Vehicle registration plates of Louisiana

The U.S. state of Louisiana first required its residents to register their motor vehicles and display license plates in 1915.

Passenger plates 1915 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 Louisiana license plate that complied with these standards.

Image	Dates issued	Design	Slogan	Serial format	Serials issued	Notes
150px	1915	Navy base with embossed white block lettering. "LA" to left of registration; "19" embossed at right.		123456
150px	1919	Lime green base with embossed black block lettering and border. Stylized "LA 19" embossed at left.		123456
	1928	Off-white base with embossed black block lettering and border. "LA - 1928" embossed at bottom.		123456
150px	1930	Green base with embossed yellow block lettering and border. "FRONT" and "REAR" embossed at left.		123 456
150px	1931	Black base with embossed white lettering and border. "FRONT" and "REAR" embossed at left.		123 456
150px	1933	Orange base with embossed black block lettering and border and pelican at center.		123 456
150px	1934	Navy base with embossed white lettering and border. "LA" and "35" embossed above and below pelican at center.		123 456
150px	1935	Black base with embossed yellow lettering and border. "LA" and "35" embossed above and below pelican at center.		123 456
150px	1936	Orange base with embossed white lettering and border and pelican at center.		123 456
150px	1939	Black base with embossed golden yellow lettering and border and pelican in center.		123 456
150px	1940	Golden yellow base with embossed black lettering and border and map of Louisiana in center.		123 456
150px	1941	Gray base with embossed black lettering and border and shape of state of Louisiana in center.		123 456
150px	1944	Yellow base with black lettering and pelican in center.		123 456		Made from soybeans due to wartime metal shortages.
150px	1945	Black base with embossed white block lettering and border and pelican in center. "19 Louisiana 45" embossed at top.		123 456
150px	1946	White base with embossed black block lettering and border and pelican in center. "19 Louisiana 46" embossed in black at top.		123 456
150px	1947	Unpainted metal base with embossed black block lettering and border and pelican in center. "19 Louisiana 47" embossed in black at bottom.		123 456
150px	1950	Royal blue base with embossed yellow lettering and border with pelican decal in center. "19 Louisiana 50" embossed in yellow at bottom.		123 456
150px	1951	Teal base with embossed yellow lettering and border and pelican in center. "Louisiana - 1951" embossed in yellow at bottom.		123 456
150px	1952	Green base with embossed white lettering and border and pelican in center. "Louisiana 1952" embossed in white at bottom.		123 456
150px	1954	Yellow base with embossed green lettering and border and pelican in center. "LOUISIANA-YAMS" embossed at bottom center between "19" and "54."		123 456
150px	1957	Purple base with embossed yellow lettering and border and pelican in center.		123 456
150px	1958	Red base with embossed white lettering and border and pelican in center.	"Sportsmen's Paradise"	123 456
150px	1959	Dark blue base with embossed white lettering and border and pelican in center.	"Sportsman's Paradise"	123 456
150px	1960	Purple base with embossed yellow lettering and border and pelican in center.	"LSU CENTENNIAL"	123 456
150px	1961	Teal base with embossed yellow lettering and border and pelican in center.	"Sportsmen's Paradise"	123 456
150px	1962	Brown base with embossed white lettering and border and pelican in center.	"Sportsmen's Paradise"	123 456
150px	1963	Green base with embossed white lettering and border and pelican in center.	"Sportsmen's Paradise"	123 456		The last year that the embossed pelican was featured on Louisiana plates.
150px	1972–73	Reflective white base with embossed blue lettering and border.	"Sportsman's Paradise"	123A456
	1983–84	Embossed dark blue numbers on white plate; logo of the 1984 World's Fair screened in bottom left corner; "Louisiana" screened in blue serifed letters centered above numbers	"World's Fair" screened in blue serifed letters centered below numbers	123A456	Letter corresponds to State Police troop area of issue
	1984–89	Embossed dark blue numbers on white plate with border line; "LOUISIANA" embossed in block letters centered below numbers	"SPORTSMAN'S PARADISE" embossed in block letters above numbers	123A456	Letter corresponds to State Police troop area of issue
	1989–93	Embossed dark blue numbers on white plate; screened dark blue graphics of mother pelicans with chicks at top corners; "LoUiSiAna" screened in red and dark blue serifed letters (the 'U', 'S' and 'A' in dark blue) centered below numbers	"SPORTSMAN'S PARADISE" screened in red italic block letters centered above numbers	123A456	Letter corresponds to State Police troop area of issue
150px	1993–2001	Embossed dark blue numbers on white plate with border line; "Louisiana" screened in red handwritten font centered above numbers	"SPORTSMAN'S PARADISE" screened in blue italic block letters centered below numbers	ABC 123	AAA 000 to approximately KLK 999
150px	January 1, 2002 – December 31, 2003	Embossed dark blue numbers on white plate with border line; screened blue compass graphic in the center containing map of the contiguous US with the area of the Louisiana Purchase highlighted; "Louisiana" screened in red handwritten font centered above numbers	"Louisiana Purchase Bicentennial 1803-2003" screened in two lines of blue serifed letters centered below numbers	ABC 123	KLL 000 to approximately MSN 999	Limited-run plate to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the Louisiana Purchase.
	2004–05	Embossed dark blue numbers on white plate with border line; "Louisiana" screened in red handwritten font centered above numbers	"SPORTSMAN'S PARADISE" screened in blue italic block letters centered below numbers	ABC 123	MSP 000 to approximately NFU 999	Brief return to 1993 base.
	February 2005 – 2011	Embossed black numbers on white, yellow and pink gradient plate with border line; screened pelican graphic in the center; "Louisiana" screened in red handwritten font centered above numbers	"Sportsman's Paradise" screened in red serifed letters offset to left below numbers	ABC 123	NFV 000 to approximately VCS 999	Initial plates featured a larger font for the state name.
	January 3, 2011 – December 31, 2012	Embossed black numbers on white plate with border line and pale green grass graphic; white pelican within green state icon screened at far left; "Louisiana" screened in red handwritten font centered above numbers	"200 YEARS" screened in two lines of black characters centered below numbers; small red banner and black vertical dividing line on either side; left banner contains "1812" and right banner contains "2012"	ABC123	VCT000 to approximately WUB999	Limited-run plate to celebrate 200 years of statehood. Pelican and state icon later reduced in size.
	January 2013 – 2014	Embossed black numbers on white, yellow and pink gradient plate with border line; screened pelican graphic in the center; "Louisiana" screened in red handwritten font centered above numbers	"Sportsman's Paradise" screened in red serifed letters offset to left below numbers	ABC 123	WUL 000 to approximately XRZ 999	Brief return to 2005 base.
	January 2014 – December 2015	Embossed dark blue numbers on white plate with border line; black bucking horse and rider graphic screened at far left, with "BICENTENNIAL" in black above and, below, "Battle of NEW ORLEANS" in red and "1815-2015" in black; "LOUISIANA" screened in red block letters centered above numbers	"www.louisianatravel.com" screened in dark blue block letters centered below numbers	ABC123	XSA000 to ZDH999 (as of May 28, 2015)	Limited-run plate to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the Battle of New Orleans.

Non-passenger types

Image	Type	Design	First issued	Serial format	Notes
150px	Boat trailer	White base with embossed blue lettering and border	unknown	D123456 or K123456	"Boat trailer" embossed at top.
	Commercial	"COMMERCIAL" embossed at bottom.		A123456 or N123456
	Dealer	"DEALER" embossed at bottom.		DI12345
	Motorcycle	"MC" embossed at bottom.		123456
	Private Truck	"PRIVATE" embossed at bottom.		S123456
				V123456
				W123456, X123456, currently on Y123456 series
		"SPORTSMAN'S PARADISE" screened at bottom.
150px	Tractor	"TRACTOR" embossed at top; weight of vehicle embossed in top right corner.	1963	123456
150px	Truck	"TRUCK" embossed at top; weight of vehicle embossed in top right corner.	1966	B123456, now at C123456
150px	Truck	"TRUCK" embossed at top; weight of vehicle embossed in top right corner.	1967	123456
	Trailer	TRAILER embossed at bottom	?	D123456, E123456, L123456

Optional types

Optional types do not use leading zeros in their serials.

Image	Type	Design	First issued	Serial format	Notes
	American Indian			A/I 1234
	Animal Friendly			F/A 1234
	Bring Back the Bobwhite			12
	Choose Life			C/L 1234
	Emergency Medical Technician
	Firefighter—Retired			123
	"In God We Trust"			T/G 1234
	Louisiana Tech University			123
	Marine Corps League			12
	Our Environment...Our Future	Black on reflective light blue, white, and dark blue with multicolored graphic of pelican at right.		123 E/E 1234
	"Preserve Our Hunting Heritage"			W/D 1234
	Save the Louisiana Black Bear			B/B 1234
150px	Sons of Confederate Veterans			C/V 1234
	Special Olympics			12
	Think Safe Kids			12
	U.S. Veteran—Marine Corps	"USMC" printed diagonally to left of serial		M/A 1234
	U.S. Veteran—Navy—Retired	"NAVY" printed diagonally and "RETIRED" printed horizontally to left of serial		123

Government plates

Image	Type	Design	First issued	Serial format	Notes
	Public	"PUBLIC" embossed vertically at left; "SPORTSMAN'S PARADISE" screened at bottom.		123456
	Wildlife & Fisheries Enforcement			SF 12

State Police troop codes

From 1965 until 1993, Louisiana State Police troop area codes were used as part of the serial on the plate, invariably in the center of the serial. From 1993 until 1996, stickers were used to show the troop. This was done to give some idea of where the plates were issued. However, registrants who applied via the mail got plates with the "X" code, which was used for Baton Rouge.

Code	Troop or area
A	Baton Rouge
B	New Orleans
C	Raceland, (later Gray after troop office was moved in the mid 1970s)
D	Lake Charles
E	Alexandria
F	Monroe
G	Shreveport
H	Leesville
I	Lafayette
K	Opelousas
L	Covington
M	Raceland (eliminated in 1973)
N	New Orleans (overflow)
X	Baton Rouge/statewide mail

External links

• Louisiana license plates 1969-present
• Louisiana License Plates