The U.S. state of Kentucky first required its residents to register their motor vehicles and display license plates in 1910. Plates are currently issued by the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet through its Division of Motor Vehicle Licensing. Only rear plates have been required since 1944.
Passenger baseplates 1910 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 (except those for motorcycles) at tall by wide, with standardized mounting holes.
ImageDates issuedDesignSloganSerial formatSerials issuedNotes1910–11White serial on black porcelain plate; vertical "KY" at right, above circle containing 'B'none 12341 to approximately 3200Front and rear plates issued; this practice continued through 1943.1911–12White serial on black porcelain plate; vertical "KY" at right, above circle containing 'L'none 12344001 to approximately 83001912–13White serial on black porcelain plate; white horizontal stripes at top and bottom; vertical "KY" at right, above square containing 'M'none 12341 to approximately 80001913–14White serial on black porcelain plate; red horizontal stripes at top and bottom; vertical "KY" at right, above diamond containing red 'G'none 1234510001 to approximately 190001914Embossed black serial on white plate; "KY 1914" at rightnone 1234520001 to approximately 26400First dated and embossed plate. Issued only from June through December 1914.1915Embossed red serial on white plate; "KY 1915" at rightnone 123451 to approximately 195001916Embossed white serial on blue plate; "KY 1916" at rightnone 123451 to approximately 295001917Embossed black serial on white plate with border line; "KY. 1917" at rightnone 123451 to approximately 475001918Embossed yellow serial on black plate with border line; "KY. 1918" at rightnone 123451 to approximately 640001919Embossed white serial on green plate with border line; "KY. 1919" at rightnone 123451 to approximately 810001920Embossed black serial on white plate with border line; "KY. 1920" at rightnone 123451 to approximately 960001921Embossed white serial on brown plate with border line; "KY. 1921" at rightnone 1234561 to approximately 1570001922Embossed black serial on orange plate with border line; "KY. 1922" at rightnone 1234561 to approximately 1670001923Embossed blue serial on gray plate with border line; "KY. 1923" at rightnone 1234561 to approximately 1850001924Embossed white serial on dark blue plate with border line; "KY 1924" at rightnone 1234561925Embossed white serial on green plate with border line; "KENTUCKY·1925" centered at bottomnone 123-456First use of the full state name.1926Embossed white serial on maroon plate with border line; "KENTUCKY·1926" centered at bottomnone 123-4561927Embossed white serial on blue plate. Plate divided into four sections, each surrounded by border lines, with "KY", county name and "27" in top section and serial numbers in bottom left and bottom right sectionsnone 12 3412 345Began at 1 in each countyFirst state-issued passenger plate in the U.S. to feature the name of the county of issuance.1928Embossed white serial on green plate. Plate divided into four sections, each surrounded by border lines, with "KY. 28" in bottom center section, county name in top section and serial numbers in bottom left and bottom right sectionsnone 12 3412 345Began at 1 in each county 1929Pair of plates with blue base with white embossed lettering and border.Front: top of plate emblazoned with "19 KENTUCKY 29" with county name at bottom. Serial numbers in center separated by "FRONT" in small letters in middle.Rear: top of plate emblazoned with "19 KENTUCKY 29" with "FOR" in center of plate between serial numbers and "PROGRESS" emblazoned at bottom."FOR PROGRESS" on rear plates (see left)123-4561 to 850-000 (see right)A block of serials was assigned to each county in alphabetical order; this practice continued through 1936. 1930Pair of plates, each with white base with red embossed lettering and border.Front: top of plate emblazoned with "19 KENTUCKY 30" with county name at bottom and serial numbers in center.Rear: top of plate emblazoned with "19 KENTUCKY 30" with serial in center of plate and "FOR PROGRESS" emblazoned at bottom."FOR PROGRESS" on rear plates (see left)123-4561 to 850-000 1931Embossed white serial on green plate with border line; "19 KENTUCKY 31" (on front plates) or "KY", county name and "31" (on rear plates) at bottomnone123-4561 to 850-000 1932Embossed white serial on maroon plate with border line; "19 KENTUCKY 32" (on front plates) or "KY", county name and "32" (on rear plates) at bottomnone123-4561 to 850-0001933Embossed white serial on green plate with border line; "KY", county name and "33" at bottomnone123-4561 to 850-0001934Embossed black serial on white plate with border line; "KY", county name and "34" at topnone123-4561 to 850-0001935Embossed black serial on yellow plate with border line; "KY", county name and "35" at bottomnone123-4561 to 850-0001936Embossed silver serial on black plate with border line; "KY", county name and "36" at bottomnone123-4561 to 850-0001937Embossed dark blue serial on white plate with border line; "KENTUCKY-'37" and county name centered at top and bottom respectivelynone12345A12341A23412A34123A4Issued in blocks by county1938Embossed green serial on white plate with border line; "KENTUCKY-'38" and county name centered at top and bottom respectivelynone12345A12341A23412A34123A4Issued in blocks by county1939Embossed white serial on green plate with border line; "KENTUCKY-'39" and county name centered at top and bottom respectivelynone12345A12341A23412A34123A4Issued in blocks by county1940Embossed red serial on white plate with border line; "KENTUCKY-'40" and county name centered at top and bottom respectivelynone12345A12341A23412A34123A4Issued in blocks by county1941Embossed black serial on silver plate with border line; "KENTUCKY-'41" and county name centered at top and bottom respectivelynone12345A12341A23412A34123A4Issued in blocks by countyEmbossed silver serial on black plate with border line; "KENTUCKY-'42" and county name centered at top and bottom respectivelynone12345A12341A23412A34123A4Issued in blocks by county with windshield stickers, due to metal conservation for World War II.1944–45Embossed yellow serial on black plate with border line; "KENTUCKY-'44" and county name centered at top and bottom respectivelynone12345A12341A23412A34123A4Issued in blocks by countyOnly rear plates issued; this practice continues today. Revalidated for 1945 with windshield stickers.1946–47Embossed silver serial on black plate with border line; "KENTUCKY-'46" and county name centered at top and bottom respectivelynone123-456Issued in blocks by countyRevalidated for 1947 with windshield stickers.1948Embossed orange serial on unpainted aluminum plate; "KENTUCKY-'48" and county name centered at top and bottom respectivelynone123-456Issued in blocks by county1949Embossed black serial on waffle-textured silver plate; "KENTUCKY-'49" and county name centered at top and bottom respectivelynone123-456Issued in blocks by county1950Embossed white serial on waffle-textured green plate; "KENTUCKY-'50" and county name centered at top and bottom respectivelynone123-456Issued in blocks by county1951–52Embossed black serial on silver plate; county name centered at bottom"TOUR KENTUCKY-'51" centered at top123-456Issued in blocks by countyRevalidated for 1952 with windshield stickers, due to metal conservation for the Korean War.1953Embossed white serial on dark blue plate; county name centered at bottom"TOUR KENTUCKY-'53" centered at top123-456Issued in blocks by county1954Embossed dark blue serial on white plate; county name centered at bottom"TOUR KENTUCKY-'54" centered at top123-456Issued in blocks by county1955Embossed white serial on dark blue plate; county name centered at bottom"TOUR KENTUCKY-'55" centered at top123-456Issued in blocks by county1956Embossed dark blue serial on white plate; "19" at top left and "56" at top right; county name centered at bottom"TOUR KENTUCKY" centered at top123-456Issued in blocks by county1957Embossed white serial on dark blue plate; "19" at top left and "57" at top right; county name centered at bottom"TOUR KENTUCKY" centered at top123-456Issued in blocks by countyOne-letter, five-digit serials introduced in counties that had exhausted their all-numeric allocations.1958Embossed dark blue serial on white plate; "19 KENTUCKY 58" at top; county name centered at bottomnone123-456A12-345Issued in blocks by county1959Embossed white serial on dark blue plate; "19 KENTUCKY 59" at top; county name centered at bottomnone123-456A12-345Issued in blocks by county1960As 1958 base, but with "60" at top rightnone123-456A12-345Issued in blocks by county1961As 1959 base, but with "61" at top rightnone123-456A12-345Issued in blocks by county1962As 1958 base, but with "62" at top right; border line added on later platesnone123-456A12-345Issued in blocks by county1963Embossed white serial on dark blue plate with border line; "19 KENTUCKY 63" at top; county name centered at bottomnone123-456A12-345Issued in blocks by county1964Embossed dark blue serial on white plate with border line; "19 KENTUCKY 64" at top; county name centered at bottomnone123-456A12-345Issued in blocks by county1965As 1963 base, but with "65" at top rightnone123-456A12-345Issued in blocks by county1966As 1964 base, but with "66" at top rightnone123-456A12-345Issued in blocks by county1967As 1963 base, but with "67" at top rightnone123-456A12-345Issued in blocks by county1968As 1964 base, but with "68" at top rightnone123-456A12-345Issued in blocks by county1969As 1963 base, but with "69" at top rightnone123-456A12-345Issued in blocks by county1970As 1964 base, but with "70" at top rightnone123-456A12-345Issued in blocks by county1971As 1963 base, but with "71" at top rightnone123-456A12-345Issued in blocks by county1972As 1964 base, but with "72" at top rightnone123-456A12-345Issued in blocks by county1973As 1963 base, but with "73" at top rightnone123-456A12-345Issued in blocks by county1974As 1964 base, but with "74" at top rightnone123-456A12-345Issued in blocks by county
1975 to present