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The U.S. state of Colorado first required its residents to register their motor vehicles and display license plates in 1913.
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Passenger plates 1913 to present
In 1956, the U.S. states and Canadian provinces came to an agreement with the Automobile Manufacturers Association that standardized the size for license plates for vehicles, except those for motorcycles, at six inches in height by twelve inches in width, with standardized mounting holes. The 1955 (dated 1956) issue was the first Colorado license plate that complied with these standards. However, the 1954 (dated 1955) issue was six inches in height by twelve inches in width, although the mounting holes were not in these standardized positions.
The basic design of Colorado's license plate (a row of mountains against an all-white or all-green background) has been in use since 1960, though not continually until 1978. This makes it the second-oldest American plate design still in circulation, after that of Delaware. In 2000, a more detailed version of the mountain face replaced the previous monochrome one.
Non-passenger and optional types, 2000 to present
When the current passenger baseplate was introduced in 2000, the state simplified its non-passenger and specialty plates as well, issuing them in the same serial format—123-ABC—and with similar graphic elements.
2000 to present
The serials on non-passenger types are embossed unless noted.
2000 to present
Specialty types have surface-printed serials. Some types are available in personalized format, in which case the type logo, which normally appears at the center of the plate between the numbers and the letters of the serial, is absent.