Personalized License Plates: JUST4U with ICBC

Are you looking to spice up your license plate? Do you want your vehicle to be more easily identifiable in crowded parking lots?  Maybe you want everyone to know how much you LV CATS?  Then a personalized license plate may be for you!

The process to get a personalized license plate through ICBC is simple:

1. Decide what slogan you want.
2. Complete an application.
3. Take the signed application and cheque for the application fee to your local Autoplan insurance broker.

Personalized plates are only available on private passenger vehicles, motor homes, light trucks, vans, and motorcycles (not commercial or specialty vehicles).

Slogan

Your personalized BC license plate can be almost anything you want!

Here’s what it cannot be:

• Vulgar or offensive
• More than six characters
• Completely numerical (you can have 123 45A, but not 123 456)
• Already in use by someone else

Symbols are not permitted, nor are back-to-back spaces or dashes.

On ICBC’s personalized license plate application, you can provide your top five slogan choices. If there is only one slogan you want, you can list only that one on the application. However, if you have a back-up plan or four, you can list each slogan in order of preference. This way, if your first choice of slogan is unavailable, you can still get a personalized plate.

An explanation of each slogan you list on the application is required. (Ex. “My favourite number, and my initials.”)

Application

ICBC requires the completion of a one-page application before personalized plates can be issued (a fillable version of the application can be found here). Each registered owner of the vehicle to which the plates will be attached must sign the application.

You will have to provide details of the car you want the plates to be affiliated with (including the current plate number, registration number, VIN, and vehicle weight). All this information can be found on your insurance papers, so have them with you when you fill out the application.

There is a section for Agent Name, Agent Number and Agent Address that can be completed by your auto insurance broker when you bring in the application, or you can call your broker while completing the form and they can provide you with these details.

Fees

There is a $100 fee for the initial application to get personalized license plates, and a $40 renewal fee each year when the vehicle insurance is renewed.

If your personalized plates are damaged and repair or replacement is required, there is an $18 plate substitution fee, and you will be issued regular license plates while the personalized plates are being repaired/remanufactured.

Application Processing

To have your application for customized license plates reviewed, take your completed and signed application, along with a $100 cheque or money order payable to ICBC, to your ICBC auto insurance broker.

Your auto insurance broker will then mail the application and cheque to ICBC’s Personalized Plates Department for processing.

Once approved, your custom plates will be mailed to your chosen ICBC Autoplan broker. Your auto insurance broker will notify you that the plates are ready, and you can take in your old plates to be exchanged.

The process is similar for Ham plates (for those who are certified as Proficient in Amateur Radio). For more information, click here, or contact your local ICBC auto insurance broker.