Vehicle registration plates of Mississippi

The U.S. state of Mississippi first required its residents to register their motor vehicles and display license plates in 1912. Since then, the state has gone through a variety of license plate designs and currently has several different designs for passenger, non-passenger, and optional-issue plates.

Passenger plates 1912 to present

In 1956, the U.S. states and Canadian provinces came to an agreement with the Automobile Manufacturers Association that fixed the size for license plates for vehicles, except those for motorcycles, at six inches in height by twelve inches in width, with standardized mounting holes. The 1955 (dated 1956) issue was the first Mississippi license plate that complied with these standards.

Image	Dates issued	Design	Serial format	Serials issued	Notes
	1912	White with embossed black lettering. Date turned counterclockwise and stamped to left of registration, with "MISS" turned clockwise and stamped to right of registration number.	12345		First state issue. Local municipalities had issued license plates earlier.
	1914–18	White with embossed navy lettering and rim. "MISS" stamped vertically to right of registration number.	12345
	1919	Dark green with embossed sea green lettering and rim. "1919" stamped vertically to left of registration number, "MISS" stamped vertically to right.	12345
	1920	Brown with embossed white lettering and rim. "1920" stamped vertically to left of registration number, "MISS" stamped vertically to right.	12345
	1921	White with embossed red lettering and rim. "1921" stamped vertically to left of registration number, "MISS" stamped vertically to right.	12345
	1923	Black with embossed yellow lettering and rim. "1923" stamped vertically to left of registration number, "MISS" stamped vertically to right.	12345
	1924	Blue with embossed white lettering and rim. "1924" stamped vertically to left of registration number, "MISS" stamped vertically to right.	12345
	1925	Yellow with embossed black lettering and rim. "1925" stamped vertically to left of registration number, "MISS" stamped vertically to right.	123-456
	1926	Black with embossed white lettering and rim. "1926" stamped vertically to left of registration number, "MISS" stamped vertically to right.	123-456
	1927	Black base with embossed yellow lettering and rim. "MISS 1927" stamped under registration.	123-456
	1929	Maroon base with embossed white lettering and rim. "MISS 1929" stamped under registration.	123-456
	1930	Navy base with embossed red lettering and rim. "MISS 1930" stamped under registration.	123-456
	1931	Orange with embossed white lettering and rim. "MISS 1931" located below registration number.	123-456
	1932	Black with embossed yellow lettering and rim. "MISS - 1932" located below registration number.	123-456
	1933	Green with embossed white lettering and rim. "MISS." located above registration number. Locking tab at top incused with white vehicle class letter and "33" for date.	123-456
	1935	Black with embossed orange lettering and rim. Locking tab at top for date.	123-456
	1936	Black with embossed white lettering and rim. Locking tab at top for date.	123-456
	1937	Dark green with embossed white lettering and rim. "MISS." stamped at top center of plate, "37" at top right. Passenger plates stamped with "A" at top left.	123-456
	1938	Dark blue with embossed white lettering and rim. "MISS." stamped at top center of plate, "38" at top right. Passenger plates stamped with "A" at top left.	123-456
	1939	Yellow with embossed black lettering and rim. "MISS." stamped at top center of plate, "19" at top left and "39" at top right.	123-456
	1940	Black with embossed yellow lettering and rim.	123-456
	1941	Black with embossed white lettering and rim. The county name is stamped at the top left of the plate, the letters "MISS" arranged vertically between the "123" and "456" parts of the registration number.	123-456
	1942	Blue with embossed yellow lettering and rim. The county name was stamped at the top left of the license plate, The letters "MISS" were arranged vertically between the "123" and "456" parts of the registration number.	123-456
	1943	Black with embossed orange lettering and rim. The county name was stamped at the top left of the license plate, The letters "MISS" were arranged vertically between the "123" and "456" parts of the registration number.	123-456		Due to wartime metal shortages, some 1943 plates were over-stamped on previously-used license plates, and the old embossed letters and numbers are still partially visible under the new paint.
	1944	Black with embossed white lettering and rim. The county name was stamped at the top left of the license plate, The letters "MISS" were arranged vertically between the "123" and "456" parts of the registration number.	123-456		Due to wartime metal shortages, some 1944 plates were over-stamped on previously-used license plates, and the old embossed letters and numbers are still partially visible under the new paint.
	1945	Black with embossed yellow lettering and rim. The county name was stamped at the top left of the license plate, The letters "MISS" were arranged vertically between the "123" and "456" parts of the registration number.	123-456		Due to wartime metal shortages, some 1945 plates were over-stamped on previously-used license plates, and the old embossed letters and numbers are still partially visible under the new paint.
	1946	Black with embossed white lettering and rim. The county name was stamped at the top left of the license plate, The letters "MISS" were arranged vertically between the "123" and "456" parts of the registration number.	123-456
	1947	Black with embossed yellow lettering and rim. The county name was stamped at the top left of the license plate, The letters "MISS" were arranged vertically between the "123" and "456" parts of the registration number.	123-456
	1948	Black with embossed white lettering and rim. The county name was stamped at the top left of the license plate, The letters "MISS" were arranged vertically between the "123" and "456" parts of the registration number.	123-456
	1949	Black with embossed orange lettering and rim. The county name was stamped at the top left of the license plate, The letters "MISS" were arranged vertically between the "123" and "456" parts of the registration number.	123-456
	1950	Yellow with embossed black lettering and rim. The county name was stamped at the top left of the license plate, The letters "MISS" were arranged vertically between the "123" and "456" parts of the registration number.	123-456
	1951	Black with embossed yellow lettering and trim. The county name was stamped on the bottom of the license plate.	123-456
	1952	Green with embossed white lettering and trim. The county name was stamped on the bottom of the license plate.	123-456
	1953	White with embossed maroon lettering and trim. The county name was stamped on the bottom of the license plate.	123-456
	1954	Black with embossed white lettering and trim. The county name was stamped on the bottom of the license plate.	123-456
	1955	Blue with embossed white lettering and trim. The county name was stamped on the bottom of the license plate.	123-456
	1956	Black with embossed yellow lettering and trim. The county name was stamped on the bottom of the license plate.	123-456
	1957	Green with embossed white lettering and trim. The county name was stamped on the bottom of the license plate.	123-456
	1958	Orange with embossed black lettering and trim. The county name was stamped on the bottom of the license plate.	123-456
	1959	White with embossed green lettering and trim. The county name was stamped on the bottom of the license plate.	123-456
	1960	White with embossed red lettering and trim. The county name was stamped on the bottom of the license plate.	123-456
	1961	White with embossed black lettering and trim. The county name was stamped on the bottom of the license plate.	123-456
	1962	White with embossed maroon lettering and trim. The county name was stamped on the bottom of the license plate.	A12 1234
	1963	White with embossed blue lettering and trim. The county name was stamped on the bottom of the license plate.	12-3456 A-12345
	1964	White with embossed red lettering and trim. The county name was stamped on the bottom of the license plate.	12-3456
	1965	Blue with embossed white lettering and trim. The county name was stamped on the bottom of the license plate.	12-3456
	1966	White with embossed blue lettering and trim. The county name was stamped on the bottom of the license plate.	12-3456
	1967	Black with embossed white lettering and trim. The county name was stamped on the bottom of the license plate.	12-3456
	1968	Beige with embossed black lettering and trim. The county name was stamped on the bottom of the license plate.	12-3456 12A 345
	1969	Brown with embossed white lettering and trim. The county name was stamped on the bottom of the license plate.	12A 345 12A 3456
	1970	White with embossed dark blue lettering and trim. The county name was stamped on the bottom of the license plate.	12A 3456
	1971	White with embossed dark green lettering and trim. The county name was stamped on the bottom of the license plate.	12A34567
	1972	White with embossed light green lettering and trim. The county name was stamped on the bottom of the license plate.	12A34567
	1973	White with embossed red lettering and trim. The county name was stamped on the bottom of the license plate.	12A34567
	1974	White with embossed blue lettering and trim. The county name was stamped on the bottom of the license plate.	Coded by weight: ABC 123 123 ABC in Hinds, Harrison, Jackson, Washington, and Lauderdale Counties
	1975	White with embossed red lettering and trim. The county name was stamped on the bottom of the license plate.	Coded by weight: ABC 123 123 ABC in Hinds, Harrison, Jackson, Washington, and Lauderdale Counties
	1976	White with embossed maroon lettering and trim. The county name was stamped on the bottom of the license plate.	Coded by weight: ABC 123 123 ABC in Hinds, Harrison, Jackson, Washington, and Lauderdale Counties
	1977–83	For the first time, Mississippi began to use graphic designs on its license plates, introducing a magnolia blossom (the state flower and tree) set into the middle of the plate with the words "The Hospitality State" over it, with the state name in stylized green capital letters screened on the top and the county name in red letters on the bottom. The state also began to use stickers to redeem the vehicle registration until the state went to a new design. The entire plate was surrounded by an embossed red rim, and the registration was also embossed.	ABC 123		Awarded "Plate of the Year" for best new license plate of 1977 by the Automobile License Plate Collectors Association, the first time Mississippi was so honored. The letters "I", "O", and "U" are not used as the third letter; "U" is not used at the second letter; and "Q" is not used at all.
	1983–92	Introduced the "Mississippi" script with the familiar large-serifed "S". It was colored dark red on a white background, with dark blue embossed lettering for the registration letters. The county name was retained at the bottom of the plate, as were the registration stickers in the bottom corners of the plate.	ABC 123 1ABC123		For seven-letter plates, the initial number indicated vehicle class: e.g. 1 stood for passenger plates. The letters "I", "O", "Q", and "U" and number combinations "666" and "000" are not used, so each 3-letter block has 998 possible combinations.
	1992–97	Kept the script "Mississippi" in dark blue, but set it against a background of sky blue at the top fading into white at the bottom. All other lettering was embossed onto the plate in blue as well.	ABC 123	Issued in letter blocks by county.	Awarded "Plate of the Year" for best new license plate of 1992 by the Automobile License Plate Collectors Association, the second time Mississippi was so honored. ARA-ASZ prefixes were used for rental cars. The letters "I", "O", "Q", and "U" and number combinations "666" and "000" are not used, so each 3-letter block has 998 possible combinations.
	1997–2002	Kept the script "Mississippi", but in green. It also set the script against a background of yellow, white and green, with a magnolia blossom of the same three colors set in the middle of the design. The county lettering at the bottom was also embossed in green.	ABC 123	Issued in letter blocks by county.	WRA-WZZ prefixes were used for rental cars. The letters "I", "O", "Q", and "U" and number combination "000" are not used, so each 3-letter block has 999 possible combinations.
	2002 – October 2007	Retained the script "Mississippi" design in use since the 1980s, and set it in dark green against a background of trees and water, which represent the large wooded areas of the state and the location of Mississippi on the Mississippi River and the Gulf of Mexico. Like the preceding issue, it also displayed a magnolia in the center of the license plate, visible between the "123 ABC" registration scheme of numbers and letters. The registration and the county name were embossed in dark green.	123 ABC	Issued in letter blocks by county.	WRA-WRZ prefixes were used for rental cars. The letter "O" and number combinations "666" and "000" are not used, so each 3-letter block has 998 possible combinations.
	October 2007 – 2012	Featuring an image of the Biloxi Light at the center of the plate, on a multicolored background depicting a yellow sunrise behind the lighthouse.	ABC 123	Issued in letter blocks by county.	Awarded "Plate of the Year" for best new license plate of 2007 by the Automobile License Plate Collectors Association, the third time Mississippi was so honored. The letter "O" and number combinations "666" and "000" are not used, so each 3-letter block has 998 possible combinations.
	October 2012 – 2017	Featuring an image of a guitar with the words "Celebrating Mississippi's Creative Culture", white background with blue lines from the bottom of the plate. Banner at the top reads "Birthplace of America's Music". State name printed at the top in blue, county name stamped at the bottom. Continues use of the classic "Mississippi" design that has been in use since the 1980s.	ABC 123[1]	Issued in letter blocks by county.	The letter "O" and number combinations "666" and "000" are not used, so each 3-letter block has 998 possible combinations.

County coding

Notice: In order to fight people who put tag stickers on older tags or other cars beginning January 2011 and forward all tag sticker numbers will be the tag number. This prevents people from putting the stickers on their other cars. There is a $ 1,000.00 fine to anyone who does put the Tag sticker on the wrong car.

Non-passenger types

Image	Type	First issued	Design	Slogan	Serial format	Serials issued	Notes
	Disabled Person				DB A1234

Optional types

References

External links

• Mississippi license plates 1969-present