Ohio is the state most commonly associated with red license plates, thanks to the bold red banner across the top of its current standard design. New Mexico also offers a red-and-yellow standard plate as one of its two default options. A few other states, including California, use red lettering or small red accents, but among states with red license plates, Ohio and New Mexico are the two whose standard-issue plates actually read as red at a glance.
Ohio’s Red Banner Plate
Ohio’s current standard plate, “Sunrise in Ohio,” became available to drivers on December 29, 2021.1Governor of Ohio. Governor DeWine Unveils New Standard License Plate A red banner runs along the top of the plate, pulled by an image of the Wright brothers’ airplane, and reads “Birthplace of Aviation.” Below the banner sits a landscape of farmland, a river, a city skyline, and a child on a tree swing with a dog nearby.
Red isn’t required by law. Ohio Revised Code Section 4503.22 only requires that each plate show the state’s name, the “Birthplace of Aviation” slogan, and a reflective background; the Director of Public Safety sets the rest of the design.2Ohio Legislative Service Commission. Chapter 4503 Licensing of Motor Vehicles – Section 4503.22 Even so, Ohio’s design teams have returned to red through several plate generations, including the “Bicentennial” plate in 2001, “Sunburst” in 2003, “Beautiful Ohio” in 2009, and “Ohio Pride” in 2013.1Governor of Ohio. Governor DeWine Unveils New Standard License Plate That consistency is what gives Ohio its reputation as the red-plate state.
New Mexico’s Red and Yellow Plate
New Mexico is the other state where red is a standard option. Drivers can choose between the state’s turquoise plate and a “Red and Yellow” plate at the time of registration, with no special application required.3Motor Vehicle Division NM. Standard Plates The red-and-yellow design mirrors the colors of the state flag and has been on New Mexico roads for decades.
States With Red Lettering or Accents
California’s standard plate has used red lettering on a white background since 1998, though the overall look reads more white and blue than red. Other states incorporate small red elements into their designs, but these tend to be minor accents rather than the dominant color. When drivers describe seeing “a red plate,” they are usually describing Ohio.
Ohio’s Restricted “Party Plates”
Ohio has a second kind of plate involving red, and it carries a very different meaning. Drivers convicted of operating a vehicle while impaired (OVI) may be required to display restricted plates, commonly called “party plates.” These are yellow with red lettering and are designed to be instantly recognizable to law enforcement.
Ohio Revised Code Section 4503.231 requires that any vehicle whose standard plates have been impounded after an OVI conviction display restricted plates in “a different color from those regularly issued,” carrying a special serial number. The registrar of motor vehicles sets the color, which has been yellow with red text for years.4Ohio Legislative Service Commission. Chapter 4503 Licensing of Motor Vehicles – Section 4503.231 Covering or disguising the color of a restricted plate is a misdemeanor.
Party plates are generally mandatory for repeat OVI offenders and for first-time offenders with a high blood alcohol concentration, and courts often require them as a condition of limited driving privileges during a suspension. They must remain on the vehicle for the full restricted-driving period. One narrow exception applies: if the driver needs to operate an employer-owned vehicle for work and the employer has been notified of the restriction, party plates don’t have to be installed on that vehicle.4Ohio Legislative Service Commission. Chapter 4503 Licensing of Motor Vehicles – Section 4503.231
When a Red Plate Is a Specialty Plate
Seeing a red plate from a state you don’t associate with red doesn’t mean that state issues red plates by default. Every state offers specialty plates for universities, charities, military service, and other causes, and those designs often use color schemes completely different from the state’s standard plate. A red plate from a state that normally issues blue or white plates is almost always a specialty design the owner chose and paid extra for. In Ohio, specialty plates carry an additional annual fee of $25 for organizational plates or $50 for personalized plates on top of standard registration costs.5Ohio.gov. Special Interest License Plates – Ohio BMV Standard plates are what every registered vehicle gets automatically; specialty plates are opt-in.