Vehicle registration plates of Canada
Encyclopedia
In Canada
, licence plate
s are issued by an agency of the provincial or territorial government. The spelling license is used in the U.S. for the noun and verb, while the spelling licence in Canada is for the noun and license for the verb. The term "tags", in common usage in the US when referring to licence plates, is unknown in Canada.
Generally, the appearance of plates is frequently chosen to contain symbols, colours, or slogans associated with the issuing jurisdiction
.
Often, licence plates are called registration plates (drivers are licensed, vehicles are registered), but the term "licence plate" is common in informal usage. In most licence plates, there is a small sticker, which indicates the month and year of plate renewal, that the driver sticks to the licence plates.
In some parts of Canada, special plates
are issued to persons with disabilities having the International Symbol of Accessibility on them, which entitle them to special parking privileges. Some provinces issue a parking permit for people with disability to display the permit on their dashboard to park at designated spots in the parking lot (which are always closest to the shopping mall entrances).
transition to an ABCD-123 format in 1997, plates were issued in ascending order starting with AAAA-001. It took close to ten years to exhaust the supply of plate numbers with A as the first digit. In late 2006, plates with B as the first digit were assigned, and have continued from there sequentially.
Many provinces distinguish their licence plates through distinctive colour schemes and logos, which historically have been changed annually. For example, the reigning monarch's
crown has appeared on every Ontario
licence plate - including customized plates with no "dash", in the form of a second validation sticker - since 1937. Licence plates of the Yukon
have long featured a prospector panning for gold
. In the Northwest Territories
and Nunavut
, all licence plates are cut in the shape of a polar bear, but meet the standardized mounting guidelines.
Typically, the registration number is embossed or, more rarely, impressed onto the licence plate. Other identifying information, such as the name of the issuing jurisdiction and the vehicle class, can be either surface-printed or embossed.
In 1956, the U.S. states and Canadian provinces came to an agreement with the Automobile Manufacturers Association
that fixed the size for all their passenger vehicle plates at six inches in height by twelve inches in width, although these figures may vary slightly by jurisdiction. In North America
, only Saint Pierre and Miquelon has not adopted these standards. (Although the Northwest Territories and Nunavut plates are cut in the shape of a polar bear, their mounting holes are compatible with those of the rest of Canada and the U.S.) Smaller-sized plates are used for motorcycles and, in some jurisdictions, mopeds and certain types of trailers and construction equipment.
Plates that are not up to date quickly attract the attention of law enforcement, because registration "renewal" is a transaction that can usually be undertaken only by the car's registered owner, once certain requirements have been met, and because registration fees are a source of government revenue. A delinquent registration tag is often an indicator that the vehicle may be stolen, that the vehicle's owner has failed to comply with the applicable law regarding emission inspection or insurance, or that the vehicle's owner has unpaid traffic or parking tickets. Even with the tags, most provinces previously required that all licence plates be replaced every few years; that practice is being abandoned by many provinces because of the expense of continually producing large numbers of plates.
The sticker is usually placed on one corner of the plate, while the month of the year in which the plate would expire is printed in an opposing corner. Some jurisdictions combine the year and month on one sticker. In others, the plate's validation is a decal
displayed from the inside of the windshield
. The colour of plate stickers and windshield decals often change annually, to allow for easier detection by police. Quebec no longer issues plate stickers and has not done so since 1992.
Most validation stickers are either serialized (with the serial number recorded on the registration), or are printed by a special printer
at the time of registration or renewal with the vehicle's licence plate number on them to discourage fraudulent sticker use, as the sticker will be valid only for the plate for which it was intended.
Currently, Quebec
is the only province in which decals are not used. Instead, the police rely on the use of cameras and computers that automatically report any plates for which the registration is expired (making the use of fake stickers obsolete), the car has been reported as stolen and/or similar reasons. That said, the Registration Certificate is the only way for the owner to prove that a vehicle has valid registration.
Each province issues temporary licence plates differently. Ontario issues 10 day temporary permits available one time when a licence holder purchases a used vehicle, as long as the vehicle was legally registered as 'Fit' with the previous owner. An 'Unfit' vehicle (has not passed safety standards with the previous owner) can not be issued a temporary permit. If a vehicle passes safety standards inspection, but does not pass emissions testing it may be issued up to four 10-day temporary permits. As of 2010, Ontario issues regular licence plates with a registration sticker that is labelled "TEMPORARY" to owners of recently purchased used vehicles.
In Ontario, motorists may apply to transfer licence plates with the approval of the Ministry of Transportation Ontario under special circumstances, such as from one immediate family member to another. Motorists may also purchase Year of Manufacture plates for classic vehicles up to the plate issuing year of 1973 in accordance with the terms and conditions of the Ministry of Transportation Ontario.
Various provinces have different schemes for reissuing licence plates, a process known as "replating." In some jurisdictions, plates are issued on a permanent basis and are not replaced unless the owner requests a new plate or that his or her existing plate be remade. These jurisdictions include New Brunswick and Ontario. Other jurisdictions replate on a rolling basis, replacing a particular motorist's plate when it reaches a certain age. Yet other jurisdictions may recall a particular series of plates for reissuance at regular or irregular intervals. This is particularly common in jurisdictions in which only one licence plate series or design is valid at any given time. Optional-issue plates may or may not follow the same rules for replacement as standard-issue plates, depending on the jurisdiction.
In the Canadian
provinces and territories of Alberta
, Newfoundland and Labrador
, the Northwest Territories
, Nova Scotia
, Nunavut
, Prince Edward Island
, Quebec
, Saskatchewan
, and the Yukon
, licence plates are currently only required on the rear of the vehicle. The remaining provinces, British Columbia
, Manitoba
, New Brunswick
, and Ontario
, require the licence plates to be mounted on both the front and rear of the vehicle. Dealership plate frames or custom plate frames are allowed as long as the frame does not obstruct view of validation stickers or district. Neon light plate frames are generally illegal, but have been known to be tolerated by most law enforcement, they are sold as off-road-use because they distract drivers' attention from brake lights.
and Quebec
, motorists are given the option of extra-cost vanity plates (also known as "personalized" or "prestige" plates), which are licence plates with a custom serial (sequence of letters and/or numbers). Generally vanity plates are not permitted to have profane or obscene messages on them, although standards vary widely among issuing jurisdictions as to what constitutes an unacceptable message.
In some jurisdictions, vehicle owners may also pay extra for specialty plates. With these, the plate serial is chosen by the licensing agency—as with regular plates—but the owners select a plate design that is different from the normal licence plate. For example, an alumnus
or student
of an area university
might purchase a plate with the school's logo, or an outdoorsman might decide to pay extra for a plate depicting a nature scene. A portion of the extra cost of these licence plates often ends up as a donation
for a related school or non-profit organization. In 1996 the province of Ontario
issued an optional "Star Trek
" licence plate. It was discontinued in the early 2000s. Some jurisdictions allow for some or all of their specialty plates to also be vanity plates, usually for an additional fee on top of the cost of the plate.
Veterans are allowed to have a special licence plate
.
In addition, provinces may provide commemorative plates as a standard issue. A number of provinces issued plates recognizing the 1967 centennial of the Canadian Confederation
during that year. Several provinces have issued plates commemorating milestones in their own province. Provinces often issue plates with their motto or slogan, such as Quebec
's "Je me souviens", British Columbia
's "Beautiful British Columbia." or Ontario
's "Yours To Discover". These are arguably also general commemoratives. Saskatchewan's "Land of Living Skies" slogan may be interpreted as a reference to the province's drastically changing weather within minutes or a nod to the northern lights, aurora borealis.
All provinces offer specialized licence plates for licensed amateur radio
operators, in many cases at no extra charge or at a discount compared to standard vanity plates. The owner's radio call sign
is used instead of a standard-issue serial.
Ontario
considered issuing purple-on-pink licence plates for vehicles where an ignition interlock system had been installed, but never went through with the plan.
In preparation for the 2010 Olympic Winter Games held in Vancouver, the Province of British Columbia
and ICBC (Insurance Corporation of British Columbia
) issued special "Olympic" registration plates. The special plates feature an image of the mountain peaks of Garibaldi Provincial park as the background, with the Vancouver 2010 logo in the foreground between the letter and number groups of the registration plate. The plates were optional, requiring an initial fee of $35.00, as well as a yearly renewal fee of $25.00 per year. These "Olympic Plates" were only offered until December 31, 2010, whereby owners could continue to display them on their vehicle—they’re an official provincial licence plate.Winter-Games licence plates
Vehicles owned by the Canadian Forces
may circulate on the streets and have white licence plates with a maple leaf and "Canada" written on them.
is affixed to the plate area.
When the Queen undertook her Golden Jubilee Tour in 2002, her official vehicle bore the embossed Royal Crown on a red background.
Official government vehicles do not use distinct licence plate or numbers unlike other provinces within this section of the article.
stickers. Ontario plates assigned to Members of Parliament are in the format of MHC-123 for Members of the House of Commons and SEN-123 for Senators
. Members of the Canadian Cabinet
receive CAN-123 plates, with the Prime Minister assigned CAN-001 and remaining members of cabinet assigned numbers sequentially based on order of precedence
. Federal court judges receive FCJ-123. Ontario Superior Court judges receive SCO-123.
The Lieutenant-Governor of Ontario receives a licence plates that bears an embossed crown rather than a number. Members of Provincial Parliament receive MPP-123 plates. Members of the Ontario Cabinet receive ONT-123 plates, with the premier assigned ONT-001 and remaining members of cabinet assigned numbers sequentially based on order of precedence. Provincial judges receive PJO-123.
Municipally-owned vehicles larger than a pickup truck receive plates that begin with M, in the format M12-345.
Diplomatic plates are in the format of DP-123.
The Lieutenant-Governor of New Brunswick receives a licence plate that bears an embossed crown.
Government vehicles in Newfoundland and Labrador do not display registration stickers.
Quebec has a similar scheme. Plate numbers with the prefix "X" followed by five or six digits may be used on any vehicle that is part of a dealer's inventory.
Service providers, including anyone who repairs, customizes, modifies, manufactures or transports motor vehicles or trailers use yellow and black DLR series plates (Dealer and Service Plate).
A Service Plate may be used:
Private use of motor vehicles or trailers with a service plate is not permitted.
, where the capital Ottawa is located.
Format of the plates are XX ###X where XX can be CC (Consular Officers), HC (Honorary Consuls), CS (Administrative, service or technical staff) and SR (sub-state foreign officials), followed by 3 numbers and a letter.
Ambassadors or Heads of Missions use plates in the 010 to 019 number series, i.e., starting at 010-CDA.
The Taipei Economic and Cultural Office is the main user of XOR plates.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, licence plate
Vehicle registration plate
A vehicle registration plate is a metal or plastic plate attached to a motor vehicle or trailer for official identification purposes. The registration identifier is a numeric or alphanumeric code that uniquely identifies the vehicle within the issuing region's database...
s are issued by an agency of the provincial or territorial government. The spelling license is used in the U.S. for the noun and verb, while the spelling licence in Canada is for the noun and license for the verb. The term "tags", in common usage in the US when referring to licence plates, is unknown in Canada.
Generally, the appearance of plates is frequently chosen to contain symbols, colours, or slogans associated with the issuing jurisdiction
Jurisdiction
Jurisdiction is the practical authority granted to a formally constituted legal body or to a political leader to deal with and make pronouncements on legal matters and, by implication, to administer justice within a defined area of responsibility...
.
Often, licence plates are called registration plates (drivers are licensed, vehicles are registered), but the term "licence plate" is common in informal usage. In most licence plates, there is a small sticker, which indicates the month and year of plate renewal, that the driver sticks to the licence plates.
In some parts of Canada, special plates
Handicapped tag
- What is a Handicapped Tag :A handicapped tag or handicapped placard is a placard or license plate, permitting the owner or operator of a vehicle to special privileges regarding the parking of that vehicle, including the privilege to park in a space reserved for persons with disabilities, or in...
are issued to persons with disabilities having the International Symbol of Accessibility on them, which entitle them to special parking privileges. Some provinces issue a parking permit for people with disability to display the permit on their dashboard to park at designated spots in the parking lot (which are always closest to the shopping mall entrances).
Designs and serial formats
Licence plate numbers are usually assigned in ascending order, beginning with a starting point such as AAA-001. Thus, someone familiar with the sequence can determine roughly when the licence plate was issued. After Ontario'sOntario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
transition to an ABCD-123 format in 1997, plates were issued in ascending order starting with AAAA-001. It took close to ten years to exhaust the supply of plate numbers with A as the first digit. In late 2006, plates with B as the first digit were assigned, and have continued from there sequentially.
Many provinces distinguish their licence plates through distinctive colour schemes and logos, which historically have been changed annually. For example, the reigning monarch's
Monarchy in Ontario
By the arrangements of the Canadian federation, Canada's monarchy operates in Ontario as the core of the province's Westminster-style parliamentary democracy. As such, the Crown within Ontario's jurisdiction is referred to as the Crown in Right of Ontario, Her Majesty in Right of Ontario, or the...
crown has appeared on every Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
licence plate - including customized plates with no "dash", in the form of a second validation sticker - since 1937. Licence plates of the Yukon
Yukon
Yukon is the westernmost and smallest of Canada's three federal territories. It was named after the Yukon River. The word Yukon means "Great River" in Gwich’in....
have long featured a prospector panning for gold
Gold
Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au and an atomic number of 79. Gold is a dense, soft, shiny, malleable and ductile metal. Pure gold has a bright yellow color and luster traditionally considered attractive, which it maintains without oxidizing in air or water. Chemically, gold is a...
. In the Northwest Territories
Northwest Territories
The Northwest Territories is a federal territory of Canada.Located in northern Canada, the territory borders Canada's two other territories, Yukon to the west and Nunavut to the east, and three provinces: British Columbia to the southwest, and Alberta and Saskatchewan to the south...
and Nunavut
Nunavut
Nunavut is the largest and newest federal territory of Canada; it was separated officially from the Northwest Territories on April 1, 1999, via the Nunavut Act and the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement Act, though the actual boundaries had been established in 1993...
, all licence plates are cut in the shape of a polar bear, but meet the standardized mounting guidelines.
Typically, the registration number is embossed or, more rarely, impressed onto the licence plate. Other identifying information, such as the name of the issuing jurisdiction and the vehicle class, can be either surface-printed or embossed.
In 1956, the U.S. states and Canadian provinces came to an agreement with the Automobile Manufacturers Association
Automobile Manufacturers Association
The Automobile Manufacturers Association was a trade group of automobile manufacturers which operated under various names in the United States from 1911 to 1999....
that fixed the size for all their passenger vehicle plates at six inches in height by twelve inches in width, although these figures may vary slightly by jurisdiction. In North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
, only Saint Pierre and Miquelon has not adopted these standards. (Although the Northwest Territories and Nunavut plates are cut in the shape of a polar bear, their mounting holes are compatible with those of the rest of Canada and the U.S.) Smaller-sized plates are used for motorcycles and, in some jurisdictions, mopeds and certain types of trailers and construction equipment.
Showing current registration on plates
Historically, many Canadian plates were replaced every year, although the most common practice in modern times is to send new validation stickers to vehicle owners every year or two, to indicate that the vehicle registration is still valid.Plates that are not up to date quickly attract the attention of law enforcement, because registration "renewal" is a transaction that can usually be undertaken only by the car's registered owner, once certain requirements have been met, and because registration fees are a source of government revenue. A delinquent registration tag is often an indicator that the vehicle may be stolen, that the vehicle's owner has failed to comply with the applicable law regarding emission inspection or insurance, or that the vehicle's owner has unpaid traffic or parking tickets. Even with the tags, most provinces previously required that all licence plates be replaced every few years; that practice is being abandoned by many provinces because of the expense of continually producing large numbers of plates.
The sticker is usually placed on one corner of the plate, while the month of the year in which the plate would expire is printed in an opposing corner. Some jurisdictions combine the year and month on one sticker. In others, the plate's validation is a decal
Decal
A decal or transfer is a plastic, cloth, paper or ceramic substrate that has printed on it a pattern or image that can be moved to another surface upon contact, usually with the aid of heat or water. The word is short for decalcomania...
displayed from the inside of the windshield
Windshield
The windshield or windscreen of an aircraft, car, bus, motorbike or tram is the front window. Modern windshields are generally made of laminated safety glass, a type of treated glass, which consists of two curved sheets of glass with a plastic layer laminated between them for safety, and are glued...
. The colour of plate stickers and windshield decals often change annually, to allow for easier detection by police. Quebec no longer issues plate stickers and has not done so since 1992.
Most validation stickers are either serialized (with the serial number recorded on the registration), or are printed by a special printer
Computer printer
In computing, a printer is a peripheral which produces a text or graphics of documents stored in electronic form, usually on physical print media such as paper or transparencies. Many printers are primarily used as local peripherals, and are attached by a printer cable or, in most new printers, a...
at the time of registration or renewal with the vehicle's licence plate number on them to discourage fraudulent sticker use, as the sticker will be valid only for the plate for which it was intended.
Currently, Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
is the only province in which decals are not used. Instead, the police rely on the use of cameras and computers that automatically report any plates for which the registration is expired (making the use of fake stickers obsolete), the car has been reported as stolen and/or similar reasons. That said, the Registration Certificate is the only way for the owner to prove that a vehicle has valid registration.
Temporary licence plates
Life cycle
Plates typically stay with the owner rather than the vehicle, and motorists usually transfer plates from their previous vehicle to the new one as a cost saving measure. For this reason, in Ontario it is possible to see a brand new vehicle with valid 1973-issue licence plates, while a 15-year-old vehicle may have brand new plates if there were no previous plates to transfer. In Newfoundland and Labrador plates typically stay with the vehicle and the registration transferred between owners, with new plates being issued to new vehicles. Exception include Veteran Plates, Firefighter Plates, and Amateur Radio Operator Plates.In Ontario, motorists may apply to transfer licence plates with the approval of the Ministry of Transportation Ontario under special circumstances, such as from one immediate family member to another. Motorists may also purchase Year of Manufacture plates for classic vehicles up to the plate issuing year of 1973 in accordance with the terms and conditions of the Ministry of Transportation Ontario.
Various provinces have different schemes for reissuing licence plates, a process known as "replating." In some jurisdictions, plates are issued on a permanent basis and are not replaced unless the owner requests a new plate or that his or her existing plate be remade. These jurisdictions include New Brunswick and Ontario. Other jurisdictions replate on a rolling basis, replacing a particular motorist's plate when it reaches a certain age. Yet other jurisdictions may recall a particular series of plates for reissuance at regular or irregular intervals. This is particularly common in jurisdictions in which only one licence plate series or design is valid at any given time. Optional-issue plates may or may not follow the same rules for replacement as standard-issue plates, depending on the jurisdiction.
Mounting
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
provinces and territories of Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
, Newfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland and Labrador is the easternmost province of Canada. Situated in the country's Atlantic region, it incorporates the island of Newfoundland and mainland Labrador with a combined area of . As of April 2011, the province's estimated population is 508,400...
, the Northwest Territories
Northwest Territories
The Northwest Territories is a federal territory of Canada.Located in northern Canada, the territory borders Canada's two other territories, Yukon to the west and Nunavut to the east, and three provinces: British Columbia to the southwest, and Alberta and Saskatchewan to the south...
, Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
, Nunavut
Nunavut
Nunavut is the largest and newest federal territory of Canada; it was separated officially from the Northwest Territories on April 1, 1999, via the Nunavut Act and the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement Act, though the actual boundaries had been established in 1993...
, Prince Edward Island
Prince Edward Island
Prince Edward Island is a Canadian province consisting of an island of the same name, as well as other islands. The maritime province is the smallest in the nation in both land area and population...
, Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
, Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan is a prairie province in Canada, which has an area of . Saskatchewan is bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, and on the south by the U.S. states of Montana and North Dakota....
, and the Yukon
Yukon
Yukon is the westernmost and smallest of Canada's three federal territories. It was named after the Yukon River. The word Yukon means "Great River" in Gwich’in....
, licence plates are currently only required on the rear of the vehicle. The remaining provinces, British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
, Manitoba
Manitoba
Manitoba is a Canadian prairie province with an area of . The province has over 110,000 lakes and has a largely continental climate because of its flat topography. Agriculture, mostly concentrated in the fertile southern and western parts of the province, is vital to the province's economy; other...
, New Brunswick
New Brunswick
New Brunswick is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the only province in the federation that is constitutionally bilingual . The provincial capital is Fredericton and Saint John is the most populous city. Greater Moncton is the largest Census Metropolitan Area...
, and Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, require the licence plates to be mounted on both the front and rear of the vehicle. Dealership plate frames or custom plate frames are allowed as long as the frame does not obstruct view of validation stickers or district. Neon light plate frames are generally illegal, but have been known to be tolerated by most law enforcement, they are sold as off-road-use because they distract drivers' attention from brake lights.
Vanity and specialty plates
In each province but Newfoundland and LabradorNewfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland and Labrador is the easternmost province of Canada. Situated in the country's Atlantic region, it incorporates the island of Newfoundland and mainland Labrador with a combined area of . As of April 2011, the province's estimated population is 508,400...
and Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
, motorists are given the option of extra-cost vanity plates (also known as "personalized" or "prestige" plates), which are licence plates with a custom serial (sequence of letters and/or numbers). Generally vanity plates are not permitted to have profane or obscene messages on them, although standards vary widely among issuing jurisdictions as to what constitutes an unacceptable message.
In some jurisdictions, vehicle owners may also pay extra for specialty plates. With these, the plate serial is chosen by the licensing agency—as with regular plates—but the owners select a plate design that is different from the normal licence plate. For example, an alumnus
Alumnus
An alumnus , according to the American Heritage Dictionary, is "a graduate of a school, college, or university." An alumnus can also be a former member, employee, contributor or inmate as well as a former student. In addition, an alumna is "a female graduate or former student of a school, college,...
or student
Student
A student is a learner, or someone who attends an educational institution. In some nations, the English term is reserved for those who attend university, while a schoolchild under the age of eighteen is called a pupil in English...
of an area university
University
A university is an institution of higher education and research, which grants academic degrees in a variety of subjects. A university is an organisation that provides both undergraduate education and postgraduate education...
might purchase a plate with the school's logo, or an outdoorsman might decide to pay extra for a plate depicting a nature scene. A portion of the extra cost of these licence plates often ends up as a donation
Donation
A donation is a gift given by physical or legal persons, typically for charitable purposes and/or to benefit a cause. A donation may take various forms, including cash, services, new or used goods including clothing, toys, food, and vehicles...
for a related school or non-profit organization. In 1996 the province of Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
issued an optional "Star Trek
Star Trek
Star Trek is an American science fiction entertainment franchise created by Gene Roddenberry. The core of Star Trek is its six television series: The Original Series, The Animated Series, The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager, and Enterprise...
" licence plate. It was discontinued in the early 2000s. Some jurisdictions allow for some or all of their specialty plates to also be vanity plates, usually for an additional fee on top of the cost of the plate.
Veterans are allowed to have a special licence plate
Canadian veteran licence plates
In Canada, motor vehicle licence plates are issued by the transportation department in each province and territory. They honour veterans by issuing a special type of licence plate that is available only to veterans. Between 2002 and 2005, a trend struck the licence authorities which prompted them...
.
In addition, provinces may provide commemorative plates as a standard issue. A number of provinces issued plates recognizing the 1967 centennial of the Canadian Confederation
Canadian Confederation
Canadian Confederation was the process by which the federal Dominion of Canada was formed on July 1, 1867. On that day, three British colonies were formed into four Canadian provinces...
during that year. Several provinces have issued plates commemorating milestones in their own province. Provinces often issue plates with their motto or slogan, such as Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
's "Je me souviens", British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
's "Beautiful British Columbia." or Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
's "Yours To Discover". These are arguably also general commemoratives. Saskatchewan's "Land of Living Skies" slogan may be interpreted as a reference to the province's drastically changing weather within minutes or a nod to the northern lights, aurora borealis.
All provinces offer specialized licence plates for licensed amateur radio
Amateur radio
Amateur radio is the use of designated radio frequency spectrum for purposes of private recreation, non-commercial exchange of messages, wireless experimentation, self-training, and emergency communication...
operators, in many cases at no extra charge or at a discount compared to standard vanity plates. The owner's radio call sign
Call sign
In broadcasting and radio communications, a call sign is a unique designation for a transmitting station. In North America they are used as names for broadcasting stations...
is used instead of a standard-issue serial.
Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
considered issuing purple-on-pink licence plates for vehicles where an ignition interlock system had been installed, but never went through with the plan.
In preparation for the 2010 Olympic Winter Games held in Vancouver, the Province of British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
and ICBC (Insurance Corporation of British Columbia
Insurance Corporation of British Columbia
The Insurance Corporation of British Columbia is a provincial crown corporation in British Columbia created in 1973 by the NDP government of British Columbia. The original purpose of ICBC was to provide universal public auto insurance in British Columbia...
) issued special "Olympic" registration plates. The special plates feature an image of the mountain peaks of Garibaldi Provincial park as the background, with the Vancouver 2010 logo in the foreground between the letter and number groups of the registration plate. The plates were optional, requiring an initial fee of $35.00, as well as a yearly renewal fee of $25.00 per year. These "Olympic Plates" were only offered until December 31, 2010, whereby owners could continue to display them on their vehicle—they’re an official provincial licence plate.Winter-Games licence plates
Professional and governmental licence plates
Canadian Forces
The Canadian Forces , officially the Canadian Armed Forces , are the unified armed forces of Canada, as constituted by the National Defence Act, which states: "The Canadian Forces are the armed forces of Her Majesty raised by Canada and consist of one Service called the Canadian Armed Forces."...
may circulate on the streets and have white licence plates with a maple leaf and "Canada" written on them.
British Columbia
The official vehicle for the Lieutenant-Governor of British Columbia does not have a licence plate and instead, an embossed Coat of arms of British ColumbiaCoat of arms of British Columbia
The original coat of arms of British Columbia, also known as the Arms of Her Majesty in right of British Columbia, was granted to British Columbia by a Royal Warrant of King Edward VII on 31 March 1906...
is affixed to the plate area.
When the Queen undertook her Golden Jubilee Tour in 2002, her official vehicle bore the embossed Royal Crown on a red background.
Official government vehicles do not use distinct licence plate or numbers unlike other provinces within this section of the article.
Ontario
Cars owned by the federal government in Ontario are in the format FDx-123, not in the usual four-letter format, with the first two letters always being "F" and "D" and the third digit being either a letter or a number. Cars owned by the provincial government in Ontario use standard series plates, but with specialized validation stickers exempt from annual registration. These exempt stickers are yellow with black stripes, informally dubbed bumblebeeBumblebee
A bumble bee is any member of the bee genus Bombus, in the family Apidae. There are over 250 known species, existing primarily in the Northern Hemisphere although they are common in New Zealand and in the Australian state of Tasmania.Bumble bees are social insects that are characterised by black...
stickers. Ontario plates assigned to Members of Parliament are in the format of MHC-123 for Members of the House of Commons and SEN-123 for Senators
Canadian Senate
The Senate of Canada is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the House of Commons, and the monarch . The Senate consists of 105 members appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister...
. Members of the Canadian Cabinet
Cabinet of Canada
The Cabinet of Canada is a body of ministers of the Crown that, along with the Canadian monarch, and within the tenets of the Westminster system, forms the government of Canada...
receive CAN-123 plates, with the Prime Minister assigned CAN-001 and remaining members of cabinet assigned numbers sequentially based on order of precedence
Canadian order of precedence
The Canadian order of precedence is a nominal and symbolic hierarchy of important positions within the Government of Canada. It has no legal standing but is used to dictate ceremonial protocol....
. Federal court judges receive FCJ-123. Ontario Superior Court judges receive SCO-123.
The Lieutenant-Governor of Ontario receives a licence plates that bears an embossed crown rather than a number. Members of Provincial Parliament receive MPP-123 plates. Members of the Ontario Cabinet receive ONT-123 plates, with the premier assigned ONT-001 and remaining members of cabinet assigned numbers sequentially based on order of precedence. Provincial judges receive PJO-123.
New Brunswick
Cars and pickup trucks owned by the Province of New Brunswick also use standard series plates, but with black "Permanent" validation stickers exempt from annual registration.Municipally-owned vehicles larger than a pickup truck receive plates that begin with M, in the format M12-345.
Diplomatic plates are in the format of DP-123.
The Lieutenant-Governor of New Brunswick receives a licence plate that bears an embossed crown.
Newfoundland and Labrador
All government vehicles (including construction equipment and trailers) in Newfoundland and Labrador are issued plates that begin with G. Depending on the level of government the plate format can be GFx-123 for Federal vehicles, GPx-123 for Provincial, and GMx-123 for Municipal.Government vehicles in Newfoundland and Labrador do not display registration stickers.
General Registration Licence Plates
In Ontario, motor vehicle dealers licensed under the Motor Vehicle Dealers Act use a single portable plate with the word "DEALER" on the left side and red alpha-numeric characters on a white background. It is for exclusive use by motor vehicle dealers only on motor vehicles owned as part of the dealer's inventory of vehicles for sale. It may also be used for private use vehicles that are owned as part of the dealer's inventory of vehicles for sale.Quebec has a similar scheme. Plate numbers with the prefix "X" followed by five or six digits may be used on any vehicle that is part of a dealer's inventory.
Service providers, including anyone who repairs, customizes, modifies, manufactures or transports motor vehicles or trailers use yellow and black DLR series plates (Dealer and Service Plate).
A Service Plate may be used:
- on a trailer or motor vehicle other than a motorcycle or motor-assisted bicycle for purposes related to the repair, road testing, customization or modification of the vehicle, if the vehicle is in the possession of the person to whom the service plate is issued, or
- for the purpose of transporting the vehicle by a person engaged in the business of transporting vehicles, or
- for purposes related to the manufacturing or sale of a trailer, or
- for the purpose of towing the vehicle by a person engaged in the business of transporting vehicles, or
- to tow a vehicle to a location where its load will be removed or to an impound facility.
Private use of motor vehicles or trailers with a service plate is not permitted.
Diplomatic licence plates
The diplomatic plates are issued by the province in which the consulate or embassy is located. Thus, most plates are issued in OntarioOntario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, where the capital Ottawa is located.
British Columbia
The provincial government introduced new vehicle plate template for consular officials in 2006. The plates are red background (contrast with blue or white background for regular plates) and white letterings. These plates do not have slogans such as "Beautiful British Columbia" or "Best Place on Earth" that appear on plates for regular plates.Format of the plates are XX ###X where XX can be CC (Consular Officers), HC (Honorary Consuls), CS (Administrative, service or technical staff) and SR (sub-state foreign officials), followed by 3 numbers and a letter.
Ontario
The Ontario plates are white on red. There is no country coding so that the general public cannot target particular diplomats. The plates have been permanent since 1987 and have a 3-number, 3-letter format, coded as follows:- CDx = Diplomat
- CCx = Consular
- XTx = Non Diplomatic Embassy Staff
- XOR = Foreign missions without diplomatic status.
Ambassadors or Heads of Missions use plates in the 010 to 019 number series, i.e., starting at 010-CDA.
The Taipei Economic and Cultural Office is the main user of XOR plates.
See also
- History of US and Canadian license plates
- Canadian veteran licence platesCanadian veteran licence platesIn Canada, motor vehicle licence plates are issued by the transportation department in each province and territory. They honour veterans by issuing a special type of licence plate that is available only to veterans. Between 2002 and 2005, a trend struck the licence authorities which prompted them...
- Vehicle registration plates of the United States