Inverclyde Council's coat of arms, drawn by the uploader, based on the original grant of arms in 1996 (based itself on the grant of arms in 1975) by the Lyon King of Arms in Scotland.
Or, on a base barry wavy Azure and Argent, a three-masted ship in full sail Proper, having for figurehead a lion rampant Gules, flying from the foremast and mizzenmast a streamer Gules, and from the main mast and jackstaff the banner of Scotland viz., Azure, a saltire Argent; in chief between two mullets of six points Sable pierced of the field, a hurt charged with a covered cup of the First.
Above the Shield is placed a coronet appropriate to a statutory Area Council, videlicet: issuant from a circlet eight paling piles (three and two halves visible) Or and eight garbs (four visible) of the Last, banded Sable, and in an Escrol below the same this Motto "Meliora Semper Prospicimus".
The arms were granted on October 3, 1996.
The arms differ only in the crown from the arms of the previous district council.

The main charge is a ship, as ships were part of the arms of all three burghs. The golden field was taken from the arms of Greenock and Port Glasgow. The two black mullets in the chief are taken from the arms of Burns of Wemyss, Baron Inverclyde. The blue roundel with chalice are taken from the arms of the Shaw of Greenock family. The motto "Meliora Semper Prospicimus" (We look forward to better things) is a local suggestion without historical meaning.