What State License Plate Has a Huge Blue Star on It
ALABAMA
Technically a distinctive license plate rather than a standard-issue one, the patriotic "God Bless America" plate became so popular in Alabama that the state decided not to charge drivers extra for it. The upper right corner features a heart inscribed with Alabama's nickname, the "Heart of Dixie."
In contrast, the standard Alabama plate depicts a bucolic nature scene — a river and green hills backdropped by a golden sky.
ALASKA
Alaska's current license plate features the state's nickname, "The Last Frontier," paired with an image of the state flag. The stars on the flag are the Big Dipper and Polaris (the North Star). They respectively symbolize strength and Alaska's northern location.
ARIZONA
Arizona's license plate informs people of the state's nickname (the "Grand Canyon State") and showcases its famous desert landscape.
ARKANSAS
In Arkansas, typical license plates are characterized by a diamond graphic. The gem symbolizes one of the state's most significant natural resources. (Arkansas is home to Crater of Diamonds State Park.)
CONNECTICUT
License plates in Connecticut proclaim its legacy as the "Constitution State."
But the constitution in question isn't the document that laid the groundwork for American democracy. The nickname actually refers to a set of local government rules circa 1639 called the Fundamental Orders.
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
The District of Columbia's license plate is a bit tongue-in-cheek. Washington's slogan, "Taxation without Representation," references the fact that District residents have no representatives in Congress.
FLORIDA
Florida is known for its oranges, so it make sense that the citrus fruits — set against an outline of the state — adorn the Sunshine State's license plate.
GEORGIA
Similar to Florida's license plate, Georgia's shows its most famous export — peaches — and an outline of the state.
HAWAII
Hawaii's license plate is the most magical of the lot. But the pretty image is far from arbitrary, signifying the Aloha State's status as a rainbow-viewing destination. In fact,Honolulu, is known as the "rainbow capital of the world."
IDAHO
Idaho's license plate stresses its scenery even more than its spuds.
ILLINOIS
Until last year, Illinois' license plates focused solely on the state's identity as the "Land of Lincoln" (Abraham Lincoln lived in the state capital, Springfield, between 1837 and 1861).
The clunkier new design — which has been criticized by the public — crams half of Lincoln's face, Chicago's Willis Tower, and the Illinois Capitol Building onto one plate.
INDIANA
Between 1998 and 2002, Indiana issued this classy license plate bearing the state's motto, "The Crossroads of America." (The moniker dates to 1937 and is a reference to the numerous interstates that intersect Indiana.)
The current design, which features one of the covered bridges the state is known for, is a little cartoonish but has more character.
IOWA
Iowa's license plate not only tells other drivers which state a resident's car is from — it also identifies his or her county. The background is a composite city/country image.
KANSAS
Kansas' license plate includes half of the state seal, including the state motto "Ad astra per aspera" (Latin for "to the stars through difficulties").
KENTUCKY
The Kentucky license plate, like Iowa's, has a spot for county names. The gradient blue hue is a fitting color for the Bluegrass State.
LOUISIANA
Louisiana's license plate is inscribed with one of the state's nicknames, "Sportsman's Paradise," which refers to the region's abundant spots to fish and hunt.
The plate also depicts the state bird, the pelican.
MASSACHUSETTS
Along with a patriotic color scheme, Massachusetts' license plate features the slogan "The Spirit of America." The phrase is a truncated version of the state's former motto, "The Spirit of Massachusetts is the Spirit of America."
MICHIGAN
One of four standard-issue license plates in Michigan, the "Spectacular Peninsulas" plate displays some of the state's best-known features, including the eponymous peninsulas, the Great Lakes, and the Mackinac Bridge.
MISSISSIPPI
In 2007, Mississippi unveiled the Biloxi Lighthouse license plate, a tribute to the resilience of the state's gulf coast in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.
As of 2012, Mississippi plates instead honor blues singer BB King and his legendary guitar, "Lucille."
NEVADA
Between 2001 and 2017, Nevada issued the "Sunset" license plate depicting the Sierra Nevada mountains.
Beginning in 2016, the state introduced the "Home Means Nevada" plate, which is predominantly sky-blue with a stylized, multicolored rendering of the mountains.
NEW HAMPSHIRE
New Hampshire's license plate bears the state's bold slogan, "Live Free or Die." The motto was popularized by General John Stark, a hero of the American Revolution.
NEW JERSEY
New Jersey's license plate is no-nonsense. Other states advertise their exports or their natural wonders on their plates, but Jersey's reputation as the Garden State clearly precedes it.
NEW MEXICO
With its captivating green, yellow, and red color combo, New Mexico's license plate lives up to the state's nickname, the "Land of Enchantment." Featuring the state flower, the yucca, it's also the only American license plate to specify "USA."
NEW YORK
The regal, two-tone New York license plate supports the state's identity as the "Empire State." In fact, the orange color is known as "Empire Gold."
NORTH CAROLINA
In 2015, North Carolina discontinued the "First in Flight" license plate, which paid homage to the Wright Brothers' first flight at Kitty Hawk.
As historical evidence revealed in 2013, the brothers might not have been the first to successfully fly a plane. Another contender for the honor (among many) is Gustave Whitehead, a German-born aviation pioneer from Connecticut.
Instead, North Carolina's plates now boast that the state is "First in Freedom," in recognition of two 18th-century documents that predate the Declaration of Independence.
NORTH DAKOTA
Since 1993, North Dakota's license plate has featured a bison and the state nickname, the "Peace Garden State" (the International Peace Garden spans North Dakota and Manitoba, Canada).
The design has varied slightly over the years. On North Dakota's latest plate, released in 2015, a photorealistic bison is positioned in the bottom right corner.
PENNSYLVANIA
Instead of displaying its nickname, the "Keystone State," Pennsylvania's license plate subtly nods to the moniker with a small keystone-shaped emblem.
RHODE ISLAND
America's smallest state has an appropriately compact license plate. A wave graphic illustrates Rhode Island's "Ocean State" identity.
SOUTH CAROLINA
From 2008 to 2016, South Carolina's license plate featured the "Sunrise" design. It also incorporated the state tree, the sabal palmetto.
For the current design, the state ditched the sunrise but kept the palm tree.
SOUTH DAKOTA
South Dakota's slogan, "Great Faces, Great Places," surely references the presidential heads of Mount Rushmore. The state's most famous attraction has appeared on its license plates in some form for decades.
On the current version, the landmark looms large on the plate.
TENNESSEE
Tennessee's license plate features a rolling-hill design. It also displays the driver's county.
TEXAS
Between 2009 and 2012, the "Lone Star Texas" plate — whose design included blue mountains as well as the state's titular star — was standard-issue.
When the busy design was repealed, it was replaced with the "Texas Classic" plate, which comprises black lettering on a white background.
UTAH
Residents of Utah have several standard-issue plate options. While the "Life Elevated Skier" design features someone skiing down one of the state's famous slopes, the "Life Elevated Arches" version shows the Delicate Arch, an iconic natural formation at Arches National Park.
VIRGINIA
Virginia's license plate includes the state's long-time slogan, "Virginia is for Lovers."
WISCONSIN
In Wisconsin, "America's Dairyland," license plates include symbols of farm life, like a barn and a field.
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Source: https://www.insider.com/every-us-state-license-plate-2018-4