Vehicle registration plates of the Northwest Territories

The Canadian territory of Northwest Territories first required its residents to register their motor vehicles and display licence plates in 1941.

In 1970, to celebrate the centennial of the territory, a unique polar bear-shaped plate was introduced. The basic bear shape has been retained ever since, and the plate is now a registered trademark of the Government of the Northwest Territories.

Influence on Nunavut plate design

See also: Vehicle registration plates of Nunavut

In April 1999, the territory of Nunavut was created from the eastern part of the Northwest Territories. The new territory adopted a virtually identical bear-shaped licence plate, following an agreement between the governments of the two territories. In 2011, the Government of Nunavut decided to discontinue the bear shape and replace it with a conventional rectangular design, which was introduced in July 2012.

Passenger plates 1966 to present

In 1956, the U.S. states and Canadian provinces came to an agreement with the Automobile Manufacturers Association that fixed the size for licence plates for vehicles, except those for motorcycles, at six inches in height by twelve inches in width, with standardized mounting holes. The 1955 (dated 1956) issue was the Northwest Territories' first licence plate that complied with these standards. The current bear-shaped plates feature the standardized mounting holes.

Image	First issued	Design	Slogan	Serial format	Serials issued	Notes
	1966	black on reflective orange	Canada's Northland	12-345 (variable number of digits)	1 to approximately 11-500	Revalidated for 1967, 1968 and 1969 with tabs.
	1970	bear-shaped; white on blue	Centennial	1-234 (variable number of digits)	1 to approximately 7-500	Awarded inaugural "Plate of the Year" for best new licence plate of 1970 by the Automobile License Plate Collectors Association.
	1971	bear-shaped; blue on white	none	1-234 (variable number of digits)	1 to approximately 8-500
	1972	bear-shaped; white on blue	none	12-345 (variable number of digits)	1 to approximately 10-500
	1973	bear-shaped; dark blue on white with yellow slogan, date, and border	RCMP Centennial	12-345 (variable number of digits)	1 to approximately 11-000
	1974	bear-shaped; red on white	none	12-345 (variable number of digits)	1 to approximately 11-500
	1975	bear-shaped; turquoise on white	none	12-345 (variable number of digits)	1 to approximately 18-000
	1977	bear-shaped; red on white	none	12-345 (variable number of digits)	1 to approximately 21-500
	1979	bear-shaped; turquoise on white	none	12-345 (variable number of digits)	1 to approximately 21-500
	1981	bear-shaped; red on white	none	12-345 (variable number of digits)	1 to approximately 21-000
	1983	bear-shaped; blue on white	none	12-345 (variable number of digits)	1 to approximately 30-500
	1986	bear-shaped; blue on white	Explore Canada's Arctic	123456 (variable number of digits)	1 to approximately 125000
	2010	bear-shaped; nature scene	Spectacular	123456	300000 to present

External links

• Northwest Territories licence plates 1969-present