Mi’kmaw Licence Plate

The Registry of Motor Vehicles, in partnership with the Nova Scotia Office of Aboriginal Affairs, has developed a new Mi’kmaw licence plate celebrating the Mi’kmaw language, culture and identity in Nova Scotia. The plate features the image of a Mi’kmaw petroglyph and the words “MI’KMA’KI Land of the Mi’kmaq” at the bottom.

The Mi’kmaw licence is now available at any Access Nova Scotia or Registry of Motor Vehicles Office.

The Mi’kmaw licence plate will be issued in sequential order to passenger (i.e. cars and station wagons) and light commercial vehicles up to 5000 kgs (i.e. trucks, SUVs and vans).

Registration Fees

The registration fee for a Mi’kmaw licence plate will be the standard vehicle registration fee associated with the class and weight of the vehicle being registered.  In addition, a $24 donation will be collected at the time of initial issuance of the plate and on renewals.  The $24 donation will be directed to the Mi’kmaw Youth Special Purpose Fund.

Applicants can replace their current passenger licence plate with a Mi’kmaw licence plate upon surrender of their old plate and payment of the $24 donation.  Applicants do not have to wait for their normal biennial renewal.

Future renewals: regular plate renewal fees and the $24 donation will be collected.
The cost of replacing a lost or stolen Mi’kmaw licence plate is $5.80.

Insurance information is required each time a vehicle registration (plate) is issued or renewed. A Statement of Insurance form must be completed for in-person and mail requests. For online renewal requests, you will be asked to provide this information electronically.

Mi’kmaw Youth Special Purpose Fund

The Mi’kmaw Youth Special Purpose Fund is administered by the Nova Scotia Office of Aboriginal Affairs.  The funds will be used to support Mi’kmaw youth sport and recreation projects.  You may obtain more information about the Mi’kmaw Youth Special Purpose fund by contacting Kwilmu’kw Maw-klusuaqn Negotiation Office (KMKNO) at mikmaqrights.com.

Note: current Canada Revenue Agency requirements do not permit the donation to be used as a tax deduction

Petroglyph

The graphic depicted on the licence plate is a Mi’kmaw petroglyph.  The meaning of Mi’kmaw petroglyphs, found throughout Nova Scotia, are open to interpretation as the intention and meaning of each design can only be known by the person(s) who carved them centuries ago.  The Mi’kmaq feel that no one interpretation is of more importance or can be considered more valid than any other. 

This specific petroglyph is found in the Bedford area. Research conducted on this specific petroglyph in the 1990’s reported that many Mi’kmaq connected the petroglyph image to the 8-point star, which has political and historical significance for the Mi’kmaq.  Others connected this specific image to the seven traditional districts of Mi’kma’ki (Mi’kmaw traditional territory), with the 8th point representing either the Crown, the Church, or the non-Native newcomers, according to different interpretations.  There are also suggestions that the image could represent a sweat lodge, a starfish, or is connected to the Mi’kmaw traditional game of waltes.

The petroglyph holds different meanings to different people; however, it also remains a connection to our past and to the generations preceding us, who have lived on these very same lands since time immemorial.