Fresh Look: Alberta’s Latest License Plate Designs

Alberta’s license plates are getting new looks, and they’ll look a little different than the ones you’re used to. The province will be rolling out new plates next spring that include a provincial logo, a push to the government’s website and new safety features. They also have a reflective coating, which makes them easier for police to read when checking registrations on the side of the road. The annual vehicle registration fee will increase by $5 to cover the cost of the new plates.

The plates will feature a white background with blue and black letters. The text on the plates will be centred, but the design and lettering will remain unchanged from current Alberta plates. They’ll also be smaller, with the province name and number on the top, followed by the registration date on the bottom and an Alberta flag. The province says the plates are more in line with those from other jurisdictions across North America.

It’s also removing expiration stickers on licence plates, permanent trailers and fleet vehicles. This will save $1.2 million annually in printing, shipping and storing the stickers. The province will move in the fall of 2021 to start issuing plates that are more easily scanned by automated license plate readers, which should help police catch unregistered vehicles.

New plates will still require drivers to bring their pink card, proof of out-of-province inspection (such as a certificate from your previous province), proof you own the vehicle and something that proves your address in Alberta (such as a telephone or hydro bill, rental agreement or pay stub with your name on it). Drivers who want to display vanity plates must also have their vehicle passed an out-of-province inspection.

The province first required motor vehicles to carry multilingual registry services in Calgary a plate in 1906, but it wasn’t until 1912 that the province started issuing plates. The first plates were made of porcelain and then sheet metal. In 1914 and 1915, the plates had a shield on them, while from 1916 to 1924, they simply said Alberta. In 1973, the Wild Rose Country slogan was introduced.

The 1975-84 plate featured a complex letter block order that I wasn’t able to follow, plus several base revisions and die variations. The early BBB-000 through mid Hxx series plates were produced using Quebec dies, while later plates used Alberta dies.

The plate of the year award was given to a specialty plate created in honor of the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary. The front of the plate featured a stylized Calgary cityscape, while the rear had the traditional Wild Rose Country design. It was issued in pairs, with a matching rear plate. If you’re looking to sell your Alberta plates, the government offers a return policy. You can submit a Licence Plate/Parking Placard Cancellation Declaration to have them cancelled. You can find the form on the government’s website.