The U.S. state of West Virginia first required its residents to register their motor vehicles and display license plates in 1905. , plates are issued by the West Virginia Department of Transportation through its Division of Motor Vehicles. Only rear plates have been required since 1944.
Passenger baseplates
1905 to 1970 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 1956–57 (dated 1957) issue was the first West Virginia license plate that complied with these standards. ImageDates issuedDesignSloganSerial formatSerials issuedNotes1905Embossed blue serial on green plate; "W. VA." at right; "LICENSED" and "05" above and below serial respectivelynone1231 to approximately 2001906Embossed gray serial on dark blue plate; "W. VA." at right; "LICENSED" and "1906" above and below serial respectivelynone123201 to approximately 500One of the rarest license plates in American history. Less than five of these plates are known to exist.Black serial on white porcelain plate; "W. VA." at right and "LICENSED" centered at topnone1234401 to approximately 11001909–10Black serial on red porcelain plate; "W. VA. 1909" at right and "LICENSED" centered at topnone1231 to approximately 9001910–11White serial on dark blue porcelain plate; "W. VA. 1910" at right and "LICENSED" centered at topnone12341 to approximately 17001911–12Black serial on white porcelain plate; "W VA" at left, vertical "1911" at right and "LICENSED" centered at topnone12341 to approximately 25001912–13White serial on forest green porcelain plate; vertical "1912" and "W. VA" at left and right respectively; "LICENSE" centered at topnone12341 to approximately 35001913–14Yellow serial on black porcelain plate; vertical "JULY 1914" and "W. VA." at left and right respectively; "LICENSE" centered at topnone12341 to approximately 60001914–15White serial on light blue porcelain plate; vertical "1914 1915" and "W. VA." at left and right respectively; "LICENSE" centered at topnone123451 to approximately 105001915–16White serial on red porcelain plate; vertical "1915 1916" and "W. VA." at left and right respectively; "LICENSE" centered at topnone123451 to approximately 165001916–17Navy blue serial on white flat metal plate; vertical "W. VA." and "1916-17" at left and right respectively; "LICENSED" centered at topnone123451 to approximately 250001917–18Embossed yellow serial on black plate with border line; "W.VA 17-18" at rightnone123451 to approximately 330001918–19Embossed black serial on white plate with border line; "W.VA 18-19" at rightnone123451 to approximately 430001919–20Embossed white serial on black plate with border line; "W.VA 19-20" at rightnone123451 to approximately 66000Valid from July 1, 1919 through December 31, 1920.1921Embossed white serial on dark blue plate with border line; "W VA" monogram and "1921" at rightnone123451 to approximately 870001922Embossed black serial on tan plate with border line; "W VA" monogram and "1922" at rightnone123451 to approximately 960001923Embossed red serial on white plate; "WEST VIRGINIA 1923" at bottomnone1 to approximately 141-000First use of the full state name.1924Embossed white serial on maroon plate; "WEST VIRGINIA 1924" at bottomnone123-4561 to approximately 165-0001925Embossed dark blue serial on orange plate; "WEST VIRGINIA 1925" at bottomnone123-4561 to approximately 173-0001926Embossed white serial on dark blue plate; "WEST VIRGINIA 1926" at topnone123-4561 to approximately 211-0001927Embossed black serial on gray plate; "WEST VIRGINIA 1927" at topnone123-4561 to approximately 207-0001928Embossed white serial on dark green plate; "WEST VIRGINIA 1928" at bottomnone123-4561 to approximately 217-0001929Embossed orange serial on black plate; "WEST VIRGINIA 1929" at bottomnone123-4561 to approximately 232-0001930Embossed black serial on gray plate; "W. VA. – 1930" centered at bottomnone123-4561 to approximately 223-0001931Embossed yellow serial on black plate; "W. VA. – 1931" centered at bottomnone123-4561 to approximately 213-0001932Embossed white serial on black plate; "W. VA. – 1932" centered at bottomnone123-4561 to approximately 192-0001933–34Embossed yellow serial on black plate; "W. VA. – 1933" centered at bottomnone123-4561 to approximately 214-000Validated from January 1 through June 30, 1934 with windshield stickers.1934–35Embossed black serial on yellow plate; "W. VA.-34-35" centered at bottomnone123-4561 to approximately 207-0001935–36Embossed yellow serial on black plate; "W. VA.-35-36" centered at bottomnone123-4561 to approximately 219-0001936–37Embossed black serial on yellow plate; "W. VA.-36-37" centered at topnone123-4561 to approximately 224-0001937–38Embossed yellow serial on black plate; "W. VA.-37-38" centered at topnone123-4561 to approximately 237-0001938–39Embossed black serial on yellow plate; "W. VA.-38-39" centered at bottomnone123-4561 to approximately 236-0001939–40Embossed yellow serial on black plate; "W. VA.-39-40" centered at bottomnone123-4561 to approximately 245-0001940–41Embossed black serial on yellow plate; "W. VA.-40-41" centered at bottomnone123-4561 to approximately 258-0001941–44Embossed yellow serial on black plate with border line; "W. VA. EXP.-6-30-42" at bottomnone123-4561 to approximately 349-000Revalidated through June 30, 1943 with white tabs, then through June 30, 1944 with windshield stickers, due to metal conservation for World War II.1944–45Embossed black serial on yellow plate with border line; "W. VA. EXP.-6-30-45" at bottomnone123-4561 to approximately 214-0001945–46As 1941–44 base, but with "W. VA. EXP.-6-30-46" at bottomnone123-4561 to approximately 239-0001946–47As 1944–45 base, but with "W. VA. EXP.-6-30-47" at bottomnone123-4561 to approximately 250-0001947–48As 1941–44 base, but with "W. VA. EXP.-6-30-48" at bottomnone123-4561 to approximately 282-0001948–49As 1944–45 base, but with "W. VA. EXP.-6-30-49" at bottomnone123-4561 to approximately 312-0001949–50As 1941–44 base, but with "W. VA. EXP.-6-30-50" at bottomnone123-4561 to approximately 339-0001950–51As 1944–45 base, but with "W. VA. EXP.-6-30-51" at bottomnone123-4561 to approximately 365-0001951–52As 1941–44 base, but with "W. VA. EXP.-6-30-52" at bottomnone123-4561 to approximately 377-0001952–53As 1944–45 base, but with "W. VA. EXP.-6-30-53" at bottomnone123-4561 to approximately 379-0001953–54As 1941–44 base, but with "W. VA. EXP.-6-30-54" at bottomnone123-4561 to approximately 399-0001954–55As 1944–45 base, but with "WEST VIRGINIA 54" at bottomnone123-4561 to approximately 418-0001955–56Embossed white serial on green plate with border line; "WEST VIRGINIA 56" at bottomnone123-4561 to approximately 436-0001956–57Embossed yellow serial on dark blue plate with border line; "WEST VIRGINIA" centered at bottom; "19" at bottom left and "57" at bottom rightnone123-4561 to approximately 461-000First 6" x 12" plate.1957–58Embossed green serial on white plate with border line; "WEST VIRGINIA" centered at bottom; "58" at bottom rightnone123-4561 to approximately 469-0001958–59Embossed white serial on green plate with border line; "WEST VIRGINIA" centered at bottom; "19" at bottom left and "59" at bottom rightnone123-4561 to approximately 478-0001959–60Embossed red serial on white plate with border line; "WEST VIRGINIA" centered at bottom; "19" at bottom left and "60" at bottom rightnone123-4561 to approximately 471-0001960–61Embossed white serial on dark red plate with border line; "WEST VIRGINIA" centered at bottom; "19" at bottom left and "61" at bottom rightnone123-4561 to As above, but with elements debossed141-827 to approximately 476-0001961–62Embossed green serial on reflective white plate with border line; "WEST VIRGINIA" centered at bottom; "19" at bottom left and "62" at bottom rightnone123-4561 to approximately 488-0001962–63Debossed yellow serial on reflective blue plate with border line; "WEST VIRGINIA" centered at bottom; "19" at bottom left and "63" at bottom right"1863 CENTENNIAL 1963" at top123-4561 to approximately 490-000Both this and the 1963–64 base commemorated West Virginia's 100 years as a separate state.1963–64Embossed blue serial on reflective yellow plate with border line; "WEST VIRGINIA" centered at bottom; "19" at bottom left and "64" at bottom right"1863 CENTENNIAL 1963" at top123-4561 to approximately 521-0001964–65As 1962–63 base, but with "65" at bottom right"MOUNTAIN STATE" centered at top123-4561 to approximately 522-0001965–66As 1963–64 base, but with "66" at bottom right"MOUNTAIN STATE" centered at top123-4561 to approximately 558-0001966–67As 1962–63 base, but with "67" at bottom right"MOUNTAIN STATE" centered at top123-4561 to approximately 582-0001967–68As 1963–64 base, but with "68" at bottom right"MOUNTAIN STATE" centered at top123-4561 to approximately 603-0001968–69As 1962–63 base, but with "69" at bottom right"MOUNTAIN STATE" centered at top123-4561 to approximately 625-0001969–70As 1963–64 base, but with "70" at bottom right"MOUNTAIN STATE" centered at top123-4561 to approximately 591-000
1970 to present ImageDates issuedDesignSloganSerial formatSerials issuedNotes1970–75Embossed blue serial on reflective yellow plate with border line; "WEST VIRGINIA" centered at bottom; sticker box at bottom right"MOUNTAIN STATE" centered at top0B-1234AB-1234First character corresponds to month of expiration (see right) 1 through 9 indicated January through September respectively, and O, N and D indicated October, November and December respectively. This system remains in use today.1976–82Embossed dark blue serial on reflective white plate; yellow state shape with blue outline screened at left behind serial; "WEST VIRGINIA" screened in dark blue centered at bottomDark blue bar screened at top with "Wild, Wonderful" in white in the center0B-1234AB-1234First character corresponds to month of expirationEarly plates for August through December manufactured by Polyvend Inc. of Arkansas.1982 – December 1994As above, but without blue outline around state shape0BC-123Two-letter series introduced for each month as one-letter series were exhausted. These series progressed as follows: both letters A through M only, then first letter N through Z and second letter A through M, then first letter A through M and second letter N through Z. January 1995 – December 2000Embossed dark blue serial on reflective white plate; dark blue bar screened at top containing "West Virginia" in gold in the center; thin gold stripe screened between dark blue bar and serial"Wild, Wonderful" screened in dark blue centered at bottom, with three stripes (two dark blue and one gold) screened on either side 0B 12340BC 12301B 123AB 1234ABC 123A1B 123First character corresponds to month of expirationSeries reset to A for all months; progression is as before but with two-letter series progressing in standard order (AA–AZ, BA–BZ etc.). Series S and SA–SZ reserved for optional Scenic plates. Number-letter series introduced October 2015 as two-letter series started to be exhausted. December 2000 – early2006"Wild, Wonderful" as before, plus "www.callwva.com" in dark blue between state name and serial, cutting off thin gold stripe in the middleearly 2006 – July 2023"Wild, Wonderful" July 2023 – presentEmbossed dark blue serial on reflective white plate with state outline as separator; dark blue bar screened at top containing "West Virginia" in gold in the center; thin gold stripe screened between dark blue bar and serial012 345BA12 345B
Optional plates