4.45.09 Specialty Licence Plates

Policy

ATTENTION:
Please refer to COVID-19 Emergency Interim Policies which provides details for temporary exceptions to this policy.

The Specialty Licence Plate Program allows Albertans to optionally purchase a licence plate with customized graphics. Specialty licence plates are only issued for class 3 (private passenger vehicle) and 3-99 (government vehicle) registrations; clients are not required to register the specialty plate if it is not affixed to a vehicle. 

Eligibility Requirements

There is no minimum age requirement for ordering specialty plates and no limit on the number of plates a client can order. A client must:

When the client orders a specialty licence plate, a registry agent must:

  • Advise the client that once purchased, a specialty licence plate is non-refundable, and cannot be exchanged for any other type of plate as a result of the distribution of funds to the specified organization.
  • Advise the client that the plate can only be registered in the name(s) that it is ordered in.
    • A fully completed and signed Authorization for Vehicle Services (REG0169) form (pdf) is required when all registrant(s) cannot be present for the service.
      • Clients should be given this form at the time the specialty plate is ordered when they expect that not all registrant(s) will be present to register the specialty plate.

Gift

Specialty licence plates cannot be purchased as a gift.

Redirection

A specialty licence plate cannot be forwarded to an address that is different from the applicant’s address; it will be mailed directly to the address that appears on the client file.

Registration Requirements

If a specialty licence plate is going to be registered to a vehicle, a client must:

Manufactured Defective Specialty Licence Plates (No Charge)

A defective specialty licence plate (e.g.: image imperfections, paint peeling off, etc.) must be surrendered by the client. 

A registry agent must:

  • Confirm the request was placed within the last 30 days.
  • Complete a Licence Plate/Parking Placard Cancellation Declaration (REG3106) form (pdf).
  • Complete an Additional Plate Processing service indicating the plate was returned.
  • Fax or email the Licence Plate / Parking Placard Cancellation Declaration (REG3106) and a request to Motor Vehicles to re-order the specialty licence plate at no charge.

Reorder - Plate Not Received or Damaged in the Mail (No Charge)

To replace a specialty plate that was not received or was damaged in the mail a client must:

  • Wait a minimum of 30 days to a maximum of 60 days, from the initial order date, before requesting a reorder for a specialty plate that has not been received.
    • Plates that were damaged in the mail can be reordered immediately.
  • Provide their Specialty Plate Order Confirmation indicating the date the specialty plate was ordered. 
  • Confirm their mailing address.

A registry agent must:

  • Complete a Licence Plate /Parking Placard Cancellation Declaration (REG3106) form (pdf).
    • Record the plate as lost or returned and document that the plate was not received or was damaged in the mail.
    • A police file number is not required for specialty licence plates that are damaged or not received in the mail.
  • Complete an additional plate processing service updating the status to lost or returned.
    • When the plate is damaged it must be returned. 
  • Fax or email the Licence Plate / Parking Placard Cancellation Declaration (REG3106) and a request to Motor Vehicles to re-order the specialty licence plate at no charge.

Registry Agent Service Fee Reimbursement

Motor Vehicles will reimburse the registry agent service fees for a no charge plate reorder/exchange completed for:

  • Manufactured defective special licence plates.
    and
  • Specialty plates not received or damaged in the mail. 

Registry agents must submit their service fee reimbursement requests to Motor Vehicles along with a photocopy of the plate and the no charge plate reorder/exchange application; see 1.10.17 Registry Agent Service Fee Reimbursement.

All other no charge services must be approved by Registries Assurance.

Reorder - Lost, Stolen or Damaged (Fee to be Charged)

To replace a lost, stolen or damaged specialty plate, a client must:

A registry agent must:

  • Process a plate exchange service (if applicable); see 4.55.04 Plate Exchange.
  • Complete an Additional Plate Processing service updating the status to lost, stolen, returned or destroyed; see 4.55.10 Additional Plate Processing.
  • Order a new specialty plate (a new configuration will be assigned).
  • Enter the previous specialty plate number on the MOVES Specialty Plate Reorder screen and record the reason for the reorder.  

Note:
Lost and stolen licence plates must be reported to law enforcement prior to the plate exchange service and/or re-ordering a new specialty plate.

Vehicle Ownership Correction

A Vehicle Ownership Correction (VOC) service may only be processed for adding/removing a joint member; see 4.55.08 Vehicle Ownership Correction (VOC).

Cancel

Specialty plates cannot be cancelled once the order has been placed as a result of the funds being distributed to the organization.

Registration

Plate Exchange

A registry agent must:

Vehicle Renewal

When a client’s vehicle registration is due to expire within six months, a registry agent should provide the client with the option of renewing their vehicle registration early; see 4.55.02 Vehicle Renewal. 

Fees

For specialty plate fees, see the Registry Agent Product Catalogue (pdf).

Imaging

A registry agent must not send the MOVES generated Order Confirmation document for imaging; however, it must be retained on file for 90 days. All other supporting documents must be sent for imaging (manually enter as a SUPP-DOC using the Microfilm Reference Insertion service on MOVES); see the appropriate sub-section in 1.15 Imaging. 


Date Originally Issued: Jul 22, 2014
Date Last Revised: Jan 19, 2022