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US Revenue Stamps

Motor Vehicle Use Tax Stamps

1942-1946

US revenue stamps for the motor vehicle use tax were used from February 1942 through June 1946.  During World War II, there were serious wartime shortages, including gasoline.  The US government imposed the motor vehicle use tax to encourage people to use public transportation and to help pay for the war effort.


The new motor vehicle use tax stamps were gummed on the face, to enable them to be displayed on the inside of an automobile windshield.  The back of each of the US revenue stamps had spaces for the automobile owner to enter the make, model, engine number, and license plate number of their vehicle, as shown in the image above. 

At 42 Cents per month or Five Dollars per year, these US revenue stamps were a considerable expense for many Americans.  At that time the national minimum wage was about Fifty Cents per hour.

The catalog detail tables below are sorted by the year and month of issue and the catalog number.  These vehicle use tax stamps were valid for one year, beginning on July 1 of the current calendar year and ending on June 30, of the following calendar year.  The denominations varied, depending on how many months before the end of the fiscal year they were purchased.

US revenue philatelists usually prefer to collect these stamps in mint condition, as used condition examples are often discolored and mutilated.



Motor vehicle use tax US revenue stamps were produced from February 1942 through June 1945.  All of these tax stamps are offset printed, watermarked, and perforated 11.  The central designs of the stamps feature the Liberty Bell.  An example of each of the four issued colors is shown above.

The catalog details for stamps with gum on the back side are as follows:

  • 2.09 D.  (1942 FEB - Sc. #RV1) - Light Green.

The catalog details for stamps with gum on the front side and inscriptions on the back side are as follows:

  • 1.67 D.  (1942 MAR - Sc. #RV2) - Light Green.
  • 1.25 D.  (1942 APR - Sc. #RV3) - Light Green.
  • 0.84 D.  (1942 MAY - Sc. #RV4) - Light Green.
  • 0.42 D.  (1942 JUN - Sc. #RV5) - Light Green.

The catalog details for stamps with gum and a control number on the front side and inscriptions on the back side are as follows:

  • 5.00 D.  (1942 JUL - Sc. #RV6) - Rose Red.
  • 4.59 D.  (1942 AUG - Sc. #RV7) - Rose Red.
  • 4.17 D.  (1942 SEP - Sc. #RV8) - Rose Red.
  • 3.75 D.  (1942 OCT - Sc. #RV5) - Rose Red.
  • 3.34 D.  (1942 NOV - Sc. #RV10) - Rose Red.
  • 2.92 D.  (1942 DEC - Sc. #RV11) - Rose Red.
  • 2.50 D.  (1943 JAN - Sc. #RV12) - Rose Red.
  • 2.09 D.  (1943 FEB - Sc. #RV13) - Rose Red.
  • 1.67 D.  (1943 MAR - Sc. #RV14) - Rose Red.
  • 1.25 D.  (1943 APR - Sc. #RV15) - Rose Red.
  • 0.84 D.  (1943 MAY - Sc. #RV16) - Rose Red.
  • 0.42 D.  (1943 JUN - Sc. #RV17) - Rose Red.
  • 5.00 D.  (1943 JUL - Sc. #RV18) - Yellow.
  • 4.59 D.  (1943 AUG - Sc. #RV19) - Yellow.
  • 4.17 D.  (1943 SEP - Sc. #RV20) - Yellow.
  • 3.75 D.  (1943 OCT - Sc. #RV21) - Yellow.
  • 3.34 D.  (1943 NOV - Sc. #RV22) - Yellow.
  • 2.92 D.  (1943 DEC - Sc. #RV23) - Yellow.
  • 2.50 D.  (1944 JAN - Sc. #RV24) - Yellow.
  • 2.09 D.  (1944 FEB - Sc. #RV25) - Yellow.
  • 1.67 D.  (1944 MAR - Sc. #RV26) - Yellow.
  • 1.25 D.  (1944 APR - Sc. #RV27) - Yellow.
  • 0.84 D.  (1944 MAY - Sc. #RV28) - Yellow.
  • 0.42 D.  (1944 JUN - Sc. #RV29) - Yellow.

The catalog details for stamps with gum on the front side and inscriptions and control number on the back side are as follows:

  • 5.00 D.  (1944 JUL - Sc. #RV30) - Violet.
  • 4.59 D.  (1944 AUG - Sc. #RV31) - Violet.
  • 4.17 D.  (1944 SEP - Sc. #RV32) - Violet.
  • 3.75 D.  (1944 OCT - Sc. #RV33) - Violet.
  • 3.34 D.  (1944 NOV - Sc. #RV34) - Violet.
  • 2.92 D.  (1944 DEC - Sc. #RV35) - Violet.
  • 2.50 D.  (1945 JAN - Sc. #RV36) - Violet.
  • 2.09 D.  (1945 FEB - Sc. #RV37) - Violet.
  • 1.67 D.  (1945 MAR - Sc. #RV38) - Violet.
  • 1.25 D.  (1945 APR - Sc. #RV39) - Violet.
  • 0.84 D.  (1945 MAY - Sc. #RV40) - Violet.
  • 0.42 D.  (1945 JUN - Sc. #RV41) - Violet.



New, horizontal format, motor vehicle use tax US revenue stamps were produced from July 1945 through June 1946.  All of these tax stamps are offset printed, watermarked, and perforated 11.  They are gummed on the front side, and they have a control number and inscriptions on the back side.  An example is shown above.

The vignette on each of these US revenue stamps features Daniel Manning (1831-1887), the US Secretary of the Treasury from 1885 to 1887.

The catalog details are as follows:

  • 5.00 D.  (1945 JUL - Sc. #RV42) - Blue Green & Yellow Green.
  • 4.59 D.  (1945 AUG - Sc. #RV43) - Blue Green & Yellow Green.
  • 4.17 D.  (1945 SEP - Sc. #RV44) - Blue Green & Yellow Green.
  • 3.75 D.  (1945 OCT - Sc. #RV45) - Blue Green & Yellow Green.
  • 3.34 D.  (1945 NOV - Sc. #RV46) - Blue Green & Yellow Green.
  • 2.92 D.  (1945 DEC - Sc. #RV47) - Blue Green & Yellow Green.
  • 2.50 D.  (1946 JAN - Sc. #RV48) - Blue Green & Yellow Green.
  • 2.09 D.  (1946 FEB - Sc. #RV49) - Blue Green & Yellow Green.
  • 1.67 D.  (1946 MAR - Sc. #RV50) - Blue Green & Yellow Green.
  • 1.25 D.  (1946 APR - Sc. #RV51) - Blue Green & Yellow Green.
  • 0.84 D.  (1946 MAY - Sc. #RV52) - Blue Green & Yellow Green.
  • 0.42 D.  (1946 JUN - Sc. #RV53) - Blue Green & Yellow Green.




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Motor Vehicle Use Tax Stamps of 1942-1946




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