Vehicle registration plates of the Canal Zone

The former U.S. territory of the Canal Zone first issued license plates in 1910, and this continued until September 1979. A single plate was issued for all years. The country of Panama also issued license plates identifying United States citizens that lived in Panama but worked in the Canal Zone, but these plates have the country name "Panama" clearly showing on them. Since reciprocity for license plates between the Canal Zone and Panama did not exist until 1950, old photos often show local vehicles with two different license plates mounted on the vehicle.

Passenger baseplates

1956 to 1979

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.

Image	Date	Design	Slogan	Serial format	Serials issued	Notes
12345	1956	Black on yellow	-	12345
12345	1957	Yellow on black	-	12345
12345	1958	Black on yellow	-	12345
	1959	Yellow on black	-	12345		Sample plate shown.
	1960	Black on yellow	-	12345
12345	1961	Yellow on black	Funnel For World Commerce	12345
12345	1962	Black on yellow	Funnel For World Commerce	12345
12345	1963	Yellow on black	Funnel For World Commerce	12345
12345	1964	Black on yellow	Funnel For World Commerce	12345
12345	1965	Yellow on black	Funnel For World Commerce	12345
12345	1966	Black on yellow	Funnel For World Commerce	12345
12345	1967	Yellow on black	Funnel For World Commerce	12345
12345	1968	Black on yellow	Funnel For World Commerce	12345
	1969	Yellow on black	Funnel For World Commerce	12345		Sample plate shown.
12345	1970	Black on yellow	Funnel For World Commerce	12345
12345	1971	Yellow on black	Funnel For World Commerce	12345
12345	1972	Green on white	Funnel For World Commerce	12345		First year for reflective background.
12345	1973	Blue on white	Funnel For World Commerce	12345
12345	1974	Green on white	Funnel For World Commerce	12345
12345	1975	Blue on white	Funnel For World Commerce	12345
12345	1976	Green on white	Funnel For World Commerce	12345
	1977	Blue on white	Funnel For World Commerce	12345
	1978–79	Green on white	Funnel For World Commerce	12345		1978: Base plate only
	1978–79	Green on white	Funnel For World Commerce	12345		1979: Rectangular black on red validation sticker with small "Canal Zone" at top, "79" in center, and small "No" and serial number at bottom

Miniature automobile license plate

Miniature automobile license plates were included in boxes of Wheaties cereal in 1953, and they are oftentimes called bicycle license plates. Included in one of the sets issued by General Mills was a Canal Zone license plate. Other plates in this set included the following locations: Alaska, District of Columbia, Dominican Republic, Guam, Hawaii, Italy-Military, Philippines, Virgin Islands, and the Maharajah plate with a golden double headed eagle. Note that all of the license plates issued for each state, province, territory, or country had the same serial number.