The U.S. state of New Jersey first required its residents to register their motor vehicles in 1903. Registrants provided their own license plates for display until 1908, when the state began to issue plates.

, plates are issued by the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission. Front and rear plates are required for most classes of vehicles, while only rear plates are required for motorcycles and trailers.

Validation In 1999 the state tried re-validating plates with stickers, but that scheme ended in 2004 with stickers issued to expire in 2005. Some non-passenger plates stickers extended to 2010 with stickers issued to expire in 2011 (2014 for trailer plates only). Since then passenger and non-passenger plates have been re-validated with just the registration card issued to the driver.

Passenger baseplates 1908 to 1958 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 first New Jersey license plate that complied with these standards was a modification of the 1952 plate, introduced in 1956.

No slogans were used on passenger plates during the period covered by this subsection. ImageFirst issuedDesignSerial formatSerials issuedNotes1908Cream-colored serial digits on individual dark blue flat metal panels inserted into metal frame; "N.J.", lead seal and "08" on single panel inserted at right1234538001 to approximately 50500, plus reissues of pre-state serials1909White serial on black porcelain plate; "N.J", aluminum seal and "09" at right123451 to approximately 240001910Black serial on bright orange porcelain plate; "N.J", aluminum seal and "10" at left123451 to approximately 300001911Red serial on gray porcelain plate; "N.J", aluminum seal and "11" at right123451 to approximately 380001912Yellow serial on blue porcelain plate; "N.J", aluminum seal and "12" at left123451 to approximately 440001913Red serial on white porcelain plate; "N.J", aluminum seal and "13" at right123451 to approximately 500001914White serial on red porcelain plate; "N.J", aluminum seal and "14" at left123451 to approximately 610001915White serial on green porcelain plate; "N.J", aluminum seal and "15" at right123451 to approximately 780001916Embossed white serial on brown plate; "NJ 16" at left123451 to 99999A1234A1 to approximately A68001917Embossed white serial on blue plate; "NJ 17" at right123451 to 99999A1234A, B, N and O series; X1 to approximately X19001918Embossed blue serial on white plate; "N.J.-1918" centered at top1234561 to approximately 1495001919Embossed white serial on gray plate; "N.J.−1919" centered at top1234561 to approximately 1755001920Embossed white serial on brick red plate; "N.J.−1920" centered at top1234561 to approximately 2125001921Embossed white serial on forest green plate; "N.J.−1921" centered at top1234561 to approximately 2475001922Embossed white serial on black plate; "N.J.−1922" centered at top1234561 to approximately 2585001923Embossed orange serial on black plate; "N.J.—23" centered at top1234561 to approximately 3315001924Embossed white serial on red plate; "N.J.−1924" centered at top1234561 to approximately 4000001925Embossed silver serial on midnight blue plate; "N.J.—25" centered at top1234561 to approximately 4605001926Embossed white serial on orange plate; "N.J.−1926" centered at topA123451E2345County-codedEssex County used E in the second position following E99999; this practice continued through 1930.1927Embossed white serial on green plate; "N.J.−27." centered at topA123451E234512345County-codedSerifs added to letters in serials for better readability. code replaced Q code in Ocean County.1928Embossed white serial on light blue plate; "N.J.−1928" centered at topA123451E234512345County-coded1929Embossed white serial on black plate; "N.J.−29." centered at topA123451E234512345County-coded1930Embossed white serial on gray plate; "N.J.−1930" centered at topA123451E234512345County-coded1931Embossed white serial on red plate; "N.J.−31." centered at topA123451234512345County-coded1001 onwards issued in Essex County following E99999; this practice continued through 1938.1932Embossed white serial on black plate; "N.J.−1932." centered at topA123451234512345County-coded1933Embossed orange serial on black plate; "N.J.−'33." centered at topA123451234512345County-coded1934Embossed light green serial on black plate; "N.J.−1934" centered at topA123451234512345County-coded1935Embossed silver serial on black plate; "N.J.−'35." centered at topA123451234512345County-coded1936Embossed bright orange serial on black plate; "N.J.−1936" centered at topA123451234512345County-coded1937Embossed light green serial on black plate; "N.J.−'37." centered at topA123451234512345County-coded1938Embossed silver serial on black plate; "N.J.−1938" centered at topA1234512341234512345County-coded1001 onwards issued in Bergen County following B99999.1939Embossed bright orange serial on black plate; vertical "NJ 39" at right12312ACounty-coded ()For each two-letter code, the numbers 100 to 999 were issued, followed by 10A through 99Z (omitting G, I, O and Q).1940Embossed light green serial on black plate; vertical "NJ 40" at right12312ACounty-coded ()1941Embossed white serial on black plate; "N.J. '41" roughly centered at bottom12312ACounty-coded ()1942Embossed yellow serial on black plate; "N.J. 1942" roughly centered at bottom12312ACounty-coded ()Revalidated for 1943 with white-on-black tabs, due to metal conservation for World War II.1944Embossed black serial on straw-colored plate; "N.J. '44" roughly centered at bottom12312ACounty-coded ()Only rear plates issued due to ongoing metal conservation. Issuance of front plates resumed in 1947.1945Embossed blue serial on straw-colored plate; "N.J. 1945" at bottom, offset to right12312ACounty-coded ()1946Embossed black serial on straw-colored plate; "N.J. '46" centered at top12312ACounty-coded ()1947Embossed blue serial on straw-colored plate; "N.J. 1947" at bottom, offset to right12312ACounty-coded ()1948Embossed black serial on straw-colored plate; "N.J. '48" centered at top12312ACounty-coded ()1949Embossed straw-colored serial on black plate; "N.J. 1949" at bottom, offset to right12312ACounty-coded ()1950As 1948 base, but with "N.J. '50" at top12312ACounty-coded ()1951As 1949 base, but with "N.J. 1951" at bottom12312ACounty-coded ()1952Embossed orange lettering on black plate with border line; "N. 52 J." embossed at bottom.A/B 123A/B 12AA/B A12A/B 1A2A/B 1234 Coded by county (A/B)Revalidated for 1953, 1954 (shown in photo), 1955 and 1956 (also shown in photo) with tabs (Passenger) 1957, 1958, 1959, and 1960 with tabs (Non-Passenger).1957As above but changed to 6" x 12" size, and with stacked "NJ" embossed at rightA/B 1234Coded by county (A/B)Revalidated for 1958 with windshield stickers. The older 1952 plates (by now dated "56") were also validated with windshield stickers.

1959 to present All passenger plates from 1959 until present are still valid, provided they have been continuously registered. It is also possible to have a serial from an older plate remade on a plate of a newer design. ImageFirst issuedDesignSloganSerial formatSerials issuedNotes1959Embossed black serial on non-reflective buff plate; "N.J." centered at top"GARDEN STATE" centered at bottomABC-123AAA-100 to RHZ-999Letter Q not used in serials, and 'D', 'O', 'T' and 'X' series reserved for Dealer, Omnibus, Trailer and Commercial plates respectively. This practice continued until late 1992.1969As above, but reflectiveRIA-100 to SZZ-999Experimental plates.1970As above, but non-reflective as from 1959 to 1969UAA-100 to YZZ-999'Z' series initially reserved for Commercial plates; issued 1985 on blue base (below).1973123-ABC100-AAA to 999-HBZ1977As above, but with "NEW JERSEY" centered at top100-HCA to 999-KZZFirst use of the full state name on passenger plates.1979Embossed buff serial with state-shaped separator on non-reflective medium blue plate; "NEW JERSEY" centered at top"GARDEN STATE" centered at bottom123-ABC100-LAA to 999-ZZZ1985ABC-123ZAA-100 to ZZZ-9991985ABC-12DAAA-10A to HZZ-99ZI and O not used as suffix letters in this serial format (in addition to Q).late 1992Embossed black serial on reflective yellow to gradient white plate; "New Jersey" screened in black centered at top; black outlines for registration stickers at top corners"Garden State" screened in black centered at bottomABC1234AAA1000 to ADJ9999Letters I, O and Q not used in serials; this practice continues today.spring 1993As above, but with state-shaped separator added to serialAB-123CBA-100A to ZY-999Z'D', 'H', 'T' and 'X' series reserved for Dealer, Handicapped, Trailer and Commercial plates respectively, and 'S' series for optional Shore to Please plate. 'A' series used on Apportioned plates from 1996 onwards.May 1999ABC-12DJAA-10A to SZZ-99Z;UAA-10A to VZT-99Z'T' series reserved for Trailer plates. Between 2001 and 2004, plates used Avery reflective sheeting instead of 3M reflective sheeting.mid 2007As above, but without black outlines at top cornersVZU-10A to WZZ-99Z;YAA-10A to ZZZ-99Z'X' series reserved for Commercial and Farmer plates.July 2010As above, but with security threads added to center of plateA12-BCDA10-AAA to T99-EEKIn this format, the prefix letter progresses before the suffix letters. For example, A99-AAA was followed by B10-AAA; and Z99-AAA was followed by A10-AAB.April 2014As above, but with serial and separator screened rather than embossedA10-EFF to Z99-SZZ;A10-UAA to R22-WPG 'T' series reserved for Trailer plates.

Courtesy plates

Courtesy plates have been issued to individuals with political connections since 1920. The current serial formats on these plates consist of three letters followed or preceded by a number between 1 and 20. On standard courtesy plates the first letter is a county code, the second letter is the first initial of the vehicle owner's name, and the third letter is the initial of the last name of the vehicle owner. Courtesy plates may also be personalized, with all three letters making up the owner's initials.

Courtesy plates can be used on several types of vehicles, including cars, motorcycles and historic vehicles. They must be approved by a NJ State Senator from the applicant's election district prior to being submitted to the MVC. The staff for the applicant's senator must also get approval from the state senator from the county that corresponds to the first letter on the plate being requested. The letter Q cannot be used on these plates, and D, O, T, and X cannot be used as the first letter.

Courtesy plate county codes 1959 to present LetterCountyAAtlanticBBergenCCamdenEEssexFOceanGGloucesterHHudsonIHunterdonJSalemKMiddlesexLMorrisMMonmouthNBurlingtonPPassaicRMercerSSomersetUUnionVSussexWWarrenYCumberlandZCape May

Current plate types All bases of all classes of plates from 1959 to present are still valid for display in New Jersey.

Non-Passenger