Vehicle registration plates of Colorado
The U.S. state of Colorado first required its residents to register their motor vehicles and display license plates in 1913., plates are issued by the Colorado Department of Revenue through its Division of Motor Vehicles. Front and rear plates are required for most classes of vehicles, while only rear plates are required for motorcycles and trailers.
The basic design of Colorado's license plate, a range of mountains against a white or green background, has been in use since 1960. In 2000, a screened, more detailed version of the mountain range replaced the previous dark green version.
Passenger baseplates
1913 to 1974
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 1955 issue was the first Colorado license plate that fully complied with these standards: the 1954 issue was 6 inches in height by 12 inches in width, but had non-standard mounting holes.| Image | Dates issued | Design | Slogan | Serial format | Serials issued | Notes |
| 1913 | Black serial on white porcelain plate; vertical "COLO" and "1913" at left and right respectively | none | 12345 | 1 to approximately 14500 | ||
| 1914 | White serial on dark blue porcelain plate; vertical "COLO" and "1914" at left and right respectively | none | 12345 | 1 to approximately 20000 | ||
| 1915 | Black serial on yellow porcelain plate; vertical "COLO" and "1915" at left and right respectively | none | 12345 | 1 to approximately 29000 | ||
| 1916 | Embossed white serial on brown plate with border line; vertical "COLO" and "1916" at left and right respectively | none | 12345 | 1 to approximately 47000 | First embossed plate. Serials issued in blocks by county; this practice continued through 1931. | |
| 1917 | Embossed black serial on pink plate with border line; vertical "COLO" and "1917" at left and right respectively | none | 12345 | 1 to approximately 68000 | ||
| 1918 | Embossed white serial on black plate with border line; vertical "COLO" and "1918" at left and right respectively | none | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 102–000 | ||
| 1919–20 | Welded silver serial on dark brown plate; "COLO." centered at top | none | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 233–000 | Validated for 1919 with dark brown tabs, and for 1920 with dark blue tabs. | |
| 1920 | Embossed silver serial on dark brown plate with border line; vertical "COLO" and "1920" at left and right respectively | none | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 233–000 | Issued only to new registrants. | |
| 1921 | Embossed silver serial on dark blue plate with border line; "COLO-1921" centered at top | none | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 177–000 | ||
| 1922 | Embossed black serial on white plate with border line; stylized vertical "COLO" and "22" at right | none | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 190–000 | ||
| 1923 | Embossed white serial on black plate with border line; "COLO. 1923" centered at bottom | none | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 192–000 | ||
| 1924 | Embossed black serial on beige plate with border line; "COLO. 1924" centered at bottom | none | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 224–000 | ||
| 1925 | Embossed white serial on maroon plate with border line; "COLO. 1925" centered at bottom | none | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 266–000 | ||
| 1926 | Embossed white serial on green plate with border line; "COLO. 1926" centered at bottom | none | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 274–000 | ||
| 1927 | Embossed white serial on black plate with border line; "COLO. 1927" centered at bottom | none | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 308–000 | ||
| 1928 | Embossed maroon serial on beige plate with border line; "COLO. 1928" centered at bottom | none | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 314–000 | ||
| 1929 | Embossed white serial on maroon plate with border line; "COLO. 1929" centered at bottom | none | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 326–000 | ||
| 1930 | Embossed orange serial on black plate with border line; "COLORADO-1930" at top | none | 12-34-56 | 1 to approximately 34–40–00 | First use of the full state name. | |
| 1931 | Embossed black serial on orange plate; "COLORADO-1931" at bottom | none | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 386–000 | ||
| 1932 | Embossed orange serial on black plate; "COLORADO 1932" at bottom | none | 1-12-345 10-1-234 | County-coded | First use of county codes. | |
| 1933 | Embossed black serial on orange plate; "COLORADO 1933" at bottom | none | 1-12345 10-1234 | County-coded | ||
| 1934 | Embossed yellow serial on black plate; "COLORADO 1934" at bottom | none | 1-12345 10-1234 | County-coded | ||
| 1935 | Embossed black serial on yellow plate with border line; "COLO. 1935" centered at top | none | 1-12345 10-1234 | County-coded | ||
| 1936 | Embossed white serial on blue plate with border line; "COLO. 1936" centered at top | none | 1-12345 10-1234 | County-coded | ||
| 1937 | Embossed black serial on silver plate with border line; "COLO. 1937" centered at top | none | 1-12345 10-1234 | County-coded | ||
| 1938 | Embossed white serial on turquoise plate with border line; "19 COLORADO 38" at top | none | 1-12345 10-1234 | County-coded | ||
| 1939 | Embossed yellow serial on black plate with border line; "19 COLORADO 39" at top | none | 1-12345 10-12345 | County-coded | ||
| 1940 | Embossed black serial on yellow plate with border line; "19 COLORADO 40" at top | none | 1-12345 10-12345 | County-coded | ||
| 1941 | Embossed yellow serial on black plate with border line; "19 COLORADO 41" at top | none | 1-123456 10-12345 | County-coded | ||
| 1942 | Embossed white serial on maroon plate with border line; "19 COLORADO 42" at top | none | 1-123456 10-12345 | County-coded | ||
| Embossed yellow serial on black plate with border line; "19 COLORADO 43" at top | none | 1-123456 10-12345 | County-coded | Revalidated for 1944 with yellow tabs, due to metal conservation for World War II. | ||
| 1945 | Embossed white serial on black plate with border line; "19 COLORADO 45" at top | none | 1-12345 10-12345 | County-coded | ||
| 1946 | Embossed yellow serial on black plate with border line; "19 COLORADO 46" at bottom | none | 1-12345 10-12345 | County-coded | ||
| 1947 | Embossed black serial on yellow plate with border line; "19 COLORADO 47" at bottom | none | 1-123456 10-12345 | County-coded | ||
| 1948 | Embossed black serial on unpainted aluminum plate with border line; "19 COLORADO 48" at top | none | 1-123456 10-12345 | County-coded | ||
| 1949 | Embossed yellow serial on black plate with border line; "19 COLORADO 49" at bottom | none | 1-123456 10-12345 | County-coded | ||
| 1950 | Embossed green serial on white plate with border line; "19 COLORADO 50" at bottom | "COLORFUL" centered at top | 1-123456 10-12345 | County-coded | ||
| 1951–52 | Embossed white serial on green plate with border line; "19 COLORADO 51" at bottom | "COLORFUL" centered at top | 1-123456 10-12345 | County-coded | Revalidated for 1952 with yellow tabs, due to metal conservation for the Korean War. | |
| 1953 | Embossed green serial on yellow plate with border line; "19 COLORADO 53" at bottom | "COLORFUL" centered at top | 1-123456 10-12345 | County-coded | ||
| 1954 | Embossed white serial on black plate with border line; "19 COLORADO 54" at bottom | "COLORFUL" centered at top | 1-1234 A1-1234 1A-1234 10-1234 A10-123 10A-123 | County-coded | ||
| 1955 | Embossed black serial on white plate with border line; "COLORADO" at bottom, slightly offset to right; "55" at top right | "Colorful" at top, slightly offset to right | A/1 1234 A/10 1234 | County-coded | ||
| 1956 | Embossed white serial on black plate with border line; "19 COLORADO 56" at bottom | none | A:1234 | A:1 to Z:9999 | Issued in Denver County. | |
| 1956 | Embossed white serial on black plate with border line; "19 COLORADO 56" at bottom | none | A/10 1234 | County-coded | Issued in Arapahoe, Jefferson and Adams Counties. | |
| 1956 | Embossed white serial on black plate with border line; "19 COLORADO 56" at bottom | none | 2:12345 13:1234 | County-coded | Issued in all other counties. | |
| 1957 | Embossed black serial on orange plate with border line; "19 COLORADO 57" at bottom | none | 123-456 | 1001 to approximately 203–000 | Issued in Denver County. | |
| 1957 | Embossed black serial on orange plate with border line; "19 COLORADO 57" at bottom | none | A/10 1234 | County-coded | Issued in Arapahoe, Jefferson, Adams, Logan and Morgan Counties. | |
| 1957 | Embossed black serial on orange plate with border line; "19 COLORADO 57" at bottom | none | 2-12345 14-1234 | County-coded | Issued in all other counties. | |
| 1958 | Embossed green serial on pale green plate with border line; embossed skier graphic at right; "COLORADO 58" at bottom, offset to right | "Colorful" centered at top | A/B 123 | A/A 1 to approximately N/R 999 | Issued in Denver County. | |
| 1958 | Embossed green serial on pale green plate with border line; embossed skier graphic at right; "COLORADO 58" at bottom, offset to right | "Colorful" centered at top | 2 123 2/A 123 A/2 123 1/''0 123 10/A 123 A/10 123 | County-coded | Issued in all other counties. | |
| 1959 | Embossed white serial on green plate with border line; "19 COLORADO 59" at bottom | "Colorful" centered at top | AB-1234 | County-coded | Letters I, O and Q not used in serials; this practice continued until the early 1990s. | |
| 1960–61 | Embossed green serial on white plate with border line; mountain range graphic at top; "19 COLORADO 60" at bottom | none | AB-1234 | County-coded | Revalidated for 1961 with stickers. | |
| 1962 | Embossed white serial on green plate with border line; mountain range graphic at top; "19 COLORADO 62" at bottom | none | AB-1234 | County-coded | ||
| 1963 | Embossed green serial on white plate with border line; mountain range graphic at bottom; "19 COLORADO 63" at top | none | AB-1234 | County-coded | ||
| 1964 | As 1962 base, but with "19 COLORADO 64" at bottom | none | AB-1234 | County-coded | ||
| 1965 | As 1963 base, but with "19 COLORADO 65" at top | none | AB-1234 | County-coded | ||
| 1966 | As 1962 base, but with "19 COLORADO 66" at bottom | none | AB-1234 | County-coded | ||
| 1967 | As 1963 base, but with "19 COLORADO 67" at top | none | AB-1234 | County-coded | ||
| 1968 | As 1962 base, but with "19 COLORADO 68" at bottom | none | AB-1234 | County-coded | ||
| 1969 | As 1963 base, but with "19 COLORADO 69" at top | none | AB-1234 | County-coded | ||
| 1970 | As 1962 base, but with "19 COLORADO 70" at bottom | none | AB-1234 | County-coded | ||
| 1971 | As 1963 base, but reflective, and with "19 COLORADO 71" at top | none | AB-1234 | County-coded | ||
| 1972 | Debossed white serial on reflective green plate with border line; mountain range graphic at top; "19 COLORADO 72" at bottom | none | AB-1234 | County-coded | ||
| 1973 | Embossed green serial on reflective white plate with border line; "19 COLORADO 73" at bottom | "Colorful" centered at top | AB-1234 | County-coded | ||
| 1974 | Debossed white serial on reflective green plate with border line; mountain range graphic above serial; "19 COLORADO 74" at bottom | "Colorful" centered at top | AB''-1234 | County-coded |