They’re everywhere and they’re called “blackout” license plates. Since 2023 the glossy black plates with bright white numbers and letters on passenger vehicles have become the most popular choice for Colorado’s specialty license plates. Frequently described as the ideal plates to easily see and read at night in any light, especially LED, shining on them.

Turns out the plates are a page from the past, the modern version a reissue of ones first released in 1945.

As the number of vehicles grew and grew, officials needed to move efficiently and quickly to keep track of it all and to prepare for what was coming. Back in 1903 Denver led the way, requiring that big numbers be displayed on registered vehicles in the city. Then, in 1913, the Colorado Legislature started raising money to improve all the needed roads by requiring registration plates on vehicles, with fees based on horsepower. That year there were already 13,000 automobiles, motorcycles and trucks in the state. Today the number of vehicles in Colorado, according to dmv.colorado.gov/historiccolorado, is 5.5 million SUVs, cars and pickup trucks.

Starting in 1959, Colorado license plates had two lead-off letters, designating the county in which each was registered. That grew to three letters in 1982, with letters AAA to DZZ signifying Denver vehicles and, from 1959 to 1981, El Paso County’s letters JX-LL and FR-FV on plates growing to KAA-LGR in 1982-1999. That changed even more after 2000 as adjustments were made as areas grew and the alphabet-letter combinations available were changing even more.

The green and white mountain range license design has been the standard since 1960, changing only from mountains against a background of white or green to the 2000 mountains with more details. In 1973, license plates added a “Colorful Colorado” and in 1975-76 “Centennial Colorado.” For this sesquicentennial year , there are two plates, colorful “Centennial Colorado” and mountain-scene “Historic Colorado.”

Colorado DMV has a special program providing a unique way for Colorado nonprofits to petition for potential special-interest license plates and there is a long list of groups to already choose from. The one leading this story, the current black plate with white letters, does indeed have a special purpose, raising $25 each for disability services, the Colorado Disability Funding Committee, added to regular registrations. By the end of 2025 the “blackouts” had already appeared on 486,075 vehicles, raising $12,151,875.

The other Top 10 specialty license plate designs chosen by drivers include the two for the 150th anniversary of Colorado’s statehood. An annual choice for many is Columbine, not only the state flower but also recognizing the victims and survivors of the shooting tragedy at Columbine High School on April 20, 1999. Other top-10-choice specialty plates: Wildlife Sporting, Pioneer, Ski Country USA, Adopt a Shelter Pet, Born to Be Wild (wolf) and Breast Cancer.

Sesquicentennial “Historic Colorado” License Plate 2026