# Vehicle registration plates of Montana

The U.S. state of Montana first required its residents to register their motor vehicles and display license plates in 1913. As of 2024, plates are issued by the Montana Department of Justice through its Motor Vehicle Division. Front and rear plates are required for most classes of vehicles, while only rear plates are required for motorcycles and trailers.

## Passenger baseplates
### 1913 to 1975

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 6 inches (15 cm) in height by 12 inches (30 cm) in width, with standardized mounting holes. The 1956 (dated 1957) issue was the first Montana license plate that complied with these standards.
| Dates issued | Design | Slogan | Serial format | Serials issued | Notes |
| 1913–14 | Embossed black serial 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 serial on black plate; "MON 1915" at right | none | 12345 | 100 to approximately 14500 | First dated plate. |
| 1916 | Embossed light green serial on dark green plate; "MON 1916" at right | none | 12345 | 100 to approximately 24500 | |
| 1917 | Embossed red serial on gray plate; "MONT -17" at right | none | 12345 | 1 to approximately 42000 | |
| 1918 | Embossed white serial on dark blue plate; "MONT 1918" at left | none | 12345 | 1 to approximately 51000 | |
| 1919 | Embossed dark green serial on light green plate with border line; "MONT –19" at left | none | 12345 | 1 to approximately 58000 | |
| 1920 | Embossed white serial on black plate with border line; "MONT –20" at left | none | 12345 | 1 to approximately 61000 | |
| 1921 | Embossed white serial on maroon plate with border line; "MONT –21" at left | none | 12345 | 1 to approximately 57000 | |
| 1922 | Embossed black serial on orange plate; "MONT –22" at left | none | 12345 | 1 to approximately 55000 | |
| 1923 | Embossed red serial on white plate; "MONT –23" at left | none | 12345 | 1 to approximately 66000 | |
| 1924 | Embossed white serial on dark blue plate; "MONT –24" at left | none | 12345 | 1 to approximately 70000 | |
| 1925 | Embossed white serial on red plate; "MONT –25" at left | none | 12345 | 1 to approximately 82000 | |
| 1926 | Embossed white serial on black plate with border line; "MONT –26" at left | none | 12-345 | 1 to approximately 90-000 | |
| 1927 | Embossed black serial on green plate with border line; "MONT –27" at left | none | 12-345 | 1 to approximately 95-000 | |
| 1928 | Embossed black serial 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 serial 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 serial on black plate with border line; "MONTANA–32" centered at bottom | none | 12-345 | 1 to approximately 87-000 | |
| 1933 | Embossed orange serial on maroon plate with state-shaped border; "MONTANA–33" below serial | none | 12-345 | 1 to approximately 83-000 | |
| 1934 | Embossed orange serial on black plate with state-shaped border; "34–MONTANA" below serial | none | 1-1234 10-1234 | Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10) | First use of county codes. |
| 1935 | Embossed white serial on black plate with state-shaped border; "MONTANA–35" below serial | none | 1-1234 10-1234 | Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10) | |
| 1936 | Embossed black serial on orange plate with state-shaped border; "36–MONTANA" below serial | none | 1-1234 10-1234 | Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10) | |
| 1937 | Embossed black serial on green plate with state-shaped border; "MONTANA–37" below serial | none | 1-12345 10-1234 | Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10) | |
| 1938 | Embossed black serial with buffalo skull separator on orange plate with state-shaped border; "MONTANA–38" below serial | none | 1-12345 1/0-1234 | Coded by county of issuance (1 or 1/0) | |
| 1939 | Embossed orange serial on black plate with state-shaped border; "MONTANA–39" below serial | none | 1-12345 10-1234 | Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10) | |
| 1940 | Embossed white serial on blue plate with state-shaped border; "MONTANA–40" below serial | none | 1-12345 10-1234 | Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10) | |
| 1941 | Embossed blue serial on white plate with state-shaped border; "MONTANA–41" below serial | none | 1-12345 10-1234 | Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10) | |
| 1942–43 | Embossed white serial on black plate with state-shaped border; "MONTANA–42" below serial | 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 serial 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 serial on black plate with state-shaped border; "MONTANA–45" below serial | none | 1-12345 10-1234 | Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10) | |
| 1946–47 | Embossed black serial on white plate with state-shaped border; "MONTANA–46" below serial | none | 1-12345 10-1234 | Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10) | Revalidated for 1947 with windshield stickers. |
| 1948 | Embossed white serial on black plate with state-shaped border; "MONTANA–48" below serial | none | 1-12345 10-1234 | Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10) | |
| 1949 | Embossed black serial on white plate with state-shaped border; "MONTANA–49" below serial | none | 1-12345 10-1234 | Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10) | |
| 1950 | Embossed white serial on black plate with state-shaped border; "MONTANA–50" below serial | "THE TREASURE STATE" at top | 1-12345 10-1234 | Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10) | |
| 1951–52 | Embossed yellow serial on blue plate with state-shaped border; "MONTANA–51" below serial | "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 serial on black plate with state-shaped border; "MONTANA–53" below serial | "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 serial on red plate with state-shaped border; "MONTANA–55" below serial | "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 serial on black plate with border line; "MONTANA–57" centered at bottom | none | 1/ 12345 1/0 1234 | Coded by county of issuance (1 or 1/0) | First 6" x 12" plate. Revalidated for 1958 with silver tabs. |
| 1959–62 | Embossed black serial on unpainted aluminum plate with state-shaped border; "MONTANA 59" below serial, 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 serial | "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 serial on light blue plate with state-shaped border; "MONTANA 67" below serial | "BIG SKY COUNTRY" centered at top | 1·12345 10·1234 | Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10) | |
| 1968–69 | Embossed green serial on reflective white plate with state-shaped border; "MONTANA" and debossed "68" below serial | "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 serial on reflective white plate with state-shaped border; "MONTANA" and debossed "70" below serial | "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 serial on reflective green plate with state-shaped border; debossed buffalo skull at bottom left; "MONTANA 73" below serial | "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 serial on reflective blue plate with state-shaped border; debossed buffalo skull at bottom left; "MONTANA 75" below serial | "BIG SKY COUNTRY" centered at top | 1·12345 10·1234 | Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10) | |

### 1976 to present

| Dates issued | Design | Slogan | Serial format | Serials issued | Notes |
| 1976–91 | Embossed sky blue serial 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 respectively; red band screened above serial containing "MONTANA" in white; screened sky blue "'76" at bottom right | "BIG SKY" screened in sky blue 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 serial 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 serial; "MONTANA" screened in white at top left | "Big Sky" screened in sky blue at bottom right, 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. Three-digit, two-letter serials briefly issued in Yellowstone County after 3P·9999Z was reached. |
| 2000–03 | Embossed black serial 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 centered above serial; "2000" screened in white above state name | "BIG SKY" screened in sky blue at bottom left, 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 serial screened rather than embossed | "BIG SKY" screened in sky blue at bottom left, with words separated by a blue buffalo skull | 1·A12345 10·A1234 | Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10) | |
| 2006–09 | Screened black serial with buffalo skull 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, with curved underline, centered above serial | "Big Sky Country" screened in brown between state name and serial | 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 serial with buffalo skull separator on reflective blue plate with white state-shaped border; "MONTANA - 10" screened in white centered below serial | "TREASURE STATE" screened in white centered at top | 1-12345A 10-1234A | Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10) | New serial font, similar to that used in Arizona, introduced in mid-2016. |
| 2012–present | As 1991–2000 base, but with screened black serial with buffalo skull separator | "Big Sky" as on original 1991–2000 base | 1-12345A 10-1234A | Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10) | 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 in mid-2016. |
| 2012–present | As 2000–06 base, with serial screened as from 2003 onwards, but with buffalo skull separator | "BIG SKY" as on original 2000–06 base | 1-12345A 10-1234A | Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10) | 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 in mid-2016. |
| 2012–present | As 2006–09 base | "Big Sky Country" as on original 2006–09 base | 1-12345A 10-1234A | Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10) | 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 in mid-2016. |
| 2012–present | As original Montana Centennial plate (see Optional Plates below), but with serial screened | "100 YEARS" as on original Montana Centennial plate | ABC123 | Not issued in blocks | 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 in mid-2016. |

## Optional plates

All optional plates issued from 2003 onwards use an ABC123 serial format. Since 2012, this format has also been used on the Montana Centennial replica plate (above).
| Type | Dates issued | Design | Slogan | Notes |
| Gallatin Valley Land Trust | | White serial on graphic plate; Gallatin Valley and two silhouettes in background; "MONTANA" in grey at top | "Trails & Conservation" in white at bottom | |
| Glacier National Park | February 2002–2022 | White serial on graphic plate with dark blue state outline and Glacier National Park in background; "MONTANA" in blue with white outline at top | "Glacier National Park" in green at bottom | Still valid for renewals. |
| Glacier National Park | 2022–present | White serial on graphic plate with the northern lights and Saint Mary Lake in background; "MONTANA" in white at top | "Glacier National Park" in white at bottom | |
| Missoula Downtown Foundation | | White serial on black plate with white state outline; small white heart outline to left of serial; "MONTANA" in white at top | "406" in white at bottom right | |
| Montana Concerns of Police Survivors | | White serial on black plate; C.O.P.S. logo at left; "MONTANA" in white at top | "HONORING FALLEN OFFICERS" in white within blue band at bottom | |
| Montana State Golf Association | 2003–present | Black serial on graphic plate with blue sky at top, golf course at bottom and black silhouette of golfer at bottom left; "MONTANA" in cream color at top | "Golf the Big Sky" in blue below serial | |

### Before 2003

| Image | Type | Dates issued | Design | Slogan | Serial format | Serials issued | Notes |
| | Montana Centennial (original) | 1987–89 | Embossed blue serial on graphic plate with gold background, white state shape and brown mountain range at top; "MONTANA" screened in brown at bottom right, with a Montana Centennial logo for the 'O' | "100 YEARS" screened in brown at bottom left | 1ABC12 10AB12 | Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10) | Also issued to trucks, with 1TAB123 and 10TAB12 serial formats. Remained valid until 1996. |

## Non-passenger plates

| Image | Type | Dates issued | Design | Serial format | Serials issued | Notes |
| | Motorcycle | 1988–present | Embossed dark blue serial on white plate; "MONTANA" at bottom and "CYCLE" at top, offset to left | 1-1234 1-A123 1-AB12 10-123 10-A12 10-AB1 | Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10) | |

### Discontinued

| Type | Dates issued | Design | Serial format | Serials issued | Notes |
| Truck | 1976–91 | As 1976 passenger base | 1T·12345 3T·A1234 10T·1234 10T·A123 | Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10) | |
| Truck | 1991–2000 | As 1991 passenger base | 1T·1234A 10T·123A 10T·12AB | Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10) | |
| Truck | 2000–06 | As 2000 passenger base | 1T·A1234 10T·A123 10T·AB12 | Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10) | Truck plates discontinued 2006; passenger plates issued to trucks since. |

## County coding

Montana established a numeric county-code system for its license plates in 1934, which remains in use today (except on optional plates). With some exceptions, the order of the codes is based on the respective populations of the state's 56 counties according to the 1930 United States census.
| Code | County | County seat |
| 1 | Silver Bow | Butte |
| 2 | Cascade | Great Falls |
| 3 | Yellowstone | Billings |
| 4 | Missoula | Missoula |
| 5 | Lewis and Clark | Helena |
| 6 | Gallatin | Bozeman |
| 7 | Flathead | Kalispell |
| 8 | Fergus | Lewistown |
| 9 | Powder River | Broadus |
| 10 | Carbon | Red Lodge |
| 11 | Phillips | Malta |
| 12 | Hill | Havre |
| 13 | Ravalli | Hamilton |
| 14 | Custer | Miles City |
| 15 | Lake | Polson |
| 16 | Dawson | Glendive |
| 17 | Roosevelt | Wolf Point |
| 18 | Beaverhead | Dillon |
| 19 | Chouteau | Fort Benton |
| 20 | Valley | Glasgow |
| 21 | Toole | Shelby |
| 22 | Big Horn | Hardin |
| 23 | Musselshell | Roundup |
| 24 | Blaine | Chinook |
| 25 | Madison | Virginia City |
| 26 | Pondera | Conrad |
| 27 | Richland | Sidney |
| 28 | Powell | Deer Lodge |
| 29 | Rosebud | Forsyth |
| 30 | Deer Lodge | Anaconda |
| 31 | Teton | Choteau |
| 32 | Stillwater | Columbus |
| 33 | Treasure | Hysham |
| 34 | Sheridan | Plentywood |
| 35 | Sanders | Thompson Falls |
| 36 | Judith Basin | Stanford |
| 37 | Daniels | Scobey |
| 38 | Glacier | Cut Bank |
| 39 | Fallon | Baker |
| 40 | Sweet Grass | Big Timber |
| 41 | McCone | Circle |
| 42 | Carter | Ekalaka |
| 43 | Broadwater | Townsend |
| 44 | Wheatland | Harlowton |
| 45 | Prairie | Terry |
| 46 | Granite | Philipsburg |
| 47 | Meagher | White Sulphur Springs |
| 48 | Liberty | Chester |
| 49 | Park | Livingston |
| 50 | Garfield | Jordan |
| 51 | Jefferson | Boulder |
| 52 | Wibaux | Wibaux |
| 53 | Golden Valley | Ryegate |
| 54 | Mineral | Superior |
| 55 | Petroleum | Winnett |
| 56 | Lincoln | Libby |