Early non-standardized NY "initial" license plate. Courtesy www.http://leatherlicenseplates.com/Leather_License_Plates/New_York.html
On this day, April 25th, 1901, New York State became the first state in the US to require license plates on cars.
Interestingly, Massachusetts was the first state, in 1903, to produce license plates. From passage, until sometime after 1903, New Yorkers had to obtain or create their own license plates. Initially the plates did not have numbers, but rather had the owner’s initials (pun intended). In addition, New York did not recognize out of state plates, nor did New Jersey, requiring drivers to register their cars in each jurisdiction they wished to drive in.
Interestingly, Massachusetts was the first state, in 1903, to produce license plates. From passage, until sometime after 1903, New Yorkers had to obtain or create their own license plates. Initially the plates did not have numbers, but rather had the owner’s initials (pun intended). In addition, New York did not recognize out of state plates, nor did New Jersey, requiring drivers to register their cars in each jurisdiction they wished to drive in.
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