The U.S. state of New Hampshire first required its residents to register their motor vehicles and display license plates in 1905. , plates are issued by the New Hampshire Department of Safety through its Division of Motor Vehicles. Front and rear plates are required for most classes of vehicles, while only rear plates are required for motorcycles and trailers.
Passenger baseplates 1905 to 1972 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 New Hampshire license plate that complied with these standards. ImageDates issuedDesignSloganSerial formatSerials issuedNotes1905–11White serial on green porcelain plate; "N.H." centered at bottomnone12341 to approximately 72001912Embossed green serial on white plate; vertical "NH" and "1912" at left and right respectivelynone12341 to approximately 57001913White serial on green porcelain plate; vertical "NH" and "1913" at left and right respectivelynone12341000 to approximately 78001914White serial on green porcelain plate; vertical "NH" and "1914" at left and right respectivelynone12341000 to approximately 97001915Green serial on white porcelain plate; "N. H." and "1915" centered at top and bottom respectivelynone123451000 to approximately 135001916White serial on green porcelain plate; vertical "NH" and "1916" at left and right respectivelynone123451 to approximately 176001917Green serial on white porcelain plate; "N. H." and "1917" centered at top and bottom respectivelynone12345100 to approximately 231001918White serial on green porcelain plate; "N H" and "1918" centered at top and bottom respectivelynone12345100 to approximately 24700Some later plates manufactured on fiberboard.1919Dark green serial on white flat metal plate; "N H" and "1919" centered at top and bottom respectivelynone12345100 to approximately 300001920White serial on dark green flat metal plate; "N H" and "1920" centered at top and bottom respectivelynone12345100 to approximately 350001921Dark green serial on white flat metal plate; "N H" and "1921" centered at top and bottom respectivelynone12345100 to approximately 425001922Embossed white serial on dark green plate with border line; "N.H. 1922" centered at bottomnone12345100 to approximately 485001923Embossed dark green serial on white plate with border line; "N H" and "1923" centered at top and bottom respectivelynone12.345100 to approximately 60.0001924Embossed white serial on dark green plate with border line; "N H" and "1924" centered at top and bottom respectivelynone12-345100 to approximately 72-0001925Embossed dark green serial on white plate with border line; "N H" and "1925" centered at top and bottom respectivelynone12-345100 to approximately 81-0001926Embossed white serial on dark green plate with border line; embossed white Old Man of the Mountain graphic at left; "N H" and "1926" centered at top and bottom respectivelynone12-345100 to approximately 89-0001927Embossed dark green serial on white plate with border line; "N H" and "1927" centered at top and bottom respectivelynone12-345100 to approximately 95-0001928Embossed white serial on green plate with border line; "NH-28" centered at topnone100 to approximately 103-0001929Embossed green serial on white plate with border line; "NH-29" centered at topnone1 to approximately 109-0001930As 1928 base, but with "NH-30" at topnone100 to approximately 111-0001931As 1929 base, but with "NH-31" at topnone100 to approximately 112-0001932As 1928 base, but with "NH-32" at topnone100 to approximately 107-0001933As 1929 base, but with "NH-33" at topnone100 to approximately 107-0001934As 1928 base, but with "NH-34" at topnone12-345100 to approximately 91-0001935As 1929 base, but with "NH-35" at topnone12-345100 to approximately 94-0001936As 1928 base, but with "NH-36" at topnone12-345100 to approximately 97-0001937As 1929 base, but with "NH-37" at topnone100 to approximately 101-000As 1928 base, but with "NH-38-9" at topnone12-345100 to approximately 98-0001939–40As 1929 base, but with "NH-39-40" at topnone100 to approximately 104-0001940–41As 1928 base, but with "NH-40-41" at topnone100 to approximately 108-0001941–42As 1929 base, but with "NH-41-42" at topnone100 to approximately 110-0001942–44As 1928 base, but with "NH-42-43" at topnone100 to approximately 104-000Revalidated through March 31, 1944, with white rectangular tabs, due to metal conservation for World War II.1944As 1929 base, but with "NH 44" at topnone12-3451 to approximately 89-0001945Embossed black serial on white plate with border line; "NH 45" centered at topnone12-3451 to approximately 98-0001946Embossed white serial on black plate with border line; "NH 46" centered at topnone12-3451234561 to approximately 1090001947As 1945 base, but with "NH 47" at topnone12-3451234561 to approximately 1140001948As 1946 base, but with "NH - 48" at topnone12-3451234561 to approximately 1200001949Embossed forest green serial on white plate with border line; "NH - 49" centered at topnone123County-coded1950Embossed white serial on forest green plate with border line; "NH - 50" centered at topnone123County-coded1951As 1949 base, but with "NH - 51" at topnone123County-coded1952As 1950 base, but with "NH - 52" at topnone123County-coded1953As 1949 base, but with "NH - 53" at topnone123County-coded1954Embossed white serial on forest green plate with border line; "NEW HAMPSHIRE" at bottom; "1954" centered at topnoneAB123County-codedFirst use of the full state name.1955Embossed forest green serial on white plate with border line; "NEW HAMPSHIRE" at bottom; "1955" centered at topnoneAB123County-coded1956Embossed white serial on forest green plate with border line; "NEW HAMPSHIRE" at bottom; "1956" centered at topnoneAB123County-codedFirst 6" x 12" plate.1957Embossed forest green serial on white plate with border line; "NEW HAMPSHIRE" at bottom; "19" at top left and "57" at top right"SCENIC" centered at topAB123County-coded1958Embossed white serial on forest green plate with border line; "NEW HAMPSHIRE" at bottom; "19" at top left and "58" at top right"SCENIC" centered at topAB123County-coded1959As 1957 base, but with "59" at top right"SCENIC" as on 1957 baseAB123County-coded1960As 1958 base, but with "60" at top right"SCENIC" as on 1958 baseAB123County-coded1961As 1957 base, but with "61" at top right"SCENIC" as on 1957 baseAB123County-coded1962As 1958 base, but with "62" at top right"SCENIC" as on 1958 baseAB123County-coded1963As 1957 base, but without border line, and with "63" at top right"PHOTOSCENIC" centered at topAB123County-coded1964As 1958 base, but with "64" at top right"SCENIC" as on 1958 baseAB123County-coded1965As 1957 base, but with "65" at top right"SCENIC" as on 1957 baseAB123County-coded1966As 1958 base, but with "66" at top right"SCENIC" as on 1958 baseAB123County-coded1967As 1957 base, but with "67" at top right"SCENIC" as on 1957 baseAB123County-coded1968As 1958 base, but with "68" at top right"SCENIC" as on 1958 baseAB123County-coded1969As 1957 base, but with "69" at top right"SCENIC" as on 1957 baseAB123County-coded1970As 1958 base, but with "70" at top right"SCENIC" as on 1958 baseAB123County-coded1971As 1957 base, but with "71" at top right"LIVE FREE OR DIE" centered at topAB123County-codedFirst use of the state motto on regular passenger plates. The motto had first been used on vanity plates on the 1970 base.1972As 1958 base, but with "72" at top right"LIVE FREE OR DIE" centered at topAB123County-coded
1973 to present In 1977, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that vehicle owners may cover up the mottos that a state places on its license plates. The case began in 1974 when George Maynard, a Jehovah's Witness from Claremont, New Hampshire, and his wife taped over the "Live Free or Die" motto on their plates. Maynard, who argued that the motto violated his religious beliefs, subsequently spent 15 days in jail for refusing to pay the $75 fine imposed for covering up the motto (). Chief Justice Warren E. Burger stated, "The First Amendment protects the right of individuals to hold a point of view different from the majority and to refuse to foster, in the way New Hampshire commands, an idea they find morally objectionable."
ImageDates issuedDesignSloganSerial formatSerials issuedNotes1973–74Embossed forest green serial on white plate with border line; "NEW HAMPSHIRE" at bottom; "73" at top right "LIVE FREE OR DIE" centered at topAB1231234County-codedRevalidated for 1974 with stickers. Four-digit serials with stacked county codes introduced in counties that had exhausted their three-digit allocations.1975–76Embossed white serial on forest green plate with border line; "NEW HAMPSHIRE" at bottom; "75" at top left"LIVE FREE OR DIE" centered at topAB1231234County-codedMonthly staggered registration introduced, with each plate expiring in the same month as the registrant's birthday.1977AB123AB1234Narrow dies introduced, allowing for six-character serials with full-size county code letters.December 1977 – July1978Embossed red serial on white plate with border line; "NEW HAMPSHIRE" at bottom"LIVE FREE OR DIE" centered at topXB1234XA1 toXF9999Interim plates issued only to new registrants. Elements changed from red to green in response to concerns of confusion with Massachusetts plates of the time; unissued red plates were recalled and repainted accordingly before issue.July 1978 – December 1978As above, but with elements in green rather than redXG1 to approximately XN7000January 1979 – December 1983Embossed forest green serial on reflective white plate with border line; "NEW HAMPSHIRE" centered at bottom"LIVE FREE OR DIE" centered at top1234561 to 999999December 1983 – December 198612345A10000A to approximately 59000GJanuary 1987 – March 1989Embossed forest green serial on reflective white plate; "NEW HAMPSHIRE" screened in pale green centered at top, with a graphic of the Old Man of the Mountain in a circle between the two words"Live Free or Die" screened in pale green centered at bottom1234561 to 999999March 1989 – December 1998As above, but with dark green serial, state name and graphic"LIVE FREE OR DIE" screened in dark green centered at bottomAAA-001 to approximately DEX-500 January 1999 – presentEmbossed dark green serial on reflective graphic plate with Old Man of the Mountain and Cannon Mountain against pale blue sky; screened dark green "New HAMPSHIRE" centered at bottom, with cursive "New" above serifed "HAMPSHIRE""LIVE FREE OR DIE" screened in dark green centered at top123451 to 99999Old Man graphic at right (also the style for vanity plates). 123 456999 999 to 100 000Serials progressed backwards. Old Man graphic in center.123 4567100 0000 to 553 8164Old Man graphic slightly to left of center.D1234D1000 to unknownOld man graphic at right. Empty 3"x3" square at left for placement of a decal purchased separately from a legislatively approved organization or charity. +Specialty PlatesImageDates issuedDesignSloganSerial formatSerials issuedNotes1999–PresentEmbossed dark green serial with moose graphic on left and mountain graphic in background; screened dark green "New HAMPSHIRE" centered at bottom, with cursive "New" above serifed "HAMPSHIRE"; "C/H" screened in green to the left of serial"LIVE FREE OR DIE" screened in dark green centered at top1234X 123X4 12X34
1X234 X12341000C to C9999 1000H to H9999
1000P to P9999
1000M to 5M117 Progresses through each format with a single letter, then switches to a new letter C, H, P, M, W used so far