The U.S. state of Montana first required its residents to register their motor vehicles and display license plates in 1913. , plates are issued by the Montana Department of Justice through its Motor Vehicle Division. Front and rear plates are required for most classes of vehicles, while only rear plates are required for motorcycles and trailers.
Passenger baseplates
1913 to 1975 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 1956 (dated 1957) issue was the first Montana license plate that complied with these standards. ImageDates issuedDesignSloganSerial formatSerials issuedNotesEmbossed black serial on white plate; "M" at rightnone123451 to approximately 10500Front plates were perforated in order to allow air to pass through to the vehicle's radiator, while rear plates were solid.1915Embossed white serial on black plate; "MON 1915" at rightnone12345100 to approximately 14500First dated plate.1916Embossed light green serial on dark green plate; "MON 1916" at rightnone12345100 to approximately 245001917Embossed red serial on gray plate; "MONT -17" at rightnone123451 to approximately 420001918Embossed white serial on dark blue plate; "MONT 1918" at leftnone123451 to approximately 510001919Embossed dark green serial on light green plate with border line; "MONT –19" at leftnone123451 to approximately 580001920Embossed white serial on black plate with border line; "MONT –20" at leftnone123451 to approximately 610001921Embossed white serial on maroon plate with border line; "MONT –21" at leftnone123451 to approximately 570001922Embossed black serial on orange plate; "MONT –22" at leftnone123451 to approximately 550001923Embossed red serial on white plate; "MONT –23" at leftnone123451 to approximately 660001924Embossed white serial on dark blue plate; "MONT –24" at leftnone123451 to approximately 700001925Embossed white serial on red plate; "MONT –25" at leftnone123451 to approximately 820001926Embossed white serial on black plate with border line; "MONT –26" at leftnone12-3451 to approximately 90-0001927Embossed black serial on green plate with border line; "MONT –27" at leftnone12-3451 to approximately 95-0001928Embossed black serial on orange plate with border line; "MONTANA–28" centered at bottomnone123-4561 to approximately 103-000First use of the full state name.1929Embossed black serial on white plate with border line; "MONTANA–29" centered at bottomnone123-4561 to approximately 115-0001930As 1928 base, but with "MONTANA–30" at bottomnone123-4561 to approximately 107-0001931As 1929 base, but with "MONTANA–31" at bottomnone123-4561 to approximately 103-0001932Embossed white serial on black plate with border line; "MONTANA–32" centered at bottomnone12-3451 to approximately 87-0001933Embossed orange serial on maroon plate with state-shaped border; "MONTANA–33" below serialnone12-3451 to approximately 83-0001934Embossed orange serial on black plate with state-shaped border; "34–MONTANA" below serialnone1-123410-1234Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10)First use of county codes.1935Embossed white serial on black plate with state-shaped border; "MONTANA–35" below serialnone1-123410-1234Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10)1936Embossed black serial on orange plate with state-shaped border; "36–MONTANA" below serialnone1-123410-1234Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10)1937Embossed black serial on green plate with state-shaped border; "MONTANA–37" below serialnone1-1234510-1234Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10)1938Embossed black serial with buffalo skull separator on orange plate with state-shaped border; "MONTANA–38" below serialnone-12345-1234Coded by county of issuance ( or )1939Embossed orange serial on black plate with state-shaped border; "MONTANA–39" below serialnone1-1234510-1234Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10)1940Embossed white serial on blue plate with state-shaped border; "MONTANA–40" below serialnone1-1234510-1234Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10)1941Embossed blue serial on white plate with state-shaped border; "MONTANA–41" below serialnone1-1234510-1234Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10)1942–43Embossed white serial on black plate with state-shaped border; "MONTANA–42" below serialnone1-1234510-1234Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10)Revalidated for 1943 with red tabs, due to metal conservation for World War II.1944White serial on green fiberboard plate; "MONTANA-1944" centered at bottomnone1-1234510-1234Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10)Manufactured on soybean-based fiberboard due to ongoing metal conservation.1945Embossed white serial on black plate with state-shaped border; "MONTANA–45" below serialnone1-1234510-1234Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10)1946–47Embossed black serial on white plate with state-shaped border; "MONTANA–46" below serialnone1-1234510-1234Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10)Revalidated for 1947 with windshield stickers.1948Embossed white serial on black plate with state-shaped border; "MONTANA–48" below serialnone1-1234510-1234Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10)1949Embossed black serial on white plate with state-shaped border; "MONTANA–49" below serialnone1-1234510-1234Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10)1950Embossed white serial on black plate with state-shaped border; "MONTANA–50" below serial"THE TREASURE STATE" at top1-1234510-1234Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10)1951–52Embossed yellow serial on blue plate with state-shaped border; "MONTANA–51" below serial"THE TREASURE STATE" at top1-1234510-1234Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10)Revalidated for 1952 with windshield stickers.1953–54Embossed white serial on black plate with state-shaped border; "MONTANA–53" below serial"THE TREASURE STATE" at top1-1234510-1234Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10)Revalidated for 1954 with silver tabs.1955–56Embossed white serial on red plate with state-shaped border; "MONTANA–55" below serial"THE TREASURE STATE" at top1-1234510-1234Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10)Revalidated for 1956 with silver tabs.1957–58Embossed white serial on black plate with border line; "MONTANA–57" centered at bottomnone 12345 1234Coded by county of issuance ( or )First 6" x 12" plate. Revalidated for 1958 with silver tabs.1959–62Embossed black serial on unpainted aluminum plate with state-shaped border; "MONTANA 59" below serial, stamped "PRISON MADE" beneath state outlinenone1·1234510·1234Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10)Revalidated for 1960 with yellow tabs, for 1961 with black tabs, and for 1962 with blue tabs.1963–66As 1959–62 base, but with "MONTANA 63" below serial"TREASURE STATE" centered at top1·1234510·1234Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10)Revalidated for 1964 with black tabs, for 1965 with blue tabs, and for 1966 with yellow tabs.1967Embossed yellow serial on light blue plate with state-shaped border; "MONTANA 67" below serial"BIG SKY COUNTRY" centered at top1·1234510·1234Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10)1968–69Embossed green serial on reflective white plate with state-shaped border; "MONTANA" and debossed "68" below serial"BIG SKY COUNTRY" centered at top1·1234510·1234Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10)Revalidated for 1969 with stickers.1970–72Embossed blue serial on reflective white plate with state-shaped border; "MONTANA" and debossed "70" below serial"BIG SKY COUNTRY" centered at top1·1234510·1234Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10)Revalidated for 1971 and 1972 with stickers.1973–74Debossed white serial on reflective green plate with state-shaped border; debossed buffalo skull at bottom left; "MONTANA 73" below serial"BIG SKY COUNTRY" centered at top1·1234510·1234Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10)Revalidated for 1974 with stickers.1975Debossed white serial on reflective blue plate with state-shaped border; debossed buffalo skull at bottom left; "MONTANA 75" below serial"BIG SKY COUNTRY" centered at top1·1234510·1234Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10)
1976 to present ImageDates issuedDesignSloganSerial formatSerials issuedNotesEmbossed sky blue serial on reflective white plate with screened red state-shaped border; red "76 Bicentennial" logo and sky blue buffalo skull screened at top left and bottom left respectively; red band screened above serial containing "MONTANA" in white; screened sky blue "'76" at bottom right"BIG SKY" screened in sky blue centered at bottom1·12345610·12345Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10)A straight-line die was originally used for the number '1', before being replaced by a serifed version.1991–2000Embossed dark blue serial on reflective sky blue and white gradient plate; white and pale blue state outline screened around plate and yellow, orange and purple band, resembling a mountain range, screened above serial; "MONTANA" screened in white at top left"Big Sky" screened in sky blue at bottom right, along with a sky blue buffalo skull1P·1234A3P·123AB10·1234ACoded by county of issuance (1 or 10)Letters I, O, Q, R and V not used in serials. Three-digit, two-letter serials briefly issued in Yellowstone County after 3P·9999Z was reached. 2000–03Embossed black serial on reflective graphic plate with sky blue background and gradient sky blue and white state shape containing purple mountain range and orange badlands; "MONTANA" screened in blue centered above serial; "2000" screened in white above state name"BIG SKY" screened in sky blue at bottom left, with words separated by a blue buffalo skull1·A1234510·A1234Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10)2003–06As above, but with serial screened rather than embossed 2006–09Screened black serial with buffalo skull separator on reflective graphic plate with gradient dark blue and white background, yellow state outline and mountain range and forest at bottom; "MONTANA" screened in gold, with curved underline, centered above serial"Big Sky Country" screened in brown between state name and serial1C-123451C-1234A10-12345Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10)Still currently revalidated, due to mixed reception of the 2010 blue base (below) and financial concerns.2010–presentScreened white serial with buffalo skull separator on reflective blue plate with white state-shaped border; "MONTANA - 10" screened in white centered below serial"TREASURE STATE" screened in white centered at top1-12345A 1-AB123410-1234A 10-AB123Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10)New serial font, similar to that used in Arizona, introduced in mid-2016.2012–presentAs 1991–2000 base, but with screened black serial with buffalo skull separator"Big Sky" as on original 1991–2000 baseReplicas of 1991, 2000 and 2006 bases and the optional Montana Centennial plate, issued due to mixed reception of the 2010 blue base. Motorists can choose any one of these five plates. Montana Centennial replicas use the same serial format as current optional plates. New serial font, similar to that used in Arizona, introduced in mid-2016. In 2025, Montana updated the format on standard plates that use the county code format.As 2000–06 base, with serial screened as from 2003 onwards, but with buffalo skull separator"BIG SKY" as on original 2000–06 baseAs 2006–09 base"Big Sky Country" as on original 2006–09 base As 1987-89 Montana Centennial plate (see Optional Plates below), but with serial screened"100 YEARS" as on original Montana Centennial plateABC123Not issued in blocks
Optional plates All optional plates issued from 2003 onwards use an ABC123 serial format. Since 2012, this format has also been used on the Montana Centennial replica plate (above).