The Canadian province of Manitoba first required its residents to register their motor vehicles and display licence plates in 1911. , plates are issued by the Manitoba Public Insurance. Front and rear plates are required for most classes of vehicles, while only rear plates are required for motorcycles and trailers.
Passenger baseplates 1911 to 1947 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 license plates for vehicles (except those for motorcycles) at in height by in width, with standardized mounting holes. The first Manitoba license plate that complied with these standards was issued 25 years beforehand, in 1931.
No slogans were used on passenger plates during the period covered by this subsection.
ImageDates issuedDesignSerial formatSerials issuedNotes1911White serial on blue porcelain plate; vertical "MAN" and "1911" at left and right respectively12341 to 1999;3000 to approximately 3200Serials 2000 through 2999 reserved for dealers.1912White serial on black porcelain plate; provincial shield at left with "MAN. 1912" below12341 to approximately 45001913Black serial on white porcelain plate; provincial shield at left with "MAN 1913" below12341 to approximately 58001914Black serial on golden yellow porcelain plate; provincial shield at left with "MAN 1914" below12341 to approximately 74001915Black serial on white flat metal plate; provincial shield at left with "MAN. 1915" below12341 to approximately 89001916White serial on brown flat metal plate; provincial shield at left with "MAN. 1916" below123451 to approximately 125001917White serial on black flat metal plate; provincial shield at left with "MAN. 1917" below123451 to approximately 186001918–19Black serial on yellow flat metal plate; provincial shield at left with "MAN. 1918" below123451 to approximately 33000Revalidated for 1919 with dark green tabs.1920Embossed black serial on light green plate with border line; "MAN 1920" at left123451 to approximately 33500First embossed plate.1921Embossed gray serial on dark blue plate with border line; "MAN 1921" at left1 to approximately 37-5001922Embossed white serial on black plate with border line; "MAN 1922" at left12-3451 to approximately 38-5001923Embossed blue serial on gray plate with border line; "MAN 1923" at left12-3451 to approximately 41-0001924Embossed white serial on black plate with border line; "MAN 1924" at left12-3451 to approximately 42-5001925Embossed black serial on white plate with border line; "MAN 1925" at left12-3451 to approximately 41-5001926Embossed white serial on black plate with border line; slanted "MAN" and "26" at right12-3451 to approximately 51-5001927Embossed black serial on white plate with border line; "MANITOBA 27" at bottom12-3451 to approximately 58-500First use of the full province name.1928Embossed black serial on turquoise plate with border line; "MANITOBA 28" at bottom12-3451 to approximately 59-0001929Embossed white serial on green plate with border line; "MANITOBA 29" at bottom12-3451 to approximately 77-0001930Embossed white serial on blue plate with border line; "MANITOBA 30" at bottom12-3451 to approximately 80-0001931Embossed white serial on green plate with border line; "MANITOBA 31" at bottom12-3451 to approximately 90-000First 6" x 12" plate.1932Embossed white serial on black plate with border line; "MANITOBA 32" at bottom12-3451 to approximately 78-0001933Embossed white serial on blue plate with border line; "MANITOBA 33" at bottom12-3451 to approximately 65-0001934Embossed white serial on green plate with border line; "34 MANITOBA" at bottom12-3451 to approximately 65-5001935Embossed white serial on black plate with border line; "MANITOBA 35" at bottom12-3451 to approximately 64-5001936Embossed white serial on blue plate with border line; "MANITOBA 36" at bottom12-3451 to approximately 65-5001937Embossed white serial on green plate with border line; "MANITOBA 37" at top12-3451 to approximately 68-0001938Embossed white serial on black plate with border line; "MANITOBA 38" at bottom12-3451 to approximately 78-5001939Embossed white serial on blue plate with border line; "MANITOBA 39" at top12-3451 to approximately 85-5001940Embossed white serial on green plate with border line; "MANITOBA 40" at bottom12-3451 to approximately 84-5001941Embossed black serial on yellow plate with border line; "MANITOBA 41" at top12-3451 to approximately 85-000Embossed black serial on silver plate with border line; "MANITOBA 42" at bottom12-3451 to approximately 84-000Revalidated for 1943 with red tabs, and for 1944 with windshield stickers, due to metal conservation for World War II.1945Embossed black serial on orange plate with border line; "MANITOBA 45" at bottom12-3451 to approximately 84-5001946Embossed blue serial on cream plate with border line; "MANITOBA 46" at bottom12-3451 to approximately 84-0001947Embossed black serial on silver plate with border line; "MANITOBA 47" at bottom12-3451 to approximately 85-500
1948 to present Manitoba is currently one of five provinces where decals are not used to show that the vehicle has valid registration.The other four provinces are Alberta, British Columbia, Saskatchewan, and Quebec.
ImageDates issuedDesignSloganSerial formatSerials issuedNotesEmbossed black serial on yellow plate with border line; "MANITOBA 48" at bottomnone123-4561 to approximately 112-000Revalidated for 1949 with silver tabs.1950–51Embossed black serial on silver plate with border line; "MANITOBA 50" at bottomnone1A2341A1 to approximately 9S999Revalidated for 1951 with red tabs.1952–57Embossed black serial on yellow plate with border line; "MANITOBA 52" at bottomnone1A2341A1 to9Y999Revalidated for 1953 with black tabs, for 1954 with green tabs, for 1955 with white tabs, for 1956 with black tabs, and for 1957 with green tabs.12A3410A1 to approximately 70P991958–63Embossed yellow serial on black plate with border line; "MANITOBA 58" at bottom, offset to right, with embossed bison graphic to leftnone1A2341A1 to9Y999Revalidated for 1959 with white tabs, for 1960 with yellow tabs, for 1961 with green tabs, for 1962 with white tabs, and for 1963 with yellow tabs. Letters I, O, Q, R and Z not used in serials; this practice continued until 1976.12A3410A1 to99Y99AB123AA1 to approximately DV9991964–70Embossed black serial on yellow plate with border line; "MANITOBA 64" at bottom, offset to right, with embossed bison graphic to leftnone1A2341A1 to9Y999Revalidated for 1965 with black tabs, for 1966 with red tabs, for 1967 with purple tabs, for 1968 with green tabs, for 1969 with black tabs, and for 1970 with purple tabs. Manitoba was thus the last jurisdiction in North America to revalidate its licence plates with tabs.12A3410A1 to99Y99AB123AA1 to approximately PJ9991971–75Embossed black serial on reflective white plate with border line; outline of bison's head and front leg embossed at left; "71" at bottom left"SUNNY MANITOBA" and "100,000 LAKES" centred at top and bottom respectivelyAB-123AB12-34AA-1 to approximately DW99-99Former provincial slogan coincidentally similar to the U.S. state of Minnesota slogan, "10,000 LAKES" (which is still currently used on its license plates).1976–82Embossed purple serial on reflective yellow plate; border lines around plate and around bottom corners; "MANITOBA" centred at bottom; "76" at top right"FRIENDLY" centred at topAAA-101 to approximately GUW-999Only letters A through E, G, H, K, L, N, S, T, U, W and X used in serials, and numbers 1–100 reserved in all series.1983–86Embossed black serial on reflective white plate; border lines around plate and around bottom corners; "MANITOBA" screened in red centred at bottom; debossed "83" at bottom left"FRIENDLY" screened in red centred at top123 ABC101 AAA to 500 DWTThe 1986 design changes were made in order to cut costs. Letters initially used in serials same as those on the 1976–82 base, plus P as second and/or third letter only; all letters used from the QAA series onwards (1995).1986 – June 16, 1997As above, but non-reflective, and with province name embossed in blackAs above, but embossed in black501 DWT to approximately 999 QLVJune 17, 1997 – late2012Embossed dark blue serial on reflective white plate with river scene featuring green trees on either side and yellow wheat at the bottom; blue bison graphic screened at top right; "Manitoba" screened in blue at top, offset to right, with red maple leaf over the 'i'"Friendly" screened in blue to left of province name, giving "Friendly Manitoba"ABC 123AAA 101 to BZZ 999; DAA 101 to GLW 999Awarded "Plate of the Year" for best new standard-issue licence plate of 1997 by the Automobile License Plate Collectors Association, the first and, to date, only time Manitoba has been so honored. Co-recipient with Wisconsin. Letters I, O and Q not used in serials; 'C' series reserved for Commercial plates and 'J' series for alternative Bienvenue plates (below).late 2012 – presentAs above, but with bison graphic changed from blue to blackGLX 101 to HZZ 999; KAA 101 to MCX 825 February 25, 2013 – presentAs above, plus "Bienvenue" screened in blue centered at bottomJBA 101 to JCF 708 Alternative issue.
Specialty plates ImageTypeFirst issuedDesignSloganSerial formatSerials issuedNotesWinnipeg Blue Bombers – BlueJune 2011Blue Text, Blue to white gradient and screened Winnipeg Blue Bombers logo"Friendly" and "True Blue"BB1234BB0001 to BB9999Serials BB0001 through BB0150 were issued only to current Bomber players, Alumni and executives.Winnipeg Blue Bombers – GoldJune 2012 ?"Friendly" and "Blue Bombers"B12345B00001 to presentWinnipeg Blue Bombers – Grey CupCirca 2019?Winnipeg JetsDecember 2011Blue serial on white and blue gradient plate with Jets logo screened at left"Friendly" and "Fuelled By Passion"WJ1234WJ0001 to WJ9999J12345J00001 to presentFirefighterSeptember 2012Blue serial on white and red gradient plate with Fire Department crest screened at left"Friendly" and "Serving Our Community"FF1234FF0001 to FF9999Issued to active or retired fire fighters and their immediate family. The number in the serial usually matches the fire fighter's badge number.Firefighter – WinnipegWF1234WF0001 to WF9999Winnipeg GoldeyesMarch 2013Blue serial on white and gold gradient plate with Goldeyes logo screened at left"Friendly" and "Goldeyes"G12345G00001 to presentCurling ManitobaDecember 2013Black serial on white plate with yellow curling target screened at bottom and curling stone at left"Friendly" and "curlingforlife.com"CM1234CM0001 to presentBrandon Wheat KingsFebruary 2014Black serial on white and yellow gradient plate with Wheat Kings logo and three wheat stalks screened at left"Friendly" and "Wheat Kings"WK1234WK0001 to presentUniversity of WinnipegJune 2014Black serial on white and red plate with UWinnipeg campus screened in background and UWinnipeg crest at left"Friendly" and "Discover, Achieve, Belong"UW1234UW0001 to presentBasketball ManitobaJune 2017Winnipeg Jets HeritageSeptember 2021Blue serial on white plate with 1973 Jets logo screened at left"Friendly" and "Honour the Past"JH1234JH0001 to JH9999H12345H00001 to presentWinnipeg Humane SocietyApril 2014"Friendly" and "Animal Friendly"Replaced in 2019 by the new 125th anniversary design.
Non-passenger plates