Effective June 15, 2005, personalized motorcycle plates will be available.

So, you are driving down the street and you meet a vehicle sporting a licence plate which reads BOXERS and fighters?" And then, APPLE. Now does that mean she eats apples, grows apples or, perhaps, she works on a Mac. If you are like most Nova Scotians, personalized plates keep you guessing.

Personalized plates first became available here in 1989; ARLENE was the first plate issued.

Many licence plates broadcast occupations. Consider T2TH MD, FYRFYTR, TOOLMAN, REALST8, INKEEPR, MRY KAY, DOGRUMR and IRENOV8. What about 1MAYTAG? Is he "lonely at the top?" Even more plates indicate leisure activities: JUJITSU, I CANOE, WNDSURF, GOT2SKI,LOV2FLY, I DANCE and FLYFISH. Especially during summer, golf is in a category of its own. Tee off with HOLE N1, 19 HOLE and MYCADDY - and then UPTAPAR? Musicians and sports fans also share the road, as evidenced by BIGBAND, VIOLIN, HABSFAN, NYYANKS, BOSOXR1, and PHILS.

Some indicate that parents double as chauffeurs: AMYSCAB, KIDCAGE and BRATPAC. Would that mean the father is AGRTDAD or is it MOTHER? Are DADSGRL and 2NDCHLD in the car, too?

Geographic references abound. To celebrate their roots, one driver blows the horn for ARISAIG, while TEXSGRL leaves no doubt about where she's from. USA 1, O CANADA could have been the score from a game in the World Cup of Hockey. Expatriates from islands in the North Atlantic and South Pacific are equally proud of their homelands as NFLD1 and KIWI 1 would indicate.

Language can also be an indication or origin, with SLAINTE being a Gaelic toast and PLAY1 being the Spanish word for beach. The old Queen song said "I'm in love with my car" and apparently the owners of MG 51, MY74BUG, 396 MUSL and 73MACH1 agree.

Plate perusing could make a person hungry. No problem! Here comes BAGEL, HAGGIS1, EATSUBS, and EAT ALG. Now does that really mean "eat algae?" COOL EH?

Even if you are NIFTY50, you are NOT2OLD to order a personalized plate - but they do come with some terms and conditions. Certain slogans, including words or symbols which are socially unacceptable, offensive or not in good taste, will not be approved. Dots, dashes and other symbols are not allowed. Each plate must have a minimum of two and a maximum of seven digits or letters. However, in the case of a personalized motorcycle plate, you must have a minimum of two and a maximum of six digits or letters.

B4IGO, I SWEAR I will put in a plug 4CANADA. LETS GO and GROW NS, too! I'm just going to pull over to the side of the road and catch some ZZZZZZZ. C U L8R!

How to Apply for a Personalized Plate

Vehicle Registration and Plates Information Index