The U.S. state of North Dakota first required its residents to register their motor vehicles and display license plates in 1911. , plates are issued by the North Dakota Department of Transportation through its Motor Vehicle Division. Front and rear plates are required for most classes of vehicles, while only rear plates are required for motorcycles and trailers.
Passenger baseplates
1911 to 1957 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 North Dakota license plate that complied with these standards. ImageDates issuedDesignSloganSerial formatSerials issuedNotes1911Golden yellow serial on black flat metal plate; vertical "ND" and "1911" at left and right respectivelynone12341 to approximately 70001912Embossed red serial on white plate; vertical "ND" and "1912" at left and right respectivelynone12341 to approximately 90001913Embossed black serial on tan plate; vertical "ND" and "1913" at left and right respectivelynone123451 to approximately 125001914Embossed black serial on yellow plate; vertical "ND" and "1914" at left and right respectivelynone123451 to approximately 170001915Embossed black serial on green plate; vertical "ND" and "1915" at left and right respectivelynone123451 to approximately 250001916Debossed yellow serial on black plate with border line; vertical "ND" and "1916" at left and right respectivelynone123451 to approximately 410001917Debossed black serial on white plate with border line; vertical "ND" and "1917" at left and right respectivelynone12-3451 to approximately 50-000As above, but embossed rather than debossed, and without border line1234550001 to approximately 630001918Debossed red serial on white plate with border line; vertical "ND" and "1918" at left and right respectivelynone123451 to approximately 720001919Debossed light green serial on black plate with border line; vertical "ND" and "1919" at left and right respectivelynone123451 to approximately 850001920Embossed cream serial on green plate with border line; vertical "ND" and "1920" at left and right respectivelynone123451 to approximately 910001921Embossed white serial on dark blue plate with border line; vertical "ND" and "1921" at left and right respectivelynone123451 to approximately 920001922Embossed black serial on golden yellow plate with border line; vertical "ND" and "1922" at left and right respectivelynone12-3451 to approximately 99-0001923Embossed white serial on green plate with border line; vertical "ND" and "1923" at left and right respectivelynone123-4561 to approximately 110-0001924Embossed black serial on silver plate with border line; vertical "ND" and "1924" at left and right respectivelynone123-4561 to approximately 116-0001925Embossed silver serial on black plate with border line; vertical "ND" and "1925" at left and right respectivelynoneF12-345F1 to approximately F82-000Issued on Fords.12-3451 to approximately 51-000Issued on all other vehicles.1926Embossed red serial on gray plate with border line; vertical "ND" and "1926" at left and right respectivelynoneF12-345F1 to approximately F85-000Issued on Fords.12-3451 to approximately 56-000Issued on all other vehicles.1927Embossed black serial on orange plate with border line; vertical "ND" and "1927" at left and right respectivelynone123-4561 to approximately 140-0001928Embossed white serial on black plate with border line; vertical "ND" and "1928" at left and right respectivelynone123-4561 to approximately 151-0001929Embossed black serial on silver plate with border line; vertical "ND" and "1929" at left and right respectivelynone123-4561 to approximately 162-0001930Embossed green serial on golden yellow plate with border line; vertical "ND" and "1930" at left and right respectivelynone123-4561 to approximately 155-0001931Embossed tan serial on dark blue plate with border line; vertical "ND" and "1931" at left and right respectivelynone123-4561 to approximately 145-0001932Embossed white serial on maroon plate with border line; vertical "ND" and "1932" at left and right respectivelynone123-4561 to approximately 125-0001933Embossed white serial on green plate with border line; vertical "ND" and "1933" at left and right respectivelynone123-4561 to approximately 149-0001934Embossed blue serial on orange plate with border line; vertical "ND" and "1934" at left and right respectivelynone123-4561 to approximately 155-0001935Embossed orange serial on black plate with border line; vertical "ND" and "1935" at left and right respectivelynone123-4561 to approximately 135-0001936Embossed black serial on orange plate with border line; vertical "ND" and "1936" at left and right respectivelynone123-4561 to approximately 140-0001937Embossed green serial on white plate with border line; vertical "ND" and "1937" at left and right respectivelynone123-4561 to approximately 140-0001938Embossed black serial on yellow plate with border line; vertical "ND" and "1938" at left and right respectivelynone123-4561 to approximately 141-0001939Embossed red serial on white plate with border line; vertical "ND" and "1939" at left and right respectivelynone123-4561 to approximately 142-0001940Embossed yellow serial on black plate with border line; vertical "ND" and "1940" at left and right respectivelynone123-4561 to approximately 147-0001941Embossed black serial on yellow plate with border line; vertical "ND" and "1941" at left and right respectivelynone123-4561 to approximately 150-0001942Embossed yellow serial on red plate with border line; vertical "ND" and "1942" at left and right respectivelynone123-4561 to approximately 143-000Revalidated for 1943 with windshield stickers, due to metal conservation for World War II.1943As 1942 base, but with vertical "1943" at rightnone123-456200-001 to approximately 213-000Issued only to new registrants.1944Embossed yellow serial on black plate with border line; vertical "ND" and "1944" at left and right respectivelynone123-4561 to approximately 135-0001945Embossed white serial on black plate with border line; vertical "ND" and "1945" at left and right respectivelynone123-4561 to approximately 130-0001946Embossed red serial on silver plate with border line; vertical "ND" and "1946" at left and right respectivelynone123-4561 to approximately 140-0001947Embossed black serial on yellow plate with border line; vertical "ND" and "1947" at left and right respectivelynone123-4561 to approximately 152-0001948Embossed black serial on yellow plate with border line; "NORTH DAKOTA" centered at top; vertical "1948" at rightnone123-4561 to approximately 162-000First use of the full state name. Revalidated for 1949 with white tabs.1949As 1948 base, but waffle-textured, and with vertical "1949" at rightnone123-456200-001 to approximately 237-000Issued only to new registrants.1950Embossed black serial on orange plate with border line; "NORTH DAKOTA" centered at top; vertical "1950" at rightnone123-4561 to approximately 194-0001951Embossed white serial on black plate with border line; "NORTH DAKOTA" centered at top; vertical "1951" at rightnone123-4561 to approximately 196-0001952Embossed black serial on white plate with border line; "NORTH DAKOTA" centered at top; vertical "1952" at rightnone123-4561 to approximately 192-0001953Embossed white serial on green plate with border line; "NORTH DAKOTA" centered at top; vertical "1953" at rightnone123-4561 to approximately 198-0001954Embossed white serial on black plate with border line; "NORTH DAKOTA 54" at topnone123-4561 to approximately 201-0001955Embossed yellow serial on black plate with border line; "NORTH DAKOTA 55" at topnone123-4561 to approximately 209-0001956Embossed blue serial on white plate with border line; "NORTH DAKOTA 56" at top"PEACE GARDEN STATE" at bottom123-4561 to approximately 208-000First 6" x 12" plate, and first use of the "Peace Garden State" slogan.1957Embossed white serial on blue plate with border line; "NORTH DAKOTA 57" at top"PEACE GARDEN STATE" at bottom123-4561 to approximately 213-000
1958 to present ImageDates issuedDesignSloganSerial formatSerials issuedNotesEmbossed green serial on reflective white plate with border line; "NORTH DAKOTA 58" at top"PEACE GARDEN STATE" at bottom123-4561 to approximately 316-000Revalidated for 1959 with yellow tabs, for 1960 with orange tabs, and for 1961 with green tabs.1962–65Embossed black serial on reflective white plate with border line; "N.DAKOTA" at top left and "62" at top right"PEACE GARDEN STATE" at bottom123-4561 to approximately 355-000Revalidated for 1963, 1964 and 1965 with stickers.1966–69Embossed red serial on reflective white plate with border line; "N.DAKOTA" at top left and "66" at top right"PEACE GARDEN STATE" at bottom123-4561 to approximately 378-000Revalidated for 1967, 1968 and 1969 with stickers.1970–73Embossed blue serial on reflective white plate with border line; "N.DAKOTA" at top left and "70" at top right"PEACE GARDEN STATE" at bottom123-4561 to approximately 416-0001974–79Embossed green serial on reflective white plate with border line; "N.DAKOTA" at top left and "74" at top right "PEACE GARDEN STATE" at bottom123-4561 to approximately 580-0001980–82Embossed black serial on reflective white plate with border line; "NORTH DAKOTA" centered at top; "80" at top right"PEACE GARDEN STATE" at bottomABC 123AAA 000 to AVP 999Manufactured in Iowa using that state's serial dies. Issued concurrently with the Theodore Roosevelt base (below) from 1984.1983–88As above, but without "80"AVR 000 to approximately AZM 9991984–88Embossed blue serial on reflective white plate; blue, white and red graphic featuring Theodore Roosevelt screened at left; "NORTH DAKOTA" screened in blue centered at bottom"PEACE GARDEN STATE" screened in red centered at topAB123AA000 to approximately KS999Manufactured in South Dakota using that state's serial dies. Awarded "Plate of the Year" for best new license plate of 1985 by the Automobile License Plate Collectors Association, the first time North Dakota was so honored. Co-recipient with Nevada.1989–92Embossed black serial on light blue, white and light orange gradient plate; long black bar screened below serial containing "1889 NORTH DAKOTA 1989" in whiteShort black bar screened above serial containing "CENTENNIAL" in white; "PEACE GARDEN STATE" screened in black centered at topABC 123BAA 000 to approximately CNP 999Commemorated North Dakota's 100 years of statehood. 1993 – November 11, 2015Embossed black serial on prairie scene with gradient light blue sky, grey mountains and yellow grass; bison at bottom left and three wheat stalks at bottom right; "NORTH DAKOTA" screened in white with heavy black outline, centered below serial"Discover the Spirit" screened in white centered at top; "PEACE GARDEN STATE" screened in brown centered at bottomABC 123DAA 000 to approximately KRZ 999Awarded "Plate of the Year" for best new license plate of 1993 by the Automobile License Plate Collectors Association, the second time North Dakota was so honored. 'F' series of serials reserved for Farm plates; 'I' series not used. November 12, 2015 – November 2016Screened black serial on badlands scene with light blue, orange and yellow gradient sky, yellow rising sun and brown canyon; bison at bottom right; "NORTH DAKOTA" screened in orange centered above serial, with three wheat stalks on either side"LEGENDARY" screened in black centered above state name; "PEACE GARDEN STATE" screened in white at bottom left123 ABC000 AAA to 999 BTXFirst general reissue since 1993.November 2016 – presentAs above, but with state name in larger, non-serif font000 BTY to 402 EXB
Non-passenger plates