CALIFORNIA

(Fresno (24,892)

A Fresno Morning Republic article on December 22, 1908, mentions that an ordinance has been drafted to require motorcycles to purchase a city-issued plate for a $1 fee.  It is unknown if the ordinance ever passed.)

Long Beach (17,809)

An undated motorcycle disc #303 is known.

Los Angeles (319,198)

It is uncertain just when the earliest automobile ordinance was passed.  Registration began November 9, 1903, with owner-provided plates; no fee was charged.  Yet, a November 18, 1903, article in The Horseless Age mentions that the new ordinance reduced the size of numbers required from 5 inches to 2 1/2 inches, and "makes numbering compulsory."  According to an article in Motor Age on January 5, 1905, "The Los Angeles city clerk's record shows over 1,200 automobiles registered in this city."

There was no further registration by the city of Los Angeles until the motorcycle era.  The Los Angeles Herald reported on July 4, 1909, that "A city ordinance providing for the registration with the city clerk of all motorcycles will go into effect Monday [the next day]...The ordinance provides that on the payment of a $1 registration fee a seal, which must at all times be displayed on the motorcycle, will be issued, and that each motorcycle shall at all times bear the number assigned to it.  This number plate must bear numbers not less than three inches in height and must be attached to the motorcycle in the rear of the rider."  Owners were required to secure their own plates, and it didn't take long for commercial establishments to recognize the new market for motorcycle tags.  An ad placed in the Los Angeles Times on July 18, 1909, by the Chipron Stamp Co. advertised "Motorcycle license number plates, made of steel, curved to fit mud guard; enameled white, figures and letters in black to conform to ordinance."

A 1913 motorcycle disc #1132 is known, as well as an undated octagonal aluminum disc with legends as follows:  "REGISTERED/MOTOR/CYCLE/6681/CITY OF/LOS ANGELES".  Two undated black-on-white porcelain motorcycle plates, #3091 and #3643, are known, while a third plate (#2536) has been reported.

Napa (5,791)

The November 5, 1902, issue of The Horseless Age reports that "Public automobiles are licensed at $10 a year."

(Oakland (150,174)

An ordinance was passed on January 25, 1904, covering all of Alameda County, setting speed limits for automobiles; however, there was no mention of registration.

A new ordinance was endorsed by the council committee on July 1, 1910, requiring license tags on motorcycles in all of Alameda County.  It's not certain if it passed at that time.  An Oakland Tribune article on November 18, 1912, states that the motorcycle ordinance was introduced into the city council, requiring registration with the newly-created bureau of licenses for a $2 fee.  The rear owner-provided black-on-white plate was to have 3-inch-tall numbers, and the prefix "Oak."  Non-residents were exempted.  Dealers could pay 50c extra for a license in each class of motive power dealt in.  Again, we don't yet have confirmation that this or any ordinance actually ever passed or went into effect, nor are any plates or discs known from Oakland.)

(Redlands (10,449)

 An undated motorcycle disc has been reported.)

San Francisco (416,912)

The Golden Gate Park Commission is the earliest known entity in the state to have passed an automobile regulation, likely due to the park's easy drivability.  A news article on April 6, 1901, mentions that single leather plates are being issued.  Subsequent articles in the San Francisco Call give interesting details on the plates' first issuance, starting with the April 8, 1901, edition:

"AUTOMOBILISTS RUN THROUGH THE PARK"

"Only a Dozen Chauffeurs Have Passed the Scrutiny of Park Engineer"

"A large number of chauffeurs gathered yesterday morning...but when it was learned that only those chauffeurs to whom licenses had been issued by the Park Commissioners would be permitted to pass through Golden Gate Park, the party separated."

"At...the headquarters of the Automobile Club, certificates and numbers were handed out to those who had already qualified, the numbers being affixed to the backs of the seats of the machines."

"As the park engineer did not receive the instructions of the Park Commissioners until a few days ago, and did not hold his first examination of the chauffeurs and their machines until Friday (April 5), only about a dozen owners of horseless carriages have up to the present secured the licenses entitling them to enter the park."

San Francisco is the only "city and county" combined entity in the state.  A May 11, 1902, Call article states that there were now 117 automobiles in the city, whereas, just six years earlier, there was exactly one.  The Horseless Age of November 5, 1902, mentions that "An ordinance has just been introduced in the City Council to license public automobiles, the annual fee to be $10 for vehicles carrying more than four passengers, and $5 for vehicles carrying four passengers or less."  We wonder if this ever passed.

A new Golden Gate Park ordinance was passed on February 19, 1904, requiring display of the "permit number in the center of the front and back of the machine, the figures of such numbers not to be less than five inches in size", according to a Call article on February 20, 1904.  The ordinance was to take effect "ten days hence".  (See ALPCA FEB-97 p.32, photo DEC-95 p.186, David L. Cole #1766.  Photos of 1904 Rambler with front plate #699 in TNS APR-95 p.8.)

The Park Commission issued Automobile Permit #977 for a $2 fee on April 20, 1905, the last day before the first state registration law went into effect.  On June 3, 1905, the Call reported that a new ordinance regarding automobiles in Golden Gate Park would take effect on July 1, 1905.  This ordinance made no mention of park permits or plates, but did require all automobiles to comply with the terms of the new state law, effectively ending the issuance of park permits.

On November 19, 1912, The San Francisco Call reported on the city council meeting of the day before, stating that "...an ordinance was introduced...and given its first reading...The ordinance provides that all owners of motorcycles must pay a municipal license of $2 a year...In addition...each machine must carry in the rear a city license number, which will consist of figures three inches high on a black background."  A subsequent article on December 18, 1912, confirmed that "The motorcycle ordinance was passed and will go into effect January 1.  All motorcycles will be required to carry numbers and be registered and licensed."

Upland (2,384)

An undated motorcycle disc #47 is known.