Ontario License Plates

From Steven Lieblein: BACx, BADx, BAFx, BARx, and BATx series still not spotted. The only known BBCx series so far is BBCF.

Jim Becksted reports that AAAA-001 was spotted west of Toronto and he has a photo of it. Tristan Anderson spotted ZZZZ-999, which was a personalized issue.

Personalized AAA-001 on the optional Star Trek plate was spotted by Phil C. in Brampton. Regular issue, first of the series, 001-AAA was spotted in Richmond Hill by Robert Lubinski, still in use as of March 2014.

AAA-137 spotted in Sep. 2009 still in regular use by JCampbell in Ottawa.

999-ZZZ spotted in 2014 by Dale Snook in Mississauga.

No AZZx plates have been reported yet. The highest A series reported so far was AZYY-928. Update: Steven Lieblein reports AZZA-001 on 6/27/14 on a truck, which is the first AZZx plate ever known.

In the 001-AAA to 999-ZZZ series, plates were only issued as high as VWY or VWZ (819-VWY is our high) in the painted (non-reflective) style. The reflective plates began at 001-VYJ. They were worried that the transition would not go smoothly so they held about 60,000 pairs, the last of the painted plates from about VXA to VYH, along with smaller amounts of non-passenger types. The idea was to keep this as a reserve series as needed. They ended up not needing those plates, so it is believed they have all been recycled.

Tyler Elg - 18 Nov ’23

The French slogan option became available in May 2008. As of 3/28/2011 it is now available for vanities. It has since become available on all graphics and some non-passenger types.

French slogan plates are using the BCAA, BEAA, BEAD, BEAE, BEAJ, BEAL, BEAM, BEAN, BEAP, BEAS, BSRH, BSRJ, BSRK, BTBE, and BTBF series so far. Tom Rodda confirms BCAA-001 as a low, spotted in Ottawa on 2012-02-03.

Tom Rodda - 27 Oct ’23

10 Day Special Permit replaced the previous paper 10 Day Temporary Permit (high A888113) by 7-31-08. Note that most vehicles now get pair of pass plates with red on white T sticker. 10 Day Special Permit only used in specific cases where the T pass plate application is not appropriate, such as out of province vehicles.

A000263 reported as a low seen online.

Brett Weisbrot - 5 May ’23

Bus series reversed after BN9-999, starting at 100-1BF

Christian Hesse - 1 Oct ’23

Seen in Toronto

Sebastien April reports 011-CCN on 2013-09-19. We think the CCN series is a continuation of the CCC series Consulate plates, but we don't have any confirmation yet.

Jordan Retsinas - 25 Sep ’23

Until December 2004 the yellow plate was actually a Dealer/Service plate. In 2004 a special plate just for dealers was created, and existing service facilities continued to use their yellow plates.

674-DKA is considered to be the last Dealer/Service plate, but they didn't stop issuing yellow plates at that point. New service registrants continue to be issued the same design of yellow plates, which appear in a separate Highs listing. The new dealer plates started at 001-DLA.

The new style of dealer plate is in the black on white commercial plate screening, but the embossed registration characters are in red.

011-DLA is the lowest reported by Matt Embro. Alan Bones reports 133-DLO, which is an unusual use of the letter "O" in Ontario.

Shuoquan Liu - 1 Nov ’23

Spotted in Ottawa

White on red, reflective

The CDR series follows CDL.

987-CDL was reported by Alan Bones on 2005-07-22, but this is out of sequence. 999-CDL was reported by Jim Sadler. 981-CDP also reported by Jim Sadler. Other plates of this type out of sequence have been reported. Remakes of numbers from the fully embossed period also exist.

Alan also notes that it appears serials 980-999 are now reserved for heads of mission (Ambassadors and High Commissioners)

Tom Rodda spotted the first of this series, 001-CDA in Ottawa. Alan Bones reports this plate number is issued to the "Dean of the Diplomatic Corps" (i.e. the longest locally-serving head of mission). If the Dean changes, the number is re-issued to the new dean. Tiger Joe reports 001-CDA was the non-reflective base, and registered at least since 1995 to the Papal Nuncio, but there have been two other since, and the current Dean is from Guyana.

Tom Rodda - 23 Sep ’23

It took 11 years to use up MAB series.

Nathaniel Gionette - 9 Oct ’23

Spotted in Ottawa

White on red

Tom Rodda - 6 May ’23

White on reflective red. XOR series

Foreign organizations not of diplomatic status, such as the Taiwan trade office.

Tyler Elg - 25 Jun ’23

1980-2003 issues were in the FA1-234 format. FK series skipped.

Tyler Elg - 5 Nov ’23

Pascal HD - 15 Apr ’23

Green on white with a graphic of a trillium in the center.

From Matt Embro:

Started in June 2010. Issued ONLY to plug-in hybrid and battery-powered electric vehicles, however the owner can still choose to put regular passenger plates on these types of cars if they wish. These plates are NOT issued to regular hybrid vehicles, such as Prius, etc.

These plates come with special privileges. Cars running them are able to:

Use High-Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lanes until 2015, even if there is just one person in the vehicle.

Access recharging facilities at GO Transit and other provincially operated parking lots.

Use designated parking spots at the University of Toronto and private companies such as Walmart Canada.

They come in both English and French versions, The English version is in the GVxx series and has "Green Vehicle" on the bottom, where "Yours To Discover" normally is.

Matt Mc - 21 Oct ’23

The French version is the same design but is in the VExx series and has "Vehicule Ecologique" on the bottom.

Eric Bryden - 24 May ’22

Current format after 999-HVZ reached in summer 2007.

Tyler Elg - 8 Sep ’23

Introduced 3-27-06 for Limited Speed Motorcycles. Small plate is white on green.

Jesse Goulah - 11 Jul ’12

New type 1/1/17

Christian Hesse - 16 Sep ’23

White on red

After F9999, the series progressed to EA 101 and up.

- 23 Feb ’20

Series history, courtesy of Manny Jacob:

Dated 1980:

10001-99999

Z1-Z9999

No date, sticker box, 1981 and 1982:

Y0001-S9999 (issued in reverse order)

Undated, no sticker box, 1982-1994 embossed:

R0001-H9999 (issued in reverse order)

001AA-999EZ

001NA-999ZZ

FA001-KZ999

Reflective sheeting, 1994 - present:

LA001-LZ999

1A001-9Z999

100A1-999Z9

0001A-9999Z

0A0A1-present

Tyler Elg - 4 Oct ’23

White on light blue.

(Actual sighting date was 2010-12-27 for AE330.

- 23 Feb ’20

Green on white

Series advanced from 99ZZ9 to 1AA11.

Off-Road Dealer (red on white) - 371MD 2009-04-15 Terry Ellsworth

Tyler Elg - 20 May ’23

Commemorative plate to mark the 100th anniversary of the OPP in 2009. Black on white with special emblem at left, used only on OPP vehicles.

OPP004 reported as a low.

Paul Thomson - 25 Feb ’10

nnn-ONx format, previous high was 298-ONC

Martin Houle - 11 Jun ’09

Andrew Turnbull - 11 Oct ’22

1982-2006 - prefix PA-PZ + 4 numbers

2006-2019 - 4 numbers + PA-PZ

suffix

2019-present - prefix PA-PZ + 5 numbers

Nathaniel Gionette - 15 Oct ’23

Spotted in Brantford

Used on inter-provincial buses or buses that frequently cross the border. PRP Bus plates are seen only on big coach buses, and are quite rare even in that case. The BP series is exclusive to PRP Bus.

Tyler Elg - 21 Sep ’23

Tyler Elg - 15 Sep ’23

Update: Series jumped to DWA after DKZ.

Service plates are black on yellow in the DKA-DKZ series and were originally Dealer/Service plates until Dealer plates began a new type in the DLA series in December 2004 with the black Commercial type sheeting and red embossed characters. Service plates continue in the black on yellow design. Also, we have confirmed as early as 2004 that transporters are now using these plates instead of the old orange on white "In-Transit" paper permit. Also, we have confirmed

as early as 2004 that tranporters are now using these plates instead of the old orange on white "In-Transit" paper permit. In-Transit paper permits observed as high as #317000 and observed in use as late as February 2002.

Eric Bryden - 25 May ’23

Blue on white pair of decals or custom numbers applied to both sides of cowling.

Eric Vettoretti reports that initial all numeric series has been exhausted when 999999 reached. The Ministry has switched numbering format to 0AA000. The number is still applied by the owner to both sides of cowlings.

Eric Bryden - 7 Sep ’23

David Wilson - 7 Jul ’13

A12-12A is the low for this type seen by David Wilson on 2002-02-12.

Tyler Elg - 21 Oct ’23

New series started at AA-10000, following 999-9ZZ in the previous series.

Previous series low: 101-4AA spotted by Mike Franks

Previous series high: 999-9ZZ spotted by David Wilson

Current series low: AA-10094 spotted by Matt Embro

Letter O only used in AO, CO and NO suffix series. P and S suffixes reserved for PRP and School bus. Nicholas reports that the letters Q and U are not used on Truck plates, at least in recent issues.

Colin - 19 Nov ’23

Low: DA-10007 2013-07-02 Tom Rodda (seen in Ottawa)

Reginald Dionne - 10 Nov ’23

First available 2007-03-26.

Matt Embro - 7 Jul ’11

This is not a "Tribal plate" in the sense that it is available only to members. It is a special plate that carries the same additional fee as others in Ontario, and it is available to the general public.

Tyler Elg - 13 Oct ’23

Manny Jacob - 17 Nov ’06

IV is for "Illuminate Viam" the motto under the group's symbol on the plate.

Vince Black reports spotting the first plate of the series, 01IV01, in Mississauga on 2014-01-04.

Sebastien April - 20 Nov ’13

Mike Franks - 7 Nov ’14

Introduced in March 2007.

English logo started at 01BL01.

French logo version started at 50BL01, slogan remains English.

French logo version high - 50BL15

Tyler Elg - 13 Oct ’23

Eric Bryden - 30 May ’22

Tom Rodda - 16 Mar ’23

First available 1997-03-03.

Eric Vettoretti - 14 Jun ’10

First available 11/30/09

Vince Black - 26 May ’13

Jim Becksted - 14 Dec ’11

Tyler Elg - 13 Oct ’23

Graphic is for safety awareness, actual graphic is "Elmer" the safety elephant.

Eric Bryden - 4 Feb ’22

First available 11/30/09

Danny K. - 15 Nov ’21

David Wilson - 20 Jun ’12

Seen in Guelph

In 2004, the FS series succeeded the original FD series. In late 2012, the FR series succeeded the FS series.

Tyler Elg - 16 Nov ’23

Spotted in Ottawa

There are two versions of this plate, with just the slogan being different. The lower number series (starting at 01FL01) has the slogan in English, while the higher series (starting at 50FL01) has it in French.

English high: 06FL08 2014-06-08 David R. Wilson

French high: 52FL63 2010-02-10 Jim Sadler

Tom Rodda - 19 Jul ’23

French version: 01DY03 reported 5/20/23 by Brent M.

Owen Wilding - 2 Nov ’23

Eric Bryden - 11 Mar ’22

First available 2006-04-24.

RJM - 4 May ’09

Masonic emblem is superimposed on a maple leaf to the left of the numbers.

Eric Bryden - 30 May ’22

Matt Embro - 7 Jul ’11

Tyler Elg - 13 Oct ’23

- 23 Sep ’18

Robert Lubinski - 26 Oct ’09

I Heart (red heart with an I inside)

Brent Morton - 21 Apr ’06

First available 2000-09-01.

Graphic updated 1/4/2011 and is now called "International Ch'ang-Hon Taekwon-Do Federation."

Old style high - 04TD22

New style low - 04TD71

Vince Black spotted what could be an error plate with 17TD10 on it. The letters TD are normally used for the Taekwon-Do Federation plates, but this plate appeared to have a Loon logo, and the Taekwon-Do series is only in the 04 block of numbers, so the 17 doesn't fit.

Eric Bryden - 30 May ’22

Plate discontinued 2018. Lowest seen was 01KL03. Current high was reported by Holly Embro on 7/21/10.

Mike Franks - 11 Jun ’23

Matt Embro - 20 Aug ’10

Jim Sadler - 25 Jun ’09

Introduced in late 2005.

Eric Bryden - 2 May ’23

Martin Houle - 12 Sep ’13

Sebastien April - 28 Feb ’15

Spotted in Ottawa

First series used LN, now LM since 2002.

Vince Black spotted what could be an error plate with 17TD10 on it. The letters TD are normally used for the Taekwon-Do Federation plates, but this plate appeared to have a Loon logo, and the Taekwon-Do series is only in the 04 block of numbers, so the 17 doesn't fit.

Tom Rodda - 25 Oct ’23

Eric Bryden - 15 Apr ’22

Nicholas - 26 Feb ’09

NEW to commemorate the bicentennial in 2012.

Eric Bryden - 29 Nov ’22

First available 2006-08-09.

Eric Bryden - 16 Mar ’23

Eric Bryden - 21 May ’23

Graphic is for Ontario Federation of Snowmobile clubs.

Low of 01SN01 spotted at Peace Bridge Border Crossing by Jacob Robitaille.

Jacob Robitaille - 25 Aug ’23

New in March 2010

Eric Bryden - 24 Jan ’23

Eric Bryden - 30 May ’22

This type began using the PA series, but for an unknown reason changed to the EP series. The new series high is 05EP15 from Matt Embro on 2010-03-19.

Stéphane Loysel - 9 Jul ’09

International Association of Firefighters

New in Fall 2008. Issued exclusively to members of the OPFFA (Ontario Professional Firefighters Association)

Tyler Elg - 30 Jan ’22

Eric Bryden - 30 May ’22

Tom Rodda - 27 Sep ’21

Introduced in late 2005. Discontinued 5-28-2010.

Alan Bones provided some interesting information about the RR series. The RR series has been used on three different plates. The original was the red, blue and black logo for the Ottawa Rough Riders (two words, distinct from the Saskatchewan Roughriders). These plates started at 01RR01. The logo was later changed to red and black (dropping the blue), and these seem to have started from 01RR40. The third is the one noted here, for the Renegades, which seems to have started at 02RR01.

Matt Embro - 6 Jun ’10

Spotted in Ottawa

Graphic has been updated as of 1/4/11 to reflect a change to the team's logo that actually happened a couple years ago. This is now the third version of this graphic.

1st version high - 16SE53

2nd version low/high - 17SE01/55SE48

3rd version low - 56SE10

Tom Rodda - 15 Oct ’23

Vince Black - 1 Nov ’13

Seen in St. Catharines

Dave Grant reports that PEO has adopted a new specialty licence series. PEO bought the first two hundred plates to be available primarily for engineering members of the association, that is, licenced engineers in the Province of Ontario. The plates went on sale on the PEO website, where technically anyone could buy them, but the general public (particularly those who are not engineers) would not know about or visit the PEO website. The numbers 03PE03 to 99PE99 are available for sale to the general public through Service Ontario (licence bureaus.)

Vince Black reports 02PE97 on 2012-11-22 for a high in the first block available to members. 01PE01 to 03PE02 will be distributed amongst engineering members; the public will be distributed 03PE03 to 99PE99.

Matt Embro advises that with all new graphics, the first 200 pairs are required to be purchased and distributed by the sponsoring organization, but they are available to the general public. Some of the lower numbers may be purchased through the organization's website. 03PE03 and up are available at issuing offices across the province.

Owen Wilding - 5 Nov ’23

Jim Becksted - 14 Mar ’15

Graphic has been updated and now reads "Queens Alumni" instead of "Queens University."

Original style high - 12QU93

New style low - 13QU32

Eric Bryden - 16 Feb ’22

Introduced 4/24/06.

Tyler Elg - 13 Oct ’23

Eric Bryden - 4 Oct ’22

Eric Bryden - 2 May ’23

Matt Embro - 28 Oct ’10

Vince Black - 26 May ’13

First available 2006-08-09.

Eric Bryden - 1 Apr ’23

First available 2006-08-09.

Eric Bryden - 30 May ’22

Introduced in summer 2005.

Vince Black - 16 Sep ’14

Tyler Elg - 13 Oct ’23

Matt Embro - 23 Aug ’11

First available 2007-03-26.

Matt Embro - 20 Jul ’10

Eric Bryden - 2 May ’23

No longer offered.

Nicholas - 21 Jun ’08

Spotted in Orangeville

First available Feb. 1, 2010. Plate features a graphic of a Yellow Ribbon.

Marshall - 18 Nov ’23

Revised logo debuted 2007-03-26.

Matthew McKenzie - 20 Feb ’23

Graphic plates with the Blue Jays' latest logo were released on Feb. 28/12. This is now the fourth version of this graphic, as their logo has changed several times since their graphic plates first came out in 1994.

1st logo high - 09JA30

2nd logo low/high - 11JA29/55JA57

3rd logo low/high - 56JA40/65JA83

4th logo low - 68JA22

Eric Bryden - 28 Nov ’22

Spotted in Shomberg

The first letter set was ML, then TO came into use in 2002, then TM in 2007. A leafs plate with the letters LF (47LF96) was spotted by Dale Snook on 3-8-12, but no others like it have been seen.

Marshall - 18 Nov ’23

Graphic has been updated to reflect a slight change to the team's logo. There has been some overlapping of numbers between the two logos however, as some higher numbers on the old logo were issued before the change and the new logo was then produced starting with the lowest unissued number in the series, not taking into account the higher numbers that had already been issued on the old logo. Not sure if then the already issued numbers will be skipped during production of the new logo, or if they will just be tossed by an issuing office when they come up to be issued, because they would come up as taken in the system. ??? Old logo high - 35RA45 New logo low - 34RA04

Tyler Elg - 31 May ’23

First available 2006-08-09.

Eric Bryden - 30 May ’22

01SD01 (the lowest of this type) reported by Robert Lubinski on 2008-03-19. This type is no longer issued.

Eric Bryden - 15 Apr ’22

TR used from 1994-2004, succeeded by TL.

Martin Vincent spotted what was likely the first Trillium plate issued, 01TR01, in Kingston on 10 June 2012.

Devin Howard - 29 Jan ’21

Promotes organ donation. Introduced in 2007.

Tristan Anderson - 2 Aug ’10

Nathaniel Gionette - 31 Oct ’23

No longer being issued as of 2004. Lowest seen was 01UG02. Last plate made was 01UG25..

Mike Franks - 11 Jun ’23

Graphic has been updated to reflect a change in the U of T logo.

Old logo high - 10UT19

New logo low - 12UT31

Tyler Elg - 16 Jul ’23

Graphic updated in early 2012 to reflect a change to the U of W's official logo that was made in mid 2011.

Old style high - 06UW12

New style low - 07UW10

Matt Embro - 27 Jan ’12

Matt Embro - 29 Jul ’10

No longer issued.

Matt Embro - 18 Dec ’10

Spotted in St. Catharines

Introduced in November 2003.

Veteran - Motorcycle: C76T 2023-05-14 Tom Rodda

Blue on white with red poppy logo on the left.

Owen Wilding - 13 Nov ’23

Sebastien April - 22 Sep ’23

This design debuted February 2, 2020, with serials continuing where the previous series left off. Due to reflectivity problems observed in its first few months of issue, it went on hiatus and the standard issue reverted to the 1997 series. CCMZ 349 was the last plate issued. Plates were made further ahead but recalled and destroyed in May 2020.

Mike Franks - 13 Jun ’23

Mike Franks - 27 Jun ’20