The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk License Plates

I am not old enough to remember so hoping someone here knows: Back in the '50s were new plates issued every year with the year stamped into the plate or where there year tabs issued? If tabs were they steel bolted in place (I doubt they were the stickers we have these days)?

Short answer is it depends on the state that issued them. I believe many states used metal year tags, at least in the 1940's and 1950's due to metal shortages. For WI, there is a decent webpage on Wisconsin License Plates that has a nice picture of 1940's and 1950's (and at least up to 1960 from what I could see) plates showing the year tags. The tags weren't bolted to the original plates. They had tabs that fit through slots on the main plate and got bent over to keep secure on the original plate. These are easy to see in the picture on this webpage. Guessing you may be hunting for Year Of Manufacture (YOM) plates for your truck???

All the above is true depending on which state the plates were issued.

In California for example: New steel plates were stamped and issued every year through the 1940s. In the early 1950s, black/yellow steel plates were issued to run several years and colored metal registration tags were affixed by screws for each year up through 1955. In 1956, stamped steel yellow/black plates were issued and colored registration stickers were updated each year. This plate and sticker method continues through the present, with a new plate series issued every few years and personal vanity plates also available. Plates are now made from stamped aluminum. And since 2018, digital plates can also be obtained from CA DMV.

And then there were the plates made of stamped soybeans in the 40's. I was told cows really liked them.

We don't have the year stamped on the plate - been that way for a long time - since the 1970's IIRC. Now, we don't even have yearly stickers. The police computers scan plates and can tell if the registration is valid, insurance is paid, vehicle is stolen, driver licence suspended ...

Not actually looking for a plate for my truck but information for my son who is trying a new idea for his custom coffee cup business. Once he has his process sorted out I hope to post a link to his website in the appropriate location on this forum in case anyone is interested.

Send me a PM prior to posting please as anything being offered for sale will need to go in the proper Swap Meet forum. It may require approval from Stovebolt HQ as well depending on what is involved.

Here’s a pic of my rear commercial plate. Originally a ‘47 plate. Now with ‘50 bolt on plate (upper right). Registration year tag plate on upper left.

Illinois had stamped steel plates every year.
Samantha

HERE is a pretty comprehensive site for license plates.
From what I'm seeing for Illinois, they had a few years where plates were carried over with new date stickers, instead of issuing new plates each year. I'm sure many states also used the multi-year plates with either bolt-on tags or other methods for subsequent years. I know that California did that quite a while back, as early as 1916. Wisconsin also did the same in 1943 with tabs. LINK

Thru the early 60"s Penna. issued new plates each year. Later in the 60's you got a new plate and each year after you just got a new sticker with the current year. Now you just register on line and no stickers.

Dave

In Minnesota it was new stamped plates every year. Then, if I recall correctly, I believe it was in the late '50's that they issued a bolt on steel tag every other year with new plates in the alternate years. Eventually it went to the stickers.

Minnesota issued a metal tab in 1943 according to the link I posted above. Then started in '58 with tabs. The 1943 was a one-off probably because of metal shortages during the war.

Indiana has a sticker that you place in the upper right corner every year thne you replace the metal tag. I have personalised tag, We B Old on the 54.

Thank you all for the additional information.

Gdads51 - I will contact you to make sure I do everything required the correct way to avoid any concerns regarding posting information regarding items for sale.

In Indiana we can run an unrestored YOM plate. They give you a new plate to stick under your seat. For my 53 3100 I have to run a 51 plate with a 53 topper. Finding the topper was the hard part.

Montana still reqires the pair of plates to register YOM. You just have to affix the rear, but they still need both to register. They only made singles with the Korean War metal shortage during 48-50. Some years a windshield sticker was affixed for current registration. And I found a nice single plate for future registration, but in a small ranching county, it's impossible to find a pair. They were unique every year until the late 50's, with the unique "Prison Made' stamped on the bottom.
Washington only reqires a single for YOM, and varied with different plates with metal tabs until 58 with stickers.

I lucked out when registering my 1951 recently. I had a collection of 1951 plates, but no pairs. Alaska changed the law last year to require only one plate. Here's part of my collection. I was able to find a pair of 1952 plates, but they wouldn't have worked on my '51. I finally found a very nice 1951 Alaska plate with just a minor paint chip that I used to register the truck.

1951 Missouri plates seem to be impossible to find! I’ve been searching for years and actually have had zero luck recently even finding pictures of them. Anyone have such plates or at least a picture???

Dan,

Check HERE
Apparently you need a 1948 plate with the 1951 metal tab. Good luck in finding just the tab, as they probably got tossed in '52. I see that they were also month specific.

Thank You Kevin!

I know where to find a few 1948 plates, so that part I can fix now. Will add the “51” year tag to my search list.

Something that the Historic plate websites don’t seem to cover is plates for Trucks. I have had different plates on my trucks than the car, and that’s also the way it was when I was in Texas. The modern Texas plates had “TEXAS TRUCK”. I don’t know what the requirement is to qualify for a truck license plate, or what years that was enforced. My ½ ton truck had truck plates. Now I think the car and truck plates are the same in Washington. There is currently a shortage of plates and they are issuing non-embossed plates.
Here is a site of a collector of Washington plates:
https://dannyslicenseplates.com/county-codes/
I don’t see mention of truck plates there also.
I did find some 1947 Washington truck plates for sale on-line. They start with TK with the K being smaller than the T. That is followed by the county code and then the numbers on the right. The dennys web site shows the county codes.
I’m thinking the Suburban would get the car plates as the title designates it as such.

The new Washington plates for passenger cars are 3 letters followed by 4 numbers (XYZ-1234), replacing the older 3 number-3 letter plates (123-XYZ). My 04 Tahoe has those.
Pickup truck plates were 5 numbers-1 letter, which my 91 has on it as YOM (12345-Z), but now are 1 letter-5 numbers-1 letter (A12345B). Too many registered vehicles is my guess and they ran out. Older than 30 years, you can apply for YOM or classic plates.
Older classic WA truck plates had T followed by the county letter then numbers. C for Spokane county.

Montana older truck plates had the county number followed by T then numbers, and in the 70-80s, passenger cars were county number followed by P. I think since sometime in the early 2000s 3 letter-3 number plates could be on cars or trucks without the county number designation without paying vanity plate fees. We've got trucks with the 3 -3. And if the vehicle is older than 10 years, permanent licensing on trucks or cars.

Walter, you are correct in that Truck plates were different many places. Back in the day (mid 60's) in California, recall that truck plates were 2 letters and then numbers, while car plates were 3 letters and 3 numbers. Also there's a 2-ton 1952 AD truck up here sporting YOM plates that have "COMMERCIAL" on them, where everything else I've found don't have that on them. Alaska also had Truck plates in the '70's with 2 letters and 4 numbers versus car plates with 3 and 3.

Walter today the Texas truck can have either a car plate, nothing on it except the number or it may say "Farm Truck". To be a farm truck it must be registered under an Agriculture Exempt which requires the owner to have applied for and received an exemption. Means you are a farmer or rancher with so many acres and produce some kind of agriculture product. Requires a minimum of 10 acres and takes 5 years to get the exemption.
Good thing to remember you folks here in Texas. Don't buy one of those old plates with "Farm Truck" on it unless you have that farm exemption because you wont be allowed to use it. I know because I just ask our local county vehicle registration folks.
Also in Texas you have to use original plates. They must be clearly readable. They can be restored but must be original colors. No reproductions allowed.

I have a '52 GMC 3/4 ton flatbed with the plate shown below. When I got the plate (around 2014) I tried to register it in Harris County (suburban Houston) and after 30 minutes at the county tax-assessor collector office, I was told that "FARM" truck plates were not allowed. They did not mention it being allowed if you have an ag exemption. I have an ag exemption, but not in the county where I lived at the time and where I was trying to register the plates.

So I got back into the truck and drove 20 miles north to the small town of Tomball. Walked in, showed the clerk my plates and paperwork, STAMP, STAMP, STAMP and I walked out with the YOM sticker for my plates.

10 years later and I'm still driving it. Now living on land with an ag exemption.

I just picked a nice restored set of Texas plates for my truck. Registration went smoothly and cost was $31.50. The registration, not the plates! 😉

In Virginia one needs two plates for YOM. They must be approved by DMV for condition. Sure, a set of two matching plates is pricey, but a one-time $50 registration fee is good forever.

Alaska recently changed to single plates, saving my rear end to use one of my single '51 plates. But the DMV clerk messed up and gave me stickers with an expiration date something I have to go back in and fix. Don't have a pic of it installed on the truck though.

Missouri is another state that requires two plates for YOM. I have been lucky enough to find a 1948 plate with the slots for later metal year tags, but unfortunately only a single plate so even if/when I find a "51" year tag, it' still only a good display piece with out the matching plate.

Dan, I don't know how thoroughly your state checks these things out but what about having a replica plate made from one of the companies that makes them?

A friend here in Georgia had a 1958 Georgia plate made for his Cadillac - 586239. This signifies a 1958 Cadillac series 6239.

They do not attempt to verify that it's a real YOM plate (how could they?). You just have to show them the plate and as long as the numbers aren't in use, and it's the right color, etc, they'll grant you permission to place it on your car and issue you a modern plate to keep in the glove box or whatever.

Of course don't tell them it's a replica.

In NY you must use original plates in good legible original condition as repo’s (nor refinished) are not allowed. A photo of your plate(s) are submitted in addition to the registration form. Once you buy your plate (or plates depending on his many were required for that year), they check to see if the plate number is already used. Plates were issued every two years back then so the same plate number could already be in use. Once your number is cleared you can change your plates to YOM.

Otto, I would not even consider doing such, nor would I condone anyone else doing so unless their state laws allowed such "replica" plates. Missouri regulates YOM plates and registration issuing and use/transfer and has set standards which you can read about HERE. I am sure other states have similar legal requirements, and would expect that anyone that is driving their trucks on our public roads would be sure to have their vehicles properly licensed/insured per the laws of their state.

If (BIG IF) my truck was going to be a display piece that never was driven on the road, or I wanted something to display at a show that was only put on temporarily for display purposes and then removed and legal plates put back on before driving, I might consider it. On second thought - Nah!

On an update to my earlier post, I reread the MO YOM rules and details provided by fellow Bolter Shakey61. The single plate I have has the sequence NN-NNN, and if the State of MO can confirm it is valid and not in use by someone else, I could get approval to use it legally once I can find a correct 1951 metal year tab to match my truck YOM.

Dan is this what you are looking for?

https://kansaslicenseplates.com/shop/ols/products/missouri-1951-car-license-plate-tab

Mickey, I had come across that previously in my searches and had others offer that too. Unfortunately the "Truck" 51 YOM tag I need has a yellow background and black numbers per fellow Bolter Shakey61. Appreciate the offer of help!

I purchased a '91 tab on EBay for my YOM plate I had, and it turned out to be mailed local.
She is the widow of a guy that collected ALOT of stuff. Her grandson was helping. Years ago I bought a pair of '58 plates for dads Impala form him, and his shop was full of neon signs, gas pumps, soda machines, plates....etc. That's where I found my '51 plate and tab. Not cheap though. They are kinda proud of their stock. Asked about '51 Montana truck plates, but didnt have Meagher county. Heard that she might be moving out of state to live closer to one of her sons, but haven't heard of a sale yet. They might be taking the lot with her.
If she is still around, this might be helpful. She said she had other state truck and tabs, but mostly PNW area.

Chip O, Thanks for the lead! I will check it out and report back. Seems most everyone selling these are "very proud" of their stuff.