PLATES: Using our handy 2019 Bradford Landmark Society 50th anniversary calendar, we learned that in January 1908, Pennsylvania started issuing its first yellow license plates.
The state began issuing its own license plates in 1906. The first plate was white on blue porcelain, and said “PENNA 1906” at the top or at the right. The second plate, issued in 1907, was white on red porcelain, and said “PENNA 1907” at the top or the right.
The third was black on yellow porcelain and said “PENNA 1908.” We’re sensing a pattern here.
The plates changed annually until 1958, when sticker validation began. The plate stayed the same, which was yellow on blue with a small keystone separating the numbers and a state-shaped border, until 1965. Then, the plate had blue lettering with a yellow background, a small keystone separating the numbers and a state-shaped border.
It changed again in 1971, at which time the plate had yellow lettering on a blue background with the Liberty Bell separating the numbers. After the bicentennial year of 1976, the plate changed again. It had blue lettering on a reflective yellow background, with a large keystone separating the numbers.
In 1983, it changed again, this time to reflective yellow lettering on a blue background, along with the slogan “You’ve got a friend in Pennsylvania.” In 1991, the size of the keystone was reduced and the slogan was changed to read “Keystone State.”
In 1999, the plates changed again, this time to a dark blue on a reflective white background with light blue on top and light yellow on bottom. The state’s website was added to the plate.
In 2004, it changed again, with the blue strip at the top becoming navy blue and the yellow at the bottom becoming darker. The state’s website was taken off, and the tourism site of visitPA.com was added instead.
In mid-2017, the plate changed a bit again, adding a state outline at the top left.
According to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, only plates issued since 1999 are currently valid for display on a vehicle.
