The U.S. commonwealth of Pennsylvania first required its residents to register their motor vehicles in 1903. Registrants provided their own license plates for display until 1906, when the state began to issue plates.

, plates are issued by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) through its Driver & Vehicle Services division. Only rear plates have been required on standard passenger vehicles since 1952. Most other classes of vehicle also only require rear plates, while front plates are additionally required on passenger vehicles owned by the state, and on vehicles owned by press photographers.

Passenger baseplates 1906 to 1958 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 Pennsylvania license plate that complied with these standards.

No slogans were used on passenger plates during the period covered by this subsection.

ImageDates issuedDesignSerial formatSerials issuedNotes1906White on blue porcelain; "PENNA 1906" at top or at right (see Notes)123451 to approximately 14000Plates with serials 1 through 99 had the state abbreviation and year at the right. This practice continued through 1909.1907White on red porcelain; "PENNA 1907" at top or at right123451 to approximately 200001908Black on yellow porcelain; "PENNA 1908" at top or at right123451 to approximately 255001909Black on white porcelain; "PENNA 1909" at top or at right123451 to approximately 345001910White on black porcelain; "PENNA", aluminum keystone and "1910" at left123451 to approximately 335001911Black on yellow porcelain; "PENNA", aluminum keystone and "1911" at left123451 to approximately 440001912White on woodgrain-colored porcelain; "PENNA", aluminum keystone and "1912" at left123451 to approximately 600001913White on green porcelain; "PENNA", aluminum keystone and "1913" at left123451 to approximately 800001914White on black porcelain; "PENNA", aluminum keystone and "1914" at left1234561 to 19999;40000 to approximately 1150001915White on medium blue porcelain; "PENNA", aluminum keystone and "1915" at left1234561 to 19999;30000 to approximately 1640001916Embossed black on orange; "PENNA", keystone and "1916" at left1234561 to 19999;30000 to approximately 231000First embossed plate.1917Embossed white on brown; "PENNA", keystone and "1917" at left1234561 to approximately 3120001918Embossed white on black; "PENNA", keystone and "1918" at left1234561 to approximately 3680001919Embossed red on black; "PENNA", keystone and "1919" at right1234561 to approximately 4500001920Embossed white on navy blue; "PENNA 1920" at bottom123-4561 to approximately 529-0001921Embossed black on golden yellow; "PENNA 1921" at bottom, with keystones on either side123-4561 to approximately 634-0001922Embossed brown on cream; "PENNA 1922" at bottom, with keystones on either side123-4561 to approximately 765-0001923Embossed golden yellow on navy blue; "PENNA 1923" at bottom, with keystones on either side123-4561 to approximately 986-000Six-digit plates were originally 16 inches in length, but reduced to 15 inches later.1924Embossed navy blue on golden yellow; "PENNA 1924" at bottom, with keystones on either side123-4561 to 999-999A-1 to approximately A-490001925Embossed golden yellow on navy blue; "1925 PENNA" at bottom, with keystones on either side123-4561 to 999-999A12-345A-1 to approximately B58-0001926Embossed navy blue on golden yellow with border line; "1926 PENNA" at bottom, with keystones on either side123-4561 to 999-999A12-345A-1 to approximately C59-0001927Embossed golden yellow on navy blue with border line; "1927 PENNA" at top, with keystones on either side123-4561 to 999-999A12-345A-1 to approximately D63-0001928Embossed navy blue on golden yellow with border line; "PENNA 1928" at top, with keystones on either side123-4561 to 999-999A12-345A-1 to approximately E25-0001929Embossed golden yellow on navy blue with border line; "1929 PENNA" at top, with keystones on either side123-4561 to 999-999A12-345A-1 to approximately F24-0001930Embossed navy blue on golden yellow with border line; "1930 PENNA" at bottom, with keystones on either side12345A12341A23412A34123A41234AAB1231AB23Letters I, O, Q, T, W and X not used in serials; this practice continued until 1974.1931Embossed golden yellow on navy blue with border line; "PENNA 1931" at bottom, with keystones on either side12345A12341A23412A34123A41234AAB1231AB231932Embossed navy blue on golden yellow with border line; "PENNA 1932" at top, with keystones on either side12345A12341A23412A34123A41234AAB1231AB231933Embossed golden yellow on navy blue with border line; "PENNA 1933" or "1933 PENNA" at top, with keystones on either side12345A12341A23412A34123A41234AAB1231934Embossed navy blue on golden yellow with border line; "1934 PENNA" at bottom, with keystones on either side12345A12341A23412A34123A41234AAB1231935Embossed golden yellow on navy blue with border line; "1935 PENNA" at bottom, with keystones on either side12345A12341A23412A34123A41234AAB1231AB231936Embossed navy blue on golden yellow; "1936 PENNA" at top, with keystones on either side12345A12341A23412A34123A41234AAB1231AB231937Embossed golden yellow on navy blue with state-shaped border; "1937 PENNA" at top12345A12341A23412A34123A41234AAB1231AB23Later plates had keystones on either side of the year and state abbreviation.1938Embossed navy blue on golden yellow with state-shaped border; "1938 PENNA" at top12345A12341A23412A34123A41234AAB1231AB23Embossed golden yellow on navy blue with state-shaped border; "1939 PENNA" at top12345A12341A23412A34123A41234AAB1231AB23Valid through March 31, 1940.1940–41Embossed navy blue on golden yellow with state-shaped border; "1940 PENNA" at top12345A12341A23412A34123A41234AAB1231AB2312AB31941–42Embossed golden yellow on navy blue with state-shaped border; "1941 PENNA" at top; "EXP. 3-31-42" inside top border12345A12341A23412A34123A41234AAB1231AB2312AB31942–44Embossed navy blue on golden yellow with state-shaped border; "1942 PENNA" at top; "EXP. 3-31-43" inside top border12345A12341A23412A34123A41234AAB1231AB2312AB3Revalidated through March 31, 1944, with red tabs, due to metal conservation for World War II.1944–45Embossed golden yellow on navy blue with state-shaped border; "1944 PENNA" at top; "EXP. 3-31-45" inside top border12345A12341A23412A34123A41234AAB1231AB231945–46Embossed navy blue on golden yellow with state-shaped border; "1945 PENNA" at top; "EXP. 3-31-46" inside top border12345A12341A23412A34123A41234AAB1231AB231946–47Embossed golden yellow on navy blue with state-shaped border; "1946 PENNA" at top; "EXP. 3-31-47" inside top border12345A12341A23412A34123A41234AAB1231AB2312AB31947–48Embossed navy blue on golden yellow with state-shaped border; "1947 PENNA" at top; "EXP. 3-31-48" inside top border12345A12341A23412A34123A41234AAB1231AB2312AB31948–49Embossed golden yellow on navy blue with state-shaped border; "1948 PENNA" at top; "EXP. 3-31-49" inside top border12345A12341A23412A34123A41234AAB1231AB2312AB31949–50Embossed navy blue on golden yellow with state-shaped border; "1949 PENNA" at top; "EXP. 3-31-50" inside top border12345A12341A23412A34123A41234AAB1231AB2312AB3123AB1950–51Embossed golden yellow on navy blue with state-shaped border; "1950 PENNA" at top; "EXP. 3-31-51" inside top border12345A12341A23412A34123A41234AAB1231AB2312AB3123AB1951–52Embossed navy blue on golden yellow with state-shaped border; "1951 PENNA" at top; "EXP. 3-31-52" inside top border12345A12341A23412A34123A41234AAB1231AB2312AB3123ABA123B1952–53Embossed golden yellow on navy blue with state-shaped border; "1952 PENNA" at top; "EXP. 3-31-53" inside top border12345A12341A23412A34123A41234AAB1231AB2312AB3123ABA123BOnly rear plates issued; this practice continues today.1953–54Embossed navy blue on golden yellow with state-shaped border; "1953 PENNA" at top; "EXP. 3-31-54" inside top border12345A12341A23412A34123A41234AAB1231AB2312AB3123ABA123B1954–55Embossed golden yellow on navy blue with state-shaped border; "1954 PENNA" at top; "EXP. 3-31-55" inside top border12345A12341A23412A34123A41234AAB1231AB2312AB3123ABA123BA12B31955–56Embossed navy blue on golden yellow with state-shaped border; "1955 PENNA" at top; "EXP. 3-31-56" inside top border12345A12341A23412A34123A41234AAB1231AB2312AB3123ABA123BA12B3A1B231956–57Embossed golden yellow on navy blue with state-shaped border; "1956 PENNA" at top; "EXP. 3-31-57" inside top border12345A12341A23412A34123A41234AAB1231AB2312AB3123ABA123BA12B3A1B23Later plates used the thinner serial dies that would be used on most plates of the 1957–58 base. T and W briefly used as overflow letters in serials.1957–58Embossed navy blue on golden yellow with state-shaped border; "1957 PENNA" at top; "EXP. 3-31-58" inside top border12345A12341A23412A34123A41234AAB1231AB2312AB3123AB123456100000 to approximately 880000Narrower serial dies.

1958 to present Only plates issued since 1999 are currently valid for display.Penndot brochure "License Plates of Pennsylvania" March 2007