Missouri State Highway Patrol was created in 1931 by an act of the 56th Missouri General Assembly. Although this new Highway Patrol's authorized strength was set at 125 uniformed officers, due to limited appropriations, the Patrol began with 55 officers and a handful of civilians.

In 1932, the small and new force of patrolmen made over 38,000 arrests, recovered 381 stolen vehicles, arrested 14 bank robbers and solved several murders. The Patrol operated as an independent agency under the control of the executive branch until the Omnibus State Reorganization Act of 1974 made it a division of the Department of Public Safety.

The MSHP patrols out of nine Troops which are divided into zones throughout the Show Me State. Since its inception in 1931, the Missouri State Highway Patrol has evolved from simply a highway patrolling force to a full-service, accredited law enforcement agency.

While enforcing traffic laws and promoting safety on Missouri's approximately 33,000 miles of state- maintained highways remains the Patrol's primary responsibility, the Patrol has been tasked by the Governor and the legislature with many additional law enforcement duties including: motor vehicle inspection, commercial vehicle enforcement, driver's license examinations, criminal investigations, criminal laboratory analysis and research, public education, gaming enforcement, law enforcement training, and more.

In 1992 the Missouri State Highway Patrol became only the 10th State Police/Highway Patrol to receive accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies. This accreditation demonstrates the Patrol's commitment to professionalism and acceptance of high standards of excellence in law enforcement. This process also provides an ongoing evaluation of the Patrol's policies and procedures so that it may continue to grow and improve in the future.

By the 2000s the Missouri State Highway Patrol has grown to include more than 1,400 uniformed civilians and support staff, and 1,100 uniformed members.

License Plates of the Missouri State Highway Patrol

Earliest known photo of a Missouri SHP  car- 1931
(Courtesy Missouri State Highway Patrol via Tom Breen)

It has been stated that the Missouri State Highway Patrol has been using distinct "agency-specific" license plates since its formation in 1931. Although there is no known surviving specimen of a 1931 MSHP license plate to date, a recently unearthed photo from the Missouri SHP archives shows a period Ford Model A convertible travelling down a lonely two-lane highway towards an empty horizon. Attached to the left rear section of the car is a "dark over light" license plate #18. The size and layout appears to be the same as those of the immediate years that followed. The plate would have been made of embossed steel and measuring approximately 6 3/4 inches by 12 inches. The plate would have had four small circular mounting holes at each corner and two longer mounting slots at the top of the plate. The characters would have been painted black over a grey background. The title OFFICIAL CAR would have been embossed along the top of the plate with STATE over PATROL to the left of two numbers as there were only 43 cars assigned to the Patrol at the time. The bottom line of the plate had 1931 MISSOURI embossed between the two lower mounting holes.
This set the theme for MSHP license plates for the next couple of decades.

With the USA engaging in the World War by this time, efforts to conserve and recycle steel to assist with the nation's war effort took place. Many license plates issued in the Show-Me State in 1942 were made of fibreboard and in 1943 an 8 1/2 inch by 1 1/4 inch embossed white over green strip was issued to validate 1942 license plates for 1943.
The Missouri State Highway Patrol is believed to have run their 1942 license plates until the end of World War Two in 1945. They resumed issuing annual license plates for their patrol vehicles in 1946.

The 1950's license plate usage for the Missouri State Highway Patrol leaves more questions than answers. This period saw the usage of two different base plates that were also used for passenger car issuance. The first being a 6 inch by 12 inch white over maroon type that was first released in late 1949. It had the state name embossed in large upper-case font on the top-center of the plate. The title STATE was embossed and stacked vertically on the left margin of the plate and PATROL was stacked vertically on the right margin of the plate. The number was situated in the center but flanked on the left by the code PAS (Passenger) TRK (Truck) or TRL (Trailer).
The second type of license plate issued to the MSHP during the 1950's was a yellow/orange over black embossed steel issue. It had the state name embossed in smaller dies in the top center of the plate, the number embossed in the center and STATE PATROL embossed along the bottom center. This color scheme was reflective of the passenger license plate issuance for the state of Missouri from 1956 to 1962. It was in 1962 that Missouri re-introduced the white over maroon style license plate with the state name at the top center of the plate in large upper-case font again.
Some say that the "PAS" issue plate was used from 1962 until 1967. This is possible but not confirmed. A 1955 MSHP Chevrolet at the department's Museum in Jefferson City displays the "PAS" issue plate number 19 on it indicating this issue as what the writer believes to be the early 1950's permanent issue used until the black and yellow plate was introduced in 1956. It is entirely possible that both issues may have been used concurrent with each other or that the "PAS" issue was re-introduced after the black and yellow plates became obsolete. Some confirmation about this would be greatly appreciated.

1969 issue- Embossed steel. Green over white. MISSOURI over SHP ### (Need Photo)

1980 saw a "re-plating" of the Missouri State Highway Patrol. The new plates were once again made of embossed steel and colored white over maroon. The state name occupied the top center of the plate and the trooper's badge number occupied the center field of the plate. The title STATE HIGHWAY PATROL was embossed along the bottom span of the plate.
These plates were issued in pairs and were used on all marked MSHP vehicles until late Summer of 1989 when an issue nearly identical but utilizing an HP suffix was rolled-out that September. It was stated that each trooper was permitted to retain one plate from the set of the 1983 issue.

In September of 1989, the MSHP had recalled all the 1983 issue license plates with the exception of one plate from each set which the respective trooper could keep. The new plates were similar in layout and coloring to the 1983 issue. The state name appeared slightly different with a more flattened-looking set of S's.
These plates still used the trooper's badge number but this time followed by a rectangular hyphen and the suffix HP.
These plates were used on all marked MSHP vehicles until the next change-over in 1996.

1996 saw a radical departure in design, layout and material used to make Missouri State Highway Patrol license plates. The new plates were made of aluminum and were entirely silkcreened. The only embossing used was to make the step border perimeter of the plate. The design was a fully-reflectorized and graphic style. The background of the plate featured a reflective white background that faded into a gradient of light to dark sea foam green as it progressed from top to bottom. The state name was in a stylized green font with a wavy blue line below it to symbolize the Missouri River. The full-color emblem of the Missouri State Highway Patrol was situated to the far left followed by a silkscreened badge number and HP suffix in dark blue. Some types used a hyphen between the numbers and the HP suffix while others did not. The title STATE HIGHWAY PATROL occupied the lower center field of the plate between the lower mounting holes. The plate also featured a dark blue rectangle with white characters with the words STATE over OF over MISSOURI. Most of these also had an inventory bar code imposed over the lower portion of the image.
These very popular plates continued to be issued to the Patrol until 2008 when a new design was introduced.

2008 saw the introduction of another all-screened all-graphic license plate for the MSHP. This one also used a step border and a reflective white background. This one gradually faded from light blue to powder blue towards the bottom portion of the plate. The state name was once again placed in the top-center of the plate, this time in black as well as the state slogan SHOW ME STATE below it also in black. The full-color emblem of the Missouri State Highway Patrol was located once again at the far left, and the badge number followed by a dash and HP occupied the center of the plate over a depiction of the state outline in blue. The words STATE over OF over MISSOURI are screened in dark blue in the lower right corner of the plate. For the first time ever, the title STATE TROOPER was used on an MSHP license plate and was situated on the bottom-center line of the plate flanking the image of an Eastern Bluebird, the state bird of Missouri.
This plate went out of service in late 2018.

In the Fall of 2018, the state of Missouri unveiled a brand new design for the entire state's license plates. The design showcased the Show Me State's upcoming Bicentennial in 2021. This change was also reflected on the license plates used by the Missouri State Highway Patrol. The plate was once again an entirely flat silk-screened layout with a step border. The top of the plate features a wavy red motif interspersed with the white background. A similar wavy motif in blue interspersed with the white background spans the lower portion of the plate. MISSOURI is silkscreened in blue at the top center with BICENTENNIAL inscribed below in smaller blue font. The full-colored emblem of the Patrol occupies the far left center field of the plate with STATE TROOPER screened in dark blue below it. A subdued illustration of the state seal occupies the center of the plate along with a helix security feature to its left. The trooper's badge number followed by a dash and HP are silkscreened in dark blue on the remainder of the center field of the plate. 1821-2021 is inscribed in dark blue in the lower center portion of the plate above the wave motif. STATE over OF over MISSOURI is also inscribed in dark blue at the lower right corner of the plate. All motorists in the state of Missouri were to have these bicentennial license plates affixed to their motor vehicles by December 31 2018.

These license plates are expected to have a service life of 10 years.

Motorcycle License Plates used by Missouri State Highway Patrol

The earliest known usage of license plates for the MSHP is 1934, but it can be surmised that the agency likely used similar plates going back to 1932 when the distinctive car license plates were issued. The dimensions are estimated at being 3" x 10" and reflected the same color scheme used on the car plates of the day.
Like with most agencies, the use of motorcycles for patrol began to lessen in favor of the car mostly due to the increase in injuries and deaths using the former.
There's a gap in records for motorcycle use between the mid 1950's and the late 1970's. We know that by early 1988 there were still two patrol motorcycles per troop, but that number dropped to having only TWO MSHP cycles at General Headquarters for use in parades and escorts.
We could certainly use any photos/info that can help us fill in the blanks.

Missouri State Water Patrol

Specialty Issues