The U.S. state of Louisiana first required its residents to register their motor vehicles and display license plates in 1915. , plates are issued by the Public Safety Services division of the Louisiana Department of Public Safety & Corrections, through the division's Office of Motor Vehicles. Only rear plates have been required since 1952.
Passenger baseplates
1915 to 1963 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 1954 (dated 1955) issue was the first Louisiana license plate that complied with these standards. ImageDates issuedDesignSloganSerial formatSerials issuedNotes1915Embossed white serial on dark blue plate; vertical "LA" and "1915" at left and right respectivelynone123451 to approximately 105001916Embossed white serial on green plate; stylized "LA" and "16" at left none123451 to approximately 160001917Embossed dark blue serial on white plate; stylized "LA" and "17" at leftnone123451 to approximately 270001918Embossed black serial on orange plate with border line; stylized "LA" and "18" at leftnone123451 to approximately 400001919Embossed black serial on light green plate with border line; stylized "LA" and "19" at leftnone123451 to approximately 500001920Embossed white serial on maroon plate; stylized "LA" and "20" at leftnone123451 to approximately 540001921Embossed black serial on gray plate with border line; stylized "LA" and "21" at leftnone123451 to approximately 790001922Embossed white serial on green plate with border line; stylized "LA" and "22" at leftnone1234561 to 20000; 100001 to approximately 105000Separate bases issued for vehicles up to 23 hp and for vehicles above this power; this practice continued through 1929. In all years, the base with low-numbered serials (starting from 1) was issued on the vehicles above 23 hp.Embossed maroon serial on white plate with border line; stylized "LA" and "22" at leftnone20001 to 1000001923Embossed black serial on gray plate with border line; "LA 23" at leftnone1234561 to 30000Embossed white serial on black plate with border line; "LA 23" at leftnone30001 to approximately 1160001924Embossed white serial on dark blue plate with border line; "LA 24" at rightnone1234561 to 30000Embossed black serial on white plate with border line; "LA 24" at rightnone30001 to approximately 1430001925Embossed red serial on gray plate with border line; "LA 25" at rightnone1234561 to 40000Embossed white serial on maroon plate with border line; "LA 25" at rightnone40001 to approximately 1790001926Embossed white serial on dark blue plate with border line; "LA-1926" centered at bottomnone123-4561 to 40-000; 200-001 to approximately 205-000Embossed maroon serial on white plate with border line; "LA-1926" centered at bottomnone40-001 to200-0001927Embossed white serial on green plate with border line; "LA-1927" centered at bottomnone123-4561 to 50-000Embossed black serial on cream plate with border line; "LA-1927" centered at bottomnone50-001 to approximately 224-0001928Embossed white serial on dark blue plate with border line; "LA-1928" centered at bottomnone123-4561 to 70-000Embossed dark blue serial on white plate with border line; "LA-1928" centered at bottomnone70-001 to approximately 232-0001929Embossed yellow serial on black plate with border line; "LOUISIANA 1929" at bottom, slightly offset to right; vertical "FRONT" or "REAR" at leftnone123-4561 to 70-000; 234-001 to approximately 268-000First use of the full state name.Embossed black serial on orange plate with border line; "LOUISIANA 1929" at bottom, slightly offset to right; vertical "FRONT" or "REAR" at leftnone70-001 to234-0001930Embossed yellow serial on green plate with border line; "LOUISIANA-30" centered at bottom; vertical "FRONT" or "REAR" at leftnone123-4561 to approximately 254-0001931Embossed white serial on dark blue plate with border line; "LOUISIANA–1931" centered at top; vertical "FRONT" or "REAR" at leftnone123-4561 to approximately 249-0001932Embossed white serial with pelican separator on red plate with border line; "LOUISIANA" centered at top; vertical "1932" at right and vertical "FRONT" or "REAR" at leftnone123-456Issued in blocks by horsepower class and branch officeFirst base to feature a pelican in any form.1933Embossed black serial with pelican separator on orange plate with border line; "LA–33" centered at topnone123-456Issued in blocks by horsepower class and branch office1934Embossed white serial with pelican separator on dark blue plate with border line; "LA" and "34" above and below pelican respectivelynone123-456Issued in blocks by horsepower class and branch office1935Embossed yellow serial with pelican separator on purple plate with border line; "35" and "LA" above and below pelican respectivelynone123-456Issued in blocks by horsepower class and branch office1936Embossed light blue serial with pelican separator on olive green plate with border line; "LOUISIANA–1936" centered at topnone123-456Issued in blocks by horsepower class and branch office1937Embossed golden yellow serial with pelican separator on maroon plate with border line; "LOUISIANA–1937" centered at bottomnone123-456Issued in blocks by horsepower class and branch office1938Embossed white serial with pelican separator on red plate with border line; "LOUISIANA–1938" centered at topnone123-456Issued in blocks by horsepower class and branch office1939Embossed orange serial with pelican separator on black plate with border line; "LOUISIANA–1939" centered at bottomnone123-456Issued in blocks by horsepower class and branch office1940Embossed dark blue serial with state-shaped separator on orange plate with border line; "LOUISIANA–1940" centered at topnone123-456Issued in blocks by horsepower class and branch office1941Embossed black serial with state-shaped separator on white plate with border line; "LOUISIANA–1941" centered at bottomnone123-4561-001 to approximately 406-000Embossed white serial with pelican separator on red plate with border line; "LOUISIANA–1942" centered at topnone123-4561-001 to approximately 384-000Revalidated for 1943 with windshield stickers, due to metal conservation for World War II.1944Black serial with pelican separator on yellow fiberboard plate; "LOUISIANA - 1944" centered at topnone123-4561-001 to approximately 380-000Manufactured on soybean-based fiberboard due to ongoing metal conservation.1945Embossed white serial with pelican separator on black plate with border line; "19 LOUISIANA 45" at topnone123-4561-001 to approximately 341-0001946Embossed black serial with pelican separator on white plate with border line; "19 LOUISIANA 46" at topnone123-4561-001 to approximately 337-0001947Embossed black serial with pelican separator on unpainted aluminum plate with border line; "19 LOUISIANA 47" at bottomnone123-4561-001 to approximately 356-0001948Embossed white serial with pelican separator on dark green plate with border line; "19 LOUISIANA 48" at topnone123-4561-001 to380-000;400-001 to approximately 410-0001949Embossed black serial with pelican separator on yellow plate with border line; "19 LOUISIANA 49" at bottomnone123-4561-001 to380-000;435-001 to approximately 485-0001950Embossed yellow serial on royal blue plate with border line; pelican decal used as separator; "19 LOUISIANA 50" at bottomnone123-4561-001 to490-000;550-001 to approximately 615-0001951Embossed yellow serial with pelican separator on dark green plate with border line; "LOUISIANA–1951" at bottomnone123-4561-001 to approximately 566-0001952Embossed white serial with pelican separator on dark green plate with border line; "19 LOUISIANA 52" at bottomnone123-4561-001 to approximately 590-0001953Embossed yellow serial with pelican separator on green plate with border line; "LOUISIANA-1953" at bottomnone123-4561-001 to approximately 638-0001954Embossed blue serial with pelican separator on beige plate with border line; "19" at bottom left and "54" at bottom right"LOUISIANA-YAMS" centered at bottom123-4561-001 to approximately 700-0001955Embossed white serial with pelican separator on black plate with border line; "LOUISIANA 1955" at bottomnone123-4561-001 to approximately 740-000First 6" x 12" plate.1956Embossed white serial with pelican separator on dark green plate with border line; "19 LOUISIANA 56" at topnone123-4561-001 to approximately 801-0001957Embossed golden yellow serial with pelican separator on purple plate with border line; "LOUISIANA 1957" at bottomnone123-4561-001 to approximately 865-0001958Embossed white serial with pelican separator on red plate with border line; "19 LOUISIANA 58" at bottom"SPORTSMEN'S PARADISE" at top123-4561-001 to approximately 880-0001959Embossed white serial with pelican separator on dark blue plate with border line; "19 LOUISIANA 59" at top"SPORTSMAN'S PARADISE" at bottom123-4561-001 to approximately 910-0001960Embossed golden yellow serial with pelican separator on purple plate with border line; "19 LOUISIANA 60" at bottom"LSU CENTENNIAL" at top123-4561-001 to approximately 934-0001961Embossed golden yellow serial with pelican separator on dark green plate with border line; "19 LOUISIANA 61" at bottom"SPORTSMEN'S PARADISE" at top123-4561-001 to approximately 948-0001962Embossed white serial with pelican separator on brown plate with border line; "19 LOUISIANA 62" at bottom"SPORTSMEN'S PARADISE" at top123-45612345671-001 to approximately 1006000Plates with seven-digit serials omitted the pelican. This happened again in 1963.1963Embossed white serial with pelican separator on dark green plate with border line; "19 LOUISIANA 63" at bottom"SPORTSMEN'S PARADISE" at top123-45612345671-001 to approximately 1036000Last base to feature the embossed pelican.
1964 to present