Note: On this page I use the terms “slogan,” “nickname,” and other similar terms interchangeably. States have multiple slogans but I have tried to indicate in italics the most common or traditional one, which may not correspond to the one most often used on a state’s license plates.
States promote tourism and exhibit state pride by placing slogans on their license plates. Here’s a look at some from every state that have appeared on general issue passenger plates.
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Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming District of Columbia
NOTE: This page is currently undergoing a redesign, hence the differing formats in text
Alabama
Heart of Dixie










1967: This plate is part of a long-running format, with a heart graphic + ALABAMA + two-digit year on the bottom, and “HEART OF DIXIE” on the top.
1976: “HEART OF DIXIE” is moved inside the heart for the first time.
2002: “Stars Fell On” references a popular song from the 1930s.
2007: “God Bless America” optional plate debuts.
2016: A statehood Bicentennial optional is offered through 2020.
Streak: “Heart of Dixie” and an accompanying heart graphic (1955 – Present)
Alaska
The Last Frontier








1968: “THE GREAT LAND” is used for the only time.
1981: First usage of “The Last Frontier.”
1998: Alaska Gold Rush Centennial optional introduced for a six-year run.
2006: The 1981 base is modified, with the slogan capitalized and embossed.
2009: An optional celebrating 50 years of statehood available through 2011.
2019: The latest optional is called the “Alaska Artistic License.”
Arizona
Grand Canyon State




1996: The slogan is reduced in size and moves to the right to accommodate a desert scene.
Streak: “Grand Canyon State” (1947 – Present)
Not Pictured: 1939 (400th anniversary of explorer Marcos De Niza’s arrival in Arizona).
Arkansas
The Natural State








1950: “LAND OF OPPORTUNITY” is on the bottom of every plate through 1967, then returns in the 1970s and 1980s.
1989: “The Natural State” debuts and, in 1995, becomes the official state nickname.
Not Pictured: 1935 (“CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION”).
California
The Golden State




1987: The sun plate, which debuted in 1982 as an extra-cost optional, is the only standard plate issued for the first 10 months of this year. It is the only time California’s official nickname, “The Golden State,” has appeared on a plate.
1998: The slogan “SESQUICENTENNIAL – 150 YEARS” is added for a period of three years.
2012: The website “dmv.ca.gov” is added for an indefinite period.
Colorado
The Centennial State




1975: 100th anniversary of statehood. A red, white, and blue color scheme simultaneously acknowledges the U.S. Bicentennial.
Connecticut
Constitution State




Streak: “Constitution State” (1974 – Present)
Delaware
The First State




1969: The current base debuts. It is similar to the 1962 base though the shade of teal has varied.
Streak: “The First State” (1962 – Present)
Florida
Sunshine State









1965: 400th anniversary of the founding of St. Augustine.
1994: Counties have the option of replacing the county name with “SUNSHINE STATE.”
1997: Plates are more mixed between those with county names and those with the slogan. This continues onto the next base seven years later.
2009: “In God We Trust” optional debuts.
Not Pictured: 1951 (“KEEP FLORIDA GREEN”).
Georgia
Peach State




1963: This plate appears in the midst of a 12-year run of a singular format (with one exception, when the state name and slogan switched places).
1997: The state song, “Georgia on My Mind,” is partially transferred to a plate.
2012: “Peach State” returns after a more than forty-year hiatus.
Streak: “Peach State” (1947 – 1970)
Hawaii
Aloha State






Streak: “Aloha State” (1961 – Present)
Idaho
Famous Potatoes









1948: A baked potato decal is paired with the slogan “World Famous POTATOES.”
1957: The start of a more than two-decade stretch of plain white on green or green on white plates with the slogan “FAMOUS POTATOES.”
1992: The current base retains “FAMOUS POTATOES” while reintroducing the “Scenic” lead.
Streak: “Famous Potatoes” (1957 – Present)
Not Pictured: 1928 (“Potatoes” after the state name, with an accompanying graphic of a large baked potato behind the serial); early to mid-1940s (“Scenic” lead-in); 1947 (“Vacation Wonderland” with graphic of a skier).
Illinois
Land of Lincoln










1955: The first in a long run of plates in the same format, with an italicized slogan that sits at the bottom in odd years, and the top in even years.
1968: Statehood Sesquicentennial. An “18” in each upper corner is intended to be read together as “1818,” the year of Illinois statehood.
1979: The slogan is minimized compared to previous years.
2001: Abraham Lincoln is added as a graphic to accompany the long-standing slogan. He appears again on the current base.
Streak: “Land of Lincoln” (1954 – Present)
Indiana
Hoosier State
















1959: “LINCOLN YEAR” refers to the Sesquicentennial of Abraham Lincoln’s birth. Lincoln lived in Indiana from the age of seven to the age of 21.
1966: Statehood Sesquicentennial.
1976: The U.S. Bicentennial base is the first in a series of plates with no repeating slogans. The Centennial of the George Rogers Clark expedition, the first and only use of the traditional “HOOSIER STATE” slogan, “WANDER” (which was the focus of a tourism campaign), and the state’s official motto, “The Crossroads of America” are amongst the slogans.
Iowa
Hawkeye State

Kansas
The Sunflower State









1960: Both the 1960 and 1961 plates carry the statehood “CENTENNIAL 1961” slogan.
1965: First usage of “MIDWAY USA,” which remains in place through 1970.
1975: Some issues from this year and the year prior have the slogan “WHEAT CENTENNIAL,” referring to the introduction of hard red winter wheat to the state.
Kentucky
Bluegrass State








1982: The 1978 base’s unusual design has an elongated sticker box and the state abbreviation in the upper corners. In 1982 and 1983, the expiration sticker contains the slogan “BLUEGRASS STATE.”
1988: “Bluegrass State” is on the bottom of the Churchill Downs base.
2003: A plate with a smiling sun has a second slogan, “It’s that friendly.”
2005: A new base includes a tourism branding and logo entitled “Unbridled Spirit,” in addition to “BLUEGRASS STATE.”
2011: “In God We Trust” optional debuts.
Streak: “Bluegrass State” (1988 – Present)
Not Pictured: 1929 & 1930 (“FOR PROGRESS”); 2021 base (similar to Unbridled Spirit base, but without branding and “BLUEGRASS STATE” more prominent)
Louisiana
Sportsman’s Paradise












1964: First usage of “SPORTSMAN’S PARADISE.”
1974: “BAYOU STATE” debuts and continues through 1980.
1983: “World’s Fair” plate released in advance of the 1984 Louisiana World Exposition.
2002: Bicentennial of the Louisiana Purchase.
2011: A limited-run plate celebrates the Bicentennial of statehood.
2014: Another limited-run Bicentennial plate commemorates the Battle of New Orleans.
Maine
Vacationland








Streak: “Vacationland” (1936 – Present)
Maryland
Old Line State


2010 Bicentennial of the War of 1812 and “The Star Spangled Banner.” The plate depicts Fort McHenry; the events of that time and place inspired the writing of the National Anthem.
Not Pictured: 1934 (300th anniversary, or “TERCENTENARY,” of settlement); 1942 & 1945 bases (“DRIVE CAREFULLY”).
Massachusetts
The Bay State

Michigan
Great Lake State








1965: First usage of “WATER-WINTER WONDERLAND,” also seen the next two years.
1968: First usage of “GREAT LAKE STATE.” It applies to almost every plate through the 1979 base.
1984: “GREAT LAKES” appears on a base which is on cars as late as 2008.
2006: Base with a website slogan.
2014: In synchrony with a new tourism campaign, “PURE” is put in front of the state name with a stylized “M.” The website is also changed.
Minnesota
Land of 10,000 Lakes








1950: First usage of “10,000 LAKES.”
1978: Debut of a graphic base, with the slogan in all lowercase.
1987: “EXPLORE” is added before the state name.
2009: The phrase “.com” is added after the state name to comprise the tourism website when all the elements are put together.
Streak: “10,000 Lakes” (1950 – Present)
Mississippi
The Magnolia State


1977: “The Hospitality State” is placed inside a magnolia flower on the state’s first graphic plate.
2012: On a base which honors Mississippi’s musical culture, a gold banner with the words “Birthplace of American Music” and a guitar in the style of one played by Mississippi native B.B. King are featured.
Missouri
Show-Me State






1980: First usage of “SHOW-ME STATE.”
2009: The dash from the slogan is removed.
2018: Statehood Bicentennial.
Streak: “Show-Me State” or “Show Me State” (1980-2017)
Montana
Big Sky Country








1963: “TREASURE STATE” returns, this time without “THE.”
1967: First usage of “BIG SKY COUNTRY,” continued through 1975.
1976: On the U.S. Bicentennial base the slogan shortens to “BIG SKY.”
1987: Statehood Centennial optional.
2006: The slogan “Big Sky Country” returns for the first time in 30 years.
2010: The current base is introduced, considered a “retro” plate as it recalls the slogan “TREASURE STATE” and mimics the style of the 1975 plate.
2012: Some older bases are offered as optionals, now flat with tweaked designs.
Nebraska
Cornhusker State








1966: Statehood Centennial base.
1969: The 1969 base uses the same format as its predecessor, except it has the slogan “CORNHUSKER STATE.”
1976: U.S. Bicentennial base.
2002: After six base plates with no slogan at all, a new base is issued which features a state website, the first of three consecutive bases to do so.
2017: Sesquicentennial base, with a depiction of a statue that sits atop the capitol, and the corresponding dates.
Nevada
The Silver State




2016: The current base includes the “Home Means Nevada” against a multi-colored mountain range.
New Hampshire
The Granite State








1971: First usage of “LIVE FREE OR DIE,” the state motto.
Streak: “Live Free or Die” (1971 – Present)
New Jersey
Garden State




Streak: “Garden State” (1959 – Present)
New Mexico
Land of Enchantment










1952: The slogan is shortened to “LAND OF ENCHANTMENT.”
2010: Statehood Centennial optional.
2016: The slogan on the Centennial optional plate is changed to “LAND OF ENCHANTMENT.”
2017: New Mexico presents a third option with a plate that hails the state as the “Chile Capital of the World.”
Not Pictured: 1932 (“SUNSHINE STATE”); 1940 (400th anniversary of the Coronado Expedition)
Streak: Land of Enchantment (1952 – Present)
New York
Empire State





1957: The slogan is modified to “EMPIRE STATE.” In sum, “The Empire State” and “Empire State” are on every plate from 1951 to 1963.
1964: New York has another World’s Fair, and again it shows on the license plate but without a year. The fair runs two seasons and motorists renew this plate with a vertical sticker.
2001: After 36 years without a slogan, a base depicting Niagara Falls, New York City, and other features of the state brings back “THE EMPIRE STATE.”
2010: History repeats itself as the slogan shortens from “THE EMPIRE STATE” to “EMPIRE STATE.”
2020: A new base retains the imagery of the 2001 base but changes the slogan to the state motto, “EXCELSIOR.”
Not Pictured: 1939 (“World’s Fair 1939”); 1940 (“World’s Fair 1940”).
North Carolina
Tar Heel State




1975: U.S. Bicentennial base features the slogan “FIRST IN FREEDOM.”
1982: The current base is introduced, which includes the slogan “First in Flight” in recognition of the Wright Brothers’ successful flight in Kitty Hawk. The base has had a few variations over the years.
2015: An alternate base is introduced that celebrates the Bicentennial of the signing of the Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence. The plate brings back the “FIRST IN FREEDOM” slogan, with the dates of the signing.
Not Pictured: 2019 (“IN GOD WE TRUST” optional plate, which includes the state motto “To Be Rather Than to Seem”).
Streak: “First in Flight” (1982 – Present)
North Dakota
Peace Garden State








1987: A base celebrates the “CENTENNIAL” while putting the standard slogan in smaller font – a practice employed ever since.
2016: The current base, featuring the phrase “LEGENDARY” at the top and “PEACE GARDEN STATE” tucked into the left corner, debuts; it is the third straight double-slogan plate.
Streak: “Peace Garden State” (1956 – Present)
Ohio
The Buckeye State








1973: The slogan asks, “SEAT BELTS FASTENED?” It’s repeated on the 1974 base.
1991: After a 16-year break from slogans, “the heart of it all!” makes an appearance on a new base.
1998: First usage of “BIRTHPLACE OF AVIATION.” Ohio is the home state of the Wright Brothers and Neil Armstrong.
2002: Statehood Bicentennial.
2010: A base with a farm scene and cityscape has “Beautiful” before the state name while retaining “Birthplace of Aviation.”
2013: The so-called “Pride” base contains 46 different words or phrases printed over the entire background in light gray.
2022: The newest Ohio plate, which has elements similar to the “Beautiful” base, debuts.
Not Pictured: 1953 (Sesquicentennial, indicated by dates only).
Oklahoma
Sooner State










1967: First usage of “IS OK.” Repeated through 1975 and appears on three of five after that.
1976: U.S. Bicentennial.
1982: An exclamation mark is added to the slogan.
1989: The slogan is modified again, to just “OK!”
1994: Oklahoma drops the “OK!” in favor of “NATIVE AMERICA” to match the graphic.
2017: The current base includes the tourist-centric slogans “EXPLORE” and “TRAVELOK.COM.”
Not Pictured: 2022 (“EXPLORE” removed from 2017 base).
Oregon
The Beaver State

1959: The inclusion of “PACIFIC WONDERLAND” is the first, and to date only, time Oregon has had a slogan on a standard general issue.
Pennsylvania
Keystone State






1977: First usage of “KEYSTONE STATE.”
1983: A base debuts with the memorable slogan “You’ve Got a Friend in.” Later the slogan reverts to “KEYSTONE STATE.”
1999: The first graphic base features a website for a slogan, as does the 2004 follow-up.
Rhode Island
Ocean State






1972: First usage of “OCEAN STATE.”
1980: Sometimes this base adds a year in one corner, other times it does not, and the state name and slogan are either embossed or screened and vary in font.
1996: The current base has the state name and slogan in larger letters, with a graphic of a wave.
Not Pictured: 1936 (“300TH YEAR” denoting 300 years of settlement, though there were four different sizes of this plate and one did not have the slogan).
Streak: “Ocean State” (1972 – Present)
South Carolina
Palmetto State






1976: U.S. Bicentennial.
1999: After a string of no-slogan plates, a new base reads “Smiling Faces. Beautiful Places.”
2003: The first of two “In God We Trust” optionals debuts.
2017: Introduction of the current base, which features the state motto “While I Breathe, I Hope.”
Not Pictured: 1930 (“IODINE”), 1931 (“THE IODINE STATE”), 1932 (“THE IODINE PRODUCTS STATE”)
South Dakota
Mount Rushmore State






1991: First usage of “GREAT FACES. GREAT PLACES.”
Streak: “Great Faces. Great Places.” (1991 – Present)
Not Pictured: 1939 (“RUSHMORE MEMORIAL”)
Tennessee
Volunteer State






1994: The state “BicenTENNial” plate, which cleverly incorporates the state abbreviation into the slogan, is the first of two consecutive double slogan plates. “Volunteer State” remains, albeit smaller than the last time it appeared.
2000: A base with the tourism slogan “Sounds good to me” coupled with “Volunteer State” debuts.
2006: Tennessee issues a fully-graphic base that has the “The Volunteer State” in small letters above the state name. Later, the additional slogan of a tourism website is added, and after that, a “In God We Trust” option is offered to create a triple-slogan plate.
Streak: “The Volunteer State” (1995 – Present)
Texas
The Lone Star State








1985: The first of several red, white, and blue base plates notes the Sesquicentennial of the founding of the Republic of Texas (i.e., independence from Mexico) with the corresponding dates surrounding a mini-state map and the slogan “SESQUICENTENNIAL” on the bottom.
1992: First usage of “THE LONE STAR STATE.” A star had been featured on many Texas plates already, but never an accompanying slogan.
1995: For a limited run, some motorists received the “150 YEARS OF STATEHOOD” plate.
1999: A scenic base featuring a cowboy and a space shuttle debuts, continuing “THE LONE STAR STATE” slogan.
Utah
The Beehive State




1997: The statehood Centennial plate, which started in 1992 as an extra-cost optional, becomes a standard base to be issued at the same time as the Ski plate. It shows the Delicate Arch.
2008: Two new bases replace the existing Ski and Arch plates. The “GREATEST SNOW ON EARTH” slogan is retained on the Ski plate, but both feature the newly-designated tourism slogan “LIFE ELEVATED.”
2017: Utah offers a third standard issue, the “In GOD We Trust” design. The plate also includes the slogan “UNITED WE STAND.” Similar to the first Arch plate, it used to be an extra-cost option.
Not Pictured: 1940s (“CENTER SCENIC AMERICA”); 1947 (“THIS IS THE PLACE”); 1948 “(THE FRIENDLY STATE”)
Vermont
Green Mountain State




1977: “GREEN MOUNTAINS” gets a callback.
1985: The slogan is modified to “Green Mountain State” on a new base which is still on the roads today.
Not Pictured: 1948-50 (“GREEN MOUNTAINS”)
Virginia
Old Dominion




2014 The current base debuts. It features the tourism slogan “VIRGINIA IS FOR LOVERS,” which has been used by the state since 1969.
Washington
Evergreen State




1998: The Mt. Rainier base gets a facelift, and “EVERGREEN STATE,” the first non-anniversary slogan, appears on a Washington base. It is the current design.
Not Pictured: 1939 (“1889 GOLDEN JUBILEE 1939”)
West Virginia
Mountain State








1964: The Centennial slogan repeats, with colors reversed.
1965: First usage of “MOUNTAIN STATE.” The format remains the same through 1970, again with colors reversed from one year to the next.
1971: The 1970 design is repeated on a base plate, only this time with the colors the same and the dates removed.
1976: First usage of “Wild, Wonderful.” The phrase originated late 1969/early 1970, and by 1975 adorned the state’s welcome signs.
2000: The current plate, featuring a tourism website as a slogan, debuts.
Streak: “Wild, Wonderful” (1976 – Present)
Wisconsin
America’s Dairyland








Streak: “America’s Dairyland” (1940 – Present)
Wyoming
Equality State


1988: Statehood Centennial.
District of Columbia








1975: U.S. Bicentennial base.
1985: A new base begins with the slogan “A Capital City.” The base has evolved over the years, including with the current politically-minded slogan “TAXATION WITHOUT REPRESENTATION.”
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