Vehicle registration plates of Newfoundland and Labrador

The Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador first required its residents to register their motor vehicles and display licence plates in 1920.

In 1956, the U.S. states and Canadian provinces came to an agreement with the Automobile Manufacturers Association that fixed the size for licence plates for vehicles, except those for motorcycles, at six inches in height by twelve inches in width, with standardized mounting holes. The 1955 (dated 1956) issue was the province's first licence plate that complied with these standards.

The last complete re-registration of all registered vehicles in Newfoundland was in 1981, with a switch from a numerical system (which reached a high of approximately 250000) to an alphanumeric system.

All plates issued since 1982 (beginning AAA-001) remain valid today. Plates remain with the vehicle to which they are originally registered, rather than with the owner. Used vehicles with expired plates are issued new licence plates — used vehicles with valid plates retain their original licence plate.

Since 1985, the province has not issued the letters Q, U, I or Y on licence plates. At least one exception exists: on the 1996-1997 Cabot 500 base, the HAY series was issued, and some of these plates can still be observed on the road today. More recently, the letter I has been seen in the TGI series (issued to trailers).

Since September 1997, the province requires only a rear plate for most registrations, except for B, C, E and G plates (see below). Some older cars still display both front and rear plates. Some early "World of Difference" and Cabot 500 base plates were issued in duplicate for the front and rear.

On Newfoundland licence plates, the first letter (or two letters) designates the registration class of the vehicle. For example, HMT-999 would be assigned to a passenger car, while TZD-019 would be assigned to a trailer.

Vehicle class

First letter(s) Vehicle type Notes on use/expiration/issue
A Private car Began at AAA-001 in 1982; ended at AZZ-999 on World of Difference base in 1998. Front and rear plates required until 1997.
B Bus BAx for public-use buses, BPx for private-use buses (e.g. tour buses). Front and rear plates required.
C Truck/heavy vehicle Issued to pickup trucks, SUVs and large vans. Began at CAA-001 in 1982. Front and rear plates required. CRx indicates large mobile crane units that are generally overwidth and need special permits and escort on public roadways. Some trucks and vans may now be registered as private cars.
D Dealer Issued to auto dealers for test driving and transporting cars.
E Ambulance Other emergency vehicles (fire trucks or police cars) are registered as provincial or municipal, as private ambulance companies operate in NL. Front and rear plates required.
F Farm vehicle FAx for farm tractors, FEx for farm equipment, FTx for farm trucks that operate on roads. Infrequently issued.
G Government vehicle GMx on municipal vehicles, GPx on provincial, GFx on federal. Municipal/provincial still issue 2001 flag series, federal only has 2003 series. None on 2002 issue. Front and rear plates required. In 2010 provincial government vehicles started featuring 2007 type plates.
H Private car Issued as next available letter after A series. Began at HAB-001 on Cabot base in fall of 1996; issued on World of Difference base from 1998; ended at HZZ-999 on pitcher plant base in summer of 2013.
J Private car Issued as next available letter after H series. Began at JAA-001 on pitcher plant base in summer of 2013.
M Motorcycle Began at MCA-001.
PR Apportioned Issued to transport trucks, began at PRP-001 on 1993 issue.
T Trailer For some reason, during the 2003 flag series, the province suddenly stopped (around TEx) and began issuing backward from TZZ.
TX Licenced taxi Supplemented with a municipal taxi licence sticker.
W Tow truck Tow trucks display a second plate (in addition to a C series). Infrequently issued.
X Heavy machinery Issued to tractors, backhoes, forklifts, etc.

Passenger baseplates 1967 to present

Image Dates issued Design Slogan Serial format Serials issued Notes
1967 Embossed green numbers on white plate with border line; "NEWFOUNDLAND AND LABRADOR" and "1967" embossed in green block letters centered above and below numbers respectively "CANADA CENTENNIAL" embossed in green block letters between numbers and year 12-345 1-001 to approximately 79-000
1968 Embossed red numbers on white plate with border line; "NEWFOUNDLAND AND LABRADOR" embossed in red block letters above numbers; "19" embossed in bottom left corner and "68" in bottom right corner "CANADA'S HAPPY PROVINCE" embossed in two lines of red block letters centered below numbers 12-345 1-001 to approximately 87-000
1969 Embossed blue numbers on white plate with border line; "NEWFOUNDLAND AND LABRADOR" and "1969" embossed in blue block letters centered above and below numbers respectively, with an embossed blue lightning bolt either side of year "THE MIGHTY CHURCHILL" embossed in curving line of blue block letters between numbers and year 12-345 1-001 to approximately 88-000
1970–2 Embossed green numbers on white plate with border line; "NEWFOUNDLAND AND LABRADOR" and "1970" embossed in green block letters centered above and below numbers respectively none 123-456 1-001 to approximately 136-000
1973–5 Embossed red numbers on white plate; border line around plate and around sticker spots in bottom corners; "NEWFOUNDLAND AND LABRADOR" and "1973" embossed in red block letters centered above and below numbers respectively none 123-456 1-001 to approximately 165-000
1976–82 Embossed blue numbers on orange plate; border line around plate and around sticker spots in bottom corners; "NEWFOUNDLAND AND LABRADOR" and "1976" embossed in blue block letters centered above and below numbers respectively none 123-456 1-001 to approximately 259-000
1982 – mid 1993 Embossed blue numbers on white plate; "NEWFOUNDLAND" and "AND LABRADOR" embossed in red block letters centered above and below numbers respectively none ABC-123 AAA-001 to ASZ-999
mid 1993 – September 1996 Embossed red numbers on white plate; graphic screened at bottom featuring a Viking ship with a red sail against a yellow sunset; "Newfoundland & Labrador" screened in red serifed letters above numbers "A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE" screened in two wavy lines of red serifed letters below and to right of graphic ABC 123 ATA 001 to AZF 999
September 1996 – September 1997 Embossed red numbers on light blue and white gradient plate; screened red graphic of John Cabot centered at bottom; "Newfoundland & Labrador" screened in blue serifed letters above numbers "CABOT" screened in blue cursive letters to right of graphic, and "Celebrate 500 Years" in black serifed letters to left ABC 123 HAB 001 to HBC 999 Commemorated the 500th anniversary of Cabot's voyage to Newfoundland.
September 1997 – October 2001 Embossed red numbers on white plate; graphic screened at bottom featuring a Viking ship with a red sail against a yellow sunset; "Newfoundland & Labrador" screened in red serifed letters above numbers "A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE" screened in two wavy lines of red serifed letters below and to right of graphic ABC 123 AZG 001 to AZZ 999, HBD 001 to HEP 999 Return to 1993 base.
October 2001 – July 2002 Embossed red numbers on white plate; screened provincial flag centered slightly below numbers; "NEWFOUNDLAND & LABRADOR CANADA" screened in three lines of red serifed letters below flag none ABC 123 HER 001 to HFO 999
July 2002 – September 2003 As above, but with "NEWFOUNDLAND & LABRADOR" in two lines centered above numbers, and "CANADA" increased in size HFP 001 to HGZ 999
September 2003 – April 2007 As above, but with flag graphic revised and increased in size, "Newfoundland & Labrador" in one line above numbers, and "CANADA" removed HHA 001 to HMT 999
April 2007 – present Embossed blue numbers on white plate; screened provincial wordmark centered at bottom, consisting of "Newfoundland" and "Labrador" in blue stylized serifed letters, and a pitcher plant none ABC 123 HMV 001 to JCK 999 (as of March 29, 2015)

Non-passenger types

Image Type Dates issued Design Serial format Serials issued Notes
Motorcycle 1982–2004 Similar design to 1982 passenger base; debossed sticker box in bottom left corner M/C A-123 M/C A-001 to M/C X-999
2004–7 Embossed red numbers on white plate; border lines around plate and around sticker box in bottom left corner; "NEWFOUNDLAND" embossed in red block letters above numbers; "& LABRADOR" embossed in same letters in bottom right corner MAB-123 MDA-001 to MDE-999
2007–present Similar design to pitcher plant passenger base; debossed sticker box in bottom left corner MDF-001 to MEE-999 (as of February 20, 2015)
Truck 1982–95 As 1982 passenger base CAB-123 CAA-001 to CHV-999
1995–6 As "World of Difference" passenger base CAB 123 CHW 001 to CJH 999
1996–7 As Cabot passenger base CKL 001 to CKR 999
1997–2003 As "World of Difference" passenger base CJJ 001 to CKK 999, CKS 001 to CMS 999
2003–7 As flag passenger base CMT 001 to COS 999
2007–present As pitcher plant passenger base COT 001 to CXF 999 (as of March 29, 2015) Serials CRA through CRZ reserved for mobile crane units.

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