Order a personalized licence plate

Overview

You can order a personalized licence plate online for your vehicle or for someone else if you have at least one of the following:

• driver’s licence number
• registrant identification number

You can also convert a regular licence plate to a personalized licence plate at a ServiceOntario centre.

A personalized licence plate message may contain almost any combination of letters and numbers.

Graphic licence plate options

You can choose to include graphics on your licence plate such as:

• the loon
• trillium
• community organization or university
• logo of your favourite Ontario professional sports team

There are over 60 graphics available to choose from.

Personalized licence plates are available with a choice of English or French slogan.

To order a personalized licence plate with a graphic in French or English, you can either:

• place your order online
• visit a ServiceOntario centre

What you need

To order a personalized licence plate, you will need:

• to pay any outstanding fines (for example, speeding, improper lane changes and careless driving)
• your driver’s licence number or registrant identification number
• your choice of eligible licence plate content (letters, numbers and graphic)
• Visa or Mastercard for payment

If you don’t have a driver’s licence number or registrant identification number (RIN), you can visit a ServiceOntario centre to order a personalized licence plate.

Order a personalized licence plate

Order a personalized licence plate(s) with an account

Create an account with ServiceOntario that can:

• manage your Ontario products and services
• allow you to view a history of your orders
• send you notifications and alerts

Create or log in to an account

Cost and delivery

The shipping fee and HST are included in the following totals.

For passenger or commercial vehicles

• 2 to 8 characters (letters and/or numbers) without a graphic — $310
• 2 to 6 characters (letters and/or numbers) with a graphic — $336.40

For motorcycles

• 2 to 5 characters (letters and/or numbers) without a graphic — $310

Personalized licence plates cannot be registered to limited speed motorcycles.

How you can pay

You can pay by:

• Visa
• Mastercard

You will be taken to a secure third-party website to pay. After your payment is complete, you will return to our site to get your receipt. Print or download your receipt for future reference.

Delivery

4 weeks by mail

Read about our service guarantee

Gift a personalized licence plate

Transferring plates

When you order a personalized licence plate as a gift, you may need to transfer the plate to the person receiving it.

A form is included with the plates and must be used to complete the transfer. A personalized licence plate can be transferred only once to another person before it is attached to a vehicle. Once the plate is registered to a vehicle, it cannot be transferred again.

Gift certificates

You can also purchase a gift certificate for a personalized licence plate at a ServiceOntario centre. Gift certificates are not available for sample plates or replacement licence plates.

Visit a ServiceOntario centre to get a gift certificate for a personalized plate.

Choose an appropriate personalized message

Personalized passenger and commercial plates may have 2 to 8 characters. Personalized motorcycle plates may have 2 to 5 characters.

Your application will not be accepted if the combination of letters or numbers you selected has already been issued.

In addition, requests will not be approved if they are determined to fall under the following criteria:

Clarity and readability for law enforcement officials

• plate selections that are deemed to lack clarity or would be difficult to read. This also includes combinations with:
  • no more than 4 identical characters in sequence
  • interchangeable letters or numbers are not allowed (such as S/5, A/4, G/6, Q/O)
    • for example, if a plate has been issued with an “S” in its combination and an identical plate request is submitted substituting the “S” with a “5”, that plate will not be approved

Religion

• religious meaning or messaging
• only the use of religious titles that are considered formal designations of persons within the religion are permitted

Violence or criminal activity

• messages or meanings that could be associated with violence, as well as promoting discrimination or bias against individuals
• illegal or criminal activity of any kind

Political figures, dignitaries or law enforcement officials

• political opinion, slurs, affiliation or organizations are prohibited except non-profit advocacy groups or trade organizations
• negative or derogatory message or meaning with respect to government
• falsely suggesting association with a public institution and/or law enforcement
• reference to well-known figures or names
• badge numbers of police officers

Sexual

• sexual messaging or meaning
• sexual and eliminatory functions

Abusive, obscene language and derogatory slang

• abusive, vulgar, derogatory, obscene or profane language
• known offensive slang in any language, text-messaging language and more

Human rights discrimination

Messages that express contempt, ridicule or superiority of race, religion, ethnic origin, ancestry, place of origin, citizenship, creed, colour, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, family status, physical characteristics, disability or political affiliation.

Drugs or alcohol

• reference to the use of or sale of legal or illegal drugs
• effects of drugs or alcohol
• alcohol-related words, including brands

Intellectual property (such as trademarks)

• infringement of intellectual property rights such as trademarks
• the characters on a plate must not infringe on any third party intellectual property rights such as trademarks. It is your responsibility to check that the characters on the plate do not infringe upon any intellectual property rights

Combination of graphic and characters

Any combination of graphics and characters that together could be determined to be objectionable under the above criteria or violate the contract with a graphic partner.

Next steps

Register a personalized plate to your vehicle

Once your personalized licence plate is approved, visit your nearest ServiceOntario centre to register your plate to your vehicle.

You will need:

• the letter that came with your plates
• your identification
• green ownership papers

What to do if your plate is not approved

If your plate is not approved, you:

• will receive a response explaining why it was rejected and what to do next
• can appeal the decision within a set time
• will receive a refund

Veteran licence plates

Types of veteran graphic plates

Veteran graphic plates are available to eligible veterans, and are only available by visiting a ServiceOntario centre.

Veteran graphic plates are available for passenger and commercial vehicles, motorcycles and as sample plates.

You can order a veteran graphic on the following:

• regular series licence plate
• personalized licence plate
• motorcycle plate (not available as a personalized plate)
• sample plate
  • only 2 plates may be ordered
  • not available for motorcycles
• amateur radio plate (your call letters as the plate number)
  • a valid Amateur Radio Licence showing your call letters must be presented at a ServiceOntario centre

Apply for veteran plate eligibility certification

Order a veteran graphic licence plate

In addition to what you need to submit to get any graphic plate, there are extra steps to order a Veteran graphic licence plate.

To order a veteran graphic licence plate:

1. Fill out an Application for Veteran Plate Eligibility Certification.
2. Get the completed form signed and stamped by the Royal Canadian Legion, Ontario Provincial Command.
3. Bring the original copy of the form to a ServiceOntario centre.

Cost

There is no cost to order a veteran graphic on a regular, sample, motorcycle or amateur licence plate.

Personalized licence plate fee applies when a personalized licence plate is ordered with a veteran graphic.

Sample plates are available as decorative items and for plate collectors. You cannot legally attach sample plates to a vehicle.

If you would like to order a sample plate, you need to go to a ServiceOntario centre.

Cost

• Sample licence plate — $16.95
  • Out of Canada request — $15.00 (HST not required)
• Sample licence plate with a graphic — $33.90

Automatic licence plate renewals

If you have valid car insurance and no outstanding fines, fees or tolls, your licence plate will renew automatically for the following vehicle types:

• passenger vehicle
• light commercial vehicle
• motorcycle
• moped

Find out if your licence plate will renew automatically.

Related services

Visit a ServiceOntario centre for the following services: