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The U.S. federal district of Washington, D.C. first required its residents to register their motor vehicles and display license plates in 1907.
Passenger baseplates 1907 to present
In 1956, the U.S. states and Canadian provinces came to an agreement with the Automobile Manufacturers Association that fixed 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 first Washington, D.C. license plate that complied with these standards was issued three years beforehand, in 1953 (dated March 31, 1954).
Since November 2000, the standard Washington, D.C. license plate design has featured the slogan "Taxation Without Representation," referring to the unique circumstance that the district's residents face, in which they must pay federal income tax but cannot elect a voting member of the United States Congress.