Massachusetts became the first state to issue license plates in 1903. The plates were made of iron with a porcelain enamel. Florida was the last state to issue car tags, in 1918. Georgia became the first state to use a decal with its plates, in 1941. As of 2010, most states use aluminum as the primary material for license plates.
Every state offers vehicle owners the opportunity to buy custom or vanity license plates. These plates require an additional fee above the normal registration and provide states extra revenue. States check every vanity plate application to ensure the words are not offensive.
Arizona is the only state to ever make its car tags out of copper. It did so in 1932, 1933 and 1934, according to the Automobile License Plate Collector's Association.
Although some states have private contractors make car tags, most license plates are made by prison labor. Some Native American tribes, such as the Cherokee Nation in Oklahoma, issue their own tags to tribal members. These tags take the place of state license plates.
