The Canadian province of Manitoba first required its residents to register their motor vehicles and display licence plates in 1911. As of 2022[update], plates are issued by Manitoba Public Insurance. Front and rear plates are required for most classes of vehicles, while only rear plates are required for motorcycles and trailers.
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 licence plates for vehicles (except those for motorcycles) at 6 inches (15 cm) in height by 12 inches (30 cm) in width, with standardized mounting holes.[1] The first Manitoba licence 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.
Manitoba is currently one of five provinces where decals are not used to show that the vehicle has valid registration, the others being Alberta, British Columbia, Saskatchewan and Quebec.[3]
The province also offers personalized vanity license plates, at a cost of $100. These plates can be affixed to passenger vehicles, non-commercial trucks, farm trucks, motorcycles, mopeds and motorhomes.[7]