Vehicle registration plates of British Columbia

The Canadian province of British Columbia first required its residents to register their motor vehicles and display licence plates in 1904.

Contents

Passenger plates 1964 to present

Image First issued Design Slogan Serial format Serials issued Notes
1964 Yearly changes between blue on white, white on blue and red on white. Beautiful British Columbia 123-456 Insurance renewal required a new plate every year
1970 blue on white Beautiful British Columbia ABC-123 Introduction of yearly vehicle registration stickers and the idea of permanent plates
1973 blue on white Beautiful British Columbia ABC-123
1979 white on blue Beautiful British Columbia ABC-123
1985 blue on reflective white with screened provincial government flag logo Beautiful British Columbia ABC-123
2001 blue on reflective white with screened provincial government flag logo Beautiful British Columbia 123-ABC

AB1 23C (future)[1]

 000-AAA to present, excluding the 000-MAB and 000-VAB series
2007 Special Issue 2010 Olympics plate with screened mountain design on background and 2010 Winter Olympic logo on center. The Best Place On Earth 123-MAB 000-MAA to present

Truck plates 1979 to present

Image First issued Design Slogan Serial format Serials issued Notes
1979 green on white Beautiful British Columbia 12-34-AB
1985 blue on reflective white with screened provincial government flag logo Beautiful British Columbia 1234-AB
2007 Special Issue 2010 Olympics plate with screened mountain design on background and 2010 Winter Olympic logo on center. The Best Place On Earth AB-1234
2008 blue on reflective white with screened provincial government flag logo Beautiful British Columbia AB-1234

Licence plate decals

Since 1970, it has been necessary in British Columbia to place a decal on the rear licence plate as proof of current insurance in order to be permitted to drive the vehicle. Decals have been used since 1970, but they all expired on February 28 of the following year until March 1980. Then they expired at the end of the month on the decal, until 1994. Then an additional decal, with a number on it for the day it expired, was introduced.

The decals are currently issued by the provincial motor vehicle insurer, the Insurance Corporation of British Columbia The following are the colour patterns used in years from 1980 onward:

Year Colour
1980 Black and white
1981 Red and black
1982 Green and white
1983 Black and white
1984 Orange and white
1985 Blue and white
1986 Red and blue
1987 Red and white
1988 Dark blue and white
1989 Green and white
1990 Pink and white
1991 Blue and white
1992 Black and white
1993 Green and white
1994 Red and white
1995 Blue and white
1996 Black and white (Jan-Sept)
1996 Pink and white (Oct-Dec)
1997 Green and white
1998 Red and white
1999 Blue and white, thick or thin border
2000 Yellow
2001 Orange
2002 Dark green
2003 Pink
2004 Yellow
2005 Sky-blue
2006 Red
2007 Light green
2008 Baby blue and white
2009 Dark orange and black
2010 Green and black
2011 Yellow and black
2012 Pink and black
2013 Orange and black

References

  1. ^ "ICBC: Province running out of six-character licence plate numbers". News1130. 2010-05-25. http://www.news1130.com/news/local/article/58963--icbc-province-running-out-of-six-character-licence-plate-numbers. 

External links