The U.S. state of Washington first required its residents to register their motor vehicles in 1905. Registrants provided their own license plates for display until 1915, when the state began to issue plates.[1]
| Image | Dates issued | Design | Slogan | Serial format | Serials issued | Notes |
|---|
| 1915–16}} | Embossed white serial on dark blue plate with border line; vertical "WN" and "1916" at left and right respectively | none | 12345 | 1 to approximately 45000, with gaps (see right) | Single series of all-numeric serials used for all classes of vehicles, including trucks, vehicles for hire and dealer vehicles.[2] |
| 1916–17 | Embossed white serial on lavender plate with border line; "WN" at left and vertical "X17" at right | none | 12345 | 1 to approximately 64000, with gaps | The 'X' indicated the passenger class of vehicles; other letters were used for other classes.[2] |
| 1917–18 | Embossed white serial on black plate with border line; "WN" at left and vertical "X18" at right | none | 12345 | 1 to approximately 96000, with gaps |
| 1918–19 | Embossed black serial on yellow plate with border line; "WN X-19" at left | none | 123456 | 1 to approximately 114000 | Revalidated until February 29, 1920 with white porcelain tabs. |
| 1919–20 | Black serial on yellow and white porcelain plate; "WN X-20" on white section at left | none | 123456 | 144001 to approximately 157000, with gaps | Both these plates issued only to new registrants. |
| As above, but fully embossed with border line | none | 123456 | 157501 to approximately 194000, with gaps |
| 1920–21 | Embossed white serial on green plate; "WN X-21" at left | none | 123456 | 1 to approximately 181000, with gaps |
| 1921 | Embossed black serial on gray plate; "WN X:21" at left | none | 123456 | 1 to approximately 184000, with gaps |
| 1922 | Embossed white serial on brown plate; "WN X-22" at left | none | 123456 | 1 to approximately 195000, with gaps |
| 1923 | Embossed dark blue serial on white plate; "WN X:23" at left | none | 123456 | 1 to 200000; 300001 to approximately 319000 |
| 1924 | Embossed white serial on dark blue plate; "WN X:24" at left | none | 123456 | 1 to approximately 253000 |
| 1925 | Embossed dark blue serial on white plate; "WN X-25" at left | none | 123456 | 1 to approximately 282000 |
| 1926 | Embossed white serial on green plate; "WASHINGTON" at bottom, slightly offset to right; vertical "X26" at left | none | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 311-000 | First use of the full state name. |
| 1927 | Embossed green serial on white plate; "WASHINGTON" at bottom, slightly offset to right; vertical "X27" at left | none | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 326-000 |
| 1928 | Embossed black serial on orange plate with border line; "X WASHINGTON-28" at bottom | none | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 343-000 |
| 1929 | Embossed white serial on green plate with border line; "X WASHINGTON-29" at bottom | none | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 394-000 |
| 1930 | Embossed green serial on white plate with border line; "30 WASHINGTON X" at bottom | none | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 380-000 |
| 1931 | Embossed white serial on green plate with border line; "X WASHINGTON 31" at bottom | none | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 348-000 |
| 1932 | Embossed green serial on white plate with border line; "X 32 WASHINGTON" at bottom | none | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 381-000 |
| 1933 | Embossed white serial on green plate with border line; "X WASHINGTON 33" at top | none | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 359-000 |
| 1934 | Embossed green serial on white plate with border line; "X WASHINGTON 34" at bottom | none | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 358-000 |
| 1935 | Embossed white serial on dark blue plate with border line; "X WASHINGTON 35" at bottom | none | A-12345
123-456
AB-1234 | County-coded
(A or AB) | First use of county codes, and last use of 'X' to indicate the passenger class. Six-digit all-numeric serials issued in King County following A-99999; this occurred again in 1936.[2] |
| 1936 | Embossed dark blue serial on white plate with border line; "19 WASHINGTON 36" at bottom | none | A-12345
123-456
AB-1234 | County-coded
(A or AB) |
| 1937 | Embossed white serial on dark blue plate with border line; "WASHINGTON 1937" at top | none | A-123-456}}
AB-1234 | County-coded
(A or AB) |
| 1938 | Embossed green serial on white plate with border line; "1938 WASHINGTON" at top | none | A-123-456
AB-1234 | County-coded
(A or AB) |
| 1939 | Embossed golden yellow serial on green plate with border line; "STATE OF WASHINGTON" at bottom | "1889-GOLDEN JUBILEE-1939" at top | A-123-456
AB-1234 | County-coded
(A or AB) | Commemorated Washington's 50 years of statehood. |
| 1940 | Embossed green serial on white plate with border line; "WASHINGTON 1940" at bottom | none | A-123-456
AB-1234 | County-coded
(A or AB) |
| 1941 | Embossed white serial on green plate with border line; "WASHINGTON 1941" at top | none | A-123-456
AB-1234 | County-coded
(A or AB) |
| 1942–44 | Embossed green serial on white plate; "WASHINGTON 1942" at bottom | none | A-123-456
AB-1234 | County-coded
(A or AB) | Revalidated for 1943 and 1944 with windshield stickers, due to metal conservation for World War II. |
| 1944 | As 1942 base, but with "WASHINGTON 1944" at bottom | none | 12345 | 1 to approximately 89000 | Issued only to new registrants. |
| 1945–46 | Embossed green serial on white plate; "WASHINGTON 1945" at top | none | A-123-456
AB-1234 | County-coded
(A or AB) | Revalidated for 1946 with windshield stickers. |
| 1947–48 | Embossed green serial on unpainted aluminum plate; "WASHINGTON 1947" at bottom | none | A·123·456
AB·1234 | County-coded
(A or AB) | Revalidated for 1948 with windshield stickers. |
| 1949 | Embossed green serial on unpainted aluminum plate; "WASHINGTON 1949" at top | none | A123·456
AB·1234 | County-coded
(A or AB) |
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.[3] The first Washington license plate that complied with these standards was a modification of the 1954 plate, introduced in January 1956.
| Image | Dates issued | Design | Slogan | Serial format | Serials issued | Notes |
|---|
| 1950 | Embossed green serial on white plate; "WASHINGTON 50" at bottom | none | A123·456
AB·1234 | County-coded
(A or AB) | Revalidated for 1951 with silver tabs, for 1952 with windshield stickers, and for 1953 with green tabs. |
| 1951–53 | As above, but with "51" instead of "50" | Single plate issued only to new registrants. Revalidated for 1952 and 1953 in the same manner as for 1950 plates. |
| 1954–57 | Embossed white serial on green plate; "54 WASHINGTON" at bottom | none | 123-456 A
{{nowrap|12-345 AB}} | County-coded
(A or AB) | Revalidated for 1955 with silver tabs, for 1956 with white tabs, and for 1957 with green tabs. |
| 1956–57 | As above, but to 6" x 12" size, and with narrower dies and border line | Validated for 1956 and 1957 in the same manner as for 1954–55 plates. |
| 1958–62 | Embossed white serial on green plate with border line; "WASHINGTON" centered at bottom | none | ABC 123 | County-coded | Validated each year with plate stickers. |
| 1963–64 | Embossed green serial on non-reflective white plate with border line; "WASH. 63" centered at bottom | none | ABC 123 | County-coded (until 1981) | |
| 1965–67 | As above, but with "WASHINGTON" centered at bottom |
| 1968–82 | As above, but reflective, and with "WASHINGTON" at top, offset to left |
| 1983–86 | As above, but with "WASHINGTON" screened rather than embossed |
1987 –
late
1990 | Embossed dark blue serial on reflective white plate with light blue Mount Rainier graphic and dark blue border line; "Washington" screened in red centered at top | "Centennial Celebration" screened in red centered at bottom | 123-ABC | 000-AAA to 999-DGP | |
late
1990 –
July
1998 | none | 000-DGQ to}} 999-JNZ |
July
1998 –
December 31, 2009 | As above, but without dark blue border line, and with "WASHINGTON" screened in red at top, offset to left | "EVERGREEN STATE" screened in red centered at bottom | 000-JOA to 999-ZZZ |
| January 1, 2010 – present | ABC1234 | AAA0000 to BOT9999 (as of April 2, 2019) |
1. ^{{cite web|url=http://leatherlicenseplates.com/old-washington-license-plates-vintage-washington-license-plates/ |title=Old Washington License Plates |publisher=LeatherLicensePlates.com |accessdate=July 10, 2017}}
2. ^1 2 {{cite web|url=http://www.allaboutlicenseplates.com/athome.asp?State=Washington |title=Washington License Plates |publisher=allaboutlicenseplates.com |accessdate=September 4, 2017}}
3. ^{{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}}