The Tampa Bay Lightning entered the NHL in 1992, bringing a unique visual identity to the ice. Their original jerseys featured a bold combination of black, blue, and silver. The design included distinctive "victory stripes" on the underarm gussets, which gained notoriety when the team won the Stanley Cup in 2004. The initial design saw some modifications, including italicized names and numbers in 1993-94 and a different font with vertically arched names between 1995 and 2001.

From 1996 to 1999, the Lightning sported blue alternate jerseys with a sublimated design. After some fan complaints regarding the legibility of the number font, the team switched to a standard block font in 2001.

In 2007, with the introduction of the Reebok Edge uniform system, the Lightning redesigned their uniforms. A new blue alternate jersey followed in 2008, showcasing "TAMPA BAY" inside the rear tail stripe.

A significant change came on January 31, 2011, when the Lightning unveiled their uniforms for the future, set to debut in the 2011-12 season. The original plan was to have only blue and white, but due to popular demand, black trim was added to the numbers and the lightning bolt on the pants. The alternate jersey was retained. In 2011, the team shifted their primary home jerseys to blue. Consequently, the alternate jersey became black in 2014, keeping the diagonal "BOLTS" wordmark.

When the team transitioned to the Adidas Adizero jersey system, the wordmark above the crest on the road jerseys was removed in 2017. A new black alternate uniform was introduced between 2018 and 2022, featuring a pattern on the sleeves, back numbers, and socks inspired by Adidas' Primeknit shoes.

Over the years, the Lightning have also introduced several special event uniforms. These include a throwback to their first Stanley Cup-winning season, with the black and blue elements swapped and the victory stripes reinstated. For their 2022 Stadium Series matchup, a new version of the diagonal "BOLTS" uniform was created. The "storm jerseys" were also brought back, this time with a white base. The 2026 Stadium Series uniforms incorporated sky blue and a lightning scene within the front letters and back numbers.