The U.S. state of Utah first required its residents to register their motor vehicles in 1909. Registrants provided their own license plates for display until 1915, when the state began to issue plates.

, plates are issued by the Utah State Tax Commission through its Division of Motor Vehicles. Only rear plates are required for most classes of vehicles, including motorcycles and trailers. The front plate requirement was lifted for passenger vehicles on January 1, 2025. Month and year decals have now been consolidated into one sticker instead of two separate decals. New license plates will now be flat-screen printed instead of being embossed.

Passenger baseplates

1915 to 1967 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 1954 (dated 1955) issue was the first Utah license plate that complied with these standards. ImageDates issuedDesignSloganSerial formatSerials issuedNotes1915Dark green on white; "U 15" at rightnone12341 to approximately 76001916Yellow on brown; "U 16" at rightnone123451 to approximately 138001917Black on gray; "U 17" at rightnone123451 to approximately 182001918Gray on black; "U 18" at rightnone123451 to approximately 220001919White on dark olive green; "U 19" at rightnone123455000 to approximately 34600Serials 1 through 399 used on dealer plates, and 400 through 4999 on truck plates.1920White on blue; "U 20" at rightnone123455000 to approximately 42300Dealer and truck plate serials same as 1919.1921Orange on black; lines at top and bottom borders; "U 21" at rightnone123457001 to approximately 47500Serials 1 through 400 used on dealer plates, and 401 through 7000 on truck plates.1922White on black with border line; "U 22" at rightnone12-3458-501 to approximately 49-500Serial 1 issued to Secretary of State; 2 through 300 used on dealer plates, 301 through 8-000 on truck plates, and 8-001 through 8-500 on trailer plates.1923White on red with border line; slanted "UTAH" and "1923" at leftnone12-3458-501 to approximately 65-000First use of the full state name. Secretary of State, dealer, truck and trailer plate serials same as 1922.1924White on dark blue with border line; slanted "UTAH" and "1924" at rightnone12-34510-000 to approximately 79-000Serial 1 issued to Secretary of State; 2 through 299 used on dealer plates, 300 through 499 on trailer plates, 500 through 999 on exempt plates, and 1-000 through 9-999 on truck plates.1925White on green with border line; "UTAH 25" at leftnone12-34513-000 to approximately 91-000Serial 1 issued to Secretary of State; 2 through 299 used on dealer plates, 300 through 399 on trailer plates, 400 through 999 on exempt plates, and 1-000 through 12-999 on truck plates.1926Black on silver with border line; "26 UTAH" at rightnone12-34514-000 to approximately 95-000Serial 1 issued to Secretary of State; 2 through 299 used on dealer plates, 300 through 499 on trailer plates, 500 through 12-999 on truck plates, and 13-000 through 13-999 on exempt plates.1927White on dark blue with border line; "UTAH 27" at leftnone12-3451-500 to approximately 82-0001928Black on yellow with border line; "UTAH 28" at rightnone12-3451-500 to approximately 91-0001929Black on green with border line; "UTAH 29" at leftnone12-3451-500 to approximately 96-5001930White on black with border line; "UTAH 30" at rightnone12-3451-500 to approximately 93-5001931Black on silver with border line; "31 UTAH" at rightnone12-3451-500 to approximately 91-5001932White on black with border line; "32 UTAH" at leftnone12-3451-500 to approximately 95-5001933White on black with border line; "UTAH - 1933" at topnone12-3451-500 to approximately 78-5001934Black on silver with border line; "UTAH - 1934" at bottomnone123-45630-000 to approximately 133-0001935White on black with border line; "1935 - UTAH" at bottomnone123-45650-001 to approximately 154-0001936Black on silver with border line; "UTAH - 1936" at bottomnone123-45650-001 to approximately 167-5001937White on black with border line; "UTAH - 1937" at topnone123-45650-001 to approximately 179-0001938Maroon on white with border line; "UTAH - 1938" at bottomnone123-45650-001 to approximately 174-0001939White on blue/black with border line; "UTAH - 1939" at topnone123-456100-001 to approximately 229-5001940Orange on dark blue with border line; "UTAH - 40" at bottomnoneA-12341941White on black with border line; "UTAH - 41" at top rightnoneA 1234Black on white with border line; "42 UTAH" at leftCENTER SCENIC AMERICAA 1234Revalidated for 1943 with windshield stickers, due to metal conservation for World War II.1944Black on white; "UTAH 44" at bottomnoneA1234Manufactured on soybean-based fiberboard due to ongoing metal conservation.1945White on maroon with border line; "45 UTAH" at leftCENTER SCENIC AMERICAA12341946White on black with border line; "46 UTAH" at leftCENTER SCENIC AMERICAA12341947Yellow on black with border line; "47 UTAH" at leftTHIS IS THE PLACEA12341948White on black with border line; vertical "UTAH" and "48" at leftTHE FRIENDLY STATEA12341949White on black with border line; "UTAH - 49" at bottom rightnoneA 12341950Orange on black with border line; "UTAH - 50" at top rightnoneA 12341951White on green with border line; "UTAH 1951" at top rightnone 1231952White on blue with border line; "UTAH 1952" at bottom leftnone123 1953Yellow on black with border line; "UTAH 1953" at top rightnone 1231954White on dark green with border line; "UTAH 1954" at bottom rightnone 1231955White on black with border line; "UTAH 1955" at topnoneAB 1231956White on dark red with border line; "UTAH 56" at bottom rightnone 1234 1000 to approximately  9999For each two-letter series, only the letters A, B, C, D, E, F, H, J and K were used. This practice continued until 1970.1957White on dark blue with border line; "UTAH 57" at top rightnone 1234 1000 to approximately  50001958Yellow on dark blue with border line; "UTAH 58" at top rightnone 1234 1000 to approximately  99991959White on red-orange; "UTAH 59" at topnoneAB 1234AA 1000 to approximately DK 50001960Dark red on off gray; "UTAH 60" at topnoneAB 1234AA 1000 to approximately DK 99991961Dark blue on off white; "UTAH 61" at topnoneAB 1234AA 1000 to approximately EC 50001962Red on off gray/white; "UTAH 62" at topnoneAB 1234AA 1000 to approximately EE 50001963White on dark blue; "UTAH 63" at bottomnoneAB 1234AA 1000 to approximately EH 50001964White on green; "UTAH 64" at topnoneAB 1234AA 1000 to approximately EJ 99991965White on blue; "UTAH 65" at bottomnoneAB 1234AA 1000 to approximately FA 99991966White on black; "UTAH 66" at topnoneAB 1234AA 1000 to approximately FB 99991967White on green; "UTAH 67" at bottomnoneAB 1234AA 1000 to approximately FD 5000

1968 to present ImageDates issuedDesignSloganSerial formatSerials issuedNotesWhite on black; "UTAH" centered at bottomnoneAB 1234AA 1000 toKK 9999;LL 1000 to approximately PR 9999Revalidated for 1969, 1970, 1971 and 1972 with stickers. After KK 9999 was issued in 1970, the serial format continued with only the letters L, M, N, P, R, S, T, V and W used.1973Black on reflective white; "UTAH 73" at bottomnoneABC 123AAA 001 to approximately HDH 999Three-letter series used a split-alphabet system, with each letter advancing A, B, C, D, E, F, H, J, K (block 1), or L, M, N, P, R, S, T, V, W (block 2). Progression was as follows: all three letters in block 1, then first letter in block 2 and last two letters in block 1, then first two letters in block 2 and last letter in block 1, then all three letters in block 2, and finally first two letters in block 1 and last letter in block 2.On the 1974–78 variant, two different designs of beehive were used - one rounded, the other pointed.All variants are still currently revalidated.1973As above, but without year ("UTAH" offset to left)HDJ 001 to approximately HJB 9991973–74As above, but with "UTAH" centeredHJC 001 to approximately KEE 9991974–78As above, but with embossed beehive used as separator in serialKEF 001 to KKK 999;LAA 001 to WKK 999;LLA 001 to approximately LWK 9991978–81As above, but without beehive (similar to 1973–74)MLA 001 to WWK 999;LLL 001 to approximately MVW 9991982–85As above, but with "UTAH" screened rather than embossedMWL 001 to WWW 999;AAL 001 to approximately BFP 9991985–90Blue on white with skier graphicGreatest Snow on Earth123 ABC001 AAA to 999 DWWAwarded "Plate of the Year" for best new license plate of 1986 by the Automobile License Plate Collectors Association, the first and, to date, only time Utah has been so honored. Letters G, U, X, Y and Z added to serials in late 1992, beginning with the FPG series. Certain plates in the 001 LAA - 999 LZZ series have been spotted with the 'W' dies incorrectly stamped.1990–93As above, but with narrower serial dies001 EAA to approximately 999 GPY1993 – November 18, 2007As above, but with darker blue serials001 GPZ to approximately 999 PMV1992–96Dark blue on Delicate Arch graphic; "UTAH" in whiteCentennial123 ABC001 ZAA to 999 ZEZCommemorated Utah's 100 years of statehood. Issued concurrently with the 1985 Ski base, first as an extra-fee base and then as a no-cost base from 1997. The first letter in the serial progressed backwards (so 999 ZZZ was followed by 001 YAA, 999 YZZ was followed by 001 XAA, and so on). Certain plates in the 001 XAA - 999 XZZ series have been spotted with the 'W' dies incorrectly stamped.1996 – November 18, 2007As above, but with "UTAH" in blue001 ZFA to approximately 999 UYL(see right)November 19, 2007 – May 2023Dark blue on skier graphicGreatest Snow on Earth / Life ElevatedA12 3BCA00 1AA to G99 9XZ (see right)Redesigned Ski base and updated Arch base, issued concurrently. On the Arch base, the first letter in the serial progresses backwards (Z then Y then X etc.). For both types, then the letters in the 5th and 6th positions are issued alphabetically (AA to ZZ). Then the next first letter is started. The letters I, O and Q are not used.Observing hundreds of plates over the past several months

For Life Elevated - Skier plates, all plates issued during the B-NW - D-FW, D-WZ, and F-GW series have the 'W' die incorrectly stamped. Certain plates in the B-BW series have been spotted using the 'W' die stamped correctly and incorrectly.

For Life Elevated - Arches plates, all plates issued during the Z-YW - X-CW, X-UW, X-WD, and V-BW series have the 'W' die incorrectly stamped, except for the Y-SW and Y-TW series. The Y-SM, Y-TM, X-DM, and X-MJ series have the 'M' die incorrectly stamped. Certain plates in the X-SW series have been spotted with the 'W' die stamped correctly and incorrectly.

With the updated North Carolina dies introduced in 2023, Ski and Arch plates have been seen reverting back to the old dies in random sequences throughout the G-Yx series and T-Hx series. Approximately G00 1YW-G34 9YW, G00 1YX-G99 9YZ, and T00 1HZ-T84 9HZ were seen using the previous dies.