License Plate Roundup: Colorado

Colorado: History and Interesting Facts

Before diving into license plate designs, let’s study the Centennial State. In this section, we cover basic Colorado history, standout features, and interesting facts.

When Was Colorado Established as a State?

Colorado earned its statehood on August 1, 1876, though purchasing of the land occurred over several years, deals, and treaties. 

In 1803, Thomas Jefferson—the 3rd U.S. president—brokered one of the largest land deals in United States history. This deal, known as the Louisiana Purchase, acquired 828,000,000 square miles of land East of the Mississippi River, which included the Eastern half of Colorado.

Forty-five years later, 1848's Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo established land rights to Colorado’s Western half. This combined mass would later become the Colorado Territory in 1861, officially entering the Union on the 100th anniversary of the United States’ independence, earning Colorado the nickname “the Centennial State.”

What Is Colorado Most Known For?

Colorado is world-renowned for several reasons, though most center around the state’s natural beauty. The state offers breathtaking mountainous topography, with the Rocky Mountains’ Southern tip passing directly through Western Colorado. This terrain also provides Colorado with several standout off-road trails, including Crystal Lake Trailhead, Imogene Pass, and Loch Lomond Trail. 

The state doesn’t only possess mountains, however. Colorado also boasts forests, high plains, mesas, canyons, plateaus, rivers, and desert lands, making it one of the most diverse landscapes in the continental U.S.

Other standout attractions include the iconic Red Rocks Amphitheater, Rocky Mountain National Park, and Mesa Verde National Park.

What Are Colorado’s Nicknames?

Colorado sports two nicknames, the first of which we’ve already mentioned. 

Acquiring statehood on the 100th anniversary of the United States’ independence, Colorado earned the nickname “the Centennial State.” Colorado is also referred to as “Colorful Colorado” or “the Colorful State,” representative of its beautiful, diverse landscape.

Colorado’s License Plate Designs

With some background information covered, let’s get into Colorado’s license plate system and designs. Colorado has several standout designs, ranging from the state’s stylish green standard plates to its numerous custom and special interest plates. This section covers ten of our favorite plate designs and the process of acquiring said plates.

Custom, Special Interest, and Other License Plates

Colorado’s license plate system is relatively standard, with standard-issue license plates varying in up-front cost and yearly renewal fees.

Regular Passenger, Commercial, and Motorcycle Plates

Acquiring a passenger, commercial, or motorcycle license plate is a breeze, as they're standard issues for all drivers. These “regular” license plates are free from up-front or annual costs—plus, they’re one of the most stylish standard plates in the country, sporting a green and white mountainous background. 

The only exception in the “regular” license plate category is Designer plates, which require a 50-dollar one-time fee and 25-dollar annual renewal fee.

Custom License Plates

Custom or personalized license plates allow drivers to create a unique number plate, though this option comes at a cost. Personalized plates require a 60-dollar one-time fee and a 25-dollar annual renewal fee.

Special Interest Plates

Special interest license plates align with a particular non-profit organization, including the Girl Scouts, Special Olympics, National Parks, and more. Most special interest plates require approval from the organization, a one-time fee of 50-plus dollars once approved, and, in some cases, a small donation to the organization.

Other

Other Colorado plates include Military plates, Alumni plates, and collector vehicle plates, among others. Some require fees similar to special interest plates, though several are free or fee/tax-exempt.

RealTruck Favorites

Of Colorado’s countless standard and specialty plates, ten stood out to our staff. In this section, we’re looking at RealTruck’s favorite Colorado license plate designs.

Standard Passenger and Commercial License Plate

Beginning with the basics, Colorado’s regular license plate design, employed for passenger, commercial, motorcycle, and use, is one of the state’s most appealing and timeless designs. Sporting a deep forest green background with a white silhouette of the Rocky Mountains, the plate offers a clean and outdoorsy appearance.

150th Anniversary (13+)

Colorado offers two 150th Anniversary plates, the first of which represents the Centennial State’s heritage. The 150th Anniversary (13+) plate design is an undeniable favorite, sporting a blue/white mountainous background with the state’s branding cresting the mountaintop.

No additional fees are required for this design.

150th Anniversary (U13)

Colorado’s second 150th Anniversary plate design depicts the state's landscape, including red rocky hills, greenery, and the Rocky Mountains in the background. Sesquicentennial (150 years) text hovers near the plate’s bottom.

No additional fees are required for this design.

Pikes Peak Hill Climb

This license plate commemorates the world-famous Pikes Peak Hill Climb. It features a blue/white Rocky Mountain design, with the state’s branding serving as a “rising sun” of sorts. Two Pikes Peak racers sit just below the tag divots, sporting the numbers “19” and “16” to commemorate the year of the first Pikes Peak Hill Climb event. The race’s slogan, “The Race to the Clouds,” sits at the plate’s center. 

This design requires a one-time 50-dollar fee.

Historical Plates

Colorado’s historical plates celebrate the decades past. Four designs date back to the 1930s. These plates include the characteristic white on blue, white on black, black on red, and classic 1970s white and green. 

Currently, this design is only available as a personalized plate, requiring a 60-dollar one-time fee and a 50-dollar annual fee, which includes a 25-dollar fee for the Colorado Disability Funding Committee.

Designer Plates

Colorado’s designer license plate design boasts a colorful backdrop, including lush green grass with the Rocky Mountains in the background, depicted in purple. This timeless design perfectly captures Colorful Colorado’s scenic beauty. 

This design requires a one-time 50-dollar fee and a 25-dollar renewal fee.

Rocky Mountain National Park

The gorgeous Rocky Mountain National Park plate features a nine-point buck posed before the white, snow-covered rocky mountains. The traditional light sky is replaced by a starry evening. Within the grassy foreground lies text reading, “Rocky Mountain National Park.” 

This design requires a one-time 50-dollar fee and 25 dollar renewal fee.

Stegosaurus

Who doesn’t like dinosaurs? Archaeologist Marshall P. Felch discovered the first Stegosaurus fossils in Colorado in 1876 during the bone wars. Nine years later, in 1985, Felch uncovered the first complete Stegosaurus skeleton in Cañon, Colorado. 

The Stegosaurus plate design depicts this discovery in the form of a vibrant orange Stegosaurus standing before the Rocky Mountains, illuminated by a vibrant orange sky. 

This design requires a 50-dollar donation to Friends of Dinosaur Ridge, a one-time 25-dollar fee credited to the highway users tax fund, and a one-time 25-dollar fee credited to the Colorado DRIVES vehicle services account.

EV Plate

While we’ll never push for a total EV revolution, any EV vehicle garaged in Colorado should opt for the state’s stylish EV plate. The EV plate perfectly blends Colorado’s scenic environment with technological imagery, sporting a vibrant electric blue, yellow, and white mountainous design.

No additional fees are required for this design.

Support the Troops

Lastly, we can’t forget about our valiant troops. Colorado’s Support the Troops license plate design depicts the Rocky Mountains, although the trademark skyline has been replaced with a waving American flag. A characteristic yellow “Support our Troops” ribbon sits at the plate’s center. 

This plate requires authorization by the American Military Family, a 25-dollar donation to the American Military Family, and a one-time fee of 50 dollars.

License Plate Products and Accessories

There’s no doubt that Colorado sports some of the country’s most unique and eye-catching license plate designs. Whether or not you reside in the great Centennial State, make sure to display your rig’s license plate loudly and proudly using our selection of license plate products and accessories.

We offer secure license plate frames, holders, brackets, and relocation solutions to ensure your license plate is properly oriented and visible to all.  

Stay tuned for our next License Plate Roundup feature, where we tackle another state’s top license plate artwork. And as always, contact the experts for all product inquiries and order assistance.