What’s the Story with Delaware License Plates? - Delaware Public Archives

Date Posted: Monday, October 21st, 2013

Although citizens in other states may view the registration tags on their cars as a government requirement, Delawareans have embraced their license plates as a status symbol and a connection to their past. On Saturday, November 2 at 10:30 a.m., Mike Williams, Chief of Administrative Policy & Communications for the Division of Motor Vehicles at the Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDOT), will present a special program at the Delaware Public Archives about the history of Delaware license plates and why they are so interesting to the citizens of the First State. While a driver may not think twice about the significance of their tag number, native Delaware drivers barter, buy, and sell to get a favorite number for themselves.

In exploring this unique part of First State culture – the program will include such topics as the desirable black & white porcelain sets from the 1940s, the black stainless steel tags from the 1950s, and the story behind the controversial font-style changes in the early 1990s.

Mr. Williams, a native of the First State, is a graduate of the University of Delaware and has worked for the state since 1995. He began his state career as a Community Relations Officer with the Office of Highway Safety, before moving to DelDOT in 1997 as primary media spokesperson. After serving as Manager of the DelDOT Public Relations Office for six years, he joined the staff of the DMV as Chief of Communications in 2012.

Mr. Williams’ interest in license plates was fostered as a teenager by his grandfather. As with most collectors he always had the “bug” for collecting, beginning with baseball cards, coins and comic books as a youth. Mr. Williams was instrumental in the design and development of Delaware’s Centennial Plate Program that was recognized as the “Best Plate of 2009” by the Automobile License Plate Collectors Association (ALPCA).

The License Plates program is free to the public. No reservations are required. For more information, contact Tom Summers (302) 744-5047 or e-mail thomas.summers@delaware.gov.

Mike Williams