My Nova Scotia Licence Plate Collection

EARLY CHAPTER
 Plates Issued 1907 to 1951
Bill White, Lower Sackville, NS    ALPCA 13568   Last updated February 2, 2025
 

Excludes Registered Weight Plates, seen on a separate page

Back to Licence Plate Opening Page  for my other licence plate pages.           Back to overall Marscan Opening Page

FOR MUCH MORE INFORMATION ON THE LICENCE PLATES OF NOVA SCOTIA,
INCLUDING VARIATIONS OF DIES, COLOURS AND OTHER DESIGN FEATURES
AND FOR ILLUSTRATIONS OF MANY PLATES I DO NOT HAVE IN MY COLLECTION,
I RECOMMEND YOU JOIN ALPCA AND VISIT THE MEMBERS-ONLY ARCHIVES. 
THE NS SECTION ARCHIVIST IS DAVID FRASER.  MANY MORE JURISDICTIONS
ALSO APPEAR IN THE ARCHIVES.

Some detailed information is also available at
All About License Plates , open to the general public.

 

Information about NS plates that is included here regarding registrations, formats types, codes, dates of issue, etc comes from a variety of sources whose accuracy I have not necessarily verified. It is my intention to not steal specifics from particular websites, and therefore have posted specifics received  from official sources or if it was seen on multiple sites.   I appreciate very much the work that various compilers have done to come up with this information.  Principal on-line sources are:  
Vehicle registration plates of Nova Scotia - Wikipedia   
The High Road :: License Plate News  Service Nova Scotia - Vehicle Registration & Plates

 
In this era there were new plates and colours every year, except in 1944 when, in most cases,
stickers were used in conjunction with 1943 plates, due to wartime metal shortages. 
 

From 1907 to 1917 the province of Nova Scotia registered motor vehicles but did not issue licence plates.  Instead, a registration disc with registration number was issued. This was intended for display on  the dashboard.  Owners used the number on the disc and produced self-made plates to mount on the vehicle, which had to follow certain standards, but were far from uniform in construction and size.  In these early years, motor vehicles of all types were registered in the one series.  Disc numbers, and therefore plates as well, were numbered consecutively through to 1917, with no re-starts. I do not have one of these but here is a photo of one most likely issued in 1909, courtesy of Jack Craft:

h

I am not currently attempting to collect the discs or the pre-provincial plates. Provincially-produced licence plates were introduced into Nova Scotia in 1918, which is relatively late for Canadian provinces.  Quebec began in 1908 and several began in 1911 to 1913. In fact, only Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland were later to do so.  As in practically any jurisdiction, passenger plates were the first type to be produced, closely followed by Commercial plates and as time went on several other types. Note that Nova Scotia commenced official issues after the porcelain plate era and therefore there are no porcelain NS plates, other than the possibility of pre-provincial private plates.  The first two years, 1918 and 1919, were tin-plate.  Manufacturers varied in the early years, and in many cases the plates look very similar to plates from other provinces in the same time span, with only minor differences.

Official plates began in 1918 with only two types: Motorcycle and a general issue which I list as Passenger, but was also used on
other types of vehicles.  Over the years other types gradually were introduced, for example, Commercial and Dealer in 1920.  In this section I am attempting to indicate these introductions in the right-side column, and if I have an example I will show it there. I don't know of anyone who has all the possible plates, and indeed, there may in some cases be none now in existence.

YEAR PASSENGER non-Passenger

This column will indicate all non-passenger plates that were issued in the particular year.  In all cases, unless noted, the colours of these plates matched those of the passenger plates.
If I have an example in my collection it will appear here.
Unless otherwise noted, all plates shown are in my collection.  For many more depictions of NS plates see the ALPCA archives (requiring membership).  That archives also includes details of serial number ranges for each type, for each year.
1918
White on Green
Flat

The 1918 plates were issued in several different lengths to suit the number and size of digits.  My plate 3364 is of the longest length. 

 Note that this plate came to my collection from a fellow collector in California, so it has a had at least a couple of long journeys!
 

In 1918 the only other type officially issued was Motorcycle.  These were smaller in size than the passenger plates but otherwise similar. 
From the beginning, without exception, regular Nova Scotia motorcycle
plates have had "number-only" serials (not including other motorcycle
types such as dealer, veteran, antique,etc.none of which existed in
the early era.)
1919
Black on Yellow
Flat Tinplate with rolled wire rim.



Note that I no longer have this plate, as
it has gone away to be with its mate in the
Glen Roemer collection of NS pairs.  Replaced
in my collection with the plate below.


Issued with either four or five digits. All are the same size.  Manufactured by the MacDonald Manufacturing Company.  

 Motorcycle
1920
White on Dark Blue
Embossed
 

This 1920 passenger plate has suffered from rusting and nailing
over the years but still has a lot of value. Seen in person it is a
bluer than this photo shows.  MAY BE AVAILABLE TO YOU FOR $ OR TRADE




 A nice repaint.  Looks great but has less value to
most collectors than the original one with all its issues.

 
 

Motorcycle
New this year: Commercial [C prefix] 
New this year: Dealer [D suffix]
 


This is one of only a half dozen or so of 1920 dealer plates
known to still exist.
1921
Black on Greenish Yellow
Flat, with embossed
border
 

 

Motorcycle
Commercial [C prefix] 
Dealer [D suffix]  
1922

White on Black (some appear to be White on dark Blue)
Embossed
(All plates from this year onward are embossed)


 

Motorcycle
Commercial [C prefix] 
Dealer [D suffix]  
1923
Red on Light Grey



Despite its value and charm, he 1923 tends to be the nuisance plate for Nova Scotia, as it is longer than all others, and therefore may be hard
to fit into displays.
 
Motorcycle
Commercial [C prefix] 
Dealer [D suffix]  
1924
Yellow on Black

 For 1924 to 1927, both long and short plates were issued to suit the length of the serial

This 1924 shortie is in beautiful shape! I have been told that
it is not a repaint, but I have my doubts.




1924 long plate
 

Motorcycle
Commercial [C prefix] 
Dealer [D suffix]  
1925
 Black on Cream


 
Motorcycle
Commercial [C prefix] 
Dealer [D suffix]  

 

1926
White on Dark Green

In 1926, and continuing to 1928, passenger vehicles were divided
into lightweight and heavyweight (division point was 3000 lbs) and
being issued different plates. The numerical part of the serial did not repeat so that the lower numbers were on the lightweight plates, and higher on the heavyweight plates.






 
Motorcycle
Commercial [C prefix] 
Dealer [D suffix, with varying prefix letter for individual salesperson]  


For the years in which the passenger plates had the L and H differentiation, there were also similar L and H designations used on at least some other
types of plates, most likely including Commercial and Trailer plates.

 

 

1927
Yellow on Black
 


 

Serials apparently began with the Light plates and
continued on into the H series, without starting over.

In the June 2023 edition of ALPCA's "Plates" magazine, David Fraser indicates that a few 1927 plates longer that the H plate shown here exist in the Heavy Passenger, and Commercial types, but none discovered in the Light Passenger type.  David speculates that these higher number longer plates are extra runs produced with whatever blanks were available, perhaps those of another province.  It is recommended that you read the article for details.

 

Motorcycle
Commercial [C prefix] 
Dealer [D suffix, with varying prefix letter for individual salesperson]  


 Most commercial plates are of the
same dimensions as the plates shown at the
left, but the Fraser article shows that a few
longer plates exist.

 

1928
Black on Orange



In 1928 the lightweight plate had no L prefix



This was the last year for the short-lived division between light and heavyweight passenger vehicles.
 

Motorcycle
Commercial [C prefix] 
Dealer [D prefix, with varying suffix letter for individual salesperson]  
New this year: Trailer [T suffix]
New this year: Farm Tractor [T prefix]








Note that this is the first recorded year for trailer plates, not shown here. Despite this, David Fraser, in his Plates article reports (and illustrates)
a 1927 "long" plate with a C prefix but T prefix, which possibly
is a trailer plate.
1929
White on Red


 
Motorcycle
Commercial [C prefix] 
Dealer [D prefix, with varying suffix letter for individual salesperson]  
Trailer [T suffix]
Tractor [T prefix]



1930
Red on Cream

 


The plate above is my primary plate for 1930.  The plate below
is the "before" photo of one I submitted to Sean Moore for
refinishing. I thought it would be interesting to have a couple of plates refurbished but on the whole do base my collection on non-refinished plates. Below that photo you will see the front
and back of the plate after it was done.  Sean lives
in the Cape Breton Regional Municipality in Nova Scotia.
He is a professional sign painter and artist, and is interested in
taking on your submissions and as well adding to his
own license plate collection.  Contact him on FB.  See also
his restoration of my 1935 plate farther down this page.








This plate appears white on my photos but is definitely the off-white or cream colour it is supposed to be!

Motorcycle
Commercial [C prefix] 
Dealer [D prefix, with varying suffix letter for individual salesperson]  
Trailer [T suffix]
Tractor [T prefix]
New this year: Farm Tractor [F prefix]

 

From 1931 to 1952 Nova Scotia issued passenger plates on which the first number represented a particular group of counties of issue, as follows:
2 Kings and Hants
3 Yarmouth, Digby, Annapolis
4 Shelburne, Queens, Lunenburg
5 Colchester, Cumberland
6 Pictou, Antigonish, Guysborough
7 Cape Breton, Victoria, Inverness, Richmond
8 and 9  Halifax

I have no information re any possible similar scheme for Commercial plates.

 
1931
 White on Black
 


 
Motorcycle
Commercial [C prefix] 
Dealer [D prefix, with varying suffix letter for individual salesperson]  
Trailer [T suffix]
Tractor [T prefix]
Farm Tractor [F prefix]

 

1932
 Black on Yellow
 


 
Motorcycle
Commercial [C prefix] 
Dealer [D prefix, with varying suffix letter for individual salesperson]  
Trailer [T suffix]
Tractor [T prefix]
Farm Tractor [F prefix]

 

1933
Orange on Black
 


 

Motorcycle
Commercial [C prefix] 
Dealer [D prefix, with varying suffix letter for individual salesperson]  
Trailer [T suffix]
Tractor [T prefix]
Farm Tractor [F prefix]



Note that I have the mate to this plate over on my selling page. Not
quite as good condition.



Issued to Dealer #146.  The A indicates this was the first plate issued
to that dealer for 1933.

1934
 White on Blue


 
Motorcycle
Commercial [C prefix] 
Dealer [D prefix, with varying suffix letter for individual salesperson]  
Trailer [T suffix]
Tractor [T prefix]
Farm Tractor [F prefix]
New this year:  Registered Weight

 

1935
 Blue on White



The plate above is the primary plate in my collection for 1935. 
The plate below is the "before" photo of one I submitted to Sean
Moore for repainting.  Below that are the front and back photos
of the plate after Sean was done with it.




Motorcycle
Commercial [C prefix] 
Dealer [D prefix, with varying suffix letter for individual salesperson]  
Trailer [T suffix]
Tractor [T prefix]
Farm Tractor [F prefix]
Registered Weight


This 1935 commercial plate is a prime candidate for
restoration, but I can never decide if doing such a
thing is a good idea.

1936
 White on Red

Motorcycle
Commercial [C prefix] 
Dealer [D prefix, with varying suffix letter for individual salesperson]  
Trailer [T suffix]
Tractor [T prefix]
Farm Tractor [F prefix]
Registered Weight




1937
 Deep Yellow on Black
 


 
Motorcycle
Commercial [C prefix] 
Dealer [D prefix, with varying suffix letter for individual salesperson]  
Trailer [T suffix]
Tractor [T prefix]
Farm Tractor [F prefix]
Registered Weight

 


 

1938
 Black on Yellow



 
Motorcycle
Commercial [C prefix] 
Dealer [D prefix, with varying suffix letter for individual salesperson]  
Trailer [T suffix]
Tractor [T prefix]
Farm Tractor [F prefix]
Registered Weight

 

1939
 White on Green


 
Motorcycle
Commercial [C prefix] 
Dealer [D prefix]  
Trailer [T suffix]
Tractor [T prefix]
Farm Tractor [F prefix]
Registered Weight
New this year: Dealer Salesman [S prefix]


 

1940
 White on Black
 



 
Motorcycle
Commercial [C prefix] 
Dealer [D prefix]  
Trailer [T suffix]
Tractor [T prefix]
Farm Tractor [F prefix]
Registered Weight
Dealer Salesman [S prefix]

 

1941
 Black on Cream

For 1941, passenger serials changed from
 (one or two digits) hyphen (three digits)  to
(single digit) hyphen (two digits) hyphen (two digits)


 


Motorcycle
Commercial [C prefix] 
Dealer [D prefix]  
Trailer [T suffix]
Tractor [T prefix]
Farm Tractor [F prefix]
Registered Weight
Dealer Salesman [S prefix]
New this year: Half-Year Commercial [X prefix]



 

*************

HALF YEAR HEAVY COMMERCIAL PLATES

Commencing in 1941 and extending to 1978 a second series of commercial plates was issued, this being for half-year registrations.  As far as I know these were for the first half of the year, expiring on July 15.  Half-year registrations for the second half of the year would receive regular plates as the expiry date in both cases would be December 31. 
From 1941 to 1959 (except 1952 to 56) these plates had an X prefix instead of C, and generally were of a different colour than the regular C plates.  From 1960 they had a CX prefix.   I do not have any of these plates prior to 1958 but am in each year at least indicating the colours used.

In 1941 these were Black on Cream (same as Psgr and C plates)

 


 

1942
 Black on Pea Green



Two plates were manufactured but only one was issued.  The remaining plate of the pair was retained and restamped and repainted for use in 1943.

Motorcycle
Commercial [C prefix] 
Dealer [D prefix]  
Trailer [T suffix]
Tractor [T prefix]
Farm Tractor [F prefix]
Registered Weight
Dealer Salesman [S prefix]
Half-Year Commercial [X prefix]



This was quite covered with surface rust.  Still not the best,
but a vast improvement.


 

1943
 White on Black


In 1943 the majority of plates issued were 1942 plates with the year restamped, and the plate repainted to the opposite colours.  These restamped plates are apparent by examining the 3 in the year, as
the remnants of the 2 are obvious, when examined up close.   The paint may also may appear to be a repaint.  The plate shown above is a restamp.
There were also a few 1943 plates produced for issue when the 1942 restamps ran out. At this time I have no knowledge of the serials used in each type.
 

Motorcycle
Commercial [C prefix] 
Dealer [D prefix]  
Trailer [T suffix]
Tractor [T prefix]
Farm Tractor [F prefix]
Registered Weight
Dealer Salesman [S prefix]
Half-Year Commercial [X prefix]

 


Comments for 1943 passenger plates apply to Commercial plates as well.

  


1944
The 1943 passenger plate was also used in 1944,
with a black and white on red window sticker.




Image courtesy of Dave Hunter at Avon Valley Antiques

Because these stickers were applied to the window,
very few of them survive.   The image shown is for your interest and information.  I DO NOT have a physical sticker.  This is a photo of
a copy of a 1944 sticker that is displayed in Avon River Antiques
in Windsor, NS.  Check Dave's stock of licence plates and
other collectibles on FB or in person.

There was purportedly a small number of 1944 plates issued, for new registrations, which of course during the war years were rare.   This run would have been in the same colour scheme as 1943.  See to the right
for the similar but confirmed Commercial issue.
 


Motorcycle
Commercial [C prefix] 
Dealer [D prefix]  
Trailer [T suffix]
Tractor [T prefix]
Farm Tractor [F prefix]
Registered Weight
Dealer Salesman [S prefix]
Half-Year Commercial [X prefix]

New this year: Orchard Sprayer [F prefix, with legend "SPRAYER]

For commercial vehicles, most had 1944 stickers placed on the plate itself, unlike the window stickers for passenger vehicles, but some or all new registrations received White on Black plates stamped 1944. This was a very small run and these plates are scarce to rare.

 The following is a photo of a 1944 Commercial plate that was unearthed after many years in the ground.  This photo was provided to me by a fellow collector who wishes to remain anonymous.
I DO NOT HAVE THIS PLATE!

 

***************
HALF YEAR PLATES (X prefix):
1943 plate with Black on yellow window sticker showing expiry on July 15, 1944

1945
 Black on Cream


 

Motorcycle
Commercial [C prefix] 
Dealer [D prefix]  
Trailer [T suffix]
Tractor [T prefix]
Farm Tractor [F prefix]
Registered Weight
Dealer Salesman [S prefix]
Half-Year Commercial [X prefix]

Orchard Sprayer [F prefix, with legend "SPRAYER]



1945 was a relatively rare Commercial year as sources indicate that only
about 2500 were issued, though this plate above seems to indicate that there
must have been at least 3339 new registrations.


 

 

1946
 Black on Gray


 

Motorcycle
Commercial [C prefix] 
Dealer [D prefix]  
Trailer [T suffix]
Tractor [T prefix]
Farm Tractor [F prefix]
Registered Weight
Dealer Salesman [S prefix]
Half-Year Commercial [X prefix]

Orchard Sprayer [F prefix, with legend "SPRAYER]



 
 
1947
 White on Black



 

Motorcycle
Commercial [C prefix] 
Dealer [D prefix]  
Trailer [T suffix]
Tractor [T prefix]
Farm Tractor [F prefix]
Registered Weight
Dealer Salesman [S prefix]
Half-Year Commercial [X prefix]

Orchard Sprayer [F prefix, with legend "SPRAYER]

 



 
 

1948
 Black on Pale Green



 

Motorcycle
Commercial [C prefix] 
Dealer [D prefix]  
Trailer [T suffix]
Tractor [T prefix]
Farm Tractor [F prefix]
Farm Tractor Class II [FX prefix]
Registered Weight
Dealer Salesman [S prefix]
Half-Year Commercial [X prefix] [BLACK ON YELLOW]

Orchard Sprayer [F prefix, with legend "SPRAYER]

 
 

1949
 Black on Cream


 

Motorcycle
Commercial [C prefix] 
Dealer [D prefix]  
Trailer [T suffix]
Tractor [T prefix]
Farm Tractor [F prefix]
New this Year:
Farm Tractor Class II [FX prefix]
Registered Weight
Dealer Salesman [S prefix]
Half-Year Commercial [X prefix] [BLACK ON RED]

Orchard Sprayer [F prefix, with legend "SPRAYER]





THIS HALF YEAR COMMERCIAL PLATE IS NOT MINE. IMAGE
APPEARS HERE COURTESY OF THE OWNER, DEAN ZWICKER.
 
1950
 Black on Gray


 

Motorcycle
Commercial [C prefix] 
Dealer [D prefix]  
Trailer [T suffix]
Tractor [T prefix]
Farm Tractor [F prefix]
Registered Weight
Dealer Salesman [S prefix]
Half-Year Commercial [X prefix] [RED ON WHITE]

Orchard Sprayer [F prefix, with legend "SPRAYER]
Farm Tractor Class II [FX prefix]




 


1951
 Black on Orange (also described as deep yellow)




 

Motorcycle
Commercial [C prefix] 
Dealer [D prefix]  
Trailer [T suffix]
Tractor [T prefix]
Farm Tractor [F prefix]
Registered Weight
Dealer Salesman [S prefix]
Half-Year Commercial [X prefix] [RED ON YELLOW]

Orchard Sprayer [F prefix, with legend "SPRAYER]
Farm Tractor Class II [FX prefix]
New this Year: Public Vehicle






This was the last year for the legend "Farm Tractor" on F plates


This was the first year for FX plates


End of the County Group System

Since 1931 the first digit of the five digit passenger serials indicated which group of Nova Scotia counties a plate was distributed in.  See the key prior to the 1931 listing above.  It is my understanding that this ended with the 1951 plates, or possibly the 1952 plates that were actually issued in 1952.  After this the serials with five digits were exhausted and moved to six digits. All plates embossed with the year 1953 commence with 10 regardless of area of issue.  Plates embossed with 1952 but issued in 1954 or later have even higher serials.  The old county grouping system had been outgrown. 

FOR A CONTINUATION PLEASE SEE MY MIDDLE ERA PAGE
The middle era, from 1952, spans a period in which there were various periods of multi-year validations of  plates and other changes from the era ending in 1951.