International vehicle registration code
The country in which a motor vehicle's vehicle registration plate was issued may be indicated by an international licence plate country code, formerly known as an International Registration Letter[1] or International Circulation Mark.[2] The sign must be displayed on the rear of the vehicle. The sign may either be placed separately from the registration plate, or be incorporated into the vehicle registration plate.
The allocation of codes is maintained by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe as the Distinguishing Signs Used on Vehicles in International Traffic[3] (sometimes abbreviated to DSIT), authorised by the UN's Geneva Convention on Road Traffic[4] of 1949 and the Vienna Convention on Road Traffic[5] of 1968. Many vehicle codes created since the adoption of ISO 3166 coincide with ISO two- or three-letter codes.
The 2004 South-East Asian Agreement ... for the Facilitation of Cross-Border Transport of Goods and People uses a mixture of ISO and DSIT codes: Myanmar uses MYA, China CHN, and Cambodia KH (ISO codes), Thailand uses T (DSIT code), Laos LAO, and Vietnam VN (coincident ISO and DSIT codes).[6]
The Vienna Convention on Road Traffic was concluded in Vienna on 8 November 1968. Since its entry into force on 21 May 1977, in signatory countries it replaces previous road traffic conventions, notably the 1949 Geneva Convention on Road Traffic, in accordance with its Article 48. One of the main benefits of the convention for motorists is the obligation on signatory countries to recognize the legality of vehicles from other signatory countries. When driving in other signatory countries, the distinguishing sign of the country of registration must be displayed on the rear of the vehicle. The sign may either be placed separately from the registration plate as a white oval plate or sticker, or be incorporated in the vehicle registration plate. When the distinguishing sign is incorporated in the registration plate, it must also appear on the front registration plate of the vehicle.
- The physical requirements for the separate sign are defined in Annex 3 of the Vienna Convention, which states that the letters shall be in black on a white background having the shape of an ellipse with the major axis horizontal. The distinguishing sign should not be affixed in such a way that it could be confused with the registration number or impair its legibility.
- When the distinguishing sign is incorporated into the registration plate, it must also appear on the front registration 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 organization to which the country belongs. The distinguishing sign should be displayed on the far left or far right of the registration plate. When a symbol, flag or emblem is also displayed, the distinguishing sign shall be placed on the far left of the plate. The distinguishing sign shall be positioned so as to be easily identifiable and so that it cannot be confused with the registration number or impair its legibility. The distinguishing sign shall therefore be at least a different colour from the registration number, or have a different background colour from that reserved for the registration number, or be clearly separated from the registration number, preferably with a line.
The requirement to display a separate distinguishing sign is not necessary within the European Economic Area, for vehicles with license plates in the common EU format which satisfy the requirements of the Vienna Convention, and so are also valid in non-EU countries signatory to the convention. [7] Separate signs are also not needed for Canada, Mexico and the United States, where the province, state or district of registration is usually embossed or surface-printed on the vehicle registration plate.
Current codes
Code | Country | From | Previous Code |
Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
A | 1910 | |||
AFG | 1971 | |||
AL | 1934 | |||
AM | 1992 | SU | Formerly part of the Soviet Union | |
AND | 1957 | |||
AUS | 1954 | |||
AZ | 1993 | SU | Formerly part of the Soviet Union | |
B | 1910 | |||
BD | 1978 | PAK | Formerly East Pakistan | |
BDS | 1956 | |||
BF | 1990 | RHV / HV | Until August 2003, 1984; (République (de)) Haute Volta (Upper Volta) | |
BG | 1910 | |||
BH | 1938 | Former British Honduras. Still officially registered as BH as of 2007. | ||
BIH | 1992 | YU | Bosna i Hercegovina | |
BOL | 1967 | |||
BR | 1930 | |||
BRN | 1954 | |||
BRU | 1956 | |||
BS | 1950 | |||
BUR | 1956 | BA | Also known as Burma. | |
BVI | 1910 | |||
BW[8] | 2003 | BP | Officially used by Botswana since 2003. Formerly RB (Republic of Botswana) until 2004. Formerly Bechuanaland Protectorate | |
BY | 1992 (2004) | SU | Byelorussia; formerly part of the Soviet Union. The UN was officially notified of the change from SU to BY only in 2004.[9] | |
C | 1930 | |||
CAM | 1952 | F & WAN | Formerly a territory of France, plus a strip of territory from eastern Nigeria (WAN). Unofficially using CMR on their plates. | |
CDN | 1956 | CA | ||
CGO | 1997 | CB, RCL, CGO, ZR | Congo Belge (French), République de Congo Léopoldville (French), Congo (Kinshasa), Zaïre, République Démocratique du Congo (French) | |
CH | 1911 | Confœderatio Helvetica (Latin) | ||
CI | 1961 | F | Formerly a territory of France | |
CL | 1961 | Formerly Ceylon | ||
CO | 1952 | |||
CR | 1956 | |||
CY | 1932 | |||
CZ | 1993 | CS | Formerly Československo (Czechoslovakia) | |
D | 1910 | Deutschland (German); also used until 1974 by | ||
DK | 1914 | |||
DOM | 1952 | |||
DY | 1910 | Part of AOF (Afrique occidentale française) − 1960 |
Dahomey (name until 1975). Uses RB unofficially (République Béninoise) | |
DZ | 1962 | F − 1911 | Djazayer (Algerian Arabic); Formerly part of France | |
E | 1910 | España (Spanish) | ||
EAK | 1938 | East Africa Kenya | ||
EAT | 1938 | EAT & EAZ | East Africa Tanzania; formerly East Africa Tanganyika and East Africa Zanzibar | |
EAU | 1938 | East Africa Uganda | ||
EAZ | 1964 | East Africa Zanzibar | ||
EC | 1962 | |||
EIR | 1938 | GB − 1910 SE − 1924 IRL − 1962 |
Éire or Ireland. Formerly a part of the United Kingdom and formerly Saorstát Éireann. Activists want the name of the country represented in the Irish language by changing the code back to EIR or ÉIR, but this is unnecessary, as Statutory Instrument No. 269 of 1961 provides: " ... the letters EIR are used to indicate the name of the State but the letters IRL may be substituted therefor." | |
ER | 1993 | AOI | Africa Orientale Italiana (Italian) | |
ES | 1978 | |||
EST | 1993 | EW 1919–1940 & 1991–1993 SU 1940–1991 |
Eesti Vabariik (Estonian); formerly part of the Soviet Union | |
ET | 1927 | |||
ETH | 1964 | Africa Orientale Italiana (Italian) | ||
F | 1910 | |||
FIN | 1993 | SF | Suomi Finland (Finnish/Swedish) | |
FJI | 1971 | |||
FL | 1923 | Fürstentum Liechtenstein (German, Principality of Liechtenstein) | ||
FO | 1996 | Føroyar | ||
G | 1974 | ALEF − 1960 | Afrique Équatoriale Française. Unofficially using RG on their license plates. | |
GB | 1910 | Before 1922, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland | ||
GBA | 1924 | Great Britain and Northern Ireland – Alderney | ||
GBG | 1924 | Great Britain and Northern Ireland – Guernsey | ||
GBJ | 1924 | Great Britain and Northern Ireland – Jersey | ||
GBM | 1932 | Great Britain and Northern Ireland – Isle of Man | ||
GBZ | 1924 | Great Britain and Northern Ireland – Gibraltar (Z was assigned because G was already used for Guernsey) | ||
GCA | 1956 | Guatemala, Central America | ||
GE | 1992 | SU | Formerly part of the Soviet Union. Older licence plates use "GEO" instead of "GE". | |
GH | 1959 | WAC − 1957 | West Africa Gold Coast − 1957 | |
GR | 1913 | |||
GUY | 1972 | BRG | Formerly British Guiana − 1966 | |
H | 1910 | |||
HKJ | 1966 | JOR | Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan | |
HN | ? | unofficial - no other code found for Honduras | ||
HR | 1992 | SHS 1919–29 Y 1929–53 YU 1953–92 |
Hrvatska (Croatian). Formerly part of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes, an earlier name for Yugoslavia.
Immediately after Croatia's declaration of independence in 1991, | |
I | 1919 | |||
IL | 1952 | "Israel" is written on the plate also in Hebrew (ישראל) and Arabic (إسرائيل) | ||
IND | 1947 | |||
IR | 1936 | |||
IRL | 1962 | GB − 1910 SE − 1924 EIR − 1938 |
Formerly a part of the United Kingdom, Saorstát Éireann, Éire. There is a campaign by Irish language activists underway to have the name of the country in the native language represented by changing the code back to EIR or ÉIR. However Statutory Instrument No. 269 of 1961 already provides: " ... the letters EIR are used to indicate the name of the State but the letters IRL may be substituted therefor." | |
IRQ | 1930 | |||
IS | 1936 | Ísland (Icelandic) | ||
J | 1964 | |||
JA | 1932 | |||
K | 1956 | F − 1949 | Known as Kampuchea 1976–89. Formerly a territory of France. | |
KS | 1992 | SU − 1991 | Formerly part of the Soviet Union. However, most vehicles use "KGZ" instead of "KS". | |
KSA | 1973 | SA | Kingdom of Saudi Arabia | |
KWT | 1954 | |||
KZ | 1992 | SU − 1991 | Formerly part of the Soviet Union | |
L | 1911 | |||
LAO | 1959 | F – 1949 | Formerly a territory of France (French Indochina) | |
LAR | 1972 | I − 1949, LT | Libyan Arab Republic | |
LB | 1967 | |||
LS | 1967 | BL | Basutoland − 1966 | |
LT | 1992 | SU 1940–1991 | Formerly part of the Soviet Union | |
LV | 1992 | LR 1927–1940 SU 1940–1991 |
Latvijas Republika (Latvian); Formerly part of the Soviet Union | |
M | 1966 | GBY 1924–66 | ||
MA | 1924 | Maroc (French) | ||
MAL | 1967 | PRK – 1957 FM 1954-7 PTM 1957–67 |
Formerly Perak, then Federated Malay States, then Persekutuan Tanah Melayu (Malay) | |
MC | 1910 | |||
MD | 1992 | SU − 1991 | Formerly part of the Soviet Union | |
MEX | 1952 | |||
MK | 1992 | YU − 1992 | Formerly part of Yugoslavia | |
MNE | 2006 | MN – 1913–1919 SHS 1919–29 Y 1929–53 YU 1953–2003 SCG 2003–2006 |
Independent nation until 1918. After that, part of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes (Kraljevina Srba, Hrvata i Slovenaca – Serbo-Croatian), then part of Yugoslavia and then Serbia and Montenegro (Srbija i Crna Gora – Serbian). Independence restored in 2006. | |
MNG | 2002 | MGL 1997–2002 | ||
MOC | 1975 | MOC: 1932–56 P: 1957–75 |
Formerly part of Portugal. Moçambique (Portuguese) | |
MS | 1938 | |||
MW | 1965 | EA 1932–38 NP – 1938–70 RNY option 1960–65 |
Formerly the Nyasaland Protectorate | |
N | 1922 | |||
NA | 1957 | |||
NAM | 1990 | SWA | Formerly South West Africa | |
NAU | 1968 | |||
NEP | 1970 | |||
NIC | 1952 | |||
NL | 1910 | |||
NZ | 1958 | |||
P | 1910 | |||
PA | 1952 | |||
PE | 1937 | |||
PK | 1947 | |||
PL | 1921 | |||
PNG | 1978 | |||
PY | 1952 | |||
Q | 1972 | |||
RA | 1927 | República Argentina (Spanish) | ||
RC | 1932 | |||
RCA | 1962 | République Centrafricaine (French) | ||
RCB | 1962 | République du Congo Brazzaville (French) | ||
RCH | 1930 | República de Chile (Spanish) | ||
RG | 1972 | République de Guinée (French) | ||
RH | 1952 | République d'Haïti (French) | ||
RI | 1955 | Republik Indonesia (Indonesian) | ||
RIM | 1964 | République islamique de Mauritanie (French) | ||
RKS | 2010 | Republic of Kosovo | ||
RL | 1952 | République Libanaise (French) | ||
RM | 1962 | République de Madagascar (French) | ||
RMM | 1962 | AOF − 1960 | République du Mali (French). Formerly part of French West Africa (Afrique Occidentale Française) | |
RN | 1977 | AOF − 1960 | République du Niger (French). Formerly part of French West Africa (Afrique Occidentale Française) | |
RO | 1981 | R - 1981 | ||
ROK | 1971 | |||
RP | 1975 | Republic of the Philippines | ||
RSM | 1932 | Repubblica di San Marino (Italian) | ||
RU | 1962? | Belgian territory of Ruanda-Urundi. Unofficially using BU on their plates. | ||
RUS | 1992 | SU | Formerly part of the Soviet Union | |
RWA | 1964 | RU − 1962 | Formerly part of Ruanda-Urundi − 1962 | |
S | 1911 | |||
SD | 1935 | |||
SGP | 1952 | |||
SK | 1993 | CS 1919–39,1945–92 SQ 1939–45 |
Formerly Československo (Czechoslovakia) | |
SLO | 1992 | SHS 1919–29 Y 1929–53 YU 1953–92 |
Formerly part of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes, then part of Yugoslavia | |
SME | 1936 | |||
SN | 1962 | |||
SO | 1974 | |||
SRB | 2006 | SB – 1919 SHS 1919–29 Y 1929–53 YU 1953–2003 SCG 2003–2006 |
Formerly part of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes (Kraljevina Srba, Hrvata i Slovenaca – Serbo-Croatian). Then part of Yugoslavia. Then Serbia and Montenegro (Srbija i Crna Gora – Serbian) | |
SUD | 1963 | |||
SY | 1938 | |||
SYR | 1952 | |||
T | 1955 | |||
TCH, TD | 1973 | Tchad (French) | ||
TG | 1973 | |||
TJ | 1992 | SU − 1991 | Formerly part of the Soviet Union | |
TM | 1992 | SU − 1991 | Formerly part of the Soviet Union | |
TN | 1957 | F − 1956 | Formerly a territory of France | |
TR | 1923 | |||
TT | 1964 | |||
UA | 1992 | SU | Formerly part of the Soviet Union | |
UAE | 1971 | |||
USA | 1952 | |||
UY | 2012 | ROU | ||
UZ | 1992 | SU | Formerly part of the Soviet Union | |
V | 1931 | SCV (Stato della Città del Vaticano) is used as a prefix on the licence plate number itself. | ||
VN | 1953 | |||
WAG | 1932 | West Africa Gambia | ||
WAL | 1937 | West Africa Sierra Leone; on local licence plates SLE is used | ||
WAN | 1937 | West Africa Nigeria | ||
WD | 1954 | Windward Islands Dominica | ||
WG | 1932 | Windward Islands Grenada | ||
WL | 1932 | Windward Islands Saint Lucia | ||
WS | 1962 | Formerly Western Samoa | ||
WV | 1932 | Windward Islands Saint Vincent | ||
YAR | 1960 | North Yemen formerly known as the Yemen Arab Republic | ||
YV | 1955 | |||
Z | 1964 | RNR | Prepared for independence as the Republic of Northern Rhodesia | |
ZA | 1936 | Zuid-Afrika (from Dutch; in Afrikaans it is Suid-Afrika[10]) | ||
ZW | 1980 | SR, RSR | Formerly Southern Rhodesia until 1965, Rhodesia unrecognised until 1980 |
Codes no longer in use
Code | Country | Used until | Replaced by | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
ADN | 1980 | Y | From 1938. a.k.a. South Yemen, People's Democratic Republic of Yemen (1967) | |
BA | 1956 | BUR | From 1937. | |
BP | 1966 | Now Botswana | ||
CA | 1956 | CDN | ||
CS | 1992 | CZ / SK | Split into Czech Republic and Slovakia. | |
DA | 1939 | D (1939–1945) PL (since 1945) |
Danzig (German for Gdańsk) | |
DDR | 1990 | D | From 1974 (used D until 1974), Deutsche Demokratische Republik | |
GBY | 1966 | M | Changed after Independence from UK | |
EW | 1993 | EST | Eesti Vabariik (Estonian) | |
FR | 1996 | FO | Føroyar (Faroese) | |
GRO | 1910 | KN | Grønland (Danish language) / Kalaallit Nunaat (Greenlandic language). Unofficial. The official code is DK. | |
HV | 1984 | BF | Upper Volta | |
LR | 1927–1940 | SU, LV | Latvijas Republika (Latvian) | |
R | 1981 | RO | ||
RB | 1966 | BP | Republic of Botswana. Formerly Bechuanaland Protectorate | |
RNY | 1953–1963 | NP, NR, SR | Now Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe | |
ROU | 1979–2012 | UY | República Oriental del Uruguay (Spanish) | |
RSR | 1965–1979 | SR | Now Zimbabwe | |
RT | 1973 | TG | République togolaise (French). Formerly French Togoland − 1960 | |
SA | 1926–1935 | D | SA is again Germany's Saarland | |
SA | 1947–1956 | D | SA is again Germany's Saarland | |
SB | 1919 | SHS | Serbia became part of Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes | |
SCG | 2006 | MNE, SRB | From Serbian name "Srbija i Crna Gora". Now Montenegro, Serbia | |
SF | 1993 | FIN | SF from "Suomi – Finland" (the names of the country in its official languages, Finnish and Swedish) | |
SHS | 1929 | Y | Kraljevina Srba, Hrvata i Slovenaca – Serbo-Croatian. Kingdom changed its name to Yugoslavia | |
SU | 1991 | EST, LT, LV, BY, MD, UA, TJ, TM, GE, KZ, UZ, KS, AZ, AM, RUS | ||
SWA | 1990 | now Namibia | ||
TS | 1947–1954 | Territory A Zone. Now under Italy administration | ||
Y | 1953 | YU | Yemen started using Y afterwards | |
YU | 2003 | BIH, HR, MK, MNE, RKS, SRB, SLO | Now Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Republic of Macedonia, Montenegro, Kosovo, Serbia, and Slovenia |
See also
Notes
Kosovo is the subject of a territorial dispute between the Republic of Kosovo and the Republic of Serbia. The Republic of Kosovo unilaterally declared independence on 17 February 2008, but Serbia continues to claim it as part of its own sovereign territory. The two governments began to normalise relations in 2013, as part of the Brussels Agreement. Kosovo has received formal recognition as an independent state from 113 out of 193 United Nations member states.
- Note
There are unofficial codes in common use, such as "CWM" for Wales, "BZH" for Brittany, "VL" for Flanders, "V" for Vojvodina/Vajdaság, "TS" for Transylvania,"PR" for Puerto Rico, "SIC" for Székely Land (from Latin Terra Siculorum) and "CD" for "Corps Diplomatique".
In addition, in some areas, vehicle-style stickers have been used to denote and promote other entities, such as towns, islands, businesses, and even associations. These irregular stickers almost always bear an explanation of the code in small print near the edge of the sticker, as the codes used are so unknown.
Diplomatic licence plate codes
A separate system is used for vehicles belonging to the diplomats of foreign countries with license plate from the host country. That system is host country-specific and varies largely from country to country. For example TR on a diplomatic car in the USA indicates Italian, not Turkish. Such markings in Norway are indicated with numbers only, again different from international standards (e.g. 90 means Slovakian.
References
- ↑ See Georgano, G. N. and Andersen, Thorkil Ry; The New encyclopedia of motorcars, 1885 to the present; p. 18 ISBN 0525932542
- ↑ See Harding, Anthony and Bird, Anthony; Guinness Book of Car Facts and Feats: A Record of Everyday Motoring and Automotive Achievements; p. 243. ISBN 0851122078
- ↑ United Nations, Distinguishing Signs Used on Vehicles in International Traffic, 15 February 2007
- ↑ "Convention of Road Traffic signed at Geneva September, 19 1949 - Annex 4. Distinguishing Sign of Vehicles in International Traffic". Auto Driver Club. NYS ZONE INC. Retrieved 2016-11-24.
- ↑ "Convention on Road Traffic on 8 November 1968 - Index Page". Auto Driver Club. NYS ZONE INC. Retrieved 2016-11-24.
- ↑ Agreement between and among the Governments of the Kingdom of Cambodia, the People's Republic of China, the Lao People's Democratic Republic, the Union of Myanmar, the Kingdom of Thailand, and the Socialist Republic of Vietnam for the Facilitation of Cross-Border Transport of Goods and People, Annex 2: Registration of Vehicles in International Traffic Archived March 4, 2012, at the Wayback Machine., 2004 (also here "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-06-07. Retrieved 2010-03-12. and here "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2009-07-31. Retrieved 2010-03-12. )
- ↑ "Council Regulation (EC) No 2411/98". Council of the European Union. 3 November 1998.
- ↑ http://www.unece.org/fileadmin/DAM/trans/conventn/Distsigns
- ↑ http://www.minbuza.nl/en/Key_Topics/Treaties/Search_the_Treaty_Database?verdragid=12396%5Bdead+link%5D
- ↑ See article .za
Further reading
- "RPW": Neil Parker and John Weeks, Registration Plates of the World, Europlate; 4th edition (2004)
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to International vehicle registration codes. |
- UN Economic Commission for Europe, Working Party on Road Transport (WP.11)
- Miscellaneous Proposals of Amendments to the Model Regulations on the Transport of Dangerous Goods: Identification of Approval Country in Marking, UN/SCETDG/33/INF.5 (table compares ISO 3166 and DSIT codes)
- Association Francoplaque: Collectionneurs de Plaques d'Immatriculation (data mostly from RPW, above)
- European Registration Plate Association: Registration Plates of the World Online (registration required; data mostly from RPW, above)