We love retro license plates, especially those from the 1970s. Fashion always comes back, and some people wait patiently for it to do so, so you are in luck because in 2026 retro license plates will return to the United States. Those yellow plates with a vintage feel will be back on our roads, and not just for aesthetic reasons.
The 70s fall in love again
The buttery yellow color, that typography, and the style that reminds many people of their childhood cars, long trips, those old radios playing on the road. Nostalgia is back and the 70s are back in the United States, and they are back because they want to connect with collective memory and because, let’s be honest, they have much more personality than the license plates that have been fashionable in recent years.
They will start to be seen in Wisconsin and there may already be some on the street. You will be able to choose this retro design, without giving up current safety and readability standards of course, or the current one. It is the past adapted to the present.
Your car with your own stamp
In addition to being retro, the option to combine the letters and numbers you want is also coming back. Your car will have your style and, if you want, your personality. And thankfully so, we love personalized cars, of course without rude messages or messages that incite hatred or disrespect minority communities.
The classic slogan “America’s Dairyland” will remain, of course. It is a direct nod to the identity of the state. So we like that it can be personalized and that the driver can have that sense of belonging just from a license plate.
How much does it cost and what is that money for?
It is not free, of course, as has always been the case. There will be an initial payment, an annual fee, and an extra if you decide to personalize it. It will not be extremely expensive, but the goal is to raise a lot of money with this measure. Over three years they expect to raise 25 million dollars specifically.
If you are wondering what they will do with that money, it will go toward roads, bridges, and better infrastructure on our highways. It will not be mandatory, of course. You pay because you want a retro license plate, and that money will help improve roads without the need to raise general taxes. As an idea, it is not bad at all.
Not into retro? No problem
Thinking about all tastes, Wisconsin will also offer a very different alternative, a completely black license plate with white letters, much more minimalist and elegant, and also personalized. Nostalgia for those who want it, and sobriety or modern style for those who prefer it. They really cannot do more, and complaining would be excessive.
More than aesthetics
As we said before, it is not only about aesthetics, it is about raising funds to improve public road services. They will use local pride so that citizens can choose which license plate they want to carry, whether they want to personalize it, and in doing so contribute to improvements that all drivers will use.
Also, don’t we like to recover the most everyday symbols of our past? These license plates bring back many memories for us, right? Now that everything has become depersonalized with digitalization, this idea of going back to our roots really appeals to us.
What will happen starting in 2026
Drivers will be able to request these license plates both in offices and online. They will gradually coexist with the current ones until it is time for an update and drivers can make their choice. And for now, if everything works as planned, other states will probably copy the model.
Innovating is not only about inventing something new, it is also about mixing nostalgia and usefulness. Now the roads will have much more style.