIS." and "17" at rightnone1234561 to approximately 1650001918Embossed black serial on beige plate with border line; "18 W" at rightnone1234561 to approximately 1850001919Embossed yellow serial on green plate with border line; "W 19" at rightnone1234561 to approximately 2240001920Embossed white serial on maroon plate; "W 20" at rightnone1234561 to approximately 2750001921Embossed black serial on gray plate; vertical "WIS" and "21" at rightnone123-4561 to approximately 320-0001922Embossed white serial on olive green plate; vertical "WIS" and "22" at rightnone123-4561 to approximately 360-0001923Embossed red serial on white plate; vertical "WIS" and "23" at rightnone123-4561 to approximately 419-0001924Embossed white serial on black plate; vertical "WIS" and "24" at rightnoneCoded by weight class (A)1925Embossed golden yellow serial on blue plate; vertical "WIS" at left and "25" at bottom rightnone123-456ACoded by weight class (A)1926Embossed black serial on beige plate; "26" at bottom left and vertical "WIS" at rightnoneA123-456Coded by weight class (A)1927Embossed white serial on black plate; vertical "WIS" at left and "27" at bottom rightnone123-456ACoded by weight class (A)1928Embossed black serial on orange plate; "28" at bottom left and vertical "WIS" at rightnoneA123-456Coded by weight class (A)1929Embossed white serial on green plate; vertical "WIS" at left and "29" at bottom rightnone123-456ACoded by weight class (A)1930Embossed black serial on gray plate; "30" at bottom left and vertical "WIS" at rightnoneA123-456Coded by weight class (A)1931Embossed golden yellow serial on blue plate; vertical "WIS" at left and "31" at bottom rightnone123-456ACoded by weight class (A)1932Embossed blue serial on yellow plate with border line; "WISCONSIN 32" at bottomnone1234561 to approximately 582000First use of the full state name. Plates under 1000 used small plates through 1933.1933Embossed white serial on dark blue plate with border line; "WISCONSIN 33" at topnone123-4561 to approximately 566-0001934Embossed black serial on white plate with border line; "WISCONSIN 34" at bottomnone123-4561 to approximately 578-000Plates under 10000 used small plates through 19391935Embossed white serial on black plate with border line; "WISCONSIN 35" at topnone123-4561 to approximately 610-0001936Embossed green serial on white plate with border line; "36 WISCONSIN" at bottomnone123-4561 to approximately 667-0001937Embossed white serial on dark blue plate with border line; "37 WISCONSIN" at topnone123-4561 to approximately 714-0001938Embossed black serial on silver plate with border line; "WISCONSIN 1938" at bottomnone123-4561 to approximately 706-0001939Embossed white serial on black plate with border line; "WISCONSIN 1939" at topnone123-4561 to approximately 723-0001940Embossed red serial on white plate with border line; "WISCONSIN 1940" at top"AMERICA'S DAIRYLAND" at bottom123-4561 to430-350First use of the "America's Dairyland" slogan.As above, but with taller serial dies and vertical "WIS-40" used as separator430-351 to approximately 747-0001941Embossed black serial on golden yellow plate; "19 WISCONSIN 41" at bottom"AMERICA'S DAIRYLAND" at top123-4561 to approximately 791-000
1942 to 1952 ImageDates issuedDesignSloganSerial formatSerials issuedNotesEmbossed golden yellow serial on black plate; "19 WISCONSIN 42" at bottom"AMERICA'S DAIRYLAND" at top123 4561 to 772 000Corners were rounded and plates were revalidated for 1943 with white tabs, for 1944 with green tabs, and for 1945 with white tabs, due to metal conservation for World War II. Front plates were removed and replaced with windshield stickers around 1943. Large plates stopped issuing at in 1942 and resumed issuing in 1943. Late 1942-late 1943Embossed golden yellow serial on black plate with border line; "WIS" at bottom left, embossed oval with debossed date in bottom right cornernoneA12, A1B, AB1, ABC, 12A, 1A2, 1AB, A123, 1A23A00 to ZZZ, 00A to 9ZZ, A000 to Z999, 0A00 to 9K99Plates were small to save metal for the war. Plates used every serial possible in a three digit format then overflowed to a four digit format; serial formats for three digit plates would progress from A00 to A09, then A0A and so on, treating the letters like numbers. I, L, M, O, Q, and W were not used in serials. Early plates were dated 1942 with the oval the same color as the serial, rest of plates were dated 43 and the oval was white. Plates were validated to 1945 with horizontal tabs in the same color as large plates.1946–49Embossed white serial on black plate; "EXP WISCONSIN" at top, "46" or "47" at top right"AMERICA'S DAIRYLAND" at bottom1 12345 12345Coded by month of expiration (1 or )Plates were set to expire between June 1946 and May 1947; later plates didn't have a "46" or "47" date designation. Plates were revalidated for 1947 with orange tabs, for 1948 with yellow tabs, for 1949 with green tabs, for 1950 with light blue tabs, for 1951 with white tabs, and for 1952 with golden yellow tabs.October 1949–52As above, but with square corners and thinner serial dies1 123451 123-456 12345Validated for 1950, 1951 and 1952 in the same manner as for 1946–49 plates. Serials for each month continued from where these plates left off.
1953 to 1967 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 1956 (dated 1957) issue was the first Wisconsin license plate that complied with these standards. ImageDates issuedDesignSloganSerial formatSerials issuedNotesEmbossed black serial on golden yellow plate; "WIS" at top left; month of expiration and "53" at top right"AMERICA'S DAIRYLAND" centered at bottomA12-345Letter corresponds to month of expiration (see right)Letters A, B, C, D, E, H, J, K, L, P, T and V were used for January through December respectively; this practice continued through 1960. Revalidated for 1954 with red tabs. 1955–56Embossed green serial on white plate; "WIS" at top left; month of expiration and "55" at top right"AMERICA'S DAIRYLAND" centered at bottomA12-345First letter corresponds to month of expirationTwo-letter serial format introduced in months where serials in the one-letter format had been exhausted. Revalidated for 1956 with yellow tabs. Late plates and remakes measured 6" x 12". 1957–58Embossed black serial on golden yellow plate; "WIS" at top left; month of expiration and "57" at top right"AMERICA'S DAIRYLAND" centered at bottomA12-345AB-1234First letter corresponds to month of expirationFirst base plate where all plates are 6" x 12". Revalidated for 1958 with white tabs. K, L, and N used as overflow second letters through 1960. 1959–60Embossed dark green serial on white plate; "WIS" at top left; month of expiration and "59" at top right"AMERICA'S DAIRYLAND" centered at bottomA12-345AB-1234First letter corresponds to month of expirationRevalidated for 1960 with orange tabs. 1961–62Embossed black serial on light yellow plate; "WIS" at top left; month of expiration and "61" at top right"AMERICA'S DAIRYLAND" centered at bottomA12-345Letter corresponds to month of expirationTwo letters assigned for each month (A and B for January, C and D for February and so on up to Y and Z for December, with I and O excluded); this practice continued until 1986. Revalidated for 1962 with stickers. 1963–64Embossed blue serial on white plate; "WIS" at top left; month of expiration and "63" at top right"AMERICA'S DAIRYLAND" centered at bottomA12-345Letter corresponds to month of expirationRevalidated for 1964 with stickers.1965–67Embossed white serial on maroon plate; "WIS" at top left; month of expiration and "65" at top right"AMERICA'S DAIRYLAND" centered at bottomA12-345Letter corresponds to month of expirationRevalidated for 1966 and 1967 with stickers.
1968 to present ImageDates issuedDesignSloganSerial formatSerials issuedNotes1968–72Embossed black serial on reflective yellow plate; month of expiration, "WISCONSIN" and debossed "68" at bottom"AMERICA'S DAIRYLAND" centered at topA12-345AB 1234First letter corresponds to month of expiration1973–79Embossed red serial on reflective white plate; month of expiration, "WISCONSIN" and debossed "73" at bottom"AMERICA'S DAIRYLAND" centered at topA12-345AB 1234First letter corresponds to month of expiration1980 – June1986As 1968–72 base, but with debossed "80" at bottom right"AMERICA'S DAIRYLAND" centered at topA12-345AB 1234First letter corresponds to month of expirationRevalidated until 1993.July1986 – March 1987Embossed dark blue serial on reflective white plate; "WISCONSIN" screened in dark blue at top left and graphics screened at top right featuring a sailboat and sunset, flying geese, and a farm scene; green and dark blue lines separating state name and graphics from serial"America's Dairyland" screened in dark blue centered at bottomAAA-101 toAZZ-999Recalled starting in August 1993 and replaced with plates with red serials (below). Letters I, O and Q not used in serials; this practice continues today.March 1987 – December 1994As above, but with red serialBAA-101 to NMD-999Serial changed from dark blue to red in response to concerns of confusion with Illinois plates of the time.December 1994 – June2000NME-101 to WRE-999Narrower dies. All plates with red serials replaced by the end of 2014.June 2000 – April2017As above, but with black serial, red state name, graphics revised and green line removed"America's Dairyland" screened in red centered at bottom123-ABC101-AAA to999-ZZZBaseplate design updated.
In May 2024, an orange EV HYBRID sticker applied to the top right corner of the front and rear plates became compulsory for electric and hybrid vehicle owners to provide clarity for first responders in an accident. April 2017 – presentAAA-1001 to BDK-2558
Specialty plates