License plates are far more than a means of vehicle identification. They are collected and appreciated as art by many, with some license plates being worth more than you might think. In fact, one study found that the United States’ most popular plate style is rooted in history. According to the study, which was conducted by Sixtthat honor belongs to the Kentucky Unbridled Spirit plate. This plate was introduced back in 2004 as part of a state-wide adoption of the “Unbridled Spirit” slogan. It has sold approximately 2,104,135 units in the two decades or so since it hit the road for the first time.
All in all, this is a pretty simple-looking license plate. It features a blue and white gradient color scheme, the outline of the state of Kentucky, and the name of the state with a charging horse on the righthand side, pointing to the state’s longstanding connection to and reputation for its horses. Evidently, it has proven incredibly popular, and that’s not just hearsay.
Sixt came to the conclusion that the Unbridled Spirit plate is the top favorite in the U.S. using data directly from most states’ Department of Motor Vehicles. The information is accurate as of July 8, 2025, with the only states unable to provide data being Alaska, Delaware, Hawaii, and North Dakota. The Kentucky Unbridled Spirit plate is the clear U.S. favorite at this point. As it turns out, it’s so beloved, that even the runner-up plates don’t come close to its numbers.
How other popular plates compare to the Unbridled Spirit design
In highlighting just how adored the Unbridled Spirit license plate is, Sixt also shared what its collected data had to say beyond this example. The next most popular plate comes from Utah in the form of the Life Elevated design, complete with an image of the state’s Arches National Park. While it’s undeniably popular at 1,183,286 units sold, it has a long way to go to dethrone the Unbridled Spirit plate in the top spot.
It hasn’t cracked the 1,000,000 mark up to this point, but the third most popular U.S. plate also comes from Utah. This is a slight variation on the Life Elevated plate, with it featuring the image of a skier rather than Arches National Park. Sixt found this one to have sold 943,394 units to date. Next up is the simple white and blue Pure Michigan state, with 794,971 units sold.
Rounding out the top five is the 1960s Legacy plate from California. This black and yellow — the color scheme of a specific California license plate valued at around $24 million – throwback plate has sold 787,236 units. Vehicle license plates might not mean much to most drivers, but to some, they’re serious business. This snapshot of just some of the most popular license plates in the U.S. drives home just how celebrated these flimsy metal rectangles really are.
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