ABSTRACT This study investigates natural frequencies of simply supported thin-walled rectangular plates made of laminates with arbitrary stacking sequences. A detailed analysis is made of laminates whose stacking sequences meet the non-zero condition for coupling stiffness submatrix B components. Twelve laminate stacking sequences exhibiting different types of in-plane and out-plane coupling effects are selected, assuming that the plies are of the same thickness. A comparison is made between the effects of selected components of the coupling stiffness submatrix B and inertial force components on the natural frequencies of the rectangular laminate plates under consideration. Classical laminate plate theory (CLPT) is used in the considerations. Obtained solutions of the eigenproblems for the cases of unloaded rectangular plates made of a general laminate show that the correct determination of eigenvalues requires a detailed analysis of all B stiffness matrix components and beam model reduction factors.