Vehicle registration plates of Hawaii

Hawaii
Current series
SloganAloha State
Size12 in × 6 in
30 cm × 15 cm
MaterialAluminum
Serial formatABC 123
Introduced1991 (1991)
Availability
Issued byCounty government offices
Manufactured byIrwin-Hodson Company, Portland, Oregon
History
First issuedJanuary 1, 1922 (1922-01-01)
(city and county plates from 1906 to December 31, 1921)

Hawaii was a sovereign constitutional monarchy until this government was overthrown in January 1893, but many of its laws were already modeled after those of the United States, including (for example) registering dogs and issuing metal tags for them since the 1870s. The Republic of Hawaii which replaced the previous government was annexed as a Territory by the United States in August 1898, and the first automobiles to be shipped to the Hawaiian Islands arrived in 1899. Each of Hawaii's four counties registered vehicles completely autonomously starting with the City & County of Honolulu in 1906, and license plates were homemade / owner-provided. The first government-issued plates were used by both Honolulu and the County of Hawaii in 1915. Maui County first issued plates in 1919, while Kauai County retained homemade plates through 1921; this was the last jurisdiction in the United States to do so. All license plates were standardized throughout the Territory of Hawaii for the first time in 1922. Despite its status as a territory, Hawaii's vehicle registration laws and license plates were the same as the rest of the United States. Hawaii was admitted to the Union as the 50th state in August 1959.