The U.S. state of Kansas first required its residents to register their vehicles and display license plates in 1913. Plates are currently issued by the Kansas Department of Revenue through its Division of Vehicles and only rear plates have been required since 1956.
Passenger baseplates 1913 to 1975 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 Kansas license plate that complied with these standards. ImageDates issuedDescriptionSloganSerial formatSerials issuedNotes1913Embossed black serial on white plate; diagonal "KAN" at rightnone123451 to approximately 390001914Embossed white serial on dark blue plate; "KAN" at rightnone123451 to approximately 590001915Embossed black serial on golden yellow plate with border line; diagonal "KAN" at rightnone123451 to approximately 860001916Embossed white serial on black plate with border line; "KAN" monogram at rightnone1234561 to approximately 1400001917Embossed black serial on light green plate with border line; vertical "KAN" at leftnone1234561 to approximately 1830001918Embossed green serial on white plate with border line; vertical "KAN" at rightnone1234561 to approximately 2050001919Embossed dark blue serial on light green plate with border line; vertical "KAN" at rightnone1234561 to approximately 2600001920Embossed white serial on black plate with border line; vertical "KAN" at leftnone1234561 to approximately 2900001921Embossed black serial on golden yellow plate with border line; "KAN 21" at rightnone123-4561 to approximately 274-000First dated plate.1922Embossed golden yellow serial on black plate with border line; "KAN 22" at rightnone123-4561 to approximately 304-0001923Embossed black serial on white plate with border line; vertical "KAN" and "1923" at left and right respectivelynone1234561 to approximately 3500001924Embossed white serial on green plate with border line; vertical "KAN" and "24" at leftnone123-4561 to approximately 369-0001925Embossed white serial on red plate with border line; "KAN 25" at rightnone123-4561 to approximately 409-0001926Embossed white serial on dark blue plate with border line; "KAN 26" at leftnone123-4561 to approximately 442-0001927Embossed black serial on gray plate with border line; vertical "1927" and "KAN" at left and right respectivelynone123-4561 to approximately 459-0001928Embossed blue serial on white plate with border line; "KAN 28" at rightnone123-4561 to approximately 472-0001929Embossed black serial on yellow plate; black lines at top and bottom borders; "KANSAS 1929" at bottomnone123-4561 to approximately 507-000First use of the full state name.1930Embossed white serial on black plate; white lines at top and bottom borders; "KANSAS - 1930" at topnone112345101234100123Coded by county of issuance (1, 10 or 100)First base to use numeric county codes.1931Embossed white serial on green plate with border line; "KAN 31" at rightnone1-1234510-1234100-123Coded by county of issuance (1, 10 or 100)1932Embossed black serial on orange plate with border line; "KAN 32" at leftnone1-1234510-1234100-123Coded by county of issuance (1, 10 or 100)1933Embossed white serial on dark blue plate with border line; "KAN 33" at rightnone1-1234510-1234100-123Coded by county of issuance (1, 10 or 100)1934Embossed black serial on white plate with border line; "KAN 34" at leftnone1-1234510-1234100-123Coded by county of issuance (1, 10 or 100)1935Embossed orange serial on black plate with border line; "KAN 35" at rightnone1-1234510-1234100-123Coded by county of issuance (1, 10 or 100)1936Embossed black serial on orange plate with border line; "KAN 36" at leftnone1-1234510-1234100-123Coded by county of issuance (1, 10 or 100)1937Embossed yellow serial on black plate with border line; "KAN 37" at rightnone1-1234510-1234100-123Coded by county of issuance (1, 10 or 100)1938Embossed white serial on black plate with border line; "KAN. '38" centered at bottomnone1-1234510-1234100-123Coded by county of issuance (1, 10 or 100)1939Embossed black serial on white plate with border line; "'39 KAN." centered at topnone1-1234510-1234100-123Coded by county of issuance (1, 10 or 100)1940Embossed white serial on black plate with border line; "KANSAS '40" centered at bottomnone1-1234510-12345100-123Coded by county of issuance (1, 10 or 100)1941Embossed yellow serial on dark red plate with border line; "41 KANSAS" centered at bottomnone1-1234510-12345100-123Coded by county of issuance (1, 10 or 100) 1942Embossed white serial on green plate with border line; "KANSAS '42" centered at bottom; sunflower decals at bottom cornersnone1-1234510-12345100-123Coded by county of issuance (1, 10 or 100) 1943Revalidated for 1943 with zinc "43" tabs over the '42, due to metal conservation for World War II.1944Embossed red serial on white plate with border line; "KANSAS-44" at topnone1-1234510-12345100-123Coded by county of issuance (1, 10 or 100)1945Embossed black serial on white plate; "KANSAS-45" centered at topnone1-1234510-12345100-123Coded by county of issuance (1, 10 or 100)1946Embossed blue serial on golden yellow plate; "KANSAS-46" centered at topnone1-1234510-12345100-123Coded by county of issuance (1, 10 or 100)1947Embossed black serial on white plate with border line; "19 KANSAS 47" at topnone1-1234510-12345100-1234Coded by county of issuance (1, 10 or 100)1948Embossed white serial on black plate with border line; "19 KANSAS 48" at topnone1-1234510-12345100-1234Coded by county of issuance (1, 10 or 100)1949Embossed black serial on unpainted aluminum plate with border line; "19 KANSAS 49" at top"THE WHEAT STATE" at bottom1-1234510-12345100-1234Coded by county of issuance (1, 10 or 100)1950Embossed green serial on unpainted aluminum plate with border line; "KANSAS 50" centered at top"THE WHEAT STATE" centered at bottom1-1234510-12345100-1234Coded by county of issuance (1, 10 or 100) 1951Embossed white serial on dark blue state-shaped plate with border line; "KANSAS 51" centered at top"THE WHEAT STATE" centered at bottom-12345Coded by county of issuance ()First base to use two-letter county codes.1952Revalidated for 1952 with white tabs, and for 1953 with yellow tabs, due to metal conservation for the Korean War.19531954Embossed black serial on white state-shaped plate with border line; "KANSAS 54" centered at top"THE WHEAT STATE" centered at bottom-12345Coded by county of issuance ()1955Embossed white serial on black state-shaped plate with border line; "KANSAS 55" centered at top"THE WHEAT STATE" centered at bottom-12345Coded by county of issuance ()1956Embossed black serial on white plate with state-shaped border; "KANSAS 56" centered at top"THE WHEAT STATE" centered at bottom-12345Coded by county of issuance ()1956 was the first year that Kansas plates complied with the new standardized 6" x 12" measurements.1957Embossed red serial on white plate with state-shaped border; "KANSAS 57" centered at top"THE WHEAT STATE" at bottom, offset to right-12345Coded by county of issuance ()1958Embossed yellow serial on blue plate with state-shaped border; "KANSAS 58" centered at top"THE WHEAT STATE" at bottom, offset to right-12345Coded by county of issuance ()1959Embossed blue serial on yellow plate with state-shaped border; "KANSAS 59" centered at top"THE WHEAT STATE" at bottom, offset to right-12345Coded by county of issuance ()1960Embossed blue serial on white plate with state-shaped border; "KANSAS 60" centered at top"CENTENNIAL 1961" at bottom, offset to right-12345Coded by county of issuance ()Both this and the 1961 base commemorated Kansas' 100 years of statehood.1961Embossed brown serial on white plate with state-shaped border; "KANSAS 61" centered at top"CENTENNIAL 1961" at bottom, offset to right-12345Coded by county of issuance ()1962Embossed white serial on green plate with state-shaped border; "KANSAS 62" centered at topnone-12345Coded by county of issuance ()1963Embossed green serial on white plate with state-shaped border; "KANSAS 63" centered at topnone-12345Coded by county of issuance ()1964Embossed white serial on blue plate with state-shaped border; "KANSAS 64" centered at topnone-12345Coded by county of issuance ()1965Embossed white serial on red plate with state-shaped border; "KANSAS 65" centered at top"MIDWAY USA" centered at bottom-12345Coded by county of issuance ()1966Embossed white serial on black plate with state-shaped border; "KANSAS 66" centered at top"MIDWAY USA" centered at bottom-12345Coded by county of issuance ()1967Embossed white serial on Columbia blue plate with state-shaped border; "KANSAS 67" centered at top"MIDWAY USA" centered at bottom-12345Coded by county of issuance ()1968Embossed yellow serial on black plate with state-shaped border; "KANSAS 68" centered at top"MIDWAY USA" centered at bottom-12345Coded by county of issuance ()1969Embossed white serial on black plate with state-shaped border; "KANSAS 69" centered at top"MIDWAY USA" centered at bottom-12345Coded by county of issuance ()1970Embossed white serial on pale green plate with state-shaped border; "KANSAS 70" centered at top"MIDWAY USA" centered at bottom-12345Coded by county of issuance ()1971Embossed white serial on red plate with state-shaped border; "KANSAS" and month of expiration centered at top and bottom respectivelynone 12345Coded by county of issuance ()Staggered registration introduced, with the month of expiration determined by the initial letter of the registrant's surname. The 12345 serial format was used only on plates expiring on July 31. C12345Coded by county of issuance () and month of expiration (C)These plates using C12345 expired from July 31 through December 31, 1971.1972Embossed white serial on black plate with state-shaped border; "KANSAS" and month of expiration centered at top and bottom respectivelynone C12345Coded by county of issuance () and month of expiration (C)Plates expired from February 29 through December 31, 1972.1973Embossed gold serial on green plate with state-shaped border; "KANSAS" and month of expiration centered at top and bottom respectivelynone C12345Coded by county of issuance () and month of expiration (C)Plates expired from February 28 through December 31, 1973.1974Embossed white serial on red plate with state-shaped border; "KANSAS" and month of expiration centered at top and bottom respectivelynone C12345Coded by county of issuance () and month of expiration (C)Plates expired from February 28 through December 31, 1974. The first "KANSAS 74" plates expired on July 31, 1974, and the first "Wheat Centennial" plates on August 31, 1974. In 1974, Kansas hosted a "Wheat Centennial" celebration commemorating the first Turkey Red wheat planting, according to folklore.As above, but with "KANSAS 74" at top, and without month of expiration"WHEAT CENTENNIAL" centered at bottom1975Embossed white serial on green plate with state-shaped border; "KANSAS 75" centered at top"WHEAT CENTENNIAL" centered at bottom C12345Coded by county of issuance () and month of expiration (C)Plates expired from February 28 through December 31, 1975. The first plates without the slogan expired on August 31, 1975.none
1976 to present