All EU countries issue registration plates in the common EU format. (F denotes France)
Some countries issue registration plates with a national flag or symbol. (N denotes Norway)
Some countries issue registration plates with no flag or symbol. (TR denotes Turkey)
Some countries issue registration plates with a different background colour to the common blue colour. (IS denotes Iceland)
All of these registration plates satisfy the requirements for vehicles in cross-border traffic set in the Vienna Convention on Road Traffic as they display the international vehicle registration code for the country of registration incorporated into the vehicle registration plate.

A vehicle registration plate, also known as a number plate (British English), license plate or licence plate (American English and Canadian English respectively), is a metal or plastic plate or plates attached to a motor vehicle or trailer for official identification purposes. The registration identifier is a numeric or alphanumeric code that uniquely identifies the vehicle within the issuing authority's database. In Europe most countries have adopted a format for registration plates that satisfies the requirements in the Vienna Convention on Road Traffic, which states that cross-border vehicles must display a distinguishing code for the country of registration on the rear of the vehicle. This sign may be an oval sticker placed separately from the registration plate, or may be incorporated into the plate. When the distinguishing sign is incorporated into the registration plate, it must also appear on the front plate of the vehicle, and may be supplemented with the flag or emblem of the national state, or the emblem of the regional economic integration organisation to which the country belongs.[1] An example of such format is the common EU format, with the EU flag above the country code issued in EU member states.

Format

The vast majority of European countries issue registration plates that are:

This is one of the basic standard sizes worldwide.

The others are:

Some European countries use registration plates in other formats:

European Union

The common EU format of having a blue section on the extreme left with EU circle of stars and the country code was introduced by Council Regulation (EC) No 2411/98 of 3 November 1998[2] and entered into force on 11 November 1998. It was based on a model registration plate which three member states had already introduced: Ireland (1991),[3] Portugal (1992)[4] and Germany (1994).[5] Luxembourg plates had displayed the EU flag on the left since 1988. Vehicles with registration plates in the EU format do not need to display the white oval international vehicle registration code while within the European Economic Area,[6] or in countries party to the Vienna Convention on Road Traffic (except if the plate is issued in Cyprus, Ireland, Malta and Spain).[7]

Other countries

Several non-EU European states have implemented formats similar to the EU format, with national flags or symbols in place of the circle of stars. Vehicles with such registration plates, issued in countries party to the Vienna Convention on Road Traffic, do not need to display the white oval international vehicle registration code while within countries signatory to the Vienna Convention on Road Traffic.[7]

Common letter and digit systems between countries

Several countries have made efforts to avoid duplicating registration numbers used by other countries. This is not completely successful and there are occasional difficulties in connection with parking fines and automatic speed cameras.

Differing numbering systems

Individual European countries use differing numbering schemes and text fonts:

Angle and height

The plate must be at +/-5° to the longitudinal plane of the vehicle. Lower edge must be higher than 0.3m and upper edge lower than 1.2m.[15]

Cross-border traffic

According to the Vienna Convention on Road Traffic, vehicles in cross-border traffic are obliged to display a distinguishing sign of the country of registration on the rear of the vehicle. This sign may either be placed separately from the registration plate or, after the convention was amended in 2006, may be incorporated into the vehicle registration plate. One of the main benefits of the convention for motorists is the obligation on signatory countries to recognise the legality of vehicles from other signatory countries. The following requirements must be met when driving outside the country of registration:

The common EU format of having a blue section on the extreme left with EU circle of stars and the country code was introduced by Council Regulation (EC) No 2411/98 of 3 November 1998 and entered into force on 11 November 1998. According to Article 3 of the regulation shall member states that require vehicles registered in another member state to display a distinguishing registration sign also recognise distinguishing signs issued in accordance with the regulation (the common EU format).[2] After the amendment of the Vienna Convention on Road Traffic in 2006, registration plates issued in the common EU format also satisfies the requirements of the named convention and hence is also valid in all countries party to the Vienna Convention on Road Traffic (if the issuing country is party to the convention).

Mopeds are exempt, and do not need to wear a distinguishing sign. If their country does not require a license plate, then the vehicle can cross borders without a license plate as well. Example: Swedish moped class II or the German insurance plate, which isn't an official license plate and only shows that insurance has been paid.

After Brexit the European Commission confirmed that British cars with registration plates with the distinguishing sign incorporated do not need a separate sign when driving in EU countries party to the Vienna Convention on Road Traffic. If the registration plate does not include the distinguishing sign, or if the vehicle is driven in an EU country not party to the Vienna Convention, a separate sign has to be displayed at the rear of the vehicle. All EU countries except Cyprus, Ireland, Malta and Spain are party to the convention.[16]

The following European countries are required to recognise the registration plate of other European countries, satisfying the requirements set out in the Vienna Convention on Road Traffic, as an international vehicle registration code

Registration plate in the common EU format issued in EU countries signatory to the Vienna Convention on Road Traffic

Registration plate in the common EU format issued in EU countries not signatory to the Vienna Convention on Road Traffic
Yes Yes No
Yes No Yes

Some European countries are not party to the Vienna Convention on Road Traffic. Cyprus, Ireland, Malta and Spain are examples of non-signatory countries. Those who have not ratified the convention may be parties to the older 1949 Geneva Convention on Road Traffic, which is the case of the aforementioned countries. According to the Geneva convention, a distinguishing sign of the country of registration must be displayed on the rear of the vehicle. This sign must be placed separately from the registration plate and may not be incorporated into the vehicle registration plate. The letters shall be in black on a white background having the shape of an ellipse with the major axis horizontal.

List

Vehicle registration plates of each country are described in the following table:

Motorcycle plates are used for motorcycles and vehicles where mounting space is an issue, such as taxis which display their taxi licence plate beside the vehicle registration plate[clarify], and vehicles imported from countries where the mounting space was not originally designed to take European-sized plates (e.g. USA).

Moped plates are used for 2-wheeled moped and, in the European Union and EER countries for 4-wheeled mopeds (light quadricycle)

Countries

Country Code Strip Example Motorcycle plates Moped
 Albania AL
 Andorra AND
 Austria A
 Belarus BY
 Belgium B
 Bosnia and Herzegovina BIH
 Bulgaria BG
 Croatia HR

 Cyprus CY
 Czech Republic CZ
 Denmark DK
 Estonia EST

 Finland FIN

 France F
 Germany D
 Greece GR
 Hungary H
 Iceland IS
 Ireland IRL
 Italy I
 Latvia LV
 Liechtenstein FL
 Lithuania LT
 Luxembourg L
 Malta M
 Moldova MD
 Monaco MC
 Montenegro MNE
 Netherlands NL
 North Macedonia NMK[fn 1]
 Norway N
 Poland PL
 Portugal P
 Romania RO
 San Marino RSM
 Serbia SRB
 Slovakia SK
 Slovenia SLO
 Spain E
 Sweden S
 Switzerland CH
 Ukraine UA
 United Kingdom UK[fn 2]

 Vatican City V[fn 3]
Notes
  1. ^ Prior to February 2019, North Macedonia used the distinguishing sign "MK".[17]
  2. ^ The national identifier is optional on British registration plates. Registration plates with the "UK" identifier displayed on its own or with a Union Jack flag satisfy the requirements from the Vienna Convention on Road Traffic, and are valid in countries party to the Convention.[9] The specification of plates incorporating the UK code was created by the British Number Plate Manufacturers Association, and is seen as the default design by the Department for Transport.[18] Registration plates can also feature the national flag of England, Scotland or Wales together with their corresponding code or name (such as "ENG", "Eng" "ENGLAND" or "England"). These are valid within the UK,[19] but a "UK" sticker must be affixed at the rear of the vehicle if driven abroad.[11] Until Brexit, UK registration plates could be issued in the common EU format. This format cannot be issued after the end of the transition period.[20] A "UK" sticker must be affixed at the rear of a vehicle with a registration plate displaying the EU emblem when driven abroad.[11] Note: Many cars also have EU flag on if issued pre-Brexit and cars can have EU flag only with the code "GB"; these plates are not valid for international use, a "UK" sticker must be affixed at the rear of the vehicle if driven abroad.[11]
  3. ^ CV (Italian: Città del Vaticano) is used as a prefix on the licence plate number itself for private vehicles. The prefix used on official and government vehicles is SCV (Italian: Status Civitatis Vaticanae)

Transcontinental countries

Territory Code Strip Example Motorcycle plates
 Armenia AM
 Azerbaijan AZ
 Georgia GE
 Russia RUS
 Turkey TR

Dependent territories

Territory Code Strip Example Motorcycle plates
 Åland Islands

( Finland)

FIN[fn1 1]
 Alderney

( United Kingdom)

GBA
 Faroe Islands

( Denmark)

FO
 Gibraltar

( United Kingdom)

GBZ[a]
 Guernsey

( United Kingdom)

GBG
 Isle of Man

( United Kingdom)

GBM
 Jersey

( United Kingdom)

GBJ
Notes
  1. ^ The official distinguishing sign is FIN as in the rest of Finland, but the Parliament of Åland wants to introduce "AX" as its official code.

Disputed territories

Territory Code Strip Example Motorcycle plates
 Abkhazia ABH
 Kosovo RKS
 Northern Cyprus TRNC
 South Ossetia RSO
 Transnistria PMR

Timeline

Timeline of Vehicle registration plates of Europe from 1960 until today
Country 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s 2010s 2020s
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
 Albania
AB 1234
AB 12345
12 AB 123
AB 1234 A
AB 1234 A
AB 123 AB  
 Andorra
1234
PRINCIPAT D'ANDORRA
12345
PRINCIPAT D'ANDORRA
A1234
PRINCIPAT D'ANDORRA
A1234
AND PRINCIPAT D'ANDORRA
 Austria
W 123.456
W 12345 A
W 12345 A
 Belarus
1234 AB
1234 ABC
1234 AB-1
 Belgium
1234.A
A.AB.12
ABC•123
ABC-123
123-ABC
1-ABC-123
 Bosnia and Herzegovina
AB-12345 A
AB 123-AB
123-A-123
A12-A-345
ТБ 123-45
AB-1234 AB
 Bulgaria
Пз•X•1234
ПЗ•1234•X
PA 1234 AX
PA 1234 AX
PA 1234 AX
 Croatia
AB 1234-CD
AB 1234-CD
 Cyprus
AB 123
AB 123
ABC 123
ABC 123
ABC 123
 Czech Republic
ABC 12-12
1A2 12-12
1AB 1234
 Denmark
KA 12.123
AB 12 345
AB 12 345
 Estonia
123 ABC
123 ABC
 Finland
ABC-12
ABC-123
ABC-123
 France
123 ABC 75
123 ABC 75
AB-123-AB  
 Germany
FL - AB 1234
FL AB 1234
 Greece
123•123
AB-1234
ABC-1234
ABC-1234
 Hungary
AB•12•12
ABC-123
ABC-123
AB CD-123
 Iceland
A12345
AB 123
AB 123
AB C12
 Ireland
ABC 123
123 ABC
87-AB-1234
91-AB-12345
00-AB-123456
131-AB-12345
 Italy
MI 123456
MI MI 123456
MI 123456
AB 123AB
AB 123AB  
 Latvia
AB-1234
AB-1234
 Liechtenstein
FL 12345
 Lithuania
ABC 123
ABC 123
 Luxembourg
12345
A 1234
AB 123
AB 123
AB 1234
 Malta
1234
A-1234
ABC ▪ 123
 Moldova
AB AB 123
AB AB 123
AB AB 123
ABC 012
 Monaco
A123
PRINCIPAUTE DE MONACO
A123
PRINCIPAUTE DE MONACO
A123
MC PRINCIPAUTE DE MONACO
 Montenegro
PG AB 123
 Netherlands
AB-12-12
12-12-AB
12-AB-12
AB-12-AB
AB-AB-12
AB-AB-12
12-AB-AB
12-ABC-3
 North Macedonia AB РМ123-AB AB  AБ  123-AB
AB  AБ  1234 AB
AB  AБ  1234 AB
 Norway
A-12345
AB 12345
AB 12345
AB 12345
 Poland
AB 1234
ABC 1234
ABC 12AB
ABC 12AB
 Portugal
AA-12-34
12-34-AB
12-34-AB  
12-AB-34  
AA-01-AA
 Romania
12,345-B
12-B-12345
AB 12ABC
AB 12ABC
 Russia
12-34 МОЦ
и 1234 ЦП
  A 123 AB
 San Marino
RSM 123
RSM 1234
RSM 12345
12345
A1234
 Serbia
BG 123-456
BG 123-456
BG 1234-AB
 Slovakia
ABC 12-12
AB-123AB
AB-123AB
AB 123AB
 Slovenia
LJ A1-12A
LJ AB-12A
LJ AB-12A
 Spain
AB-12345
AB-1234AB
1234 ABC
 Sweden
A 12345
ABC 123
ABC 12A
ABC 123
 Switzerland
BE 123 456
 Turkey
A 12 345
12 AB 1234
12 AB 123
12 ABC 12
 Ukraine
A1234 AB
123-45AB
AB 1234 CD
AB 1234 CD
 United Kingdom
ABC 123
ABC 123A
ABC 123A
A123 ABC
AB12 ABC
AB12 ABC
AB12 ABC
AB12 ABC
Northern Ireland
1234 ABC
ABC 1234
ABC 1234
ABC 1234
ABC 1234
ABC 1234
ABC 1234
 Vatican City
CV 12345
Country 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s 2010s 2020s


Dependencies and disputed territories [21]

Timeline of Vehicle registration plates of disputed, dependent and other territories in Europe from 1960 until today
Territory 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s 2010s 2020s
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
 Åland
ÅL123
ÅL 1234
ÅLA 123
Åland
ÅLA 123
 Faroe Islands
Fø 1.234
Fø 12.345
F 12 345
AB 123
 Greenland
G 12.345
GR 12 345
rand Alderney
AY 123
AY 1234
AY 123
AY 1234
 Guernsey
12345
12345
 Jersey
J12345
J123456
J12345
J123456
 Isle of Man
12AMN
MN 1234
MAN 123A
M123 MAN
MAN 1234
1234 MAN
BMN 123M
AMN-123-A
 Gibraltar
G 12345
G 1234A
G 1234A
 Kosovo
123-KS-123
12 123-AB
 Northern Cyprus
AB 123
AB 123
AB 123
 Transnistria
A 123 AB


See also

Notes

  1. ^ The EU strip is allowed but no longer issued by the local government after Brexit.

References

  1. ^ a b "Annexes- Distinguishing Sign of Motor Vehicles and Trailers to International Traffic- Convention on Road Traffic on 8 November 1968".
  2. ^ a b c "EUR-Lex - 31998R2411 - EN - EUR-Lex". Retrieved 26 May 2016.
  3. ^ "S.I. No. 287/1990 - Road Vehicles (Registration and Licensing) (Amendment) Regulations, 1990". Retrieved 26 May 2016.
  4. ^ "License Plates of Portugal". Retrieved 26 May 2016.
  5. ^ "License Plates of Germany". Archived from the original on 13 February 2007. Retrieved 26 May 2016.
  6. ^ "EUR-Lex - 22000D1123(10) - EN". Official Journal L 296, 23 November 2000, [. 0045-0045. Retrieved 12 March 2021.
  7. ^ a b "Convention on Road Traffic, of 8 November 1968 (2006 consolidated version), Annex 3" (PDF). 3 September 1993. When the distinguishing sign is incorporated into the registration plate(s), the following conditions shall apply: [...] When, in addition to the distinguishing sign, a non-numerical symbol and/or a flag and/or a regional or local emblem is displayed on the registration plate, the distinguishing sign of the State of registration shall obligatorily be placed on the far left of the plate
  8. ^ Indførelse af danske EU nummerplader i oktober 2009 Archived 1 August 2014 at the Wayback Machine (in Danish)
  9. ^ a b Convention on road traffic
  10. ^ Statutory Instrument 2009 No. 811 The Road Vehicles (Display of Registration Marks)(Amendment) Regulations 2009 with effect from 27 April 2009
  11. ^ a b c d "Displaying number plates". GOV.UK. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
  12. ^ "parliament.uk Home page - UK Parliament". Archived from the original on 30 March 2019. Retrieved 13 December 2018.
  13. ^ "GB number plate sticker no longer valid abroad". BBC. 29 September 2021.
  14. ^ Information about the positions of characters in plates (in Spanish)
  15. ^ "Rear registration plates on motor vehicles | EUR-Lex". eur-lex.europa.eu. Retrieved 26 March 2024.
  16. ^ "Notice on Travelling Between the EU and the United Kingdom Following Withdrawal of the United Kingdom From the EU" (PDF).
  17. ^ "Announcement of the Inter-ministerial working group for fulfilment of the obligations stipulated in the Final Agreement for the Settlement of the Differences as Described in the United Nations Security Council Resolutions 817 (1993) and 845 (1993)". Government of the Republic of Macedonia. 13 February 2019. Retrieved 13 February 2019.
  18. ^ "UK plates from 28th September - BNMA". bnma.org. Retrieved 9 January 2022.
  19. ^ Statutory Instrument 2009 No. 811 The Road Vehicles (Display of Registration Marks)(Amendment) Regulations 2009
  20. ^ The Road Vehicles (Display of Registration Marks) (Amendment) (EU Exit) (No. 2) Regulations 2020
  21. ^ "European plates information". Matriculasdelmundo.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 12 September 2023.