ALASKA

The first territorial law requiring automobiles to obtain a license was 1915 Chapter 76, passed April 29, 1915, and effective July 1, 1915, which required automobiles to pay an annual $5 fee to the Territorial Treasurer, who issued a certificate only.  The license year was January 1 to December 31.  This law amended an earlier licensing law, 1913 Chapter 52, passed on May 1, 1913, but that law made no mention of automobiles.  The 1915 law did not specify type or usage of autos but, based on the context of other occupational license categories listed, and later versions of this law which clarify its function, it appears to have been in effect only for automobiles used for hire.

1917 Chapter 74, passed May 3, 1917, amended the 1913/1915 law by specifying the fee more clearly as being for "Automobiles operating for hire", which it probably was intended for all along.  Another law, 1919 Chapter 33, repealed the 1913/1915/1917 laws but substituted much of the same language, in essence making no change to the license requirement for autos for hire.  This law was passed May 1, 1919, effective immediately.

1921 Chapter 31, passed May 5, 1921, and effective immediately, continued the annual license for autos for hire as before, and expanded the requirement to automobiles "for pleasure or family use" as well as to all trucks.  Fees due the Territorial Treasurer were as follows:  Automobile $10, Automobile for hire $15 or $25 depending on the number of passengers, and Trucks $15 or $25 depending on capacity and weight.  The license year was still January 1 to December 31.  The Treasurer was "to furnish to each licensee a license metal tag to be placed on each truck, car or automobile for which a license is issued, under such regulations as the Treasurer may make."  An annual territory-issued single plate was issued, but it's uncertain whether it was to be displayed on the front or rear and this may have depended on where the city plate was mounted.  Pairs were not issued until 1932.  The lowest and highest 1921 plates known are #212 and #323.

Since trucks were not issued separately-designated plates until 1948, it is assumed that in 1921, trucks received regular passenger plates.  However, there could very well have been a 1921 For Hire plate which would have been issued to cars or trucks depending on their usage.  The earliest verified For Hire plate is 1926.

Motorcycles were not required to be registered by the Territory of Alaska until January 1, 1932.  Passenger plates were issued to motorcycles from 1932 to 1941.  Issuance of the first motorcycle plates began in 1942.