The U.S. state of Nevada first required its residents to register their motor vehicles in 1913. Registrants provided their own license plates for display until 1916, when the state began to issue plates.

, plates are issued by the Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). Front and rear plates are required for most classes of vehicles, while only rear plates are required for motorcycles and trailers. Front plates are not required if the vehicle was not designed for a front plate and the manufacturer did not provide a means of mounting such a plate.

From 1928 to 2012, Nevada's license plates were made at Nevada State Prison. The license plate factory moved to the Northern Nevada Correctional Center in 2012.

Passenger baseplates 1916 to 1960 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 (expired June 30, 1957) issue was the first Nevada license plate that fully complied with these standards: the 1955 (expired June 30, 1956) issue was 6 inches in height by 12 inches in width, but had non-standard mounting holes.

No slogans were used on passenger plates during the period covered by this subsection. ImageDates issuedDescriptionSerial formatSerials issuedNotes1916Embossed yellow serial on green plate; vertical "NEV" at left12342001 to approximately 67001917Silver serial on blue flat metal plate; "NEVADA" and "1917" centered at top and bottom respectively1234510001 to approximately 167001918Black serial on yellow flat metal plate; "NEVADA" and "1918" centered at top and bottom respectively1234520001 to approximately 284001919Red serial on white flat metal plate; "NEVADA, 1919" centered at top1234530001 to approximately 394001920Yellow serial on red flat metal plate; "NEVADA, 1920" centered at bottom1234540001 to approximately 505001921Green serial on white flat metal plate; "NEVADA 1921" at bottom12-34550-001 to approximately 60-9001922Black serial on gray flat metal plate; "NEVADA 1922" at bottom12-34570-001 to approximately 82-8001923Debossed yellow serial on black plate with border line; "NEVADA 1923" at bottom12-34580-001 to approximately 95-7001924Debossed white serial on green plate with border line; "NEVADA 1924" at bottom12-34500-001 to approximately 18-5001925Debossed white serial on purple plate with border line; "NEVADA 1925" at bottom12-34500-001 to approximately 17-5001926Debossed yellow serial on black plate with border line; "NEVADA 1926" at bottom12-34500-001 to approximately 21-0001927Debossed yellow serial on green plate with border line; "NEVADA 1927" at bottom12-34500-001 to approximately 21-0001928Embossed white serial on red plate with border line; "NEVADA 1928" at bottom12-34500-001 to approximately 22-0001929Embossed black serial on orange plate with border line; "NEVADA 1929" at bottom12-3451 to approximately 25-0001930Embossed orange serial on black plate with border line; "NEVADA 1930" at bottom12-3451 to approximately 25-0001931Embossed black serial on orange plate with border line; "NEVADA 1931" at bottom12-3451 to approximately 24-0001932Embossed orange serial on black plate with border line; "NEVADA 1932" at bottom12-3451 to approximately 28-0001933Embossed white serial on green plate with border line; "NEVADA 1933" at bottom12-3451 to approximately 26-0001934Embossed green serial on white plate with border line; "NEVADA 1934" at bottom12-3451 to approximately 26-0001935Embossed white serial on green plate with border line; "NEVADA 1935" at bottom12-3451 to approximately 28-0001936Embossed silver serial on dark blue plate with border line; "NEVADA 1936" at bottom12-3451 to approximately 31-0001937Embossed dark blue serial on silver plate with border line; "NEVADA 1937" at bottom12-3451 to approximately 34-0001938As 1936 base, but with "NEVADA 1938" at bottom12-3451 to approximately 34-0001939As 1937 base, but with "NEVADA 1939" at bottom12-3451 to approximately 34-0001940As 1936 base, but with "NEVADA 1940" at bottom12-3451 to approximately 38-0001941As 1937 base, but with "NEVADA 1941" at bottom12-3451 to approximately 40-000As 1936 base, but with "NEVADA 1942" at bottom12-3451 to approximately 45-000Revalidated for 1943 with red tabs, due to metal conservation for World War II.1944Embossed white serial on red plate with border line; "NEVADA 1944" at bottom12-3451 to approximately 44-0001945As 1937 base, but with "NEVADA 1945" at bottom12-3451 to approximately 41-0001946As 1936 base, but with "NEVADA 1946" at bottom12-3451 to approximately 44-0001947As 1937 base, but with "NEVADA 1947" at bottom12-3451 to approximately 46-0001948As 1936 base, but with "NEVADA 1948" at bottom12-3451 to approximately 53-0001949As 1937 base, but with "NEVADA 1949" at bottom12-3451 to approximately 55-0001950As 1936 base, but with "NEVADA 1950" at bottom12-3451 to approximately 57-0001951As 1937 base, but with "NEVADA 1951" at bottom12-3451 to approximately 67-0001952As 1936 base, but with "NEVADA 1952" at bottom12-3451 to approximately 74-0001953Embossed copper serial on green plate with border line; "NEVADA 1953" at bottom12-3451 to approximately 82-0001954–55As 1936 base, but with "NEVADA 1954" at bottom 1–234Coded by county of issuanceValidated from January 1 through June 30, 1955 with red sticker.1955–56Embossed blue serial on silver plate with border line; "NEVADA 6 30 56" at bottom 12341234Coded by county of issuance1956–57Embossed silver serial on light blue plate with border line; "NEVADA" centered at top; "56" at top left and "57" at top rightA12345AB1234Coded by county of issuance1957–58Embossed light blue serial on silver plate with border line; "NEVADA" centered at top; "EXP" at top left and "JUN 58" at top rightA12345AB1234Coded by county of issuance1958–59Embossed silver serial on light blue plate with border line; "NEVADA" centered at top; "EXP" at top left and "JUN 59" at top rightA12345AB1234Coded by county of issuance1959–60Embossed blue serial on white plate with border line; "NEVADA" centered at top; "EXP" at top left and "JUN 60" at top rightA12345AB1234Coded by county of issuance

1960 to present Image(s)Dates issuedDescriptionSloganSerial formatSerials issuedNotes1960–64Embossed silver serial on dark blue plate with border line; "NEVADA" centered at top; "JUN 61" at top left and state outline at top rightnoneA12345AB1234Coded by county of issuanceRevalidated with stickers through December 31, 1964. To commemorate Nevada's 100 years of statehood that year, dark blue strips were fitted to the top of each plate containing "NEVADA CENTENNIAL" in silver in the center, "1864" to the left and "1964" to the right.1965–67Embossed dark blue serial on silver plate with border line; "NEVADA" centered at top; "65" at top leftnoneA12345AB123412345Coded by county of issuanceCounties with two-letter codes issued five-digit serials with stacked codes after reaching 9999.1967–68As above, but reflective white rather than silver1969–70Debossed white serial on reflective blue plate with border line; "NEVADA" centered at top; "69" at top leftnoneA12345AB1234ABC123Coded by county of issuance1970–74As above, but with "NEV" at top, offset to left1974–81As above, but with thinner dies and "NEVADA" at top, offset to left1982–84As above, but with "NEVADA" roughly centered at top123ABC001AAA to approximately 999ANRSome plates carried the county of issuance on a sticker at the bottom.1984 – December 2000Embossed blue serial on reflective white and silver graphic plate with mountain scene featuring a Bighorn sheep; "NEVADA" screened in blue centered at top"THE SILVER STATE" screened in blue centered at bottom123·ABC001·BAA to approximately 999·LDEAwarded "Plate of the Year" for best new license plate of 1985 by the Automobile License Plate Collectors Association, the first and, to date, only time Nevada has been so honored. Co-recipient with North Dakota.January 2001 – December 2006Embossed dark blue serial on graphic plate featuring the Sierra Nevada mountains, in light blue, against a yellow and orange gradient sky; "NEVADA" screened in dark blue centered at top"THE SILVER STATE" screened in white centered at bottom123·ABC001·MAA to 999·TUULetters I, O and Q not used in serials; this practice continues today.December 2006 – April2015As above, but with serial screened rather than embossed001·TUV to 999·YZZ;001·LDF to 999·LZZ;001·ANS to 999·AZZAfter 999·YZZ was issued, the 'L' series not issued on the 1984 sheep base were issued, followed by the 'A' series not issued on the 1982 blue base. 'Z' series reserved for issuance through dealerships (up to the ZZZ series on the "Home Means Nevada" base as of March 2024).April –July201512A·34500A·000 to 56B·999July2015 – mid-2017As above, but with serial embossed (different dies to those used from 2001 to 2006) and state shape used as separator57B·000 to 48H·999Issued concurrently with the "Home Means Nevada" base from 2016/11/1 until supplies were exhausted.November 1, 2016 – early 2024Embossed black serial with state-shaped separator on sky blue plate; stylized multi-colored mountain range at bottom; "NEVADA" screened in black centered at top"Home Means Nevada" screened in black at bottom, in center of mountain range123·A45000·A00 to 999·Z99123·ABC000·ZDK to 999·ZZZDealer-issue seriesMarch 2024 – present123·4A5000·0A0 to 999·2G4 12A·34549H·000 to 99L·345

County coding, 1954–81 County1954–561- and 2-letter codes, 1956–813-letter codes, 1969–81ChurchillACHCHA–CHXClarkB, B/A – B/DC, CA–CF, CJ–CZCAA–CGZ, CJA–CZZ, TAA–TLUDouglasCDSDSA–DSZ, DAA–DABElkoFELELA–ELZ, EAA–EACEsmeraldaGESEurekaHEUHumboldtJHUHUA–HUKLanderKLALincolnLLNLyonNLYLYA–LYFMineralPMNMNA–MNDNyeRNYNYA–NYPOrmsby / Carson CitySORORA–ORZ, OAA–OCHPershingUPEStoreyVSTWashoeW, W/A – W/BW, WA (1965–68 only)WAA–WOZ, WRA–WRXWhite PineXWPWPA–WPJ

Non-passenger plates ImageTypeFirst issuedDescriptionSerial formatSerials issuedNotesApportioned BusBlue serial on white plate; "NEVADA" and "APPORTIONED" screened in blue centered at top and bottom respectively12345 A00001 A to presentApportioned TruckAs Apportioned Bus plate, but without "APPORTIONED" at bottom12345 P00001 P to presentDealerSame design as passenger base1234500001 to presentExemptSame design as passenger base1234500001 to presentHandicappedSame design as passenger base 12345 00001 to 999992009 A1234 A0001 to presentLoanSame design as passenger base1234500001 to presentMotorcycle2005Similar to Sierra Nevada passenger base, but with border line123456000001 to approximately 0440002007As above, but with screened serial and no border line044001 to approximately 2880002017Similar to Home Means Nevada passenger base288001 to presentTrailerSame design as passenger base12345 A00001 E to presentLetters E, F, G, H, J, K, L, M, S, U, V, W, X and Y have been used.

Optional types Charitable & Collegiate plates