Vehicle registration plates of Washington (state)

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.
, plates are issued by the Washington State Department of Licensing. Front and rear plates are required for most classes of vehicles, while only rear plates are required for motorcycles and trailers.
The plates have been manufactured by incarcerated workers managed by the Washington State Department of Corrections since 1923. They are primarily produced at the Washington State Penitentiary in Walla Walla, with some also made at the Monroe Correctional Complex in Monroe.

Passenger baseplates

1950 to present

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 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	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"	none	A123·456 AB·1234	County-coded	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	County-coded	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 serial dies and border line	none	123-456 A	County-coded	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
	1965–67	As above, but with "WASHINGTON" centered at bottom	none	ABC 123	County-coded
	1968–82	As above, but reflective, and with "WASHINGTON" at top, offset to left	none	ABC 123	County-coded
	1982–85	As above, but with "WASHINGTON" screened rather than embossed	none	ABC 123	Unused 'E', 'G', 'H' and 'L' series
	1985–86	As above, but with narrower serial dies	none	ABC-123	Unused 'L' and 'W' series
	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	I, O and Q not used as the first letter in this serial format. Seven-year plate replacement schedule phased from January 2001 to December 2014.
	late 1990 – July 1998	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	none	123-ABC	000-DGQ to 999-JNZ	I, O and Q not used as the first letter in this serial format. Seven-year plate replacement schedule phased from January 2001 to December 2014.
	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	123-ABC	000-JOA to 999-ZZZ	I, O and Q not used as the first letter in this serial format. Seven-year plate replacement schedule phased from January 2001 to December 2014.
	January 1, 2010 – October 2024	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	ABC1234	AAA0000 to CPE8599; CPL0000 to approximately CPN2699; Approximately CRJ0000 to CTM9999	I, O and Q not used as the third letter in this serial format. Seven-year plate replacement schedule discontinued in January 2015.
	October 2024 – present	As above, but Un-embossed with navy blue letters.	"EVERGREEN STATE" screened in red centered at bottom	ABC1234	CPE8600 to CPK9999; CPN2700 to Approximately CRH9999 Approximately CTN0000 to CVT4671	I, O and Q not used in the 'C' series of serials.