Vehicle registration plates of Taiwan

1992 examples of available plates
2014 examples of available plates

In Taiwan, all motor vehicles are required to register and display its vehicle registration plates. The plates are issued and managed by the Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MoTC). The vehicle registration numbers in Taiwan contains Latin alphabets (A to Z), Arabic numerals (0 to 9) and dash (–); some special types also contain Chinese characters.

Types of number plate

Taiwan's current number plate system uses Latin letters with Arabic numerals. There are many types of number plate used in Taiwan, they are:

Ordinary vehiclesTemporary or testingSpecial usage
No.NameChineseNo.NameChineseNo.NameChinese
1Plate of heavy
vehicles		大型汽車號牌6Temporary plate
of vehicles		汽車臨時號牌 11Plate of embassies使字汽車號牌
2Plate of light
vehicles		小型汽車號牌7Temporary plate
of motorcycles		機車臨時號牌 12Plate of consulates領字汽車號牌
3Plate of heavy-duty
motorcycles		重型機車號牌8Temporary plate
of trailers		拖車臨時號牌 13Plate of
foreign affairs		外字汽車號牌
4Plate of light-duty
motorcycles		輕型機車號牌9Testing plate
of vehicles		汽車試車號牌 14Plate of
power machines		動力機械牌證
5Plate of trailers拖車號牌10Testing plate
of motorcycles		機車試車號牌
  • The plates of military vehicles and agricultural machines are not managed by the MoTC.
  • Until 1 January 2007, plates were identified as having been issued under the jurisdiction of either Taiwan Province, Taipei City, Kaohsiung City, Kinmen County or Lienchiang County. Since that time, the legends identifying the place of issuance have been removed—plates display only registration numbers—but the plates are still issued separately by each jurisdiction.
  • 1992-Series License Plate is similar to North American plates: The size (320 × 150 mm) and the format. However it used "Mexico Mode" rather than "US Mode": One national numbering system, such that serials are not duplicated in multiple Jurisdiction: Taipei City issued "AD-3608", the other four jurisdiction would not issue "AD-3608" anymore. There won't be the problem that two or more jurisdictions all have "AD-3608". So the legends identifying the place of issuance is not so important. And License Plate Scanning and Identifying Systems in Taiwan also ignore it. Actually, there's a rule of numbering of different jurisdiction: such as "XY-****" can only be issued by Kaohsiung City, "WZ-****" can only be issued by Lienchiang County.
Plates issued prior to 1 January 2007, carried a legend indicating the jurisdiction of issuance—here Taiwan Province (台灣省).
Motorcycle plate of the province of Taiwan
  • On 17 December 2012, Taiwanese government started issuing new registration plates. The main changes are: add an additional digit and enhance the security features of the plate.

Light vehicles

The definition of light vehicles in Taiwan is: Motor vehicles having a permissible maximum weight NOT exceeding 3,500 kg and NOT more than nine seats including the driver's seat.

Pattern 1Pattern 2ClassNotes
ABC-5678 AB-0001
0001-AB		 Ordinary light
vehicles		Private cars or light trucks not for commercial uses.
EBC-5678 Ordinary light
electrical vehicles		Private electrical cars or light trucks not for commercial uses.
This kind of plate has green ridges on the top and bottom sides, with white words "電動車" on the top side.
RAA-5678 AA-6688
8866-AA		 Rental light
vehicles		Cars or light trucks for rental uses.
REA-5678 Rental light
electrical vehicles		Electrical cars or light trucks for rental uses.
This kind of plate has green ridges on the top and bottom sides, with white words "電動車" on the top side.
WAB-5678 Ordinary light
vehicles for
the disabled		Private cars for the disabled.
WEA-5678 Ordinary light
electrical vehicles
for the disabled		Private electrical cars for the disabled.
This kind of plate has green ridges on the top and bottom sides, with white words "電動車" on the top side.
TBC-567
TDA-5678		 YA-001
001-YA		 Business light
passenger
vehicles		Taxis.
ETC-567
EAM-5678		 Electrical business
light passenger
vehicles		Electrical Taxis.
This kind of plate has green ridges on the top and bottom sides, with white words "電動車" on the top side.
QAB-123
KPA-5678		 HA-001
001-HA		 Business light
trucks		Small trucks, cargo vehicles for commercial uses.
The same pattern also applied to the heavy trucks.

Heavy vehicles

The definition of heavy vehicles in Taiwan is: Motor vehicles having a permissible maximum weight exceeding 3,500 kg and/or more than nine seats including the driver's seat.

Pattern 1Pattern 2ClassNotes
PAA-567
KJA-5678		 TA-001
001-SA		 Ordinary heavy
passenger vehicles		Private buses not for commercial uses.
AAA-123
KEA-5678		 Ordinary heavy
trucks		Private heavy trucks not for commercial uses.
CA-123
HAA-5678		 SA-01
01-SA		 Ordinary TrailersCoupling with a track.
KAA-123
KAA-5678
JYA-567
PSA-5678		 AA-001
001-AA
DD-001
001-PP		 Business heavy
passenger vehicles		Tour buses.
FAB-123
KKA-5678		 AB-001
001-AB		 Business heavy
passenger vehicles		Highway buses, city buses.
LAA-123
KLA-5678
HAA-567		 HA-001
001-HA		 Business heavy
trucks		Large trucks, cargo vehicles for commercial uses.
The same pattern also applied to the light trucks.
XA-123
HBA-5678		 XA-01
01-XA		 Business TrailersCoupling with a track.
EAA-123
EAL-5678		 168-FN Electrical heavy
passenger vehicles		Electrical buses for commercial or private uses.
This kind of plate has green ridges on the top and bottom sides, with white words "電動車" on the top side.

Motorcycles

Pattern 1Pattern 2ClassNotes
AB-123

LGA-1001

 AA-01 Large heavy-duty
motorcycle		Motorcycles with a cubic capacity exceeding 550 cm³.
LAB-5678 001-AAA Large heavy-duty
motorcycle		Motorcycles with a cubic capacity between 250 cm³ and 550 cm³,
or electric motorcycles with power more than 40 HP.
MAB-5678 AAA-001
001-HAA		 Ordinary heavy-duty
motorcycle		Motorcycles with a cubic capacity between 50 cm³ and 250 cm³,
or electric motorcycles with power between 5 HP and 40 HP.
QAA-5678 TAA-001
001-TAA		 Ordinary light-duty
motorcycle		Motorcycles with a cubic capacity not exceeding 50 cm³,
or electric motorcycles with power between 1.34 HP and 5 HP,
or electric motorcycles with power not exceeding 1.34 HP (1 kW)
and the fastest speed more than 45 km/hr.
SAA-5678 AAA-001
001-AAA		 Small light-duty
motorcycle		Electric motorcycles with power not exceeding 1.34 HP (1 kW)
and the fastest speed not exceeding 45 km/hr.

Special use plates

PatternClassNotes
使 001
外 0001		 Diplomatic VehicleFor the vehicles belonging to the foreign diplomatic missions in Taiwan.
軍A-00001 Military VehicleFor military uses.
臨-00001 Temporary platePrinted on paper, for a vehicles before registration, or vehicles transit the territory of Taiwan.
試-0001 TestingFor testing recently manufactured or imported vehicles.
機械AA-01 Large heavy power machinesFor power machines weight more than 75 tons.
機械AA-01 Heavy power machinesFor power machines weight more than 42 tons, not exceeding 75 tons.
機械AA-01 Ordinary power machinesFor power machines weight less than 42 tons.
A1-0001 Agricultural machinesMachines for agricultural uses.

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