Montana allows drivers to choose between its current design or one of four previous looks. A retro design is now California’s most popular specialty plate.

In Michigan, the secretary of state’s office oversees both vehicle registration and voting.īut the buzz over throwback designs for license plates is growing around the country. They’re really cool.”īenson decided to bring back the plates, both because many people had asked for them and because it would be a way to commemorate the Voting Rights Act of 1965, which passed when the original design was standard in Michigan, Wimmer said. “Actually, I think I’m probably going to get them. People really are excited,” said Tracy Wimmer, the director of media relations for Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson. That’s more than twice as many plates issued than in 2013, when the state introduced another favorite – one that shows the iconic Mackinac Bridge, which links the Upper and Lower Peninsulas. (Image from Michigan secretary of state) A Michigan license plate from 1965. Michigan's 1960s-inspired license plate design. In little more than three months, the Michigan secretary of state’s office has issued 132,461 of the retro plates. The plates are dark blue-almost black-with gold lettering that simply says the state’s name and “Water-Winter Wonderland.” This winter, for example, Michigan introduced a new specialty plate based on the design of Michigan license plates from the 1960s. But lately, some of the hottest designs have been decidedly retro. States have been creating alternative designs for the back-of-the-bumper identifiers since the country’s bicentennial in 1976. Americans-and their state legislators-love specialty license plates.

Michigan license plates by year