The Canadian province of Ontario first required its residents to register their motor vehicles in 1903. Registrants provided their own licence plates for display until 1911, when the province began to issue plates. Plates are currently issued by the Ministry of Transportation (MTO). The location of plates is specified by the Highway Traffic Act and Regulation 628 under the Act.
The Crown The symbol of a crown representing the Crown of Canada has appeared on almost all Ontario licence plates since 1937, when it was first used to commemorate the coronation of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth. Exceptions to this included a series of licence plates issued from 1951 to 1952, due to metal shortages from the Korean War; and a series of farm plates issued in the 1980s and 1990s.
Toronto politician and Orange Order leader Leslie Saunders led protests against a proposal to remove the crown in 1948, a decision the government overturned.Leslie Howard Saunders. An Orangeman in public life: the memoirs of Leslie Howard Saunders. Britannia Printers, 1980 p. 97
Passenger baseplates 1911 to 1972 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 in height by in width, with standardized mounting holes. The 1954 (dated 1955) issue was the first Ontario licence plate that complied with these standards.
ImageDates issuedDesignSloganSerial formatSerials issuedNotes1911White serial on blue porcelain plate; vertical "ONT." and "1911" at left and right respectivelynone123451 to approximately 115001912Black serial on white flat metal plate; provincial coat of arms and "ONT 1912" at leftnone123451 to approximately 165001913Black serial on yellow flat metal plate; provincial coat of arms and "ONT 1913" at leftnone123451 to approximately 240001914Black serial on tan flat metal plate; provincial coat of arms and "ONT 1914" at leftnone123451 to approximately 330001915Dark blue serial on light green flat metal plate; provincial coat of arms and "ONT 1915" at leftnone123451 to approximately 430001916Black serial on white flat metal plate; provincial coat of arms and "ONT 1916" at leftnone123451 to approximately 640001917Black serial on white flat metal plate; provincial coat of arms and "ONT 1917" at rightnone123451 to approximately 780001918Dark blue serial on white flat metal plate; provincial coat of arms and "ONT 1918" at leftnone1234561 to approximately 1070001919Black serial on golden yellow flat metal plate; provincial coat of arms and "ONT 1919" at leftnone1234561 to approximately 1330001920Dark green serial on white flat metal plate; provincial coat of arms and "ONT 1920" at leftnone1234561 to approximately 1620001921Embossed orange serial on black plate with border line; "ONT 21" at leftnone123-4561 to approximately 184–000First embossed plate.1922Embossed black serial on white plate with border line; "ONT 22" at leftnone123-4561 to approximately 216–0001923Embossed white serial on black plate; "ONT–1923" at bottomnone123-4561 to approximately 260–0001924Embossed black serial on golden yellow plate; "ONT–1924" at bottomnone123-4561 to approximately 313–0001925Embossed yellow serial on black plate with border line; "ONT 25" at leftnone123-4561 to approximately 309–0001926Embossed black serial on grey plate with border line; "ONT 26" at leftnone123-4561 to approximately 415–0001927Embossed black serial on buff plate with border line; "ONTARIO 1927" at bottomnone123·4561 to approximately 437·000First use of the full province name.1928Embossed black serial on yellow plate with border line; "ONTARIO 1928" at bottomnone123·4561 to approximately 446·0001929Embossed black serial on grey plate with border line; "ONTARIO 1929" at bottomnone123·4561 to approximately 477·0001930Embossed black serial on white plate with border line; "ONTARIO 1930" at bottomnoneA-1234A-1 to Z-9999Letters G, I and Q not used in serials.AB-123AA-1 to approximately PV-9991931Embossed black serial on yellow plate; "ONTARIO 1931" at topnoneA·1234A·1 to Z·9999AB·123AA·1 to approximately OT·9991932Embossed black serial on grey plate; "ONTARIO 1932" at topnoneA·1234A·1 to Z·9999AB·123AA·1 to approximately OB·9991933Embossed black serial on yellow plate; "ONTARIO 1933" at topnoneA·1234A·1 to Z·9999AB·123AA·1 to approximately MZ·9991934Embossed black serial on white plate; "ONTARIO 1934" at topnoneA·1234A·1 to Z·9999AB·123AA·1 to approximately NA·9991935Embossed black serial on orange plate; "19 ONTARIO 35" at topnoneA·1234A·1 to Z·9999AB·123AA·1 to approximately OK·9991936Embossed white serial on black plate; "19 ONTARIO 36" at bottomnoneA·1234A·1 to Z·9999AB·123AA·1 to approximately PK·9991937Embossed white serial on red plate; "ONTARIO 1937" centred at top, with crowns to left and rightnone1·A·23412·A·34123·A·4First base to feature a crown in any form.1938Embossed orange serial on light blue plate; "19", crown and "38" centred at top; "ONTARIO" centred at bottomnone1A23412A34123A4Colours commemorate the Loyal True Blue and Orange Home.1939Embossed white serial on black plate; "19", crown and "39" centred at top; "ONTARIO" centred at bottomnone1A23412A34123A4A12341940Embossed black serial on yellow plate; "ONTARIO", crown and "1940" at topnone1A23412A34123A4A12341941Embossed green serial on white plate; "ONTARIO", crown and "1941" at topnone1A23412A34123A4A12341942Embossed black serial on orange plate; "ONTARIO", crown and "1942" at topnone1A23412A34123A4A1234Embossed orange serial on black plate; "ONTARIO", crown and "1943" at topnone1A23412A34123A4A1234Revalidated for 1944 with windshield stickers, due to metal conservation for World War II.1945Embossed white serial on blue plate; "ONTARIO", crown and "1945" at topnone1A23412A34123A4A12341946Embossed white serial on black plate; "ONTARIO", crown and "1946" at topnone1A23412A34123A4A12341947Embossed black serial on silver plate; "ONTARIO", crown and "1947" at topnone1A23412A34123A4A12341948Embossed white serial on blue plate; "ONTARIO", crown and "1948" at topnone1A23412A34123A4A12341949Embossed blue serial on white plate; "ONTARIO", crown and "1949" at topnone1A23412A34123A4A12341234A1950Embossed white serial on black plate; "ONTARIO", crown and "1950" at topnone1A23412A34123A4A12341234A1951–52Embossed blue serial on white plate; "19–ONTARIO–51" at topnone1A23412A34123A4A12341234AAB123Revalidated for 1952 with windshield stickers.1953Embossed white serial on blue plate; "ONTARIO", crown and "1953" at topnone1A23412A34123A4A12341234AAB1231954Embossed blue serial on white plate; "ONTARIO", crown and "1954" at topnone1A23412A34123A4A12341234AAB1231955As 1953 base, but with "1955" to right of crownnone123·456A12·345First 6" x 12" plate.1956As 1954 base, but with "1956" to right of crownnone123·456A·123451957Embossed white serial on black plate; "ONTARIO", crown and "1957" at topnone123·456A·123451958Embossed black serial on white plate; "ONTARIO", crown and "1958" at topnone123·456A·123451959As 1957 base, but with "1959" to right of crownnone123·456A·123451960As 1958 base, but with "1960" to right of crownnone123·456A·123451961As 1957 base, but with "1961" to right of crownnone123·456A·123451962As 1958 base, but with border line, and with "1962" to right of crownnone123·456A·123451963As 1957 base, but with border line, and with "1963" to right of crownnone123·456A·123451964As 1958 base, but with border line, and with "1964" to right of crownnone123·456A·123451965Embossed white serial on blue plate with border line; "ONTARIO", crown and "1965" at topnone123·456A·1234512345·A1966Embossed blue serial on white plate with border line; "ONTARIO", crown and "1966" at topnone123·456A·1234512345·A1967Embossed white serial with crown separator on blue plate with border line; "19 ONTARIO 67" at top"18 CONFEDERATION 67" at bottom123-456A12-345123-45AIssued as part of the Canadian Centennial celebration.1968Embossed blue serial with crown separator on white plate with border line; "1968" and "ONTARIO" centred at top and bottom respectivelynone123-456A12-345123-45A1969Embossed white serial with crown separator on blue plate with border line; "1969" and "ONTARIO" centred at top and bottom respectivelynone123-456A12-345123-45A1970As 1968 base, but with "1970" at topnone123-456A12-345123-45A1971As 1969 base, but with "1971" at topnone123-456A12-345123-45A1972As 1968 base, but with "1972" at topnone123-456A12-345123-45A
1973 to present After 1973, Ontario ceased to issue plates annually. Instead, validation was indicated by means of stickers affixed to the top right of the rear plate. All Ontario license plates issued since 1973 remain valid for display.
In 1973, the "Keep it Beautiful" slogan was introduced to Ontario passenger plates. In 1982, the slogan was changed to "Yours to Discover". The adjustment was made to reflect the province's new tourism campaign.
In April 2019, the Government of Ontario announced that the plates would be redesigned. The plates' design includes a superficial laminate layer manufactured by 3M. The plates have a two-tone blue background with white letters and numbers flanking a stylized white trillium, and no longer embossed. The motto was also changed to "A Place to Grow", taking inspiration from Ontario's unofficial anthem "A Place to Stand, a Place to Grow".
Issue of the new plates began in February 2020. The new plates faced criticism from law enforcement agencies, as their new design made them difficult to read in certain lighting conditions. Concerns were also raised that photo radar systems would have difficulty reading them, due to the lighting issues, as well as the smaller sizing of their "Ontario" text. On February 20, 2020, Premier Doug Ford stated that the government planned to recall the initial batch, and was working with 3M on improvements. However, on May 6, 2020, a spokesperson for Ford announced that the blue plates would be discontinued entirely after "thorough testing by law enforcement and other key stakeholders". The previous white plates were reinstated, with their coating also made more durable, although the blue plates continued to be issued through early-June until their supply was exhausted.