1955 - State Vehicle
Embossed Steel.
Approx. 5 1/4" x 13 1/2".
White over green.
Number up to 3 digits. (S- 343)

1959 State Vehicle
Embossed steel.
Blue over white.
Number up to 3 digits
(Courtesy Jennifer Hill)

1964 State Vehicle.
Embossed steel.
Reflective white over red
Number up to 3 digits
Roof-mounted visual speed indicator.

In 1975, the Alabama Department of Public Safety were issued for the first time, distinct license plates solely for DPS usage. The embossed steel plates were in the Alabama Trooper colors of dark blue over grey. The state slogan HEART OF DIXIE was embossed between the two upper mounting holes. The prefix DPS was followed by a dash and a number from 1 to the 300's. The state name was embossed between the two bottom mounting holes, an embossed heart outline positioned in the bottom left corner and an embossed 75 was placed in the bottom right corner of the plate on the earliest issues. It was realized soon after that an expiry year was not necessary for a tax exempt plate such as this, so the 75 was dropped leaving only the embossed heart design in its place. The earlier versions used a flatter battleship grey background with dark blue paint for the embossed features, and the later versions utilized a softer grey background and a more medium shade of blue. The dash separator was also dropped on the later issues. These plates were used on marked state trooper patrol vehicles until the early 1980's when a distinctive graphic plate was introduced.

In approximately 1980, Alabama State Troopers were issued attractive graphic license plates for their patrol vehicles. They were made of galvanized steel and the only embossing on them were the registration characters and the border which were painted blue. The background of the plate was reflective white and on the left side of the plate featured a silkscreened state coat-of-arms in blue and red, flanked on the top with the word STATE and below with TROOPER. The embossed assignment characters commenced with an S prefix followed by a dash and one to three numbers. The state name was silkscreened in blue at the top center of the plate and OFFICIAL screened the same way along the bottom center. A blue and red HEART OF DIXIE motif was placed above the lower right mounting hole. It was stated that these plates were issued in pairs with most troopers opting to only run the rear plate and keep the front one as a souvenir. For reasons so far unknown, these popular plates were no longer issued after 1983 as they were replaced by standard state vehicle license plates once again.

Group of items from career of Retired Alabama DPS Sergeant Jim Collins. Sgt Collins was a multiple National Pistol Match champion back in the late 1970's. He was also a member of Governor George Wallace's security team known as the "Governor's Twenty" which was formed after the attempted assassination of Governor Wallace in 1972.

An exact year is not certain, but it is believed to be in the mid 1990's that Alabama State Troopers had another chance to run distinctive graphic license plates on their patrol vehicles. This was welcomed news to replace the generic state vehicle plates they had to run on their patrol vehicles for approximately 10 years hence. The new plates were embossed steel and have a reflective white background. In the top left corner of the plate is a silkscreened navy blue heart motif with HEART OF DIXIE inside the design in white. The state name is silkscreened in dark blue between the upper mounting holes. The center of the plate has the embossed prefix ST for State Trooper. A reflective white decal is affixed in the center of the plate with the dark blue door decal design. The embossed assignment number follows with a number up to four digits. The words STATE TROOPER are embossed between the lower mounting holes. All the embossed characters are painted in blue. As the years have progressed, the shade of blue used on the embossed characters have varied from medium blue to indigo. An earlier version of this plate has been seen in a photo of an Alabama DPS highway patrol car decked-out with experimental markings (See Gallery). The plate shows embossed characters painted in red. It is not known if the red version was a general issue or an experimental type as the car was.

In late 2015, the license plates of the Alabama State Troopers underwent a slight change. The previous "blue state decal" license plates were replaced by a license plate of similar design, however with a light gold state decal.

2016- Using gold colored state emblem.
(Courtesy Tony Aleria)

Sometime around 2022, a completely new design was introduced for the license plates of Alabama State Troopers.
The new license plates were completely flat with the exception of an embossed border.
The design features a red heart with HEART OF DIXIE inscribed inside located in the top left corner. ALABAMA is silkscreened in red between the upper mounting holes. The Alabama state emblem in full color occupies the top right corner. The center field of the plate consistst of a letter (Presumed to be the Troop Letter) and a number up to 3 digits in dark blue.
The lower margin of the license plate has STATE TROOPER screened between the lower mounting holes.

From the earliest days of Alabama DPS motoring, patrol vehicles ran license plates on the front and rear of the vehicles. Passenger car plates in sets were used up until 1942 and State Vehicle plates in sets were used up until the early 1960's. When front plates were no longer required in Alabama, Highway Patrol cars were mostly seen with thin embossed metal plates depicting the Confederate Flag. As the years moved on different front plates were used featuring everything from the state flag to auto dealership and athletic team booster plates. Some examples are seen below.

(Courtesy Mats Jelvi)