State Mottos of the United States 2025

English
23
Latin
22
Spanish
1
Italian
1
Hawaiian
1
Greek
1
French
1
Chinook
1
State
State Mottos
Motto Language
Motto Translation
Additional Details
Montana Flag
MontanaOro Y PlataSpanishGold and SilverThis motto is in tandem with Montana's state nickname, "The Treasure State," both named for the state's mineral wealth
Alabama Flag
AlabamaAudemus Jura Nostra DefendereLatinWe Dare Maintain Our Rights
Arizona Flag
ArizonaDitat DeusLatinGod Enriches
Arkansas Flag
ArkansasRegnat PopulusLatinThe People Rule
Colorado Flag
ColoradoNil Sine NumineLatinNothing without Providence
Connecticut Flag
ConnecticutQui Transtulit SustinetLatinHe Who Transplanted SustainsAccording to Connecticut's state government site, possible origins trace to the psalm "Thou hast brought a vine out of Egypt: thou hast cast out the heathen, and planted it
District of Columbia Flag
District of ColumbiaJustitia OmnibusLatinJustice for All
Idaho Flag
IdahoEsto PerpetuaLatinLet It Be Perpetual
Kansas Flag
KansasAd Astra Per AsperaLatinTo the Stars Through DifficultiesThis is aptly illustrated on the state seal, which depicts a farm below a sky of stars.
Maine Flag
MaineDirigoLatinI Direct or I guide
Massachusetts Flag
MassachusettsEnse Petit Placidam Sub Libertate QuietemLatinBy the Sword We Seek Peace, But Peace Only Under Liberty
Michigan Flag
MichiganSi Quaeris Peninsulam Amoenam CircumspiceLatinIf You Seek a Pleasant Peninsula, Look About You
Mississippi Flag
MississippiVirtute et ArmisLatinBy Valor and Arms
Missouri Flag
MissouriSalus Populi Suprema Lex EstoLatinThe Welfare of the People is the Highest LawThe exact translation has been debated but was originally intended to mean "Let the good of the people be the supreme law," as proposed by William Wells in 1847 when he designed the state seal. Today, the Secretary of State's office says it means “The welfare of the people shall be the supreme law
New Mexico Flag
New MexicoCrescit EundoLatinIt Grows as It Goes
New York Flag
New YorkExcelsiorLatinEver Upward
North Carolina Flag
North CarolinaEsse Quam VideriLatinTo Be, Rather than To Seem
Oklahoma Flag
OklahomaLabor Omnia VincitLatinHard Work Conquers All ThingsOnly 38% of Oklahoma residents could identify the motto, a 2021 survey found. A 2012 Oklahoma House resolution even tried to establish "In God We Trust," the national motto, as Oklahoma's as well. And in 2021, Oklahoma House Speaker Charles McCall proposed an $85,000 bill to prominently display the phrase on state buildings.
Oregon Flag
OregonAlis Volat PropriisLatinShe Flies with Her Own Wings
South Carolina Flag
South CarolinaAnimis Opibusque Parati; Dum Spiro SperoLatinPrepared in Mind and Resources; While I Breathe, I HopeSouth Carolina has two state mottos that appear on the state seal in two ovals. The first is "Animis Opibusque Parati" meaning "Prepared in mind and resources" and the second is "Dum Spiro Spero," which means "While I breathe I hope.
Vermont Flag
VermontStella Quarta Decima FulgeatLatinMay the Fourteenth Star Shine Bright
Virginia Flag
VirginiaSic Semper TyrannisLatinThus Always to Tyrants
West Virginia Flag
West VirginiaMontani Semper LiberiLatinMountaineers are Always FreeA 2007 vote also established "Wild, Wonderful" as West Virginia's state slogan.
Maryland Flag
MarylandFatti Maschi, Parole FemmineItalianManly Deeds, Womanly Words
Hawaii Flag
HawaiiUa Mau ke Ea o ka Aina i ka PonoHawaiianThe Life of the Land is Perpetuated in RighteousnessHawaii's state motto comes from King Kamehameha III in 1843 and was uttered as the Hawaiian flag rose again after a brief period of British occupation
California Flag
CaliforniaEurekaGreekI Found ItThis has been California's state motto since 1963, but the word has appeared on the state seal since 1849 as a reference to the discovery of gold in California.
Minnesota Flag
MinnesotaL’etoile du NordFrenchThe Star of the North
Alaska Flag
AlaskaNorth to the FutureEnglishChosen in 1967 during the Alaska Purchase Centennial to represent "Alaska as a land of promise."
Delaware Flag
DelawareLiberty and IndependenceEnglishThe state also adopted a tourist slogan in 2015, "Delaware: Endless Discoveries.
Florida Flag
FloridaIn God We TrustEnglish
Georgia Flag
GeorgiaWisdom, Justice, and ModerationEnglish
Illinois Flag
IllinoisState Sovereignty, National UnionEnglish
Indiana Flag
IndianaThe Crossroads of AmericaEnglish
Iowa Flag
IowaOur Liberties We Prize and Our Rights We Will MaintainEnglish
Kentucky Flag
KentuckyUnited We Stand, Divided We FallEnglishIt comes from "Liberty Song" by John Dickinson, a song from 1768 that Kentucky's first governor was fond of. Kentucky also has an official Latin motto, "Deo gratiam habeamus," or "Let us be grateful to God."
Louisiana Flag
LouisianaUnion, Justice, and ConfidenceEnglish
Nebraska Flag
NebraskaEquality Before the LawEnglish
Nevada Flag
NevadaAll for Our CountryEnglish
New Hampshire Flag
New HampshireLive Free or DieEnglishComes from a statement written by Revolutionary General John Stark
New Jersey Flag
New JerseyLiberty and ProsperityEnglishThe state also voted on the slogan "New Jersey: Come See For Yourself" in 2006 to attract tourists
North Dakota Flag
North DakotaLiberty and Union, Now and Forever, One and InseparableEnglishAccording to ND.gov, this was also the motto of the Dakota Territory, the unorganized states of North and South Dakota prior to 1889
Ohio Flag
OhioWith God, All Things are PossibleEnglishOhio's state motto is "With God, All Things Are Possible," decided after a 12-year-old boy won a contest to select the motto in the 1950s. The American Civil Liberties Union sued the state of Ohio in 1997, saying this motto was a violation of the separation of church and state. But the motto remained when the district court judge ruled that it didn't make reference to any one religion and was a generic reference to God.
Pennsylvania Flag
PennsylvaniaVirtue, Liberty, and IndependenceEnglish
Rhode Island Flag
Rhode IslandHopeEnglishThe state also created the slogan "Rhode Island: Cooler and Warmer" in 2016 to garner tourists but quickly attracted backlash on social media.
South Dakota Flag
South DakotaUnder God the People RuleEnglishThe state also has a motto that accompanies its state flower, the American Pasque. According to the state's official site, "I lead" is the floral emblem motto.
Tennessee Flag
TennesseeAgriculture and CommerceEnglishTennessee's state motto has been "Agriculture and Commerce" since 1801 because of the state's large agriculture sector
Texas Flag
TexasFriendshipEnglishAccording to the Texas State Historical Association, the word was chosen in 1930 because the state name came roughly from a Caddo Indian word translating to "friends"
Utah Flag
UtahIndustryEnglishAccording to Utah History Encyclopedia, the motto became official in 1959 and was chosen because of its connection with the beehive symbol, also in Utah's state nickname
Wisconsin Flag
WisconsinForwardEnglishThis was chosen in 1851 when the state seal and coat of arms were revised.
Wyoming Flag
WyomingEqual RightsEnglishThe state is also nicknamed "Equality State," as it was the first territory in the U.S. to give women the right to vote
Washington Flag
WashingtonAl-kiChinookBy and ByWashington has a territorial motto, but it's never been formally adopted by the legislature, its state government site says