Monday 1st March 1937

The first US license plates for the purpose of identifying registered vehicles were issued by the state of Connecticut. Earlier, license plate colors were changed annually, and plates had to be reissued every year as a result. Connecticut instead issued a silver and black aluminum plate with a slot for a separate colored tab indicating the year the car was registered for. The tab was made out of a thin, brittle metal that would break if the tab was removed, so it couldn’t be transferred to another car.