The U.S. state of Montana first required its residents to register their motor vehicles and display license plates in 1913.
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 {{convert|6|in|cm}} in height by {{convert|12|in|cm}} in width, with standardized mounting holes.[1] The 1956 (dated 1957) issue was the first Montana license plate that complied with these standards.
| Image | Dates issued | Design | Slogan | Serial format | Serials issued | Notes |
|---|
| 1913–14}} | Embossed black numbers on white plate; "M" at right | none | 12345 | 1 to approximately 10500 | Front plates were perforated in order to allow air to pass through to the vehicle's radiator, while rear plates were solid. |
| 1915 | Embossed white numbers on black plate; "MON 1915" at right | none | 12345 | 100 to approximately 14500 | First dated plate. |
| 1916 | Embossed light green numbers on dark green plate; "MON 1916" at right | none | 12345 | 100 to approximately 24500 |
| 1917 | Embossed red numbers on gray plate; "MONT -17" at right | none | 12345 | 1 to approximately 42000 |
| 1918 | Embossed white numbers on dark blue plate; "MONT 1918" at left | none | 12345 | 1 to approximately 51000 |
| 1919 | Embossed dark green numbers on light green plate with border line; "MONT –19" at left | none | 12345 | 1 to approximately 58000 |
| 1920 | Embossed white numbers on black plate with border line; "MONT –20" at left | none | 12345 | 1 to approximately 61000 |
| 1921 | Embossed white numbers on maroon plate with border line; "MONT –21" at left | none | 12345 | 1 to approximately 57000 |
| 1922 | Embossed black numbers on orange plate; "MONT –22" at left | none | 12345 | 1 to approximately 55000 |
| 1923 | Embossed red numbers on white plate; "MONT –23" at left | none | 12345 | 1 to approximately 66000 |
| 1924 | Embossed white numbers on dark blue plate; "MONT –24" at left | none | 12345 | 1 to approximately 70000 |
| 1925 | Embossed white numbers on red plate; "MONT –25" at left | none | 12345 | 1 to approximately 82000 |
| 1926 | Embossed white numbers on black plate with border line; "MONT –26" at left | none | 12-345 | 1 to approximately 90-000 |
| 1927 | Embossed black numbers on green plate with border line; "MONT –27" at left | none | 12-345 | 1 to approximately 95-000 |
| 1928 | Embossed black numbers on orange plate with border line; "MONTANA–28" centered at bottom | none | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 103-000 | First use of the full state name. |
| 1929 | Embossed black numbers on white plate with border line; "MONTANA–29" centered at bottom | none | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 115-000 |
| 1930 | As 1928 base, but with "MONTANA–30" at bottom | none | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 107-000 |
| 1931 | As 1929 base, but with "MONTANA–31" at bottom | none | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 103-000 |
| 1932 | Embossed white numbers on black plate with border line; "MONTANA–32" centered at bottom | none | 12-345 | 1 to approximately 87-000 |
| 1933 | Embossed orange numbers on maroon plate with state-shaped border; "MONTANA–33" below numbers | none | 12-345 | 1 to approximately 83-000 |
| 1934 | Embossed orange numbers on black plate with state-shaped border; "34–MONTANA" below numbers | none | 1-1234
10-1234 | Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10) | First use of county codes. |
| 1935 | Embossed white numbers on black plate with state-shaped border; "MONTANA–35" below numbers | none | 1-1234
10-1234 | Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10) |
| 1936 | Embossed black numbers on orange plate with state-shaped border; "36–MONTANA" below numbers | none | 1-1234
10-1234 | Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10) |
| 1937 | Embossed black numbers on green plate with state-shaped border; "MONTANA–37" below numbers | none | 1-12345
10-1234 | Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10) |
| 1938 | Embossed black numbers and buffalo skull separator on orange plate with state-shaped border; "MONTANA–38" below numbers | none | 1}}-12345
{{small|1/0}}-1234 | 1}} or {{small|1/0}}) |
| 1939 | Embossed orange numbers on black plate with state-shaped border; "MONTANA–39" below numbers | none | 1-12345
10-1234 | Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10) |
| 1940 | Embossed white numbers on blue plate with state-shaped border; "MONTANA–40" below numbers | none | 1-12345
10-1234 | Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10) |
| 1941 | Embossed blue numbers on white plate with state-shaped border; "MONTANA–41" below numbers | none | 1-12345
10-1234 | Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10) |
| 1942–43 | Embossed white numbers on black plate with state-shaped border; "MONTANA–42" below numbers | none | 1-12345
10-1234 | Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10) | Revalidated for 1943 with red tabs, due to metal conservation for World War II. |
| 1944 | White numbers on green fiberboard plate; "MONTANA-1944" centered at bottom | none | 1-12345
10-1234 | Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10) | Manufactured on soybean-based fiberboard due to ongoing metal conservation. |
| 1945 | Embossed white numbers on black plate with state-shaped border; "MONTANA–45" below numbers | none | 1-12345
10-1234 | Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10) |
| 1946–47 | Embossed black numbers on white plate with state-shaped border; "MONTANA–46" below numbers | none | 1-12345
10-1234 | Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10) | Revalidated for 1947 with windshield stickers. |
| 1948 | Embossed white numbers on black plate with state-shaped border; "MONTANA–48" below numbers | none | 1-12345
10-1234 | Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10) |
| 1949 | Embossed black numbers on white plate with state-shaped border; "MONTANA–49" below numbers | none | 1-12345
10-1234 | Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10) |
| 1950 | Embossed white numbers on black plate with state-shaped border; "MONTANA–50" below numbers | "THE TREASURE STATE" at top | 1-12345
10-1234 | Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10) |
| 1951–52 | Embossed yellow numbers on blue plate with state-shaped border; "MONTANA–51" below numbers | "THE TREASURE STATE" at top | 1-12345
10-1234 | Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10) | Revalidated for 1952 with windshield stickers. |
| 1953–54 | Embossed white numbers on black plate with state-shaped border; "MONTANA–53" below numbers | "THE TREASURE STATE" at top | 1-12345
10-1234 | Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10) | Revalidated for 1954 with silver tabs. |
| 1955–56 | Embossed white numbers on red plate with state-shaped border; "MONTANA–55" below numbers | "THE TREASURE STATE" at top | 1-12345
10-1234 | Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10) | Revalidated for 1956 with silver tabs. |
| 1957–58 | Embossed white numbers on black plate with border line; "MONTANA–57" centered at bottom | none | 1/}} 12345
{{small|1/0}} 1234 | 1}} or {{small|1/0}}) | First 6" x 12" plate. Revalidated for 1958 with silver tabs. |
| 1959–62 | Embossed black numbers on unpainted aluminum plate with state-shaped border; "MONTANA 59" below numbers, stamped "PRISON MADE" beneath state outline | none | 1·12345
10·1234 | Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10) | Revalidated for 1960 with yellow tabs, for 1961 with black tabs, and for 1962 with blue tabs. |
| 1963–66 | As 1959–62 base, but with "MONTANA 63" below numbers | "TREASURE STATE" centered at top | 1·12345
10·1234 | Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10) | Revalidated for 1964 with black tabs, for 1965 with blue tabs, and for 1966 with yellow tabs. |
| 1967 | Embossed yellow numbers on light blue plate with state-shaped border; "MONTANA 67" below numbers | "BIG SKY COUNTRY" centered at top | 1·12345
10·1234 | Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10) |
| 1968–69 | Embossed green numbers on reflective white plate with state-shaped border; "MONTANA" and debossed "68" below numbers | "BIG SKY COUNTRY" centered at top | 1·12345
10·1234 | Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10) | Revalidated for 1969 with stickers. |
| 1970–72 | Embossed blue numbers on reflective white plate with state-shaped border; "MONTANA" and debossed "70" below numbers | "BIG SKY COUNTRY" centered at top | 1·12345
10·1234 | Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10) | Revalidated for 1971 and 1972 with stickers. |
| 1973–74 | Debossed white numbers on reflective green plate with state-shaped border; debossed buffalo skull in bottom left corner; "MONTANA 73" below numbers | "BIG SKY COUNTRY" centered at top | 1·12345
10·1234 | Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10) | Revalidated for 1974 with stickers. |
| 1975 | Debossed white numbers on reflective blue plate with state-shaped border; debossed buffalo skull in bottom left corner; "MONTANA 75" below numbers | "BIG SKY COUNTRY" centered at top | 1·12345
10·1234 | Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10) |
| Image | Dates issued | Design | Slogan | Serial format | Serials issued | Notes |
|---|
| 1976–91}} | Embossed sky blue numbers on reflective white plate with screened red state-shaped border; red "76 Bicentennial" logo and sky blue buffalo skull screened at top left and bottom left corners respectively; red band screened above numbers containing "MONTANA" in white block letters; screened sky blue "'76" in bottom right corner | "BIG SKY" screened in sky blue block letters centered at bottom | 1·123456
10·12345 | Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10) | A straight-line die was originally used for the number '1', before being replaced by a serifed version. |
| 1991–2000 | Embossed dark blue numbers on reflective sky blue and white gradient plate; white and pale blue state outline screened around plate and yellow, orange and purple band, resembling a mountain range, screened above numbers; "MONTANA" screened in white block letters in top left corner | "Big Sky" screened in sky blue handwritten font in bottom right corner, along with a sky blue buffalo skull | 1P·1234A
3P·123AB
10·1234A | Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10) | Letters I, O, Q, R and V not used in serials.[2] Three-digit, two-letter serials briefly issued in Yellowstone County after 3P·9999Z was reached. |
| 2000–03 | Embossed black numbers on reflective graphic plate with sky blue background and gradient sky blue and white state shape containing purple mountain range and orange badlands; "MONTANA" screened in blue block letters centered above numbers; "2000" screened in white above state name | "BIG SKY" screened in sky blue block letters in bottom left corner, with words separated by a blue buffalo skull | 1·A12345
10·A1234 | Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10) | |
| 2003–06 | As above, but with numbers screened rather than embossed |
| 2006–09 | Screened black numbers, with buffalo skull as separator, on reflective graphic plate with gradient dark blue and white background, yellow state outline and mountain range and forest at bottom; "MONTANA" screened in gold stylized serifed letters, with curved underline, centered above numbers | "Big Sky Country" screened in brown serifed letters between state name and numbers | 1C-12345
1C-1234A
10-12345 | Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10) | Still currently revalidated, due to mixed reception of the 2010 blue base (below) and financial concerns. |
| 2010–present | Screened white numbers, with buffalo skull as separator, on reflective blue plate with white state-shaped border; "MONTANA - 10" screened in white block letters centered below numbers | "TREASURE STATE" screened in white block letters centered at top | 1-12345A
10-1234A | Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10) |
| 2012–present | As 1991–2000 base, but with numbers screened and buffalo skull used as separator | "Big Sky" as on original 1991–2000 base | Replicas of 1991, 2000 and 2006 bases and the optional Montana Centennial plate, issued due to mixed reception of the 2010 blue base. Motorists can choose any one of these five plates. Montana Centennial replicas use the same serial format as current optional plates. New serial font, similar to that used in Arizona, introduced on all plates in mid-2016.[3] |
| As 2000–06 base, with numbers screened as from 2003 onwards, but with buffalo skull used as separator | "BIG SKY" as on original 2000–06 base |
| As 2006–09 base | "Big Sky Country" as on original 2006–09 base |
| As optional Montana Centennial plate (see Optional types below), but with numbers screened | "100 YEARS" as on original Montana Centennial plate | ABC123 | Not issued in blocks |
1. ^{{cite magazine |last=Garrish |first=Christopher |date=October 2016 |title=Reconsidering the Standard Plate Size |magazine=Plates |publisher=Automobile License Plate Collectors Association |volume=62 |number=5}}
2. ^{{cite web|url=http://www.allaboutlicenseplates.com/athome.asp?State=Montana |title=Montana License Plates |publisher=allaboutlicenseplates.com |accessdate=July 5, 2018}}
3. ^{{cite web|url=https://dojmt.gov/montana-license-plates-feature-new-larger-font/ |title=Montana License Plates To Feature New, Larger Font |publisher=Montana Department of Justice |date=August 8, 2016 |accessdate=April 1, 2017}}