Vehicle registration plates of Quebec

The Canadian province of Quebec first required its residents to register their motor vehicles and display licence plates in 1912. Plates are currently issued by the Société de l'assurance automobile du Québec (Quebec Automobile Insurance Corporation).

From 1963 to 1977 (except 1967), licence plates carried the slogan La Belle Province ("The Beautiful Province"), a nickname for Quebec. Since 1978, they have carried Je me souviens ("I remember"), the official motto of the province.

Quebec is also one of only three provinces where decals are not used to show that the vehicle has valid registration (the others being Saskatchewan and Manitoba).

Since 1979, Quebec legislation has required only rear plates, though there are certain cases where front plates are also required. Annual renewal stickers, introduced in 1979 have now been abolished for passenger vehicles. Dates for plate renewal are determined by either one of two factors: for passenger vehicles, based on the first letter of the registered owner's name, and for other vehicles, based on the type of vehicle. For example, the registration of passenger vehicles whose owners' surnames begin with the letter "L" and school buses is to be renewed in September. Registrations and fees may be renewed up to three months in advance. Trailer plates ("R" category) are not renewed annually: they are only registered upon initial purchase, or when transferred to another owner.[1] Enforcement is done by a variety of methods, including automated number plate recognition.[2]

Vehicles registered in Quebec can only display approved plates. Decorative designs are tolerated at the front of the vehicles, but displaying foreign plates (or plates whose design is likely to be mistaken for a registration plate) is an offense under articles 34 and 56 of the Code de la sécurité routière (Highway traffic act) and punishable with a fine.[3]

Relief Design Inc., of St-Louis de Blandford, is specialized in the production of license plates on behalf of the SAAQ.

Vehicle categories

Certain vehicle categories are indicated on plates by the use of prefixes:[4]

Active categories

Active categories Prefix
Taxis (** two digits indicate the area where the taxi operates) T, T**
Taxis requiring a special permit (i.e.: limousines) TS
Taxis used for non-emergency patient transfer TB
Trucks, truck-trailer, and farm vehicles over 3000 kg L
Buses and minibuses A, AE, AP, AU
Restricted use vehicles (including vehicles used in remote areas not connected to the remainder of the road network, farm tractors, snowmobiles, vintage motorcycles and automobiles restricted to roads with speed limits below 70 km/h) C
Removable plates (i.e.: garage and dealers) X
Removable motorcycle and snowmobile plates XA (only on small motorcycle plate)
Trailers R
Vehicles used off public roadways (snowmobiles under 450 kg, and vehicles restricted to use in harbors, train stations and airports) V
Other vehicles (including commercial, farm, driving school, occasional school use, road-going machines, snow removal vehicles, hearses, ambulances, tow trucks) F
Consular and diplomatic staff vehicles (e.g. CC 123, CD 123) [5] CC, CD
Licensed shortwave radio operators (e.g. VE2 AA, VE2 AAA, VA2 AA, VA2 AAA) [5] VE2, VA2

Retired categories

Description Expired prefix Replaced by
Farm trailers registered before 1 January 1989 U R
Government of Québec GQ F
Sureté du Québec provincial police force GP F
Government of Canada G F
Hearse CO, H F
Ambulance AM, H F
Rentals, short-term (less than one year).[6] ZZ F
Rentals/leases longer than one year.[6] If a leased by a commercial owner, prefix may be combined with F prefix. Z, FZ F

Passenger plates 1912 to present

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 first Quebec licence plate that complied with these standards.

Image First issued Description Slogan Serial format Serials issued Notes
1956 Embossed green numbers on white plate with border line; embossed green fleur-de-lys used as separator; "QUÉBEC-56" embossed in green block letters at top none 123-456 2-001 to approximately 624-000
1957 Embossed white numbers on green plate with border line; embossed white fleur-de-lys used as separator; "QUÉBEC-57" embossed in white block letters at bottom none 123-456 2-001 to approximately 696-000
1958 Embossed black numbers on unpainted aluminum plate with border line; embossed black fleur-de-lys used as separator; "QUÉBEC-58" embossed in black block letters at top none 123-456 2-001 to approximately 749-000
1959 Embossed black numbers on yellow plate with border line; embossed black fleur-de-lys used as separator; "QUÉBEC-59" embossed in black block letters at bottom none 123-456 2-001 to approximately 807-000
1960 Embossed yellow numbers on black plate with border line; embossed yellow fleur-de-lys used as separator; "QUÉBEC-60" embossed in yellow block letters at top none 123-456 2-001 to approximately 840-000
1961 Embossed black numbers on white plate with border line; embossed black fleur-de-lys used as separator; "QUÉBEC-61" embossed in black block letters at bottom none 123-456 2-001 to approximately 915-000
1962 Embossed white numbers on black plate with border line; embossed white fleur-de-lys used as separator; "QUÉBEC-62" embossed in white block letters at top none 123-456 2-001 to approximately 998-000
1963 Embossed dark green numbers on white plate with border line; embossed dark green fleur-de-lys used as separator; "QUÉBEC-63" embossed in dark green block letters at top "LA BELLE PROVINCE" embossed in dark green block letters at bottom 123-456 2-001 to
999-999		 First use of the "La Belle Province" slogan.
12-345A 10-001A to approximately 92-000A
1964 Embossed dark green numbers on yellow plate with border line; "QUÉBEC" embossed in dark green block letters centred above numbers; dark green fleur-de-lys and "64" embossed at far left, separated from numbers by dividing line "LA BELLE PROVINCE" embossed in dark green block letters centred below numbers 123-456 2-001 to
999-999
1A-2345 1A-0001 to approximately 9B-4000
1965 Embossed white numbers on dark blue plate with border line; "QUÉBEC" embossed in white block letters centred above numbers; white fleur-de-lys and "65" embossed at far left, separated from numbers by dividing line "LA BELLE PROVINCE" embossed in white block letters centred below numbers 1A-2345 1A-0001 to approximately 4V-2000
1966 Embossed white numbers on red plate with border line; "QUÉBEC" embossed in white block letters centred above numbers; white fleur-de-lys and "66" embossed at far left, separated from numbers by dividing line "LA BELLE PROVINCE" embossed in white block letters centred below numbers 1A-2345 1A-0001 to approximately 3R-4500

1967 Embossed red designs and lettering on white plate with embossed border line; Front and rear plates of different design.
Front plate: Centred logo of the Montreal Expo 67, with fleur-de-lys on the left and along the bottom from left to right "1967", the vehicle's registration number, and "QUÉ."
Rear plate: "QUÉ." and maple leaf on the left, vehicle's registration on the right. Along the bottom from left to right "1867 CONFÉDÉRATION 1967".		 Front plate: "MONTRÉAL EXPO67"
Rear plate: "CONFÉDÉRATION"		 1A-2345 1A-0001 to approximately 8R-8500 Commemorated both the Montreal 1967 World Exposition and the centenary of Canadian confederation.
1968 Embossed white numbers on dark blue plate with border line; "QUÉBEC" embossed in white block letters centred above numbers; white fleur-de-lys and "68" embossed at far left, separated from numbers by dividing line "LA BELLE PROVINCE" embossed in white block letters centred below numbers 1A-2345 1A-0001 to approximately 9S-0500
1969 Embossed black numbers on white plate with border line; "QUÉBEC" embossed in black block letters centred above numbers; black fleur-de-lys and "69" embossed at far left, separated from numbers by dividing line "LA BELLE PROVINCE" embossed in black block letters centred below numbers 1A-2345 1A-0001 to approximately 1V-2500
1970 Embossed white numbers on dark green plate with border line; "QUÉBEC" embossed in white block letters centred above numbers; white fleur-de-lys and "70" embossed at far left, separated from numbers by dividing line "LA BELLE PROVINCE" embossed in white block letters centred below numbers 1A-2345 1A-0001 to 9Z-9999
1971 Embossed black numbers on metallic pea green plate with border line; "QUÉBEC" embossed in black block letters centred above numbers; black fleur-de-lys and "71" embossed at far left, separated from numbers by dividing line "LA BELLE PROVINCE" embossed in black block letters centred below numbers 123-456 100-001 to 999-999
1A-2345 1A-0001 to approximately 8J-2500
1972 Embossed white numbers on red plate with border line; "QUÉBEC" embossed in white block letters centred at top; white fleur-de-lys embossed in top left corner and "72" in top right corner "LA BELLE PROVINCE" embossed in white block letters centred at bottom 123-456 100-001 to 999-999 This is an example of a trailer ("R") plate.
1A-2345 1A-1 to approximately 9K-5000
1973 Embossed red numbers on white plate with border line; embossed red fleur-de-lys used as separator; "QUÉBEC" embossed in red block letters centred at top; "19" embossed in top left corner and "73" in top right corner "LA BELLE PROVINCE" embossed in red block letters centred at bottom 123-456 10-01 to
999-999
1A-2345 1A-0001 to approximately 8M-1500
1974 Embossed black numbers on yellow plate with border line; "QUÉBEC" embossed in black block letters centred at top; black fleur-de-lys embossed in top left corner and "74" in top right corner "LA BELLE PROVINCE" embossed in black block letters centred at bottom 123A456 100A001 to 999A999; 100E001 to 999E999; 100H001 to approximately 450H000
1975 Embossed green numbers on white plate with border line; "QUÉBEC" embossed in green block letters centred at top; "75" embossed in top left corner and green fleur-de-lys in top right corner "LA BELLE PROVINCE" embossed in green block letters centred at bottom 123A456 ? to ???
1976 Embossed red numbers on cream plate with border line; "QUÉBEC" embossed in red block letters centred at top; red fleur-de-lys embossed in top left corner and "76" in top right corner "LA BELLE PROVINCE" embossed in red block letters at bottom, with the logo of the 1976 Summer Olympics embossed between "BELLE" and "PROVINCE" 123A456 ? to ???
1977 Light blue base ("Bleu Québec") with embossed dark blue lettering. "La belle province" 123A456 ? to ???
1978 Light beige base with embossed brown lettering. "Je me souviens" 123A456 ? to ???
1979 blue embossed on reflective white Je me souviens 123A456 ? to ??? Front plates no longer issued. Plates no longer issued annually.
(1983 sticker) dark blue on reflective white Je me souviens ABC 123 AAA ??? to ZZZ ??? validated with stickers until 1992
1996 dark blue on reflective white Je me souviens 123 ABC ??? AAA to ??? ZZZ
January 1, 2006 dark blue on reflective white, with red and black screened image of poppy in centre of plate Je me souviens 123 ABC ??? Issued to eligible veterans, subject to vetting standards set by the Royal Canadian Legion. For use on vehicles of less than 3000 kg.[7] Plates are also produced by Relief Design Inc.
2009 dark blue on reflective white Je me souviens A12 BCD A?? AAA to ? (as of June ?, 2017)
2011 green on reflective white with electric vehicle pictogram on lower left corner [8] Je me souviens E00 VEA (passengers), A00000 (buses), FVE0000 (commercial <3000 kg) E?? VEA to present;
A????? to present;
FVE???? to present.		 Hybrid or all-electric vehicles only

References

  1. ↑ "Month for Renewal of Vehicle Registration". Société de l'assurance automobile du Québec. Gouvernement du Québec. Retrieved 18 August 2015.
  2. ↑ Frenette, Marie-Claude (31 August 2011). "La police de Mascouche se munit d'un lecteur de plaques". Le Trait d'Union (in French). http://www.letraitdunion.com/. Retrieved 18 August 2015. External link in |publisher= (help)
  3. ↑ "CODE DE LA SÉCURITÉ ROUTIÈRE". Publications du Québec (in French). Éditeur officiel du Québec. Retrieved 18 August 2015. Aucune plaque ou vignette qui peut être confondue avec une plaque d'immatriculation ou une vignette de contrôle délivrée par la Société ou par une autre autorité administrative compétente ne peut être fixée sur un véhicule routier ou apposée sur une plaque, sauf s'il s'agit d'une plaque ou d'une vignette requise en vertu d'une autre loi en vigueur au Québec ou d'une plaque fixée conformément aux normes et aux conditions établies en vertu du paragraphe 19° de l'article 618.
  4. ↑ "Catégories de plaques d'immatriculation". Société de l'assurance automobile du Québec (in French). Gouvernement du Québec. 14 August 2013. Retrieved 17 July 2015.
  5. 1 2 "Passenger Vehicles (Personal Use)". Société de l'assurance automobile du Québec. Gouvernement du Québec. Retrieved 31 August 2015.
  6. 1 2 "Journal des débats (Hansard) of the Committee on Planning and Infrastructures". Journal des débats (in French). 28 (15). 18 December 1984. Retrieved 31 August 2015.
  7. ↑ "Veteran's plates for cars". Royal Canadian Legion Quebec Command. Retrieved 14 September 2015.
  8. ↑ "Electric Vehicles". Société de l'assurance automobile du Québec. Gouvernement du Québec. Retrieved 31 August 2015.
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