The West Virginia State Police was established in 1919 by an act of the West Virginia Legislature. The WVSP operated under the Department of Public Safety. Like the state which it serves, the WVSP was born in an era of political unrest and domestic violence.

Labor strikes in the coal industry, political activism, cultural intolerance were at a peak just after World War 1, and a solid and organized force was needed to prevent the Mountain State from descending into anarchy. The initial recruitment of the first WVSP candidates leaned heavily on honorably discharged war veterans.

Each new trooper was initially required to bring his World War I uniform when he reported for enlistment hence the historical similarity between the WVSP uniform and the U.S. Marine Corps uniform and the U.S. Army campaign hat of the Great War.

Troop names were titled "Companies" as well, and the rank structure, including the rank of "private" was used by the WVSP. The mandate of the WVSP was to also address motor vehicle and traffic law.A state roads bureau report of 1914 alleged that West Virginia had "the worst roads in the United States." The WVSP therefore relied heavily on horses with most of its mobility matters in these early days.

Each company headquarters was allocated a touring car, to be used for transporting bulky supplies and for quick dispatch of troopers where suitable roads did exist. But during this same period (1920-1921), 36 prize horses were also added to the department's inventory.

By 1921, the WVSP had a 47% increase in its ranks with 286 officers. The "Mine Wars" of the 1920's kept WVSP troopers busy with so much deadly violence taking place between disenfranchised miners and their employers. Patrol vehicle safety was enhanced in 1966 by retrofit of padded dash and visors, seat belts, high speed tires, and non-glare mirrors.

Specifications for a heavy duty, air conditioned patrol vehicle were drawn up the following year. At the end of June 1969, the WVSP stood at 341 members, By 1972, the WVSP had received a new Bell 206/B helicopter to create the new Aviation Division for traffic and criminal enforcement matters, search and rescue and transportation in medical emergencies.

In 1995, the WVSP became a "stand alone" state police force, away and apart from the West Virginia DPS. More recently, the WVSP has been comprised of 630 sworn officers operating from five companies and 61 detachments.

The WVSP is recognized as the 4th oldest state police agency in the U.S..

License plates of the West Virginia State Police

The earliest example of license plate usage by the West Virginia State Police so far is from the photo seen below, taken in 1932. The photo shows the front of a WVSP patrol car bearing a standard West Virginia passenger car license plate number 858. The plate would have been made of embossed steel, measuring approximately 5 1/2" x 11" and colored yellow over black. Attached to the top of the license plate is a strip with STATE POLICE inscribed on it which is longer than the license plate itself, possibly about 14 inches long by about 3 inches tall. The attachment appears to have white lettering and a surrounding border over a medium shade color, possibly red or blue. It is unknown if a similar attachment strip was affixed to the rear license plate as well.
The second photo below shows an open coupe bearing West Virginia passenger car license plate number 10-054, but with no attachment indicating state police, so it can be assumed that the STATE POLICE attachment strip was discontinued by then.

As mentioned on the Virginia State Police page of this website, by 1936, the West Virginia State Police apparently obtained black over white license plates that were formerly used by the Virginia State Police in the early 1930's for use on their patrol cars and motorcycles. The patrol car plates were made of embossed steel and measured 5 3/8" x 11 3/4" with a debossed border. The plate featured four round mounting holes in each corner and four mounting slots midway to the center of the plate. STATE over POLICE was embossed in black over white. These plates were apparently run in conjunction with standard passenger license plates on the patrol car. It appears from period photographs including those seen below, that the regular West Virginia passenger car license plates registered to the patrol cars were issued numbers in the 25-### series. Passenger car license plates in West Virginia issued between 1934 and 1941 were two year plates. The 1936-1937 license plates seen on the six WVSP patrol cars below were made of embossed steel and measured 5 1/2" x 12" and colored black over yellow with an embossed border. W.VA.-36-37 was embossed at the top of the license plate over a five digit number in the ##-### format. Confirmed numbers used by WVSP on this base are numbers 25-065, 25-049, 25-051, 25-149. It is not known if the 25-### prefix was a reserved series for WVSP or just a random assignment, but the same numbers were observed on WVSP cars for 1937-1938 as well.

Around 1939, the West Virginia State Police decided to issue their first agency-specific license plate. The plate would be made of embossed steel with two long mounting slots at the top of the plate and two long mounting slots at the bottom and measuring 5 3/8" x 12". The color scheme is actually unknown, but was guessed to be white over black. The only known surviving example from this first issue is the plate seen below at left number 137. The plate was originally discovered in 2004 with all of its original paint rusted-off. A search of sources for color verification came up with no confirmed results, but the consensus was that white over black was a definite possibility, so the plate was professionally re-painted in those colors. Then, in April of 2014 a period photo was discovered by Sgt. Michael Dickerson of the WVSP showing a West Virginia State trooper from circa 1939 standing next to a car with WVSP license plate number 136, just one number off from the example found by Norm Ratcliffe 10 years earlier! Although the photo is in black and white, it can be determined that the raised characters on the license plate appear to be a darker shade than white over a dark background. The fascination does not end there.

When information was being gathered for the license plate history of the Virginia State Police, the plate used by the VSP in the mid-1930's was an orange over blue embossed steel license plate with not only the identical dies used on the first issue West Virginia State Police license plate, but the EXACT SAME NUMBER: 137 !! The odds of this discovery made years apart from different sources are staggering.

So it can be hypothesized that the first issue agency-specific West Virginia State Police license plate was manufactured in Virginia using Virginia number dies. It also can be hypothesized that the numbering system for WVSP and VSP cars began at number 100, as neither agency in the 1930's had a fleet with over 100 patrol cars.
Later versions of this WVSP license plate emerged but using West Virginia number dies instead as seen further below.

Around 1948, the West Virginia State Police went to a black over yellow license plate in the same size and format as the previous issue.
The only other difference aside from the color scheme, is that these license plates were numbered from 1 through over 100.

In 1956, West Virginia had to comply with the new continent-wide license plate size standard of 6" x 12". As a result, license plates used by the State Police also had to comply with the new standard using embossed steel plates colored black over white on the new size. The new plates had an embossed painted border in black like its predecessor. STATE over POLICE was embossed at the top left of the plate, and a number up to three digits was embossed to the right. WEST VIRGINIA was embossed across the lower span of the plate just above the lower mounting holes.

These plates were used by the WSP through the 1960's. The earlier ones were made of galvanized steel and had short oval mounting holes with the state name in larger font. The later ones were made of aluminum and had circular mounting holes with the state name in a smaller font. It had been speculated that the three digit numbers on this type indicated Company (Troop) assignment which would have been 100 series for Company A (Shinnston) 200 series for Company B (South Charleston) 300 series for Company C (Elkins), 400 series for Company D (Beckley) but this is not confirmed.

In 1966, the state of West Virginia issued license plates with the slogan MOUNTAIN STATE embossed at the top center of the plate (they were debossed in 1965). License plates of the West Virginia State Police followed suit with a similar layout but colored black over reflective white.

In the early 1970's, the West Virginia State Police introduced a new license plate for display on the rear of their marked cars. The plates were made of sign grade aluminum and completely flat-screened. The reflective white plate had a black border line and thick black numerals up to three digits for the assignment number. The shoulder patch emblem of the WVSP was screened on the left side of the plate between the upper and lower left mounting holes. It had been speculated that the three digit numbers on this type indicated Company (Troop) assignment which would have been 100 series for Company A (Shinnston) 200 series for Company B (South Charleston) 300 series for Company C (Elkins), 400 series for Company D (Beckley) but this is not confirmed.

Around 1980, the West Virginia State Police continued using a silkscreened sign grade aluminum license for the rear of their marked vehicles. Different front license plates were used, but will be outlined separately further down the page. The new rear plates were black over reflective white and had a black border outline. The state name was screened at the top center of the plate in small font.
A letter prefix followed by a dash and three numerals were for vehicles assigned to a given Company (Troop).

Company A: Shinnston
Company B: South Charleston
Company C: Elkins
Company D: Beckley
Company E: Turnpike Section (Port Amherst)

Headquarters and WVSP vehicles not assigned to a Company had the same license plates, but with only a numeral with no letter prefix.
STATE POLICE was inscribed in large black font along the bottom of the license plate just above the lower mounting holes.
These license plates were used by the WVSP into the early 1990's.
It has been also speculated that the first number indicated the Patrol District within the Company, but this has not been confirmed.

Around the mid to late 1980's while the Company-prefixed license plates were still being used, the WVSP re-introduced the "patch plate" to some of the fleet. This time, the plate was made of embossed aluminum and had an embossed border and numerals up to three digits. The WVSP shoulder patch emblem was silkscreened to the left of the number. All examples of this type during the period prior to the mid-1990's appear to have three numerals and no Company letter. It is also not known if these plate numbers were issued in numerical sequence or if the first number represented the Company designation as with other recent examples.
Later versions of this type which appeared to have come out in the mid 1990's had the Company letter prefix followed by a dash and the car number.

In 1996, the state of West Virginia underwent another general re-issue of license plates for all motor vehicles. The WVSP adopted the new design for use on their marked fleet while the "Company letter patch plates" were still in use. The new embossed aluminum license plates had a step border, and the only embossing was the letters S over P stacked vertically in the left center of the plate positioned between the upper and lower left mounting holes. A number up to three digits was embossed in the right center field of the plate. A silkscreened dark blue band occupied the top horizontal span of the plate with a thin yellow line just below the gap beneath the blue band. Centered in the blue band was the state name silkscreened in yellow. At the bottom center of the plate was the state's tourism slogan of "Wild, Wonderful" silkscreened in dark blue and "96" screened just to the right of the lower right mounting hole. Thin blue horizontal stripes spanned either side of the script with a thicker yellow horizontal stripe in the center between the blue stripes.

It became apparent soon enough that the West Virginia State Police did not want themselves viewed as "Wild, Wonderful", so in short order, a dark blue decal was applied over the bottom graphics and slogan of the plate with "State Police" inscribed in yellow at the center.
Later versions had the font size increased for STATE POLICE, where the shade of the horizontal blue band at the top and bottom of the license plate was lightened.

With the popularity of the internet increasing dramatically by the turn of the millenium, the state of West Virginia decided to add the state's website address "www.callwva.com" onto the state's license plates in 2001, and silkscreened it in dark blue and situated it in the center break of the thin yellow horizontal band below the state name.
These plates were issued until approximately late 2005, but were still being run on some WVSP vehicles until 2010.

Somewhere around 2006, the West Virginia State Police seemed to quietly phase-in a re-introduction of the "patch plate". The newest generation of this type was made of embossed aluminum but with no border outline of any kind. Black embossed numerals took place at the right center field of the plate over a reflective white background. The WVSP shoulder patch emblem once again occupied the left center field of the plate positioned between the upper and lower left mounting holes.

It was also during this time that the term Company was changed to Troop and numbers used instead of letters to denote one from the other. The Troops essentially followed the same pattern as the Companies for designation with some changes as per the Troop map seen below:

Troop 1 Command (Shinnston)
Troop 2 Command (Charles Town/Kearneysville)
Troop 3 Command (Elkins/Beverly)
Troop 4 Command (South Charleston)
Troop 5 Command (Logan/Chapmanville)
Troop 6 Command (Beckley)
Troop 7 Command (Parkways Authority)
Troop 8 Bureau of Criminal Investigation

The earlier versions of these borderless patch plates used up to three digit numbers which may have been issued in random sequence.

2006-2019 license plate numbers of the West Virginia State Police reflect this new assignment designation by having a number prefix followed by a dash followed by the vehicle designation number. WVSP vehicles not assigned to a particular troop use a non-prefixed number up to three digits.

2019 marked the 100th Anniversary of the West Virginia State Police. As a means to honor the occasion, very attractive "gold" over midnight blue license plates were produced for the marked fleet. The rear plates were made of silkscreened aluminum with embossed numerals. The top of the plate reads 1919-2019 centered between the upper mounting holes. Just below the upper mounting holes is a white bordered yellow horizontal line that spans the plate from end to end. In the left center field of the plate is the emblem of the WVSP flanked by a scroll banner that also reads 1919-2019.
The assignment number is embossed in yellow to the right.
Above the lower mounting holes is another white bordered yellow horizontal line that spans the plate from end to end.
Centered between the lower mounting holes is the phrase "Proudly serving for 100 years" in cursive script.
A special front license plate was also created along the same theme, however the WVSP emblem and 1919-2019 flanking scroll occupies the center of the plate with the two horizontal span lines situated closer to the center of the plate.
The same slogan between the lower mounting holes was also utilized in the same spot.

After the 100th Anniversary had concluded in 2020, the West Virginia State Police replaced the Centennial license plates with a more austere version based on the same layout as its predecessor. The license plate background was midnight blue, however the yellow painted embossed numerals continued in the same center right location just after the full color WVSP emblem occupying the center left field of the plate. A white-trimmed yellow stripe ran horizontally just below the upper mounting holes and just above the lower mounting holes.

Front License Plates of the West Virginia State Police

The West Virginia State Police is one of the few state police/highway patrol agencies that sometimes ran front license plates on their patrol vehicles that differed from the rear plates throughout their history. This is why a separate section focusing only on "non numbered" front license plates is presented here.

Prior to agency-specific license plates being used by the WVSP, regular passenger car license plates with numbers matching front and back were used.

The 1948-1956 black over yellow WVSP numbered license plates were issued in pairs, but it appears that in the period up to 1956, some WVSP cars ran black-over white flat-painted license plates with STATE over POLICE in large font but with no other markings on them. The flat steel plates measured approximately 6" x 12" and had two long mounting slots on the top, and two long mounting slots on the bottom. It appears that these plates were used until the early 1960's.

Around 1989/1990, the West Virginia State Police re-introduced the "front patch plate". The plate was made of embossed aluminum with a black raised border over a reflective white background. A full-color silkscreened WVSP shoulder patch emblem occupied the center field of the plate. These plates were used until approximately 2004.

By 1996, the West Virginia State Police also issued a front license plate similar to the rear plate used during that time, but with the word TROOPER embossed across the center of the plate. Both TROOPER and patch plates with the black border were used on the front of WVSP cars during that period.

By 2005, the WVSP went back to the front "patch plate", but this time, the reflective white plate had no border of any kind.

Motorcycle License Plates of the West Virginia State Police

Motorcycles were an integral part of the West Virginia State Police fleet from its first days. The license plates used on motorcycles of the WVSP prior to the mid to late 1930's is unknown, but assumed to have been standard West Virginia annual motorcycle license plates up to that point. In addition, marked front fender signs were usually affixed with W.VA State Police inscribed in gold lettering over a black background. Some of those fender signs were numbered such as the number 36 example seen further below.

As mentioned further up the page, in around 1936, the West Virginia State Police were given titled STATE POLICE license plates by the Virginia State Police that they had used for years earlier on their own fleet. The motorcycle version of this plate was made of embossed steel and colored black over white. The plate had a raised border and measured approximately 4" x 7". STATE over POLICE was embossed in the center. It's not known how long these plates were used, but assumed until motorcycles were phased-out from the fleet by the mid 1940's.

The motorcycle for patrol for the WVSP made a resurgence in the early to mid 1970's. The license plate used for these motorcycles were made of sign grade aluminum and colored reflective yellow over reflective blue. The entire perimeter of the plate was outliined in yellow with a number in yellow at the right center field of the plate. The left center field of the plate displayed a full-color decal of the WVSP. The plates had only two mounting holes in the bottom corners of the plate.
The motorcycle was once again disbanded from the WVSP fleet some years later.

2019 marked the 100th Anniversary of the West Virginia State Police. As a means to honor the occasion, very attractive "gold" over black license plates were produced for the marked fleet. The rear plates were made of silkscreened aluminum with embossed numerals. The top of the plate reads 1919-2019 centered between the upper mounting holes. Just below the upper mounting holes is a white bordered yellow horizontal line that spans the plate from end to end. In the left center field of the plate is the emblem of the WVSP flanked by a scroll banner that also reads 1919-2019.
The assignment number is embossed in yellow to the right with an M prefix for motorcycles.
Above the lower mounting holes is another white bordered yellow horizontal line that spans the plate from end to end.
Centered between the lower mounting holes is the phrase "Proudly serving for 100 years" in cursive script.
A special front license plate was also created along the same theme, however the WVSP emblem and 1919-2019 flanking scroll occupies the center of the plate with the two horizontal span lines situated closer to the center of the plate.
The same slogan between the lower mounting holes was also utilized in the same spot.

Specialty Issues

The following are other types of license plates related to the West Virginia State Police.