Vehicle registration plates of Minnesota


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 currently issued by the Driver and Vehicle Services Division of the Minnesota Department of Public Safety. Front and rear plates are required on all vehicles except for motorcycles and trailers.

Passenger baseplates

1909 to 1954

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 at in height by in width, with standardized mounting holes. The 1954 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.
ImageDates issuedDesignSloganSerial formatSerials issuedNotes
1955Embossed yellow serial on maroon plate with border line; "19 MINNESOTA 55" at bottom"10,000 LAKES" centered at topAA 1234First letter corresponds to congressional district of issueFirst 6" x 12" plate. Letters A, B, C, E, F, G, H, J and K were used to indicate the nine congressional districts of the time, in that order.
1955Embossed yellow serial on maroon plate with border line; "19 MINNESOTA 55" at bottom"10,000 LAKES" centered at topLA 1234
MA 1234		LA 1000 to approximately MD 9999Mail-order issues.
1956–57Embossed green serial on reflective white plate with border line; "19 MINNESOTA 56" at bottom"10,000 LAKES" centered at top1A 1234First number corresponds to congressional district of issueRevalidated for 1957 with gold tabs.
1956–57Embossed green serial on reflective white plate with border line; "19 MINNESOTA 56" at bottom"10,000 LAKES" centered at topMA 1234Mail-order issues.
1958–59Embossed blue serial on reflective white plate with border line; "19 MINNESOTA 58" at bottom"10,000 LAKES" centered at top1A 1234First number corresponds to congressional district of issueRevalidated for 1959 with green tabs.
1958–59Embossed blue serial on reflective white plate with border line; "19 MINNESOTA 58" at bottom"10,000 LAKES" centered at topMA 1234Mail-order issues.
1960–61Embossed black serial on reflective white plate with border line; "19 MINNESOTA 60" at bottom"10,000 LAKES" within embossed black bar centered at top1A 1234First number corresponds to congressional district of issueRevalidated for 1961 with blue tabs.
1960–61Embossed black serial on reflective white plate with border line; "19 MINNESOTA 60" at bottom"10,000 LAKES" within embossed black bar centered at topMA 1234Mail-order issues.
1962–64Embossed maroon serial on reflective white plate with border line; "MINNESOTA" within embossed maroon bar centered at bottom; "19" at bottom left and "62" at bottom right"10,000 LAKES" within embossed maroon bar centered at top1A 1234First number corresponds to congressional district of issueRevalidated for 1963 with green tabs, and for 1964 with yellow tabs.
1962–64Embossed maroon serial on reflective white plate with border line; "MINNESOTA" within embossed maroon bar centered at bottom; "19" at bottom left and "62" at bottom right"10,000 LAKES" within embossed maroon bar centered at topMA 1234Mail-order issues.
1965–67Embossed green serial on reflective white plate with border line; "19 MINNESOTA 65" at bottom"10,000 LAKES" centered at top1AB 123First number corresponds to congressional district of issueRevalidated for 1966 and 1967 with stickers.
1965–67Embossed green serial on reflective white plate with border line; "19 MINNESOTA 65" at bottom"10,000 LAKES" centered at topMAB 123MAA 100 to approximately MLC 999Mail-order issues.
1968–70Embossed blue serial on reflective white plate with border line; "MINNESOTA" within embossed blue bar centered at bottom; "19" at bottom left and "68" at bottom right"10,000 LAKES" within embossed blue bar centered at top1AB 123First number corresponds to congressional district of issueRevalidated for 1969 and 1970 with stickers.
1968–70Embossed blue serial on reflective white plate with border line; "MINNESOTA" within embossed blue bar centered at bottom; "19" at bottom left and "68" at bottom right"10,000 LAKES" within embossed blue bar centered at topMAB 123MAA 100 to approximately MNN 999Mail-order issues.
1971–73Embossed green serial on reflective white plate with border line; "19 MINNESOTA 71" at bottom"10,000 LAKES" centered at top1AB 123First number corresponds to congressional district of issueRevalidated for 1972 and 1973 with stickers.
1971–73Embossed green serial on reflective white plate with border line; "19 MINNESOTA 71" at bottom"10,000 LAKES" centered at topMAB 123MAA 100 to approximately MPA 999Mail-order issues.
1974–77Embossed orange serial on reflective white plate with border line; "MINNESOTA" centered at bottom; "19" at top left and "74" at top right"10,000 LAKES" centered at topAB 1234AA 1000 to approximately PW 3999Some plates manufactured using Illinois' serial dies. Monthly staggered registration introduced 1975.
1977Embossed blue serial on reflective white plate with border line; "MINNESOTA" centered at top"10,000 LAKES" centered at bottomABC 123AAA 001 to CGZ 999
1978–82Embossed blue serial on reflective graphic plate featuring a lake scene with pale blue and white water, pale blue sky, green island and trees, and a small green canoe; "Minnesota" screened in blue centered at top"10,000 lakes" screened in blue centered at bottomABC 123CHA 001 to approximately FOR 999
1982–87As above, but with embossed state shape used as separator in serial"10,000 lakes" screened in blue centered at bottomLAA-001 to approximately RME-999
1987–93As 1978–87 base, but with darker colors"EXPLORE" screened in blue to left of state name, giving "Explore Minnesota"; "10,000 lakes" screened in blue centered at bottom001-AAA to approximately 999-HZKReplaced all 1977–87 plates.
1993–97As 1978–87 base, but with darker colors"EXPLORE" screened in blue to left of state name, giving "Explore Minnesota"; "10,000 lakes" screened in blue centered at bottom001-HZL to approximately 999-PYWWhite section of water now fades into the light blue band at the bottom containing the "10,000 lakes" slogan.
1997–2000As 1978–87 base, but with darker colors"EXPLORE" screened in blue to left of state name, giving "Explore Minnesota"; "10,000 lakes" screened in blue centered at bottomAAA-001 to DBZ-999Material changed from steel to aluminum.
2000 – June
2008		As 1978–87 base, but with darker colors"EXPLORE" screened in blue to left of state name, giving "Explore Minnesota"; "10,000 lakes" screened in blue centered at bottomDCA-001 to XZZ-999;
SAA-001 to SZZ-999		White section of water increased in size; fade to light blue at bottom now occurs behind the "10,000 lakes" slogan. 'W', 'Y' and 'Z' series of serials not used; 'S' series issued after 'X' series.
June 2008 – June
2009		As 1987–2008 base, but with screened black serial and dark blue state-shaped separator, and state name in a different serifed font"EXPLORE" and "10,000 lakes" as on 1987–2008 base, but in a different serifed font001-AAA to 999-XZZ'B' series of serials reserved for mail-order issues. 'F', 'S', 'Y' and 'Z' series not used.
June 2009 – September 2017As 1987–2008 base, but with screened black serial and dark blue state-shaped separator, and state name in a different serifed fontAs before but with ".com" added to right of state name, giving "Explore Minnesota.com"001-AAA to 999-XZZ'B' series of serials reserved for mail-order issues. 'F', 'S', 'Y' and 'Z' series not used.
September 2017 – presentAs 1987–2008 base, but with screened black serial and dark blue state-shaped separator, and state name in a different serifed fontAs before but with ".com" added to right of state name, giving "Explore Minnesota.com"AAA-001 to EYL-261 'M' series of serials reserved for mail-order issues.

Non-passenger plates