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 bear shaped plate is now a registered trademark of the Northwest Territories government. The basic bear shape has been retained ever since.

Influence on Nunavut plate design

In 1999 when the territory of Nunavut was created from part of the Northwest Territories, that new jurisdiction adopted a virtually identical plate. However, the Government of Nunavut discontinued the bear-shape, replacing it in 2012 with a conventional rectangular plate design.

Passenger plates 1966 to present

Image	First issued	Design	Slogan	Serial format	Serials issued	Notes
	1966	black on reflective orange	Canada's Northland	1-234 12-345 (following exhaustion of previous format)
	1970	bear-shaped; white on blue	Centennial			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
	1972	bear-shaped; white on blue
	1973	bear-shaped; dark blue on white with yellow slogan, date, and border	RCMP Centennial
	1974	bear-shaped; red on white
	1975	bear-shaped; turquoise on white
	1977	bear-shaped; red on white
	1979	bear-shaped; turquoise on white
	1981	bear-shaped; red on white
	1983	bear-shaped; blue on white
	1986	bear-shaped; blue on white	Explore Canada's Arctic	1234 12345 (following exhaustion of previous format)
	2010	bear-shaped; nature scene	Spectacular

External links

• Northwest Territories licence plates 1969-present