The U.S. state of Maine first required its residents to register their motor vehicles and display license plates in 1905. , plates are issued by the Maine Bureau of Motor Vehicles, within the office of the Department of the Secretary of State. Front and rear plates are required for most classes of vehicles, while only rear plates are required for motorcycles and trailers.
Maine legislators effectively removed a potentially unconstitutional review process for vanity plates in 2015, which formerly was able to reject plates that were "obscene, contemptuous, profane or prejudicial." Due to a proliferation of vulgar plates over the following years, the legislature directed the Bureau of Motor Vehicles to establish new rules for reviewing plates in 2021. The new rules ban profane or obscene language, language inciting violence, and derogatory references "to age, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, religion or disability." A committee for vanity plates consults the online Urban Dictionary for assistance with "arcane lingo".
Passenger baseplates
1905 to 1949 ImageDates issuedDesignSloganSerial formatSerials issuedNotes12341905–11White serial on red porcelain plate; "MAINE" centered at bottomnone123451 to approximately 1010012341912Dark blue serial on yellow porcelain plate; "MAINE" centered at bottomnone12341 to approximately 920012341913Yellow serial on dark blue porcelain plate; "MAINE" centered at bottomnone123451 to approximately 11000123451914White serial on dark blue porcelain plate; "MAINE 1914" at rightnone123451 to approximately 14500First dated plate.123451915Dark blue serial on white porcelain plate; "MAINE 1915" at rightnone123451 to approximately 21500123451916Embossed white serial on dark blue plate with border line; "MAINE 1916" at rightnone123451 to approximately 2900012-3451917Embossed dark blue serial on white plate with border line; "MAINE 1917" at rightnone12-3451 to approximately 38-0001918Dark green serial on white flat metal plate; "MAINE 1918" centered at bottomnone12-3451 to approximately 42-00012-3451919Embossed white serial on maroon plate with border line; "MAINE 1919" centered at bottomnone12-3451 to approximately 48-000123451920Embossed maroon serial on white plate with border line; "MAINE 1920" centered at bottomnone12-3451 to approximately 54-0001921Embossed white serial on maroon plate with border line; "MAINE 1921" centered at bottomnone12-3451 to approximately 68-00012-3451922Embossed white serial on dark blue plate with border line; "MAINE 1922" centered at bottomnone12-3451 to approximately 79-00012-3451923Embossed dark blue serial on white plate with border line; "MAINE 1923" centered at bottomnone12-3451 to approximately 90-0001924As 1922 base, but with "MAINE 1924" at bottomnone1 to approximately 105-0001925As 1923 base, but with "MAINE 1925" at bottomnone1 to approximately 115-000123-4561926Embossed golden yellow serial on dark blue plate with border line; "MAINE 1926" centered at bottomnone1 to approximately 122-0001927Embossed dark blue serial on golden yellow plate with border line; "MAINE 1927" centered at bottomnone1 to approximately 130-0001928Embossed dark blue serial on white plate with border line; "MAINE 1928" centered at bottomnone1 to approximately 140-000 123-4561929Embossed white serial on dark blue plate with border line; "MAINE 1929" centered at bottomnone1 to approximately 145-0001930Embossed white serial on red plate with border line; "MAINE 1930" centered at bottomnone1 to approximately 150-000123-4561931Embossed white serial on black plate with border line; "MAINE 1931" centered at bottomnone1 to approximately 138-000123-4561932Embossed white serial on green plate with border line; "MAINE 1932" centered at bottomnone1 to approximately 164-0001933Embossed white serial on black plate with border line; "MAINE 1933" centered at bottomnone1 to approximately 157-000123-4561934Embossed black serial on orange plate with border line; "MAINE '34" at bottomnone1-2341 to 9-999Small plates manufactured for 1934 and 1935 due to the Depression. In both years, the state name and year were centered on plates with the 1-234 and A123 serial formats, and offset to the right on plates with the 123 format.A123A1 to W9991231 to approximately 999123-4561935Embossed white serial on blue plate with border line; "MAINE '35" at bottomnone1-2341 to 9-999A123A1 to W9991231 to approximately 999123-4561936Embossed white serial on black plate with border line; "MAINE 1936" centered at top"VACATIONLAND" centered at bottom1 to approximately 157-000First use of the "Vacationland" slogan.1937Embossed white serial on dark green plate with border line; "MAINE 1937" centered at top "VACATIONLAND" centered at bottom1 to approximately 162-0001938Embossed dark green serial on light green plate with border line; "MAINE 1938" centered at top "VACATIONLAND" centered at bottom1 to approximately 157-0001939Embossed silver serial on dark green plate with border line; "MAINE 1939" centered at top "VACATIONLAND" centered at bottom1 to approximately 160-0001940Embossed dark green serial on silver plate with border line; "MAINE 1940" centered at top "VACATIONLAND" centered at bottom1 to approximately 165-000123-4561941Embossed red serial on silver plate with border line; "MAINE 1941" centered at top"VACATIONLAND" centered at bottom1 to approximately 170-000Embossed black serial on beige plate with border line; "MAINE 1942" centered at top "VACATIONLAND" centered at bottom1 to approximately 177-000Revalidated for 1943 with windshield stickers, due to metal conservation for World War II.1944Embossed yellow serial on black plate with border line; "MAINE 1944" centered at top"VACATIONLAND" centered at bottom1 to approximately 155-0001945Embossed dark blue serial on white plate with border line; "MAINE 1945" centered at top"VACATIONLAND" centered at bottom1 to approximately 155-0001946–47Embossed white serial on dark blue plate with border line; "MAINE 1946" centered at top"VACATIONLAND" centered at bottom1 to approximately 204-000Revalidated for 1947 with windshield stickers.123-4561948–49Embossed orange serial on black plate with border line; "MAINE 1948" centered at top"VACATIONLAND" centered at bottom1 to approximately 223-000Revalidated for 1949 with silver tabs.
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 (except those for motorcycles) at in height by in width, with standardized mounting holes. The 1955 (dated 1956) issue was the first Maine license plate that complied with these standards.
ImageDates issuedDesignSloganSerial formatSerials issuedNotesEmbossed black serial on reflective white plate with border line; "MAINE" at top, offset to left, with metal tab slots to right"VACATIONLAND" centered at bottom1 to approximately 376-000Validated for 1950 with silver tabs, for 1951 with red tabs, for 1952 with green tabs, for 1953 with gold tabs, for 1954 with silver tabs, and for 1955 with blue tabs.1956Embossed black serial on reflective gold plate with border line; "MAINE 56" centered at top, with metal tab slots either side of year"VACATIONLAND" centered at bottom1 to264-000Revalidated for 1957 with red tabs, for 1958 with green tabs, for 1959 with white tabs, for 1960 with dark blue tabs, and for 1961 with orange tabs.1957–61As above, but without "56"264-001 to approximately 463-0001962Embossed black serial on reflective white plate with border line; "MAINE 62" at top, offset to left, with metal tab slots either side of year"VACATIONLAND" centered at bottom1 to384-000Revalidated for 1963 with yellow tabs, for 1964 with dark blue tabs, for 1965 with red tabs, for 1966 with yellow tabs, and for 1967 with black tabs.1963–67As above, but without "62"384-001 to approximately 617-0001968Embossed black serial on reflective yellow plate with border line; "MAINE 68" at top, offset to left, with metal tab slots either side of year "VACATIONLAND" centered at bottom1 to395-000Revalidated with stickers; tab slots on 1968 plates never used.1969–73As above, but without "68" and metal tab slots395-001 to approximately 793-0001974–75Embossed black serial on reflective white plate with border line; "MAINE 74" at top, offset to left"VACATIONLAND" centered at bottom1 to488-000;502-001 to510-0001975–78As above, but without "74"488-001 to502-000;510-001 to875-000Embossed year replaced by revalidation stickers.1978–79As above, but with "MAINE" centered at top875-001 to999-9991979 – June 30, 198712345 A1 A to52000 NJuly 1, 1987 – May1990Embossed navy blue serial on reflective white plate with border line; red American lobster screened behind serial, offset to right; "MAINE" screened in red centered at top"Vacationland" (with enlarged 'V') screened in red centered at bottom12345 A1 P to99999 ZMay 1990 – April19931234 AB1 AA to9999 ZZ;1 AB to9999 AY(see right)Double-letter series issued first (AA, BB, CC, up to ZZ), followed by different-letter series (AB, AC, AD etc.) from September 1991.April 1993 – June 30, 19991 AZ to2999 ESNarrower serial dies introduced. July 1, 1999 – October 2023Embossed black serial on reflective white plate with border line; black-capped chickadee on pine cone and tassel screened at left and green pine forest silhouette screened at bottom; "MAINE" screened in black centered at top"Vacationland" screened in black in center of pine forest silhouette1234 AB1 GA to9999 ZYLetter O not used in serials.October 2023 – April 30, 2025123·ABC101·JAA to 691·JQJ (as of May 2, 2025)Initial letters A to E reserved for optional and certain non-passenger plate types; F to H reserved for alternative standard design since May 2025. The middle serial letter progresses first, followed by the final letter, and then the first one. Letters I and O not used in serials.May 1, 2025 – presentEmbossed dark blue serial on reflective white plate with border line; pine tree screened at left and blue five-pointed star screened on top left; "MAINE" screened in dark green centered at top"VACATIONLAND" screened in dark green centered at bottom123·ABC101·KAA to presentDesign pays homage to the state flag used from 1901 to 1909.May 1, 2025 – presentEmbossed dark blue serial on reflective white plate with border line; "MAINE" screened in dark green centered at top"VACATIONLAND" screened in dark green centered at bottom123·ABC101·FAA to presentAlternative base; issued concurrently with the "pine tree" base.
Optional plates All optional plates introduced from 2003 onwards use a 123·ABC serial format, with blocks of three-letter series assigned for each plate as required.