Stick around? New Brunswick aims to get rid of vehicle registration stickers

The New Brunswick government has introduced legislation to eliminate vehicle registration stickers.

A staple of vehicle registration won’t be sticking around much longer if the New Brunswick government passes its latest piece of legislation.

The proposed amendments to the Motor Vehicle Act would, if passed, eliminate the use of registration stickers on all vehicles by next spring. The change would also apply to off-road and commercial vehicles, according to a news release from the province.

“The proposed amendments reflect how technology has evolved and how we can make services more convenient for New Brunswickers,” said Local Government Minister Aaron Kennedy, who is also minister responsible for Service New Brunswick, in the release. “Eliminating licence plate stickers will simplify the registration process, reduce costs and save people time.”

Drivers would still need to renew their registrations annually and enforcement officers would confirm their registrations electronically.

Kennedy told reporters he acknowledged the removal of a sticker requirement would also eliminate the ability of officials to quickly confirm a vehicle’s registration.

“There obviously won’t be that visual cue, but police can pull vehicles over for any number of reasons,” he said. “When (police) approach a vehicle, they run those license plates as a matter of course.”

The new system would allow drivers who renewed their registrations online to print their certificates or have them mailed.

New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia and Nunavut are the only jurisdictions in Canada that still require vehicle registration stickers.

In 2019, the previous Progressive Conservative government removed the requirement for passenger and light commercial vehicles to have a front license plate, following a model set forth by several provinces beforehand.

For more New Brunswick news, visit our dedicated provincial page.