Image | Dates issued | Design | Slogan | Serial format | Serials issued | Notes |
| 1911 | Golden yellow serial on black flat metal plate; vertical "ND" and "1911" at left and right respectively | none | 1234 | 1 to approximately 7000 | |
| 1912 | Embossed red serial on white plate; vertical "ND" and "1912" at left and right respectively | none | 1234 | 1 to approximately 9000 | |
| 1913 | Embossed black serial on tan plate; vertical "ND" and "1913" at left and right respectively | none | 12345 | 1 to approximately 12500 | |
| 1914 | Embossed black serial on yellow plate; vertical "ND" and "1914" at left and right respectively | none | 12345 | 1 to approximately 17000 | |
| 1915 | Embossed black serial on green plate; vertical "ND" and "1915" at left and right respectively | none | 12345 | 1 to approximately 25000 | |
| 1916 | Debossed yellow serial on black plate with border line; vertical "ND" and "1916" at left and right respectively | none | 12345 | 1 to approximately 41000 | |
| 1917 | Debossed black serial on white plate with border line; vertical "ND" and "1917" at left and right respectively | none | 12-345 | 1 to approximately 50-000 | |
| As above, but embossed rather than debossed, and without border line | 12345 | 50001 to approximately 63000 |
| 1918 | Debossed red serial on white plate with border line; vertical "ND" and "1918" at left and right respectively | none | 12345 | 1 to approximately 72000 | |
| 1919 | Debossed light green serial on black plate with border line; vertical "ND" and "1919" at left and right respectively | none | 12345 | 1 to approximately 85000 | |
| 1920 | Embossed cream serial on green plate with border line; vertical "ND" and "1920" at left and right respectively | none | 12345 | 1 to approximately 91000 | |
| 1921 | Embossed white serial on dark blue plate with border line; vertical "ND" and "1921" at left and right respectively | none | 12345 | 1 to approximately 92000 | |
| 1922 | Embossed black serial on golden yellow plate with border line; vertical "ND" and "1922" at left and right respectively | none | 12-345 | 1 to approximately 99-000 | |
| 1923 | Embossed white serial on green plate with border line; vertical "ND" and "1923" at left and right respectively | none | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 110-000 | |
| 1924 | Embossed black serial on silver plate with border line; vertical "ND" and "1924" at left and right respectively | none | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 116-000 | |
| 1925 | Embossed silver serial on black plate with border line; vertical "ND" and "1925" at left and right respectively | none | F12-345 | F1 to approximately F82-000 | Issued on Fords. |
12-345 | 1 to approximately 51-000 | Issued on all other vehicles. |
| 1926 | Embossed red serial on gray plate with border line; vertical "ND" and "1926" at left and right respectively | none | F12-345 | F1 to approximately F85-000 | Issued on Fords. |
12-345 | 1 to approximately 56-000 | Issued on all other vehicles. |
| 1927 | Embossed black serial on orange plate with border line; vertical "ND" and "1927" at left and right respectively | none | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 140-000 | |
| 1928 | Embossed white serial on black plate with border line; vertical "ND" and "1928" at left and right respectively | none | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 151-000 | |
| 1929 | Embossed black serial on silver plate with border line; vertical "ND" and "1929" at left and right respectively | none | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 162-000 | |
| 1930 | Embossed green serial on golden yellow plate with border line; vertical "ND" and "1930" at left and right respectively | none | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 155-000 | |
| 1931 | Embossed tan serial on dark blue plate with border line; vertical "ND" and "1931" at left and right respectively | none | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 145-000 | |
| 1932 | Embossed white serial on maroon plate with border line; vertical "ND" and "1932" at left and right respectively | none | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 125-000 | |
| 1933 | Embossed white serial on green plate with border line; vertical "ND" and "1933" at left and right respectively | none | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 149-000 | |
| 1934 | Embossed blue serial on orange plate with border line; vertical "ND" and "1934" at left and right respectively | none | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 155-000 | |
| 1935 | Embossed orange serial on black plate with border line; vertical "ND" and "1935" at left and right respectively | none | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 135-000 | |
| 1936 | Embossed black serial on orange plate with border line; vertical "ND" and "1936" at left and right respectively | none | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 140-000 | |
| 1937 | Embossed green serial on white plate with border line; vertical "ND" and "1937" at left and right respectively | none | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 140-000 | |
| 1938 | Embossed black serial on yellow plate with border line; vertical "ND" and "1938" at left and right respectively | none | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 141-000 | |
| 1939 | Embossed red serial on white plate with border line; vertical "ND" and "1939" at left and right respectively | none | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 142-000 | |
| 1940 | Embossed yellow serial on black plate with border line; vertical "ND" and "1940" at left and right respectively | none | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 147-000 | |
| 1941 | Embossed black serial on yellow plate with border line; vertical "ND" and "1941" at left and right respectively | none | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 150-000 | |
| 1942 | Embossed yellow serial on red plate with border line; vertical "ND" and "1942" at left and right respectively | none | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 143-000 | Revalidated for 1943 with windshield stickers, due to metal conservation for World War II. |
| 1943 | As 1942 base, but with vertical "1943" at right | none | 123-456 | 200-001 to approximately 213-000 | Issued only to new registrants. |
| 1944 | Embossed yellow serial on black plate with border line; vertical "ND" and "1944" at left and right respectively | none | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 135-000 | |
| 1945 | Embossed white serial on black plate with border line; vertical "ND" and "1945" at left and right respectively | none | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 130-000 | |
| 1946 | Embossed red serial on silver plate with border line; vertical "ND" and "1946" at left and right respectively | none | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 140-000 | |
| 1947 | Embossed black serial on yellow plate with border line; vertical "ND" and "1947" at left and right respectively | none | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 152-000 | |
| 1948 | Embossed black serial on yellow plate with border line; "NORTH DAKOTA" centered at top; vertical "1948" at right | none | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 162-000 | First use of the full state name. Revalidated for 1949 with white tabs. |
| 1949 | As 1948 base, but waffle-textured, and with vertical "1949" at right | none | 123-456 | 200-001 to approximately 237-000 | Issued only to new registrants. |
| 1950 | Embossed black serial on orange plate with border line; "NORTH DAKOTA" centered at top; vertical "1950" at right | none | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 194-000 | |
| 1951 | Embossed white serial on black plate with border line; "NORTH DAKOTA" centered at top; vertical "1951" at right | none | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 196-000 | |
| 1952 | Embossed black serial on white plate with border line; "NORTH DAKOTA" centered at top; vertical "1952" at right | none | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 192-000 | |
| 1953 | Embossed white serial on green plate with border line; "NORTH DAKOTA" centered at top; vertical "1953" at right | none | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 198-000 | |
| 1954 | Embossed white serial on black plate with border line; "NORTH DAKOTA 54" at top | none | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 201-000 | |
| 1955 | Embossed yellow serial on black plate with border line; "NORTH DAKOTA 55" at top | none | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 209-000 | |
| 1956 | Embossed blue serial on white plate with border line; "NORTH DAKOTA 56" at top | "PEACE GARDEN STATE" at bottom | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 208-000 | First 6" x 12" plate, and first use of the "Peace Garden State" slogan. |
| 1957 | Embossed white serial on blue plate with border line; "NORTH DAKOTA 57" at top | "PEACE GARDEN STATE" at bottom | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 213-000 | |