The basic bear shape has been retained ever since, and the plate is now a registered trademark of the Government of the Northwest Territories.

The blue-and-white plates prior to the update were made of steel and lack graphic sheeting technology that would make them visible in the dark.

In 2011, the Government of Nunavut decided to discontinue the bear shape and replace it with a conventional rectangular design, which was introduced in July 2012.

In 1956, Canada, the United States, and Mexico came to an agreement with the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators, the Automobile Manufacturers Association and the National Safety Council that standardized the size for licence plates for vehicles (except those for motorcycles) at 6 inches (15 cm) in height by 12 inches (30 cm) in width, with standardized mounting holes.

[6] The first Northwest Territories licence plate that complied with these standards was issued five years beforehand, in 1951.