# Vehicle registration plates of the United States for 1911

Vehicle registration plates of the United States by year :
| Vehicle registration plates of the United States for 1910 | Events of 1911 | Vehicle registration plates of the United States for 1912 |
In 1911 Alabama, Arkansas, Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, North Dakota, and Oregon joined the list of states and territories providing license plates to vehicle owners, and no new states entered the prestate era. There were now 26 states and 2 territories that were issuing license plates and 10 other states requiring owners to provide their own license plates.

## Passenger baseplates

In the table below, a light green background indicates that the owner of the vehicle was required to provide their own license plates. These plates are called "prestate" by most collectors. In the prestate era many states only provided the license plate number on a small disc or on paper, and the owner was required to have their license plate(s) made. These early license plates were created from kits that could be purchased at a hardware store, may have been available from automobile clubs or associations, they were forged by blacksmiths or other tradesmen, or the owner may have made their own plate with whatever materials they had on hand. Prestate plates were made from a variety of materials, but most often were made of leather, steel, or wood.
| Legend: | Regular state issue plate(s) | Prestate era plate(s) | No plates issued by state or territory |
| State | Design | Slogan | Serial format | Serials issued | Notes |
| Alabama | | | | | Plates were valid from October 1, 1911, to September 30, 1912. See the 1912 entry for these plates. This plate registration system continued through 1975–76. |
| Alaska | | | | | No prestate plates. State issued plates begin in 1921. |
| American Samoa | | | | | No prestate plates. Territory issued plates begin in 1924. |
| Arizona | | | | | No prestate plates. State issued plates begin in 1914. |
| Arkansas | Black serial on white porcelain plate with border line; vertical "ARK" and "1911" at left and right respectively | none | 1234 | 1 to about 1600 | First year for state issued plates. |
| California | Black serial on white and many variations | none | 12345 | New plates numbered 30478 to 61784 | Plates 1 - 30477 still valid; This plate number was issued during August 1911. State issued plates begin in 1914. |
| Canal Zone | | | | | |
| Colorado | | | | | No prestate plates. State issued plates begin in 1913. |
| Connecticut | Blue serial number on white porcelain plate | none | C12345 | C1 to about C14000 | |
| Delaware | White numbers on dark blue porcelain; "DEL. 1911" at top | none | 1234 | 1 to about 1500 | |
| District of Columbia | White numbers on black porcelain plate; "DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA" at top | none | 12345 | Previous issues plus 6273 - 9289 | Not all were issued with some blocks of numbers possibly reserved for motorcycles |
| Florida | Owner provided white numbers on black plate | none | 12345 | | State issued plates begin in 1918. |
| Georgia | Black numbers on bare aluminum base | none | 12345 | 1 to about 10000 | Rolled edges and individual numbers slide into plate; valid until 1913 |
| Guam | | | | | No prestate plates. Territory issued plates begin in 1916. |
| Hawai'i | | | | | No prestate plates. Territory issued plates begin in 1922. |
| Idaho | | | | | No prestate plates. State issued plates begin in 1913. |
| Illinois | Black on white; vertical "ILL" at right | none | 12345 | 1 to about 38269 | First year for state issued plates. No year on plates; two plates (pairs) issued for each vehicle. |
| Indiana | | | | | State issued plates begin in 1913. |
| Iowa | Embossed white serial number on dark blue plate with border line; "IA 1911" at right | none | 12345 | 2001 to about 29900 | First year for state issued plates. |
| Kansas | | | | | No prestate plates. State issued plates begin in 1913. |
| Kentucky | White serial number on black porcelain plate; vertical "KY" at right side with circle containing 'B' below | none | 1234 | 1 to about 3200 | Two plates (pairs) issued for each vehicle |
| Louisiana | | | | | No prestate plates. State issued plates begin in 1915. |
| Maine | White serial number on red porcelain plate; "MAINE" centered at bottom | none | 12345 | 1 to about 10050 | Manufacturing date code on back of some plates; multiple variations known |
| Maryland | White numbers on black porcelain plate; large "MD" over "1911" at right | none | 1234 | 1000 to about 8050 | |
| Massachusetts | White serial number on blue porcelain plate; vertical "MASS" at left; vertical "1911" at right | none | 12345 | 1 to about 32800 | Two plates (pairs) issued for each vehicle |
| Michigan | White serial numbers on black porcelain plate; state seal at top left with "MICH" over "1911" below | none | 12345 | 1 to about 27550 | Plates ending in the letter "M" are dealer or manufacturer plates; two plates (pairs) issued for each vehicle |
| Minnesota | White serial numbers on dark blue porcelain plate; vertical "MINN" at left and vertical "1911" at right | none | 12345 | 1 to about 19550 | Two plates (pairs) issued for each vehicle |
| Mississippi | | | | | No prestate plates. State issued plates begin in 1912. |
| Missouri | Embossed unpainted aluminum numbers on yellow plate; "MISSOURI 1911" at bottom | none | 12345 | 1 to about 16200 | First year for state issued plates. Paint on numbers was buffed off to expose aluminum below |
| Montana | | | | | Prestate plates start in 1913. State issued plates begin in 1915. |
| Nebraska | Prestate owner provided plate with white serial numbers on black background | none | 12345 | 1 to about 64000(?) | State issued plates begin in 1915. As with most prestate license plates, there is a large variation in the plates created |
| Nevada | | | | | Prestate plates start in 1913. State issued plates begin in 1916. |
| New Hampshire | White serial number on green porcelain plate; "N.H." centered at bottom | none | 1234 | 1 to about 7250 | Manufacturing date code on back of some plates; multiple variations known |
| New Jersey | Red serial number on light gray porcelain plate; "NJ" over riveted state seal over "11" at right | none | 12345 | 1 to about 38000 | |
| New Mexico | | | | | Last year for prestate plates. State issued plates begin in 1912. |
| New York | Embossed white serial on maroon plate; vertical "NY" at right | none | 12345 | 1 to about 81300 | "M" prefix plates are dealer plates |
| North Carolina | White serial numbers on black plate | none | 1234 | 1 to about 7000 | State issued plates begin in 1913. Black serial numbers on white plates were also authorized |
| North Dakota | Light orange serial number on black plate; vertical "ND" at left and vertical "1911" at right | none | 1234 | 1 to about 7000(?) | First year for state issued plates. |
| Northern Mariana Islands | | | | | No prestate plates. Territory issued plates begin in 1944. |
| Ohio | Black serial number on white porcelain plate; vertical "OHIO" at left and vertical "1911" at right | none | 12345 | 1 to about 46000 | |
| Oklahoma | | | | | No prestate plates. State issued plates begin in 1915. |
| Oregon | Embossed black serial on yellow plate with border line; vertical "ORE" at left and vertical "1911" at right | none | 1234 | 1 to about 6200 | First year for state issued plates. Two plates (pairs) issued for each vehicle |
| Pennsylvania | Black serial number on yellow porcelain; "PENNA" over aluminum riveted keystone seal over "1911" at left | none | 12345 | 1 to about 43900 | Beveled edge on higher numbered plates |
| Puerto Rico | | | | | No prestate plates. Territory issued plates begin in 1912. |
| Rhode Island | White serial numbers on black porcelain plate; "RI" at right | none | 1234 | 1 to 7978 | Some plates have a seriffed letter "I" in the "RI" state abbreviation |
| South Carolina | | | | | No prestate plates. State issued plates begin in 1917. |
| South Dakota | White serial numbers on black background | none | 12345 | | State issued plates begin in 1913. |
| Tennessee | Generally white serial numbers on black background, but the reverse coloring is also known to exist | none | 12345 | | State issued plates begin in 1915. |
| Texas | White serial numbers on black background | none | 12345 | | No prestate plates. State issued plates begin in 1917. |
| U.S. Virgin Islands | | | | | No prestate plates. Territory issued plates begin in 1917. |
| Utah | Usually white serial numbers on black background | none | 1234 | | State issued plates begin in 1915. |
| Vermont | Black serial number on white porcelain plate with border line; large "VT." over smaller "1911" at right | none | 1234 | 1 to about 3300 | Holes with grommets at the four corners |
| Virginia | White serial number on dark blue porcelain plate; "VA." over long dash symbol over "1911" at right | none | 1234 | 1 to about 4000 | |
| Washington | White serial number on black background; "WN" at left of serial number | none | 1234 | 1 to 11897 | State issued plates begin in 1915. |
| West Virginia | White serial number on dark blue porcelain plate; large "W" over "VA." over smaller 1910" at right; "LICENSED" centered at top between bolt slots | none | 1234 | 1 to about 1700 | Grommets at four corner bolt holes |
| Wisconsin | Riveted aluminum serial number on black zinc plate | none | 12345-W | 15212-W to 21983-W | Issued only January through July; replaced in 1912. |
| Wisconsin | Riveted aluminum serial number on dark green plate; vertical "1911" at left | none | 1234W | 1W to 1287W | Issued only for new registrations between August and December 1911 |
| Wyoming | | | | | No prestate plates. State issued plates begin in 1913. |