Get a First Look at Two New Michigan Retro License Plates Set for Release in February 2025

The Michigan Secretary of State will be offering two new retro license plate designs to drivers beginning in February 2025.

Following the successful releases of the 1960s era Water-Winter Wonderland (maize and blue) plate and the Water Wonderland (green and white) plates, two more retro designs are coming in 2025.

👇🏼BELOW: Michigan License Plate Prototypes That Were Never Created👇🏼

The Secretary of State has shared both a confirmed release date of February 1 and the final designs of the new plates.

Great Lakes Blue Reissue Plate

The Great Lakes blue plate was used from the mid 1980s until 2007 as the state's standard issue. The plates bear the state name on top and the motto 'Great Lakes' below.

Great Lake State Black Reissue Plate

The black retro plate is a replica of the standard plate from 1979 to 1983. The motto on this plate is 'Great Lake State.'

READ MORE: This is Almost Certainly the Most Rare License Plate Every Offered by the State of Michigan

If we were to handicap the popularity of the new plates, if Michigan is like several other states the white on black will be a runaway favorite. Recently issued black plates in Colorado, Minnesota, Utah and Iowa have all garnered attention for how popular they are among those state's drivers.

Like previous Michigan retro plate releases, the annual renewal tab will be located on the lower right, as opposed to the standard upper right of other plates.

Get our free mobile app

Another difference between the retro releases and the standard issue Michigan plates is how the state's name is displayed. On the two new issues as well as the Water-Winter Wonderland plate, the name is spelled out, while the standard issue as well as the Water Wonderland retro plate use the Pure Michigan tourism logo in place of the state name.