VERMONT

The first state law relating to the regulation of motor vehicles was 1902 Act 64, passed November 18, 1902, effective immediately.  This law established speed limits of 6 MPH within city and town limits and 15 MPH outside city limits, as well as other basic motor vehicle regulations.  This early state law may have taken some of the pressure off cities which might otherwise have had to pass and enforce ordinances regarding automobiles.  Prior to the 1902 law, Manchester appears to have been the only city to have had a speed limit ordinance for motor vehicles.  There are no known city registration ordinances or license plates prior to the first state registration law effective in early 1905.

FIRST-ISSUE PERIOD 1905-07

1904 Act 86, passed December 10, 1904, became the first state motor vehicle registration law, repealing the 1902 act but setting revised speed limits of 10 MPH within city limits and 15 MPH beyond city limits.  Though Act 86 was effective immediately, most major provisions were not mandatory until May 1, 1905.  This law required owners of all motor vehicles to register with the Secretary of State, pay a one-time fee of $2 (or $10 for dealers) and display a state-issued rear plate, as well as headlight numbers "of such size as may be prescribed by the secretary of state."  Owners were also required to procure an operator's license for a $2 fee.  Non-residents were exempted.

Registrations and plates appear to have been first issued on March 16, 1905, when numbers 6 and 13 are known to have been issued.  #14 was issued on March 17 and #19 on March 31.  #1 and 2 were reserved for the bill's sponsor, and weren't issued until April 6, 1905.

The first-issue plates were designed exactly like contemporary Massachusetts plates:  Undated white-on-dark blue porcelain with the legend "VERMONT AUTOMOBILE REGISTER." at the top.  Numbers began at #1, and motorcycles were issued the same plates as all other vehicles.  Dealers were assigned numbers with a zero prefix, starting at #01.  Because only rear plates were issued, and headlight numbers were small and difficult to see, there are no known period photos of automobiles showing evidence of being registered under this law from 1905 through 1907.  Most photos of the era were taken from the front or side, leaving any plate out of view.

The first requisition for "automobile markers" was drawn by the state Auditor of Accounts on March 15, 1905, payable to the Secretary of State, and a second check was drawn on April 20, 1905.  A third payment was issued on June 1, 1906, for "250 automobile plates - Baltimore Enamel and Novelty Co."  The above three dates coincide closely with the three known style variations on first-issue plates, and the date codes upon them, indicating that these were likely the only three batches.  Note, however, that the above dates are not the dates the Secretary of State ordered plates from the manufacturer, but rather, the dates funds were released to him for such expenditures.  Judging by the "56" (May 1906) date on the third order, which predates the June 1st payment, it is evident that orders were probably placed prior to the reimbursement dates.

The highest known "Register" or "VAR" plates (terms which have been coined by license plate collectors) comprising the first issue are as follows:  Passenger #986, Dealer #010.   Since #868 was the last number assigned before issuance stopped, the remaining 132 plates up to #1000 were unissued leftovers.  Register plate #878, a number not issued until March 13, 1907, when 2nd-issue plates were being issued, has been found in unissued condition.  Table 1 lists the passenger numbers issued by calendar year according to the original ledger, along with totals of each year.  Table 2 describes the style variations of first-issue plates while Table 3 lists known passenger plate numbers by style variation, and theorized number ranges of each style.

      TABLE 1 - FIRST-ISSUE NUMBERS ISSUED BY CALENDAR YEAR

      1905     1 - 509   (509)

      1906   510 - 864   (355)

      1907   865 - 868     (4) (As of February 2, 1907)

      TABLE 2 - STYLE VARIATIONS OF FIRST-ISSUE PLATES

      Type 1a - Slots aligned with top of legend, period after

               "REGISTER", black back, "35" date code on back

      Type 1b - Same as Type 1a, but "45" date code on back

      Type 2  - Slots beside legend, no period after "REGISTER",

                white back, "56" date code on back

      TABLE 3 - KNOWN PASSENGER FIRST-ISSUE PLATES BY STYLE

      Type 1a     9 - 479   (471)               (1 -  500 = 500)

      Type 1b   507 - 725   (219)             (501 -  750 = 250)

      Type 2    752 - 986   (235)             (751 - 1000 = 250)

SECOND-ISSUE PERIOD 1907-09

1906 Act 113, passed December 19, 1906, amended the 1904 law in several important respects.  Registration fees were not annual yet, but were raised as follows:  Motor vehicles $3 or $5 depending upon horsepower, Dealers $25.  Motorcycles were still registered, but were no longer issued plates or required to display numbers;  just the certificate itself would suffice.  Operator's licenses were now to be annual, at the same $2 fee.  Non-residents were still exempted, but only if the vehicle was duly registered in the resident's home jurisdiction and if that jurisdiction extended similar reciprocity to Vermont.

This law was very specific about the style of new state-issued license plates, now issued in pairs, to be used on vehicles.  This resulted in the newly-designed second-issue series, which was still undated but far more legible than the Register issue.  These larger porcelain plates were black on white with the letters "VT." after the numbers.  Previously registered vehicles received credit for the original fee paid and only had to remit the difference to procure the new plates.  Renewals were able to keep the same number if they still owned the same vehicle.  Numbers that had gone dormant in 1906 were reassigned to new registrants in reverse numerical order.  No mention was made regarding headlight numbers, which are believed to have continued in effect.

It is unknown just when the 1906 law took effect, or when compliance became mandatory.  We only know that the first order of new plates was produced in March 1907, based on the production date code of "37" on all plates up to approximately #1150.  The first new number assigned on this base was #869, processed on February 16, 1907, with only the new certificate being mailed to the owner until the new pairs of plates could be forwarded sometime in March.

The last date of issue was most likely January 31, 1909.  The highest known second-issue plates are as follows:  Passenger #1971, Dealer #05.  Tables 4, 5 and 6 present similar corresponding data for second-issue plates as was listed for first-issue plates above, along with date codes appearing on their backs.

      TABLE 4 - SECOND-ISSUE NUMBERS ISSUED BY CALENDAR YEAR

      1907    869 - 1318   (450) (Starting February 16, 1907)

      1908   1319 - 1928   (610+)(Highest as of December 15, 1908)

      1909     ?  -(1971)

      TABLE 5 - STYLE VARIATIONS OF SECOND-ISSUE PLATES

      Type 1 - Sharp corners, corner holes in black border

      Type 2 - Round corners, corner holes nestled in corner of white field

      TABLE 6 - KNOWN SECOND-ISSUE PASSENGER PLATES BY STYLE

      Type 1  - "37"      2 - 1141 (1,140)     (1 - 1150 = 1,150)

      Type 2a - "67"   1182 - 1406   (225)  (1151 - 1425 =   275)

      Type 2b - "28"   1449 - 1632   (184)  (1426 - 1700 =   275)

      Type 2c - "58"   1720 - 1971   (252)  (1701 - 1975 =   275)

1909 ANNUAL PLATES

The next law to affect Vermont motorists was 1909 Act 99, along with a separate law applying to non-resident vehicles, Act 100.  Both were passed on January 28, 1909, end effective immediately, amending the 1904 and 1906 laws.  Act 99 required registrations and plates to now be annual, the latter having the date added.  The registration year was January 1 to December 31, except that the 1909 year would start on February 1, and all previous registrations issued up through January 31, 1909, would expire on February 1, 1909.  Half rates were in effect starting August 1 of each year.

The fee was now based on $1 per each horsepower of the vehicle.  Upon renewal, the second registration would cost only 75% of the first, and the third and subsequent registrations 50%.  For 1909, vehicles first registered in 1907 or earlier would be considered to have been registered twice already, while those first registered in 1908, prior to December 1, 1908, would be considered to have been registered once.  Those who initially registered from December 1, 1908, through January 31, 1909, were allowed to deduct their original fee from the new rate and pay only the difference for the remainder of 1909.  All of the above reduced rates also applied to vehicles previously registered in another state, as long as proof of registration was submitted.

Headlight numbers are believed to have continued for 1909-10.  If special permission was requested and granted, owners could paint their front plate number to certain specifications on the vehicle's radiator in lieu of displaying the state-issued front plate.  As in 1907-08, motorcycles were merely issued a certificate which was to be carried on the vehicle for 1909-10.

Act 100, dealing only with non-resident automobiles, allowed them to be exempt from registration for up to 10 days in the state as long as they were registered in their home jurisdiction and that jurisdiction extended like reciprocity to Vermont.  If in the state for 11 to 60 days, non-residents were to register at reduced rates of $3, $6 or $10 depending upon horsepower.  No non-resident plates are known to have been issued, however.  Non-residents remaining longer than 60 days were required to register as if a resident, although they could deduct the fees already paid for the 11-60-day period.

It is unknown just when the 1909 plates were actually issued.  The law only allowed 4 days before new plates were to be required, but it is highly doubtful new plates could have been ordered, produced and issued that quickly.  It is also unlikely that plates had been ordered ahead of passage of the law.  It is believed that enforcement was postponed to April 30 until all owners had had adequate time to acquire the new plates.  Plate #1 was issued on April 28, 1909.  The earliest date of registration in the 1909 listing books appears to be March 15, 1909 (#1932), with most numbers issued in March and April being renewals, which were issued the same number as before.  Newly registered vehicles were issued dormant numbers starting with the highest first, leaving an undetermined quantity of dormant lower numbers unissued altogether.  The highest number listed in the 1909 listing is #1996, issued on April 24, 1909, indicating that probably 2,000 pairs were manufactured.  Because of many lower numbers remaining unissued, it is believed that substantially fewer 1909 plates were actually issued than 1907-08 plates.  1,658 registrations were reported by the state for 1909.  The highest known 1909 plates are as follows:  Passenger #1977, Dealer #04.

Vermont issued undated porcelain plates in 1915 for Temporary registrations (provided for by 1915 Act 135, passed March 24, 1915, and effective April 15, 1915) and all annual embossed plates from 1916 through 1918.  These are mentioned merely by way of explanation that they are not early-era or pre-state plates.  The color combinations of the regular and Temporary (T) plates are as follows:

             ALL REGULAR PLATES      TEMPORARY PLATES

      1915  (Dated 1915)             Gold on Green

      1916   White on Dark Blue      Black on Yellow

      1917   Dark Blue on White      White on Dark Blue

      1918   Gold on Dark Green      Red on Ivory

1910 Act 138, passed December 3, 1910, and effective January 1, 1911, amended the 1908 law by providing for a single annual state-issued motorcycle seal to be displayed on the rear of the machine.  Discs were issued for five years from 1911 to 1915.  The highest known motorcycle number listed in a 1914 motor vehicle directory is #397.  State-issued motorcycle plates began in 1916, with the highest known example being #740.  Registration figures for 1916 are not known, but there were 758 motorcycle registrations issued in 1917.