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B.C. moves to eliminate annual licence plate decals

If passed, Bill 20 will offer ‘flexibility’ to decals, extending them beyond their one-year expiry date or even making them non-expiring
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An example of a hand-written licence plate decal someone tried to pass back in September. If Bill 20 passes, the validation decals could become non-expiring. Photograph By COQUITLAM RCMP

The B.C. government has introduced a bill that would extend licence-plate decals beyond their usual one-year expiry date.

If passed, Bill 20 will offer "flexibility" to the validation decals so that they could also be non-expiring. ICBC could also be given the power to issue other kinds of documents to prove a vehicle is properly registered, according to a press release.

The proposed law is the latest move from the province to give drivers a reprieve from their annual trip to an insurance office and to move many of those services online.

But the delivery of decals remains a challenge, according to Attorney-General David Eby, the minister responsible for ICBC, who added Monday that the system of insurance brokers across the province would remain in place for now.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic began in March, ICBC has made it possible to renew insurance over the phone, and has waived cancellation and re-plating fees for drivers looking to halt payments until they can afford to insure their car again.

This story originally appeared here.