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Where was the first automobile license plate issued?

Leon Serpollet of Paris, France, obtained the first license plate in 1889. In the United States, automobiles were first required to display license plates in the state of New York in 1901. Owners had to provide their names and addresses as well as a description of their vehicles. The fee was one dollar. The plates bore the owner's initials and were required to be over 3 inches (7.5 centimeters) high. Permanent plates made of aluminum were first issued in Connecticut in 1937.

Sources: Automotive Industries (October 4,1930), p. 494; Kane, Joseph N. Famous First Facts, 4th ed, p. 56.

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