# Vehicle registration plates of Nova Scotia

The Canadian province of Nova Scotia first required its residents to register their motor vehicles in 1907. Registrants provided their own licence plates for display until 1918, when the province began to issue plates.
As of 2022, plates are issued by the Nova Scotia Registry of Motor Vehicles. Only rear plates have been required since 1997.

## Passenger baseplates
### 1918 to 1959

In 1956, Canada, the United States, and Mexico came to an agreement with the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators, the Automobile Manufacturers Association and the National Safety Council that standardized the size for licence plates for vehicles (except those for motorcycles) at 6 inches (15 cm) in height by 12 inches (30 cm) in width, with standardized mounting holes. The first Nova Scotia licence plate that complied with these standards was issued fifteen years beforehand, in 1941.
No slogans were used on passenger plates during the period covered by this subsection.
| Dates issued | Design | Serial format | Serials issued | Notes |
| 1918 | White serial on green flat metal plate; "NOVA SCOTIA", provincial shield and "1918" at left | 1234 | 1 to approximately 9000 | |
| 1919 | Black serial on yellow flat metal plate; "NOVA SCOTIA", provincial shield and "1919" at left | 12345 | 1001 to approximately 12000 | |
| 1920 | Embossed white serial on dark blue plate with border line; "NOVA SCOTIA", provincial shield and "1920" at left | 12345 | 1001 to approximately 12500 | First embossed plate. |
| 1921 | Black serial on light green flat metal plate; "NOVA SCOTIA", provincial shield and "1921" at left | 12345 | 1001 to approximately 13500 | |
| 1922 | Embossed white serial on black plate with border line; "NS 22" at left | 12-345 | 1-001 to approximately 15-500 | |
| 1923 | Embossed red serial on gray plate with border line; "NOVA SCOTIA 1923" at right | 12-345 | 1-001 to approximately 17-000 | |
| 1924 | Embossed yellow serial on black plate with border line; "NS 24" at right | 12-345 | 1-001 to approximately 19-000 | |
| 1925 | Embossed black serial on white plate with border line; "NOVA SCOTIA–25" at bottom | 12-345 | 1-001 to approximately 21-000 | |
| 1926 | Embossed white serial on dark green plate with border line; "NOVA SCOTIA 1926" at bottom | L12-345 | L1-001 to approximately L11-500 | 'L' prefix used for vehicles weighing 3,000 lb or less, and 'H' prefix for vehicles above 3,000 lb. This happened again in 1927. |
| 1926 | Embossed white serial on dark green plate with border line; "NOVA SCOTIA 1926" at bottom | H12-345 | H15-001 to approximately H24-500 | 'L' prefix used for vehicles weighing 3,000 lb or less, and 'H' prefix for vehicles above 3,000 lb. This happened again in 1927. |
| 1927 | Embossed yellow serial on black plate with border line; "NOVA SCOTIA 1927" at bottom | L12-345 | L1-001 to approximately L19-000 | |
| 1927 | Embossed yellow serial on black plate with border line; "NOVA SCOTIA 1927" at bottom | H12-345 | H19-001 to approximately H29-500 | |
| 1928 | Embossed black serial on orange plate with border line; "1928" and "NOVA SCOTIA" centred at top and bottom respectively | 12-345 | 10-001 to approximately 27-500 | No letter prefix used for vehicles weighing 3,000 lb or less. |
| 1928 | Embossed black serial on orange plate with border line; "1928" and "NOVA SCOTIA" centred at top and bottom respectively | H12-345 | H40-001 to approximately H52-500 | No letter prefix used for vehicles weighing 3,000 lb or less. |
| 1929 | Embossed white serial on red plate with border line; "NOVA SCOTIA 29" at bottom | 12-345 | 10-001 to approximately 41-500 | |
| 1930 | Embossed red serial on white plate with border line; "30 NOVA SCOTIA" at bottom | 12-345 | 40-001 to approximately 85-000 | |
| 1931 | Embossed white serial on black plate with border line; "NOVA SCOTIA 31" at top | 12-345 | Coded by county group (1) | |
| 1932 | Embossed black serial on yellow plate; "NOVA SCOTIA 32" at bottom | 12-345 | Coded by county group (1) | |
| 1933 | Embossed orange serial on black plate; "33 NOVA SCOTIA" at bottom | 12-345 | Coded by county group (1) | |
| 1934 | Embossed white serial on dark blue plate; "NOVA SCOTIA 34" at bottom | 12-345 | Coded by county group (1) | |
| 1935 | Embossed dark blue serial on white plate; "35-NOVA SCOTIA" at bottom | 12-345 | Coded by county group (1) | |
| 1936 | Embossed white serial on red plate; "NOVA SCOTIA 36" at top | 12-345 | Coded by county group (1) | |
| 1937 | Embossed yellow serial on black plate; "37-NOVA SCOTIA" at bottom | 12-345 | Coded by county group (1) | |
| 1938 | Embossed black serial on yellow plate; "NOVA SCOTIA" and "1938" centred at top and bottom respectively | 12-345 | Coded by county group (1) | |
| 1939 | Embossed white serial on green plate; "NOVA" and "SCOTIA" centred at top and bottom respectively; vertical "1939" at right | 12-345 | Coded by county group (1) | |
| 1940 | Embossed white serial on black plate with border line; "NOVA" and "SCOTIA" centred at top and bottom respectively; vertical "1940" at right | 12-345 | Coded by county group (1) | |
| 1941 | Embossed black serial on cream plate with border line; "NOVA SCOTIA '41" at bottom | 1-23-45 | Coded by county group (1) | First 6" x 12" plate. |
| 1942 | Embossed black serial on pale green plate with border line; "NOVA SCOTIA" and "1942" centred at top and bottom respectively | 1-23-45 | Coded by county group (1) | Produced in pairs but only single plates issued; the remaining plates were restamped and repainted for use in 1943 and 1944, due to metal conservation for World War II. |
| 1943–44 | Embossed white serial on black plate with border line; "NOVA SCOTIA" and "1943" centred at top and bottom respectively | 1-23-45 | Coded by county group (1) | Restamped and repainted 1942 plates. Revalidated for 1944 with windshield stickers. |
| 1945 | Embossed black serial on cream plate with border line; "NOVA SCOTIA '45" at bottom | 1-23-45 | Coded by county group (1) | |
| 1946 | Embossed black serial on gray plate with border line; "NOVA SCOTIA '46" at top | 1-23-45 | Coded by county group (1) | |
| 1947 | Embossed white serial on black plate with border line; "NOVA SCOTIA '47" at bottom | 1-23-45 | Coded by county group (1) | |
| 1948 | Embossed black serial on pale green plate with border line; "NOVA SCOTIA '48" at bottom | 1-23-45 | Coded by county group (1) | |
| 1949 | Embossed black serial on cream plate with border line; "NOVA SCOTIA '49" at top | 1-23-45 | Coded by county group (1) | |
| 1950 | Embossed black serial on gray plate with border line; "NOVA SCOTIA - 50" at bottom | 1-23-45 | Coded by county group (1) | |
| 1951 | Embossed black serial on orange plate with border line; "NOVA SCOTIA - 51" at top | 1-23-45 | Coded by county group (1) | |
| 1952 | Embossed black serial on unpainted aluminum plate with border line; "NOVA SCOTIA - 52" at bottom | 1-23-45 | Coded by county group (1) | Revalidated for 1953 with light blue tabs, for 1954 with black tabs, for 1955 with white tabs, and for 1956 with dark green tabs. |
| 1953 | As above, but with "NOVA SCOTIA - 53" at bottom | 12-34-56 | 10-00-00 to 10-99-99 | Issued only to new registrants. Validated for 1954, 1955 and 1956 in the same manner as for 1952 plates. |
| 1953–56 | As above, with "NOVA SCOTIA - 52" at bottom | 12-34-56 | 11-00-00 to approximately 16-49-00 | Issued only to new registrants. Validated for 1954, 1955 and 1956 in the same manner as for 1952 plates. |
| 1957 | Embossed black serial on white plate with border line; "NOVA SCOTIA '57" at top | 1-23-45 12-34-56 | 2-00-00 to approximately 13-34-00 | |
| 1958 | Embossed light yellow serial on black plate with border line; "NOVA SCOTIA '58" at bottom | 1-23-45 12-34-56 | 2-00-00 to approximately 13-83-00 | |
| 1959 | Embossed black serial on light yellow plate with border line; "NOVA SCOTIA '59" at top | 1-23-45 12-34-56 | 2-00-00 to approximately 14-70-00 | |

### 1960 to present

| Dates issued | Design | Slogan | Serial format | Serials issued | Notes |
| 1960–61 | Embossed light yellow serial on black plate with border line; "NOVA SCOTIA '60" at bottom | none | 1-23-45 12-34-56 | 2-00-00 to approximately 18-37-00 | Revalidated for 1961 with windshield stickers. |
| 1962–63 | Embossed black serial on light yellow plate with border line; "NOVA SCOTIA '62" at top | none | 1-23-45 12-34-56 | 2-00-00 to approximately 20-33-00 | Revalidated for 1963 with windshield stickers. |
| 1964–65 | Embossed yellow serial on black plate with border line; "NOVA SCOTIA '64" at top | none | 1-23-45 12-34-56 | 2-00-00 to approximately 22-49-00 | Revalidated for 1965 with windshield stickers. |
| 1966–68 | Embossed black serial on yellow plate with border line; "NOVA SCOTIA" at bottom, offset to left; black box at bottom right containing debossed "66" | none | 1-23-45 12-34-56 | 2-00-00 to approximately 28-20-00 | |
| 1969–71 | Embossed yellow serial on black plate; border lines around plate and around bottom corners; "NOVA SCOTIA" centred at bottom; "69" at bottom left | none | 1-23-45 12-34-56 | 2-00-00 to approximately 29-75-00 | |
| 1972–75 | Embossed light blue serial on non-reflective white plate; border lines around plate and around top corners; "NOVA SCOTIA" centred at top | "CANADA'S OCEAN PLAYGROUND" at bottom | 1-23-45 12-34-56 | 2-00-00 to 38-49-99 | Letters I, O and Q not used in the ABC-123 serial format. Material changed from steel to aluminum in 1986. |
| 1975–79 | As above, but reflective and with darker blue elements | "CANADA'S OCEAN PLAYGROUND" at bottom | 12-34-56 | 38-50-00 to 66-39-99 | Letters I, O and Q not used in the ABC-123 serial format. Material changed from steel to aluminum in 1986. |
| 1979–89 | As above, but reflective and with darker blue elements | "CANADA'S OCEAN PLAYGROUND" at bottom | ABC-123 | AAA-001 to BRS-999 | Letters I, O and Q not used in the ABC-123 serial format. Material changed from steel to aluminum in 1986. |
| 1989–2011 | Embossed blue serial on reflective white plate; border lines around plate and around top corners; light blue graphic of the Bluenose screened in the centre; "NOVA SCOTIA" screened in blue centred at top | "CANADA'S OCEAN PLAYGROUND" screened in blue at bottom | ABC 123 | BRT 001 to FAD 999 | Awarded "Plate of the Year" for best new licence plate of 1989 by the Automobile License Plate Collectors Association, the first and, to date, only time Nova Scotia has been so honored. Co-recipient with Oklahoma. |
| 2011–present | As above, but without border lines, and with narrower serial dies | "CANADA'S OCEAN PLAYGROUND" screened in blue at bottom | ABC 123 | FAE 001 to HKZ 846 (as of November 12, 2024) | |

## Specialty plates

| First issued | Design | Slogan | Serial format | Serials issued | Notes |
| April 2003 | Embossed blue serial on white plate; piping plover screened at left; "NOVA SCOTIA" screened in blue centred at top | "Conservation - Species at Risk" screened in blue centred at bottom | PBC12 | PAA01 to PEB03 (as of March 26, 2023) | |
| January 2012 | Embossed blue serial on white plate; Flag of Acadia screened at left; "NOVA SCOTIA" and "NOUVELLE-ÉCOSSE" screened in blue centred at top | none | FBC12 | FAA01 to FBX48 (as of May 22, 2023) | |
| August 2013 | Embossed blue serial on white plate; Select Nova Scotia logo (a circle with the provincial flag at the top, "Select" in blue handwritten font across the middle and "NOVA SCOTIA" in blue at the bottom) screened at left; "NOVA SCOTIA" screened in blue centred at top | "Buy Local" screened in blue centred at bottom | LBC12 | LAA01 to LAN69 (as of March 26, 2023) | Introduced to promote buying local produce. |
| June 2018 | Embossed blue serial on white plate; eight-point star petroglyph screened at left; "NOVA SCOTIA" screened in blue centred at top | "MI'KMA'KI LAND OF THE MI'KMAQ" screened in blue centred at bottom | MBC12 | MAA01 to MCA12 (as of May 17, 2023) | |

## Non-passenger plates

| Type | Dates issued | Design | Serial format | Serials issued | Notes |
| Commercial | 1978–2012 | Embossed black serial on yellow plate; border lines around plate and around top corners; "NOVA SCOTIA" and "COMMERCIAL" centred at top and bottom respectively | 12-345-A | 10-000-A to 37-519-D | Currently issued to commercial vehicles above 5,000 kg (11,000 lb). Passenger plates issued to lighter commercial vehicles since 1986. |
| Commercial | 2012–present | As above, but without border lines | 12-345-A | 37-520-D to 61-129-D (as of January 15, 2024) | Currently issued to commercial vehicles above 5,000 kg (11,000 lb). Passenger plates issued to lighter commercial vehicles since 1986. |
| Motorcycle | 1972–78 | Embossed blue serial on non-reflective white plate with border line; "NOVA SCOTIA" at top, offset to left | 1-23-45 | 1-00 to 1-25-99 | All motorcycle plates expire on December 31. |
| Motorcycle | 1978–98 | As above, but reflective | 1-23-45 | 1-26-00 to 9-75-99 | All motorcycle plates expire on December 31. |
| Motorcycle | 1998–present | As above, but with rounder serial dies, and "NOVA SCOTIA" centred at top | 123456 | 97600 to 219191 (as of September 17, 2023) | All motorcycle plates expire on December 31. |
| Trailer | 1981–2012 | Embossed black serial on yellow plate; border lines around plate and around top corners; "NOVA SCOTIA" and "CANADA'S OCEAN PLAYGROUND" centred at top and bottom respectively | T1-23-45 T123-456 | T1-00 to approximately T339-000 | All Trailer plates expire on December 31. |
| Trailer | 2012–present | As above, but without border lines | T1-23-45 T123-456 | T339-001 to T516-513 (as of January 8, 2024) | All Trailer plates expire on December 31. |
| Antique Auto | | Embossed blue serial on white plate; border lines around plate and around top corners; "NOVA SCOTIA" and "CANADA'S OCEAN PLAYGROUND" centred at top and bottom respectively, "ANTIQUE AUTO" on left side of number. | 1234 | 0001 to 9999 | |
| Antique Auto | 2009–present | As above, but without border lines | A123 | A001 to S628 (as of June 24, 2023) | |

## Controversies
### GRABHER licence plate

In 2017, Lorne Grabher of Nova Scotia had his custom licence plate revoked. The plate displayed his last name 'GRABHER', which he had purchased as a gift for his father in the 1990s. He had received a letter saying his plate would be cancelled as some had found his licence plate to be misogynistic and offensive. Lorne attempted to keep his plate by fighting back in court, claiming it violated his right to freedom of expression. However, in August 2021 the Nova Scotia Court of Appeals ruled his constitutional rights had not been violated. They concluded the plate could not be used as it could be seen as offensive without the correct context. In 2022, the Supreme Court of Canada declined to hear an appeal of his case.