DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

Motorcycles began to be registered in August 1903 at the same time as all other motor vehicles, although the first verified report of motorcycle registration is in July 1905.  Owner-provided plates were in use through October 1907.  Detailed information regarding the development of district-issued motorcycle plates can be found on the Pre-state State page, but a summary appears here.

When first-issue porcelain plates debuted on October 8, 1907, it was found that they were too large for motorcycles, so special smaller plates were ordered as of October 23.  These plates did not arrive until late April of 1908, so in the meantime, just numbers were assigned to motorcycles, which then received their corresponding plates in the spring of 1908.

Motorcycle plates apparently employed specific number blocks pulled from the passenger plate series to avoid number duplication.  The first block, #2501 - 3100, was issued in 1908-09.  No plates are known but they were reported as being 4" x 7" and white on red.  Plates from the second block, #5000 - 5999, issued in 1909-11, were white-on-red, 3" x 8" and vertically curved, with #5627 known.  Plates from the third block (#11400 - 12999), issued in 1911-17, were white-on-red, 3" x 10" and directionally curved on all 4 sides to fit a rear fender; #12612, 12725, 13609 and 16657 are known.  In late 1913, when numbers reached #13000, plates continued to be issued sequentially from 13000 to over 17000 without regard to blocks or avoiding overlap with passenger numbers already issued earlier. It is expected that about 7,424 motorcycle plates were issued from 1908 to 1917.  Please see the Misc. 1 page for estimated number ranges issued by year and by month.

Annual dated motorcycle plates began in 1918 along with passenger plates.  A 1918 plate #1-327 is known in a horizontal design.