VIRGINIA

No city ordinances are known providing for motor vehicle registration in the pre-state era prior to 1906, nor are any city plates known before 1909.  An interesting passage in the 1906 state law states that "Nor shall it apply to any incorporated city or town which now or shall hereafter have ordinances governing the operation of machines within their corporate limits, unless the council of such city or town shall adopt this act...".  This clause seems to give local authorities free reign to tax or license vehicles and issue plates if desired.

According to the (Richmond) Times Dispatch on July 12, 1905, describing an ordinance passed the night before, "The ordinance fixing the minimum speed of automobiles and like vehicles at eight miles per hour, requiring owners to get permits from the Chief of Police and throwing other safeguards around the operation of such vehicles caused some debate...The ordinance provides that all machines shall be inspected by the Chief of Police, who may issue permits...By a vote of 17 to 10 the ordinance was adopted."

A similar action was taken a few months later by the city of Manchester, which had a population of 9,715 in 1900.  An independent city on the south side of the James River across from Richmond, Manchester merged with Richmond in 1910, becoming the first city in the state to do so.  The Horseless Age reported on October 25, 1905, that "Mayor Maurice on October 18 signed an ordinance fixing the speed limit of automobiles at 8 miles per hour and providing that they be licensed."  In both Richmond and Manchester, there is no evidence that license plates were issued or required.

We note the following undated porcelain plates below in case it is discovered that any in fact date from before 1906:

Graham - Black on White, "GRAHAM VA" bottom, #141 - 227 known.  Graham changed its name to Bluefield in 1924 to create a stronger identity with its larger namesake across the state line in West Virginia.  An ordinance was passed on June 12, 1913, effective immediately, and published in the Bluefield Daily Telegraph (W.Va.) on June 14, 1913.  All automobile owners were to register with the Graham town treasurer by July 1 each year, pay a $10 fee (or $2 for motorcycles) for a license to expire the next June 30, and display a town-issued license plate.  In section five, "A number plate must also be delivered to the applicant by the treasurer of the said town, upon which the number assigned must be painted or printed in Arabic numerals, not less than four inches in height, followed by the letters "Graham, Va.," and in figures the year for which issued, and this plate must always be in evidence upon the rear of the machine.  The council of the town of Graham in its judgement, may provide any other means or manner of identification than that provided in this section, which shall enable any person to discover that the machine is a privileged one under this ordinance."  Under authority of this last clause, it is believed that a color combination was chosen to represent the year rather than using a printed date on the known plates.

Newport News - White on Red, vertical "NN" right, #101 - 191 known.  Believed to have been issued in late 1909 based on the following articles in the Daily Press.

September 15, 1909 - "By a vote of five to two the board of aldermen last night adopted the Fellows automobile ordinance...and the measure goes to Mayor Jones today for his signature...A resolution authorizing the chief of police to purchase number plates for automobiles and motor cycles, and providing for the printing and distributing of 500 copies of the automobile ordinance."

November 11, 1909 - "The number plates for the automobiles and motorcycles have arrived here and Chief Reynolds is distributing them among the owners of machines who have paid their license tax of $2 in compliance with the new automobile ordinance.  The law became effective on November 1, but the plates were late in arriving."

Norfolk - A 1906-10 era photo is known with an automobile bearing an undated plate with an "N" suffix which might be from Norfolk.

Roanoke - White on Red, "-RKE." right, the "KE" in smaller letters, #141 - 218 known.  #143 has the Baltimore Enamel code "19" on the reverse side, indicating a manufacture date of January 1909.