Wyoming License Plates
Wyoming issued its first license plate in 1913. All Wyoming license plates were dated except for the years 1913 through 1917. Porcelain license plates were issued for 1916, only a single year!
The first year of a slogan on a Wyoming license plate was in 1975 when "THE SPIRIT OF 76 – IN THE AMERICAN WEST" was screened across the top of the plate. In 1988 through 1992 base license plates were screened with the slogan "1890 CENTENNIAL 1990" on the bottom of the plate.
The Wyoming license plate is most popular for the embossed rodeo rider on a bucking bronco. The rodeo rider on bucking bronco design appeared first in 1936 and is still used today (digitally printed) on retro-reflective license plate sheeting. The 1975 license plate showed the red/white/blue colors of the American flag to celebrate America’s 200th year of Independence anniversary.
Wyoming’s 1913 and 1914 license plates had seals of German silver. The 1915 seal was embossed into the license plate, while the 1916 seal was porcelain like the license plate material. The 1917 seal on Wyoming’s license plates was made of aluminum. The only year Wyoming did not use steel, aluminum or porcelain to manufacture its
license plates was in 1944. This plate was made of a soybean fiberboard to conserve metal for World War II. Wyoming introduced license plates with retro-reflective sheeting in 1972, not bad for a small state when compared to California which introduced retro-reflective sheeting on its license plates in 1984.
