The U.S. state of Michigan first required its residents to register their motor vehicles in 1905. Registrants provided their own license plates for display until 1910, when the state began to issue plates. , plates are issued by the Michigan Secretary of State. Only rear plates have been required since 1981. For an extra charge, drivers can request a personalized plate serial as well as a second duplicate plate. Since January 1, 2015, drivers have been required to replace their plates every ten years.

Passenger baseplates

1910 to 1970

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 6 in in height by 12 in in width, with standardized mounting holes. The 1955 (dated 1956) issue was the first Michigan license plate that complied with these standards.

County coding

Michigan used two-letter county codes from 1940 to 1969, after using county coding blocks from 1933 to 1939. The letters I, O and Q were not used in these codes.

1971 to present

Optional plates

Disability plates

Non-passenger plates

Special plates

Organizations

Special plates are available to members of certain groups. Each is currently made with the Pure Michigan base, with an emblem to the serial's left, and a 5-character serial format.

University fundraising

Since September 2000, special plates have been offered to raise funds for each of Michigan's 15 public universities. Each uses the Pure Michigan baseplate with the college's name at the bottom and the university's logo to the serial's left, and all share the same serial format and range.

Special cause fundraising

Special plates have been offered since 2001 to raise funds for certain charitable causes. State law limits the number of fundraising plates (excluding universities) available at one time to 20, and 14 are currently in production. Each is currently made with the Pure Michigan base, with an emblem to the serial's left, and a 5-character serial format; prior to 2013, they were made with the 2007-2013 passenger base. As of November 2023, three new fundraising plates are currently being considered in the Michigan Legislature: one supporting Michigan's 4-H organizations, another funding sickle cell anemia research, and a third supporting prostate cancer prevention. Legislation was passed in June 2017 to offer an anti-abortion Choose Life plate in Michigan, but was vetoed by Governor Rick Snyder.

Veterans