British Columbia License Plates

This is the newest and current format, starting in August, 2014.

Low: AA0 10A 2016-01-14 Adriaan Bergink

New format series will not contain prefixes with "BJ" or "BS."

E. Morgan - 18 Mar ’23

LLL - LXX, NLL - NXX, PLL - PXX, etc., through XLL - XXX.

From E. Morgan: In mid-October, BC skipped from XRG near the end of the 15th series, to LWX near the beginning of the 16th series.

The pre-jump high was 984-XRG on 2012/11/11, and the post-jump low was 699-LWX on 2012/11/08.

And now plates ending in LWV and LWW have begun to appear (low 083-LWV on 2012/12/09), but with hologram date codes older than the LWX-Nxx out of sequence plates! (WXH through XNF confirmed with BON1/ Apr 2012; LXL through at least NLV with BOO1/ May 2012, and now LWW with BOR1/ Jul 2012.)

As of mid-Feb. 2013, the LLL to LWT in-sequence gap is being filled. Currently at: 800 LTR on 2013-03-19. 659 LXS also reported.

As of mid-Apr. 2013, E. Morgan reports BC Passenger 16th series plates have now reached and "hopped over" the out-of-sequence block from this winter. Highest spotted before the out-of-sequence block is in the LVW series.

E. Morgan reports that BC Passenger plates now have dual sticker wells. Single-well high: 865 NWT

Dual-well low: 742 NWV

Kit - 2 May ’22

LLA - LXK, NLA - NXK, PLA - PXK, etc., through XLA - XXK.

As of Jan. 2013, BC appears to have begun filling the skipped block from XRH to XXK and LLL to LWT.

Spotted on 5/14/11: Passenger 15th series 823 LLE, while 14th series was still at WKP.

061 LTF and 161 LTF also reported, as well as an LTD series. This is another mysterious out-of-sequence plate spotted on the road 7/9/11. There was a block from LLB-LLD in mid-late May (shouldn't have been on the road until later this month), and now this one which shouldn't have shown up till late August, early September.

Out of sequence low: 605 LTC spotted 2011-07-21 by E. Morgan

Out of sequence suffixes LTC, LTD, LTE and LTF all spotted.

More from E. Morgan: Out of sequence low: 080 LTC, Abbotsford Out of sequence high: 713 LTF, Chilliwack Out of sequence block issued primarily in the Fraser Valley (Abbotsford - Mission - Chilliwack) throughout July and August 2011. Regular sequence plates in neighboring Langley have now overtaken the out of sequence block, making further low and high sightings within it impossible.

BC appears to have skipped MLA-MXK, despite those plates not being used for Olympics passenger plates.

From E. Morgan: VLA-VXK appear to have been skipped, despite the fact Veterans' plates won't start using this serial block for another 96 to 102 years at their current rate of issuance.

Paul Breland - 27 Nov ’14

LAL - LKX, MAL - MKX (early M series plates were used for Olympic), NAL - NKX, etc., through XAL - XKX.

BC passenger plates began using 3M reflective sheeting with a security/ date code hologram, somewhere between 042 TAN and 114 TAN in January 2011.

Non-Hologram high: 066 TAN

Hologram low: 095 TAN

Instead of going to the 13th series, British Columbia jumped to the 14th series in the system, which should not have come into use until 2014, however, the 13th series began to appear as a concurrent issue. See notes at the top of the page for sequence of issue.

As with the 13th series, VAL through VKX have been skipped as they're reserved for Veterans' passenger plates.

More from E. Morgan: 875 XKW to 924 XKW recently issued in Aldergrove, BC. Non-hologram high: 055 TAN, also in Aldergrove which issued 000 to 074 TAN (I've seen up to 073 TAN in traffic but couldn't verify hologram or lack thereof.) Hologram low: 103 TAN, issued somewhere in the Abbotsford area. The agent location of the box containing 075 to 099 TAN is still unknown - none of these plates have been seen by me as yet.

The current high was spotted 6/21/12, with a natural 2013 expiry. Like the XKK series, these seem to have been withheld and only recently issued.

Paul Breland - 8 Jan ’15

LAA - LKK, NAA - NKK, PAA - PKK, etc., through XAA - XKK.

This high is the last possible plate in the 13th series.

The series progressed from TKK to WAA since the letter U is not used, and the V series is used for Veteran.

From E. Morgan: XKK spotted on a newer rental car in the Marpole neighbourhood of Vancouver - a November 2012 natural expiry with no decal stack, but no hologram either. This should have been a mid to late 2011 natural if it was issued in sequence. There are high XKJ and low LJL plates all over Vancouver but this is the first and only XKK I've spotted in two years of searching. These seem to have been held back for some reason.

E. Morgan - 12 Apr ’15

ALL - AXX, BLL - BXX, CLL - CXX, etc., through KLL - KXX.

Upon reaching 999 KXX, the next series should begin at 000 LAA if BC follows the pattern. See the notes at the top of the page for more information regarding the sequence of issue.

Martin Houle - 30 Aug ’15

ALA - AXK, BLA - BXK, CLA - CXK, etc., through KLA - KXK.

The current high is the last possible plate in the 11th series.

E. Morgan - 2 Aug ’07

AAL - AKX, BAL - BKX, CAL - CKX, etc., through KAL - KKX.

The current high is the last possible plate in the 10th series.

E. Morgan - 8 Jun ’12

(numero-alpha): AAA - AKK, BAA - BKK, CAA - CKK, etc., through KAA - KKJ.

007 AAA reported as a low. KKJ is the last possible combination in the 1st series since KKK was not used.

Low: 006 AAA 2014-09-25 Milan Kenjalo

Plate Finder Number One - 27 Aug ’09

ALA - AXK, BLA - BXK, CLA - CXK, etc., through KLA - KXK.

This is the very last three-letter three-number plate, and is still on the road 11 years later.

E. Morgan - 21 Aug ’12

ALL - AXX, BLL - BXX, CLL - CXX, etc., through KLL - KXX.

The current high is the last possible 7th series plate.

E. Morgan - 14 Jan ’11

AAL - AKX, BAL - BKX, CAL - CKX, etc., through KAL - KKX.

Paul Breland - 12 Jan ’15

AAA - AKK, BAA - BKK, CAA - CKK, etc., through KAA - KKJ.

Paul Breland - 5 Feb ’15

LAL - LKX, MAL - MKX, NAL - NKX, etc., through XAL - XKX.

Paul Breland - 15 May ’13

LLL - LXX, MLL - MXX, NLL - NXX , etc., through XXL - XXX.

E. Morgan - 5 Jan ’12

LLA - LXK, MLA - MXK, NLA - NXK, etc., through XLA - XXK.

Paul Breland - 12 Jun ’13

(alpha-numeric): LAA - LKK, MAA - MKK, NAA - NKK, etc., through XAA - XKK.

David Allyn Brown spotted the fourth plate issued, LAA-003, in April 2010.

Paul Breland - 12 Nov ’13

With the end of the 16th series about to be reached with plate 999-XXX, it looks like backfilling of numero-alpha plates starting with M is being done. This could make 999-MXX the last of the numero-alpha plates with the AB1-23C format to follow.

There will be a small number of 13th and 14th series M plates along with a complete run of 15th and 16th series M plates.

MJF was the last M series used for Olympic plates. The M series was resumed on regular bases in the MJG series.

Low: 001 MJG 2014-06-13 E. Morgan

Paul Breland - 19 Nov ’15

Waldale dies

The B59 nnn series has just been completed and B10 - B39 (which was skipped) is now being issued. The B60 nnn series is for Collector multi-vehicle plates.

High: B6 0503

Now with dual sticker wells.

Single-well high: B27-469

Dual-well low: B27-489

Dale Snook - 27 Dec ’22

Finally using Waldale dies. It took nearly 5 years to use up the stockpile of Astrographics plates of this type.

B8 prefix exhausted, now issuing B9 prefix.

E. Morgan - 26 Apr ’22

Allows owners of multiple collector vehicles to use one plate for all, swapping it around to whichever vehicle they drive at that particular moment.

E. Morgan - 11 Sep ’21

Y suffix, then V, W, B, C, then D. The D suffix has been exhausted, now issuing the remainder of the U suffix not used by Olympic Commercial Trailer plates.

Some (all?) commercial trailers are receiving Permanent Non-Expiring decals as of Aug 31/06.

Now with holograms.

Non-hologram high: 9649 6C

Hologram low: 9915 3C

Changed to a dual sticker well at some point prior to 3441 4D.

E. Morgan - 11 Jan ’23

Jake Long - 24 Jan ’23

Small 5" x 8" plate, for test-driving motorcycles and trailers.

Dale Snook - 1 Jul ’22

Series started in 1985 at F6-6000 and ran to F7-0999 in 1989. F6-6373 reported as a low.

E. Morgan - 10 Sep ’22

A0-0000 series exhausted, new series G0-0000 now being issued.

E. Morgan reports Farm Truck plates now have a hologram. G5-4568 had BON1; G5-2779 had no hologram.

E. Morgan - 4 Jan ’23

E. Morgan reports that Foreign Consulate plates will be changing to a white on red AA-000A format, with the first two letters indicating the type of diplomat.

Plate Finder Number One - 29 Jun ’09

One of four new series of foreign consular plates that are red and white in color.

Diplomatic Representative Level: DL 000A (DL 001A reported as a low by Milan Kenjalo.)

Career Consular Officer: CC 458A 2016-02-16 Dale Snook

Honorary Consular Officer: HC 000A

Consular Staff: CS 099A 2014-08-26 Paul Breland

Special Representative: SR 012A

Paul Breland - 9 Oct ’21

Used on vehicles for construction, such as Bobcats, backhoes, and steamrollers.

Now with holograms.

E. Morgan - 13 Aug ’22

In 1989, the current series (no longer quarterly) commenced at T0-0000 and has been issued sequentially.

E. Morgan - 14 May ’22

EXTREMELY rare - the current high is only the 1128th plate of this type issued in BC since 1985.

Plate Finder Number One - 17 Jun ’09

The current high appeared to have a double sticker well.

Recently progressed from E to K to L to S prefix, then U, now issuing W. With the C, E, H, J, K, L, M, and N series used up, this leaves only U, and possibly Y.

Motorcycle plates redesigned between S5 6609 and S61422, with larger dies reminiscent of Alberta MC plates, no break between second and third digit, and logo on lower right. The logo has changed from the BC flag to the sunset logo.

Low for new dies: S59021

Paul Breland - 23 Aug ’22

This type replaces the former ATV plate listed above. There are two versions of the new ORV plate. One is an actual plate, but the other is a sticker that is applied to a vehicle that is not set up for displaying a plate. The high shown above is for the plate type.

Sticker high: 0C3617 2015-10-27 Nicholas Pescod

Dale Snook - 22 May ’22

Small plate for buses, taxis etc, replaced former Motor Carrier permit in 2005.

Passenger Carrier plates have recently been expanded to cover more limos and party buses.

Eric Bryden - 12 Dec ’22

After P9 9999, changed to 0000 0P. From 0000 0P to somewhere between 0214 2P and 0225 7P, BC Prorate plates had a double sticker well. It's back to a single well as of 0224 7P.

Double sticker well is back as of about 0630 0P, up to at least this new current high.

Changed back to single sticker well (again?!) somewhere between 1008 6P and 1106 1P. Double sticker well (yet again) as of 1772 5P.

Jake Long - 10 Jan ’23

Used to road test unlicensed vehicles brought in to a repair garage for servicing.

E. Morgan - 22 Sep ’22

Used on ATVs, golf carts, and snowmobiles that are to be driven on or across a public road. Series following AT 9999 was 00000 X. See also Off Road Vehicle.

Waldale dies. Changed from Astrographics to Waldale dies somewhere between 00 350X and 03635 X.

Astrographics high - 01 874X 2010-09-05 E. Morgan

Waldale low - 03602 X 2010-09-21 E. Morgan

Paul Breland - 12 Sep ’22

For 1 to 14 days, paper permit affixed to rear window, but now Temporary permits can now be good for up to 20 days. This started somewhere before 5G7A6E. Progresses sequentially (1A, 1B, 1C, etc), as opposed to regular BC plates where numbers always change before letters regardless of placement.

Handwritten Temp high: 0M8J5E 2016-07-17 Paul Breland

It appears that Temporary Permits do not use I, O, and Z, but Q, U and Y are used.

E. Morgan - 17 Mar ’23

Follows TF, TG, TH prefix blocks.

Waldale dies. LF 0964 spotted on 7/18/2008 with Astrographics dies.

E. Morgan - 21 Apr ’21

TR series is used up, TS is now used.

E. Morgan - 19 Feb ’22

Adriaan Bergink reports that Waldale dies seem to have started at 0000 GG. The truck series began at 0000 MA and went through 9999 YY, and then to 0000 AA and up. Andy DeCeunynck reports that the Waldale appear to start around 7000 GF.

This Truck series is nearly used up. Only LS and LT suffixes are left, but the current high in the series is 9988 LR. The last plate should be 9999 LT, but no LS or LT series plates have been reported yet.

The series has now continued at AL 0000, which likely indicates that Olympic Truck, which started at AA 0000, will continue through AK 9999. E. Morgan confirms AL 0001.

All AM and AN series reported so far had a single sticker well, yet some AL series had a double sticker well like the Olympic plates. AL 8433 had a single well, but AL 7432 had a double well. All AR, AS, AV, AW, AX, and AY series so far have a single well. AT was skipped because it was already used for Restricted plates. It was reported that BC was skipped because it is used on sample plates and Vintage Motorcycle, but BC 2445 was spotted on 2009-06-06 by Plate Finder Number One. BT was used, but BS appears to have been skipped. BJ also seems to have been skipped.

Hologram change (same as Pass.) changed between DE 4960 and DE 5058.

DM skipped, as it's already used for Motorcycle & Trailer Dealer plates.

Single-well high: FC 7479

Dual-well low: FD 0297

E. Morgan reports BC truck plates appear to have skipped ahead from FJ to HA prefix. Nothing spotted yet from FK to GY.

Pre-jump high: FJ 3970

Post-jump low: HA 0000

Update from E. Morgan: Everything spotted so far in the FJ 39xx and HA 00xx series have been only on Translink buses.

BC truck plates in the FJ 39xx and HA 00xx series have also been spotted on maintenance vehicles belonging to the University Of British Columbia. Pre-jump high FJ 3999 on a UBC maintenance van on 12/13/13.

EY- appears to have been skipped in December 2012, but DY- was issued in November 2011 and HY- is appearing now.

E. Morgan - 4 Mar ’23

Same size as Motorcycle.

New dies started between UCT and UCW, but a UCK was spotted with new dies.

Progression: The end letter advances before the number, so the series began at UAA-00A, and worked up through UAA-00B, UAA-00C, and so on.

A new trailer plate is now in use in BC. Series is starting at WAA-00A, and the word "trailer" is now printed between the two top boltholes.

E. Morgan - 20 Nov ’22

Paul Breland - 6 Aug ’14

Rare type. The current high is the 537th issued since 1966.

Andrew Turnbull - 30 Dec ’18

The BC Parks plates went on sale January 29, 2017 at an inital cost of $50, and $40 on renewal. They are available only to vehicles that would otherwise get passenger plates. No motorcycle version is available.

E. Morgan - 10 Mar ’23

The BC Parks plates went on sale January 29, 2017 at an inital cost of $50, and $40 on renewal. They are available only to vehicles that would otherwise get passenger plates. No motorcycle version is available.

E. Morgan - 20 Feb ’23

The BC Parks plates went on sale January 29, 2017 at an inital cost of $50, and $40 on renewal. They are available only to vehicles that would otherwise get passenger plates. No motorcycle version is available.

Purcell plates have now completed the original PK000A to PV999X block, and have skipped ahead to RP000A onward.

E. Morgan - 17 Mar ’23

Olympic plates celebrating the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver went on sale April 16, 2007 and started at 000 MAA for Passenger and AA 0000 for Light Trucks and Commercial. The initial fee is $35, renewal fee is $25. Olympic plates are also available for Farm Truck (G9-0000), Motorcycle (V2-0000), Utility Trailer (UYM-00A), and Commercial Trailer (0000-0U).

No personalized plates will be available.

The mountain design depicts Garabaldi Park, between Vancouver and Whistler, and the slogan "The Best Place on Earth" appears on the plates. These plates will not be available after Dec. 31, 2010.

Official Olympics vehicles used plates from 100 MFA into the nnn MFF range for cars, and AD 3100 to AD 35nn for trucks and vans. Those plates will be off the roads after the Paralympics.

Olympic low: 009 MAA 2014-08-29 Milan Kenjalo

MJF was the last series used for Olympic plates. MJG and higher are now being produced on regular bases as of April, 2014.

Milan Kenjalo - 29 Jan ’12

Tom Lindner - 18 Mar ’10

Started at G9-0000.

E. Morgan - 24 Apr ’18

Adriaan Bergink - 6 Aug ’13

Tom Lindner - 17 Aug ’10

AA 0006 reported as a low by Jeff Banerd.

E. Morgan - 24 Apr ’18

New type November 2016.

Eric Bryden - 23 May ’22

New type introduced 2 JUN 04 starting at 000 VAA.

BC's Veteran's plates program will be expanding on 9/1/12 to include people who are currently serving in the military, not just those who have completed their service.

Paul Breland - 14 Jan ’23

V 00005 reported as a low.

V 02263 was reported in 2007 by Adriaan Bergink, but it must have been issued out of sequence.

E. Morgan - 2 Aug ’22

David Allyn Brown reports that this series is now available in response to complaints that the original Veteran series was limited to passenger cars. Additional plates will be available for this series in the LW and LX suffixes, according to a B.C. Plates web site.

Dale Snook - 12 Mar ’23