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License plate slogans of all 50 states
The first US state license plate was issued in New York in 1901. Massachusetts began mass state-issued plates in 1903, and by 1918 every state was doing it. Slogans arrived later. Idaho put "Famous Potatoes" on its plates in 1948. Today all 50 states use at least one slogan, most often the state nickname. The list below covers every current standard-issue plate, with the year each slogan was adopted where it can be pinned down.
Complete table of all 50 slogans
Slogans below reflect standard, non-specialty plates. Many states also issue optional plates with different taglines. The "since" column shows when this specific slogan first appeared, not when license plates began.
| State | Slogan | Since |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Sweet Home Alabama | 2009 |
| Alaska | The Last Frontier | 1981 |
| Arizona | Grand Canyon State | 1980 |
| Arkansas | The Natural State | 1988 |
| California | The Golden State (script) | 1982 |
| Colorado | Colorful Colorado | 1958 |
| Connecticut | Constitution State | 1974 |
| Delaware | The First State | 2003 |
| Florida | Sunshine State | 1949 |
| Georgia | Peach State | 1971 |
| Hawaii | Aloha State | 1961 |
| Idaho | Famous Potatoes | 1948 |
| Illinois | Land of Lincoln | 1954 |
| Indiana | Crossroads of America / In God We Trust (opt.) | 1963 |
| Iowa | The Hawkeye State | 1997 |
| Kansas | Kansas.gov (previously "Wheat State") | 2007 |
| Kentucky | Bluegrass State (Unbridled Spirit opt.) | 2005 |
| Louisiana | Sportsman's Paradise | 1958 |
| Maine | Vacationland | 1936 |
| Maryland | Maryland (with state flag) | 2010 |
| Massachusetts | The Spirit of America | 1988 |
| Michigan | Great Lakes / Pure Michigan (opt.) | 1966 |
| Minnesota | 10,000 Lakes / Explore Minnesota | 1950 |
| Mississippi | Birthplace of America's Music | 2019 |
| Missouri | Show-Me State | 1980 |
| Montana | Big Sky Country | 1976 |
| Nebraska | Nebraska.gov (Cornhusker in past) | 2011 |
| Nevada | Silver State / Home Means Nevada | 1982 |
| New Hampshire | Live Free or Die | 1971 |
| New Jersey | Garden State | 1959 |
| New Mexico | Land of Enchantment | 1941 |
| New York | Empire State (Excelsior) | 2010 |
| North Carolina | First in Flight (First in Freedom opt.) | 1982 |
| North Dakota | Peace Garden State | 1956 |
| Ohio | Birthplace of Aviation | 2001 |
| Oklahoma | Native America | 1994 |
| Oregon | Oregon (evergreen tree) | 1988 |
| Pennsylvania | visitPA.com | 2004 |
| Rhode Island | Ocean State | 1972 |
| South Carolina | While I Breathe, I Hope | 2016 |
| South Dakota | Great Faces. Great Places. | 1993 |
| Tennessee | Tennessee (tri-star) | 2022 |
| Texas | The Lone Star State | 2012 |
| Utah | Life Elevated (Greatest Snow on Earth opt.) | 2007 |
| Vermont | Green Mountain State | 1948 |
| Virginia | Virginia is for Lovers | 2011 |
| Washington | Evergreen State (Mount Rainier) | 1987 |
| West Virginia | Wild, Wonderful | 1976 |
| Wisconsin | America's Dairyland | 1940 |
| Wyoming | Bucking Horse and Rider | 1936 |
The most iconic slogans
- New Hampshire: Live Free or Die. From a 1809 toast by General John Stark, hero of the Battle of Bennington. Adopted 1971. The Supreme Court ruled in Wooley v. Maynard (1977) that Jehovah's Witnesses could tape over it on religious grounds.
- Idaho: Famous Potatoes. On plates since 1948. Idaho grows about one-third of all US potatoes.
- New Mexico: Land of Enchantment. Adopted 1941, one of the earliest tourism-style slogans. Also carries the "USA" tag because tourists routinely think New Mexico is a foreign country.
- Wisconsin: America's Dairyland. On plates since 1940. Wisconsin produces about 25 percent of all US cheese.
- Maine: Vacationland. On plates since 1936, one of the oldest continuously used slogans.
- Illinois: Land of Lincoln. Adopted 1954. Illinois pays a licensing fee for the slogan to the Abraham Lincoln estate holders.
Slogans that reference state products
Several plates are essentially advertising. Idaho leads with "Famous Potatoes". Wisconsin's "America's Dairyland" claims the dairy title. Georgia leaned into the "Peach State" slogan in 1971. Florida added citrus imagery in the mid-20th century. Louisiana's "Sportsman's Paradise" (1958) is a tourism nod to fishing and hunting. Mississippi replaced its magnolia design in 2019 with "Birthplace of America's Music", referencing Elvis, B.B. King, and Robert Johnson.
Slogans that reference state history
Delaware's "The First State" refers to its December 7, 1787 ratification of the Constitution, making it the first of the 13 colonies to become a US state. Pennsylvania used "Keystone State" for decades. Ohio's "Birthplace of Aviation" (2001) contests North Carolina's older claim that "First in Flight" belongs to Kitty Hawk, since the Wright brothers were Ohio residents who conducted flight tests there. Tennessee's tri-star design references its three grand divisions (East, Middle, and West Tennessee).
Slogans that reference geography or nature
Colorado's "Colorful Colorado" (1958) is one of the earliest state slogans still in use. Montana's "Big Sky Country" (1976) came from a 1947 A.B. Guthrie novel. Arizona's "Grand Canyon State" (1980) uses the state's most famous landmark. West Virginia's "Wild, Wonderful" (1976) leans into its Appalachian identity. Alaska's "The Last Frontier" (1981) captures the state's identity as the final wilderness. Michigan's "Great Lakes" tag emphasizes its four Great Lakes shoreline.
The URL era: web addresses on plates
In the 2000s, several states moved from historic slogans to tourism URLs. Pennsylvania added "visitPA.com" in 2004. Kansas dropped "Wheat State" in favor of "Kansas.gov" in 2007. Nebraska shifted to "Nebraska.gov" in 2011. This trend caused controversy in Pennsylvania when residents complained that the state had traded its identity for a marketing URL.
Legal battles over slogans
In Wooley v. Maynard (1977), the US Supreme Court ruled 6-3 that New Hampshire could not require Jehovah's Witnesses to display "Live Free or Die" because forcing citizens to display an ideological message violates the First Amendment. Owners can legally cover the slogan. In Walker v. Sons of Confederate Veterans (2015), the Court ruled 5-4 that specialty plates are government speech, meaning Texas could refuse to issue a Confederate flag plate.
Learn the plate slogans by playing
Statedoku uses state slogans as constraints. Fill a grid and "Live Free or Die" or "Famous Potatoes" stops being a trivia question.
Play the plate slogan quiz →Frequently asked questions
Which state has "Live Free or Die"?
New Hampshire, since 1971. The line comes from a 1809 toast by General John Stark.
Which state has "Famous Potatoes"?
Idaho, since 1948. Idaho grows about one-third of the US potato crop.
What does Delaware's "First State" mean?
Delaware was the first state to ratify the US Constitution, on December 7, 1787.
Can I cover the slogan on my plate?
In New Hampshire, yes, thanks to Wooley v. Maynard (1977). Elsewhere, most states forbid modifying or obscuring the plate.
Which plate slogan has been used the longest?
Idaho's "Famous Potatoes" (1948) and Maine's "Vacationland" (1936) are among the oldest slogans still in use on standard plates.