Hi All

New to this forum and need some clarification/help on the law in Ontario. I emigrated 10 years ago and brought my 1971 SAAB 96 with me, it finally restored and going on the road this year. My question is about number plates - I have the original number plates from the car (in the UK the plates stay on the car it's entire life, so become part of the identity of that car) I would like to use them because they are authentic to the car (and there are holes in the boot/trunk lid for the UK plates that the Ontario plates won't cover). I was thinking I could get an Ontario vanity plate of the same number (so the admin side of things is taken care of) and merely use the UK plates with the Ontario validation sticker on the rear number plate.

I can only find regulations in the Highway Traffics Act that speaks to obscuring letter/numbers (which I wont), having plates that work on red light cameras (which they do), and toll cameras (which they do) but can't see anything written about actual format/size of number plates. If a police officer were to check the plates it would come up with my name and address, so I'm not trying to dodge or hide anything, just trying to keep the car a little more authentic...

I've explored the Historic number plate route, but find the conditions of use a little restrictive and historic plates have to have been made in Ontario.

top image is restored, bottom one show me (much younger) when I had the car on the road and the format and style of the UK plate

Thanks All!

Pretty sure you MUST put real Ontario plates on it.

And Jsherk Returns! Welcome back!

As for the plate scenario, you must put Ontario Plates on the vehicle to register it in Ontario. I understand the authenticity behind having your old plates, but Ontario Regulations state that they must be issued by Ontario.

HTA 13(1)

13. (1) No number other than that upon the number plate furnished by the Ministry shall be exposed on any part of a motor vehicle or trailer in such a position or manner as to confuse the identity of the number plate. R.S.O. 1990, c. H.8, s. 13 (1).

Yes, you are legally required to use the actual number plates issued by the Province if you're operating your car on the roadway. Even if you obtain vanity plates that match the original UK numbering, it still wouldn't be lawful to use the UK plates. Great looking car though, looks like you did a great job on the restoration.

thanks everyone, looks like I'm fixing ontario plates to the car then!

Thanks for the kind words about the restoration Stanton - certainly a labour of love!!!

Ontario is pretty strict about plates. You have to have an issued plate completely unaltered and 100% visible.

With an Ontario issued plate, you can't alter it in any way. Someone here once asked about painting their blue Ontario letters to another colour (illegal), i've seen someone once trim their plate due to some fitment issues on their bumper (illegal), and sometimes people want to touch up their plates (also illegal). Even plate frames can get you charged, although officers usually use their judgment there. So you can probably see why a your current plans would draw some attention.

Another situation closer to yours would be these younger kids who put a vanity euro plate in the window of their Volkswagen. The argument that comes up is "I've got an Ontario plate on my car, so it's fine". The problem there is you can't have any other plate on your vehicle, even with a legitimate one.

So while on the roads, the custom plate is a no go.

I am of the opinion that the origional plates cannot be confused with the Ontario plates, therefore, the Ontario plates can be put on, as well as leaving the UK plates there. The problem arrises when two plates, similar in size, shape and lettering type can be confused with the Ontario plates. I do not see that as being a problem in this situation.

If you got vanity plates with the same number you could argue that having the UK plates on as well did not do anything to confuse the identity of the Ontario number plate as you are simply showing it a second time. Of course it all depends on what the road-side copper thinks and then, ultimately, the judge.

thanks all, I've pretty much resigned myself to being "conventional" and just fitting the Ontario plates (we've imported Mini Coopers and they have the same problem with the holes in the boot lid - my solution has been the same; to slap the Ontario plate over the top of the UK plate and have had the point raised at shows, but never got my collar officially felt!)

I was trying to push my luck one step further, but I'll behave....