This article needs additional citations for verification .(April 2018) |
The country in which a motor vehicle's vehicle registration plate was issued may be indicated by an international vehicle registration code, also called Vehicle Registration Identification code or VRI code, formerly known as an International Registration Letter [1] or International Circulation Mark. [2] It is referred to as the Distinguishing sign of the State of registration in the Geneva Convention on Road Traffic of 1949 and the Vienna Convention on Road Traffic of 1968.
The allocation of codes is maintained by[ citation needed ] 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] and the Vienna Convention on Road Traffic. [5] 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 Geneva Convention on Road Traffic entered into force on 26 March 1952. 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. This sign must be placed separately from the registration plate and may not be incorporated into the vehicle registration plate.
The display of a national distinctive mark on a white oval plate, 30 cm × 18 cm (12 in × 7 in) with black letters was first introduced by the 1909 International Convention with respect to the Circulation of Motor Vehicles signed in Paris. The plate was required to be affixed to the rear of the vehicle, separate from the number plate displaying the vehicle's national registration mark. The 1909 convention only allowed distinctive marks to be of one or two Latin letters. [7]
State | Mark |
---|---|
Germany | D |
Austrian Empire | A |
Belgium | B |
Spain | E |
United States of America | US |
France | F |
Great Britain and Ireland | GB |
Kingdom of Greece | GR |
Lands of the Crown of Saint Stephen | H |
Kingdom of Italy | I |
Montenegro | MN |
Monaco | MC |
The Netherlands | NL |
Kingdom of Portugal | P |
Russian Empire | R |
Romania | RO |
Serbia | SB |
Sweden | S |
Switzerland | CH |
Kingdom of Bulgaria | BG |
The term distinguishing mark was adopted by the 1924 International Convention Relative to Motor Traffic signed in Paris, which extended the maximum length of mark from two to three Latin letters, and permitted not just distinguishing marks for states, but also for non-sovereign territories which operated their own vehicle registration systems. [8]
State or territory | Mark | Notes |
---|---|---|
Germany | D [a] | For Deutschland |
United States of America | US [a] | |
Austria | A [a] | |
Belgium | B [a] | |
Brazil | BR | |
Great Britain and Northern Ireland | GB [a] | |
Alderney | GBA | |
Gibraltar | GBZ | |
Guernsey | GBG | |
Jersey | GBJ | |
Malta | GBY | |
British India | BI | |
Bulgaria | BG [a] | |
Chile | RCH | |
China | RC | |
Colombia | CO | |
Cuba | C | |
Denmark | DK | |
Danzig | DA | |
Egypt | ET | Current code is EG. |
Ecuador | EQ | |
Spain | E [a] | For España |
Estonia | EST | |
Finland | SF | From Finnish Suomi, Swedish Finland. The latter because Swedish is the second official language in Finland. |
France, Algeria and Tunis | F [a] | |
French India | F | |
Guatemala | G | |
Greece | GR [a] | |
Haiti | RH | |
Hungary | H [a] | |
Irish Free State | SE | Part of the United Kingdom at the time of the 1909 convention. Initials stand for Irish Saorstát Éireann. |
Italy | I [a] | |
Latvia | LV | |
Liechtenstein | FL | |
Lithuania | LT | |
Luxembourg | L | |
Morocco | F | |
Mexico | MEX | |
Monaco | MC [a] | |
Panama | PY | current code is PA |
Paraguay | PA | current code is PY |
Netherlands | NL [a] | |
Dutch East Indies | IN | |
Peru | PE | |
Persia | PR | |
Poland | PL | |
Portugal | P [a] | |
Romania | R [a] | |
Territory of the Saar | SA | League of Nations mandate |
Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes | SHS | |
Siam | SM | |
Sweden | S [a] | |
Switzerland | CH [a] | |
Syria and Lebanon | LSA | French League of Nations mandate |
Czechoslovakia | CS | |
Turkey | TR | |
Union of Soviet Socialist Republics | SU | Russia had been a party to the 1909 convention. |
Uruguay | U | Current code is ROU (?)[ citation needed ]. |
Since the Vienna Convention on Road Traffic entered into force on 21 May 1977, in signatory countries it replaces previous road traffic conventions, including the Geneva Convention on Road Traffic, in accordance with its Article 48. According to the Vienna Convention on Road Traffic, 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 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 that convention. [9] 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.[ citation needed ]
Code | Country | From | Previous code(s) | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
A | Austria | 1911 | Austria in English or Autriche in French | |
AFG | Afghanistan | 1971 | Coincides with ISO 3166-1 alpha-3 code. | |
AL | Albania | 1934 | Coincides with ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 code. | |
AND | Andorra | 1957 | Coincides with ISO 3166-1 alpha-3 code. | |
AM | Armenia | 1992 | SU | Formerly part of the Soviet Union. Coincides with ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 code. |
AUS | Australia | 1954 | Coincides with ISO 3166-1 alpha-3 code. | |
AZ | Azerbaijan | 1993 | SU | Formerly part of the Soviet Union. Coincides with ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 code. |
B | Belgium | 1910 | ||
BD | Bangladesh | 1978 | PAK | Formerly East Pakistan |
BDS | Barbados | 1956 | ||
BF | Burkina Faso | 1990 | RHV / HV | Until August 2003, 1984; (République de) Haute Volta (Upper Volta) |
BG | Bulgaria | 1910 | BUL | Coincides with ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 code. |
BH | Belize | 1938 | Formerly British Honduras. Still officially registered as BH as of June 2024. New driving licenses appear to have 'BZ' instead of 'BH' as Belize's code. [10] | |
BIH | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 1992 | SHS 1919–29 Y 1929–53 YU 1953–92 | Bosna i Hercegovina / Босна и Херцеговина (Bosnian). Formerly part of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes Kraljevina Srba, Hrvata i Slovenaca (Serbo-Croatian), then part of Yugoslavia. Coincides with ISO 3166-1 alpha-3 code. |
BOL | Bolivia | 1967 | Coincides with ISO 3166-1 alpha-3 code. | |
BR | Brazil | 1930 | Coincides with ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 code. | |
BRN | Bahrain | 1954 | ||
BRU | Brunei | 1956 | ||
BS | Bahamas | 1950 | ||
BUR[ citation needed ] | Myanmar | 1956 | BA, BUR | Previously known as Burma. Coincides with the former ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 code. |
BVI | British Virgin Islands | 1910 | ||
BW [3] | Botswana | 2003 | BP | Officially used by Botswana since 2003. Formerly RB (Republic of Botswana) until 2004; Bechuanaland Protectorate before 1966. |
BY | Belarus | 1992 (2004) | SU | Belarus; formerly part of the Soviet Union. The UN was officially notified of the change from SU to BY only in 2004.[ citation needed ] Coincides with ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 code. |
CAM | Cameroon | 1952 | F & WAN | Formerly a territory of France, plus a strip of territory from eastern Nigeria (WAN). Unofficially using CMR on their plates. |
CDN | Canada | 1956 | CA | CDN for "Canada Dominion"[ citation needed ] |
CGO | Democratic Republic of the Congo | 1997 | CB, RCL, ZRE | French : Congo Belge , République de Congo Léopoldville , Congo (Kinshasa), Zaïre , République Démocratique du Congo (French) |
CH | Switzerland | 1911 | Confœderatio Helvetica (Latin). Coincides with ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 code. | |
CHN | China | People's Republic of China. Coincides with ISO 3166-1 alpha-3 code. | ||
CI | Ivory Coast (Côte d'Ivoire) | 1961 | F | Formerly a territory of France. Coincides with ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 code. |
CL | Sri Lanka | 1961 | Formerly Ceylon. However, "SL" is being used on current driver licenses. | |
CO | Colombia | 1952 | Coincides with ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 code. | |
CR | Costa Rica | 1956 | Coincides with ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 code. | |
CU [3] | Cuba | 1930[ citation needed ] | Coincides with ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 code. | |
CY | Cyprus | 1932 | Coincides with ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 code. | |
CZ | Czech Republic | 1993 | CS | Formerly Československo (Czechoslovakia). Coincides with ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 code. |
D | Germany | 1910 | Deutschland (German); also used until 1974 by East Germany, which then used DDR until German reunification in 1990 | |
DK | Denmark | 1914 | Coincides with ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 code. | |
DOM | Dominican Republic | 1952 | Coincides with ISO 3166-1 alpha-3 code. | |
DY | Benin | 1910 | Part of AOF (Afrique occidentale française) − 1960 | Dahomey (name until 1975). Uses RB unofficially (République du Bénin) |
DZ | Algeria | 1962 | F − 1911 | Djazayer (Algerian Arabic : جزائر); formerly part of France. Coincides with ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 code. |
E | Spain | 1910 | España (Spanish) | |
EAK | Kenya | 1938 | East Africa Kenya | |
EAT | Tanzania | 1938 | EAT & EAZ | East Africa Tanzania; formerly East Africa Tanganyika and East Africa Zanzibar |
EAU | Uganda | 1938 | East Africa Uganda | |
EAZ | Zanzibar | 1964 | East Africa Zanzibar | |
EC | Ecuador | 1962 | EQ | Coincides with ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 code. |
EG [11] | Egypt | 2024 | ET 1927-2024 | Coincides with ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 code. |
ER | Eritrea | 1993 | AOI | Africa Orientale Italiana (Italian). Coincides with ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 code. |
ES | El Salvador | 1978 | ||
EST | Estonia | 1993 | EW 1919–1940 & 1991–1993 SU 1940–1991 | Eesti Vabariik (Estonian; old style Eesti Wabariik). Coincides with ISO 3166-1 alpha-3 code. |
ETH | Ethiopia | 1964 | AOI − 1941 | Africa Orientale Italiana (Italian). Coincides with ISO 3166-1 alpha-3 code. |
F | France | 1910 | ||
FIN | Finland | 1993 | SF | Suomi / Finland (Finnish/Swedish). Coincides with ISO 3166-1 alpha-3 code. |
FJI | Fiji | 1971 | Coincides with ISO 3166-1 alpha-3 code. | |
FL | Liechtenstein | 1923 | Fürstentum Liechtenstein (German: 'Principality of Liechtenstein') | |
FO | Faroe Islands | 1996 | FR | Føroyar. Coincides with ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 code. |
G | Gabon | 1974 | ALEF − 1960 | Afrique Équatoriale Française. Unofficially using RG on their license plates. |
GBA | Alderney | 1924 | GB 1923-1924 | (United Kingdom of) Great Britain & Northern Ireland – Alderney |
GBG | Guernsey | 1924 | GB 1914-1924 | (United Kingdom of) Great Britain & Northern Ireland – Guernsey |
GBJ | Jersey | 1924 | GB 1914-1924 | (United Kingdom of) Great Britain & Northern Ireland – Jersey |
GBM | Isle of Man | 1932 | (United Kingdom of) Great Britain & Northern Ireland – Isle of Man | |
GBZ | Gibraltar | 1924 | GB 1911-1924 | (United Kingdom of) Great Britain & Northern Ireland – Gibraltar (Z was assigned because G was already used for Guernsey)[ citation needed ] |
GCA | Guatemala | 1956 | G | Guatemala, Central America |
GE | Georgia | 1992 | SU | Formerly part of the Soviet Union. Older licence plates use "GEO" instead of "GE". Also used unofficially and illegally by Equatorial-Guinea (Spanish : Guinea Ecuatorial). Coincides with ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 code. |
GH | Ghana | 1959 | WAC − 1957 | West Africa Gold Coast − 1957. Coincides with ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 code. |
GR | Greece | 1913 | Coincides with ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 code. | |
GUY | Guyana | 1972 | BRG | Formerly British Guiana − 1966. Coincides with ISO 3166-1 alpha-3 code. |
H | Hungary | 1910 | ||
HK | Hong Kong | 1961 | Hong Kong remains in the United Nations list of country road codes. Reattached to the People's Republic of China in 1997 with a strong autonomy. [12] | |
HKJ | Jordan | 1966 | JOR | Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan |
HN | Honduras | 2018 | Unofficial: no other code found for Honduras. Coincides with ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 code. | |
HR | Croatia | 1992 | SHS 1919–29 Y 1929–53 YU 1953–92 | Hrvatska (Croatian). Formerly part of Yugoslavia. Immediately after Croatia's declaration of independence in 1991, it was common to see unofficial oval stickers with the letters "CRO". Despite the initial anticipation that Croatia's international vehicle registration code would be "CRO", Croatia opted for "HR" (Hrvatska) instead. SHS was for the Kingdom of the Serbs, Croats and Slovenes (Kraljevina Srba, Hrvata i Slovenaca). Coincides with ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 code. |
I | Italy | 1910 | ||
IL | Israel | 1952 | "Israel" is also written on the plate in Hebrew (ישראל) and Arabic (إسرائيل). Coincides with ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 code. | |
IND | India | 1947 | BI | Coincides with ISO 3166-1 alpha-3 code. |
IR | Iran | 1936 | PR | Coincides with ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 code. |
IRL | Ireland | 1992 | GB − 1910–24 SE − 1924–38 EIR − 1938–62 EIR/IRL − 1962–92 | Formerly a part of the United Kingdom, Saorstát Éireann , Éire . Coincides with ISO 3166-1 alpha-3 code. |
IRQ | Iraq | 1930 | Coincides with ISO 3166-1 alpha-3 code. | |
IRQ KR | Kurdistan | 1991 | Coincides with ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 | |
IS | Iceland | 1936 | Ísland (Icelandic). Coincides with ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 code. | |
J | Japan | 1964 | ||
JA | Jamaica | 1932 | ||
KG | Kyrgyzstan | 1992 | SU − 1991 | Formerly part of the Soviet Union. The Kyrgyz government notified the change from "KS" to "KG", which featured on the new car registration plates from March 2016, in August that year to the UN Secretary-General. [13] Additionally, most vehicles use "KGZ" oval stickers instead of "KS". Coincides with ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 code. |
KH [14] | Cambodia | 1956 (KHM) | K | Known as Kampuchea 1976–89. Formerly a territory of France. KH currently being used (Khmer) on driving licenses, which coincides with ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 code. Change ratified from K (previously KHM) to KH in 2009 to the United Nations. [15] |
KSA | Saudi Arabia | 1973 | SA | Kingdom of Saudi Arabia |
KWT | Kuwait | 1954 | ||
KZ | Kazakhstan | 1992 | SU − 1991 | Formerly part of the Soviet Union. Coincides with ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 code. |
L | Luxembourg | 1911 | ||
LAO | Laos | 1959 | F – 1949 | Formerly a territory of France (French Indochina). Coincides with ISO 3166-1 alpha-3 code. |
LAR | Libya | 1972 | I − 1949, LT | Libyan Arab Republic, unused, unofficial LY used instead. |
LB | Liberia | 1967 | ||
LS | Lesotho | 1967 | BL | Basutoland − 1966. Coincides with ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 code. |
LT | Lithuania | 1992 | SU 1940–1991 | Coincides with ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 code. |
LV | Latvia | 1992 | LR 1927–1940 SU 1940–1991 | Latvijas Republika (Latvian). Coincides with ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 code. |
M | Malta | 1966 | GBY 1924–66 | |
MA | Morocco | 1924 | Maroc (French). Coincides with ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 code. | |
MAL | Malaysia | 1967 | PRK – 1957 FM 1954–57 PTM 1957–67 | Formerly Perak, then Federated Malay States, then Persekutuan Tanah Melayu (Malay) |
MC | Monaco | 1910 | Coincides with ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 code. | |
MD | Moldova | 1992 | SU − 1991 | Formerly part of the Soviet Union. Coincides with ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 code. |
MEX | Mexico | 1952 | Coincides with ISO 3166-1 alpha-3 code. | |
MNE | Montenegro | 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. Coincides with ISO 3166-1 alpha-3 code. |
MGL | Mongolia | 2002 | MNG displayed on current plates. Nevertheless, the new format includes MGL once again. [16] Coincides with ISO 3166-1 alpha-3 code. | |
MOC | Mozambique | 1975 | MOC: 1932–56 P: 1957–75 | Formerly part of Portugal. Moçambique (Portuguese). Coincides with ISO 3166-1 alpha-3 code. |
MS | Mauritius | 1938 | ||
MV | Maldives | 1965 | Coincides with ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 code. | |
MW | Malawi | 1965 | EA 1932–38 NP – 1938–70 RNY option 1960–65 | Formerly the Nyasaland Protectorate. Coincides with ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 code. |
N | Norway | 1922 | ||
NAM | Namibia | 1990 | SWA | Formerly South West Africa. Coincides with ISO 3166-1 alpha-3 code. |
NAU | Nauru | 1968 | ||
NEP | Nepal | 1970 | ||
NIC | Nicaragua | 1952 | Coincides with ISO 3166-1 alpha-3 code. | |
NL | Netherlands | 1910 | Coincides with ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 code. | |
NMK | North Macedonia | 2019 | YU − 1992 MK 1992–2019 | Formerly part of Yugoslavia. Known as Republic of Macedonia until 2019. Mix of English North and Macedonian Makedonija. |
NZ | New Zealand | 1958 | Coincides with ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 code. | |
OM | Oman | ?[ citation needed ] | Coincides with ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 code. | |
P | Portugal | 1910 | Unofficially used for Palestine in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. [17] | |
PA | Panama | 1952 | PY 1924–1952 | Coincides with ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 code. |
PE | Peru | 1937 | Coincides with ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 code. | |
PK | Pakistan | 1947 | Coincides with ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 code. | |
PL | Poland | 1921 | Coincides with ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 code. | |
PNG | Papua New Guinea | 1978 | Coincides with ISO 3166-1 alpha-3 code. | |
PY | Paraguay | 1952 | PA 1924–1952 | Coincides with ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 code. |
Q | Qatar | 1972 | ||
RA | Argentina | 1927 | República Argentina (Spanish) | |
RC | Taiwan | 1932 | Republic of China. Unofficially also used by car license plates in the Republic of Congo "République du Congo". | |
RCA | Central African Republic | 1962 | République Centrafricaine (French) | |
RCB | Republic of the Congo | 1962 | République du Congo Brazzaville (French). Unofficially using RC on current plates. | |
RCH | Chile | 1930 | República de Chile (Spanish) | |
RG | Guinea | 1972 | République de Guinée (French). Also used unofficially by Gabon. | |
RH | Haiti | 1952 | République d'Haïti (French) | |
RI | Indonesia | 1955 | Republik Indonesia (Indonesian) | |
RIM | Mauritania | 1964 | République islamique de Mauritanie (French) | |
RKS | Kosovo | 2010 | SHS 1919–29 Y 1929–53 YU 1953–2003 SCG 2003–2006 SRB 2006–2010 | Republic of Kosovo |
RL | Lebanon | 1952 | République Libanaise (French) | |
RM | Madagascar | 1962 | République de Madagascar (French) | |
RMM | Mali | 1962 | AOF − 1960 | République du Mali (French). Formerly part of French West Africa (Afrique Occidentale Française) |
RN | Niger | 1977 | AOF − 1960; 1960-1977 - NIG (?) | République du Niger (French). Formerly part of French West Africa (Afrique Occidentale Française). Still listed as NIG under the UN list. |
RO | Romania | 1981 | R - 1981 | Coincides with ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 code. |
ROK | Republic of Korea | 1971 | Republic of Korea. Unofficially using KOR on their plates. | |
ROU [18] | Uruguay | 1981 | U 1926-1981 | Stands for República Oriental del Uruguay. |
RP | Philippines | 1975 | Republika ng Pilipinas (Republic of the Philippines) | |
RSM | San Marino | 1932 | Repubblica di San Marino (Italian) | |
RU | Burundi | 1960 | Belgian territory of Ruanda-Urundi. Unofficially using BU on their plates. | |
RUS | Russia | 1992 | Formerly part of the Soviet Union. Coincides with ISO 3166-1 alpha-3 code. | |
RWA | Rwanda | 1964 | RU − 1962 | Formerly part of Ruanda-Urundi − 1962. Coincides with ISO 3166-1 alpha-3 code. |
S | Sweden | 1911 | ||
SD | Eswatini | 1935 | Formerly Swaziland | |
SGP | Singapore | 1952 | Coincides with ISO 3166-1 alpha-3 code. | |
SK | Slovakia | 1993 | CS 1919–39,1945–92 SQ 1939–45 | Formerly Československo (Czechoslovakia). Coincides with ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 code. |
SLO [19] | Slovenia | 1992 | SHS 1919–29 Y 1929–53 YU 1953–92 | Formerly part of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes Kraljevina Srba, Hrvata i Slovenaca (Serbo-Croatian), then part of Yugoslavia. |
SME | Suriname | 1936 | Now displaying 'SUR' on current driving licenses. | |
SN | Senegal | 1962 | Coincides with ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 code. | |
SO | Somalia | 1974 | SP | Formerly Somaliland Protectorate. Coincides with ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 code. |
SRB | Serbia | 2006 | SB – 1919 SHS 1919–29 Y 1929–53 YU 1953–2003 SCG 2003–2006 | Formerly part of Kingdom of Serbia (Kraljevina Srbija – Serbian), Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes (Kraljevina Srba, Hrvata i Slovenaca – Serbo-Croatian), Yugoslavia (Jugoslavija – Serbo-Croatian), and Serbia and Montenegro (Srbija i Crna Gora – Serbian). Coincides with ISO 3166-1 alpha-3 code. |
SUD | Sudan | 1963 | ||
SY | Seychelles | 1938 | ||
SYR | Syria | 1952 | Coincides with ISO 3166-1 alpha-3 code. | |
T | Thailand | 1955 | SM | |
TCH | Chad | 1973 | Tchad (French) | |
TG | Togo | 1973 | RT | Formerly République Togolaise (French). Coincides with ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 code. |
TJ | Tajikistan | 1992 | SU − 1991 | Formerly part of the Soviet Union, used code "PT" for Республика Таджикистан on plates from 1993 to 2003. Coincides with ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 code. |
TM | Turkmenistan | 1992 | SU − 1991 | Formerly part of the Soviet Union. Coincides with ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 code. |
TN | Tunisia | 1957 | F − 1956 | Formerly a territory of France. Coincides with ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 code. Unofficial code TU is common. |
TO | Tonga | 1995 | Coincides with ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 code. | |
TR | Turkey | 1923 | Coincides with ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 code. | |
TT | Trinidad and Tobago | 1964 | Coincides with ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 code. | |
UA | Ukraine | 1992 | SU | Formerly part of the Soviet Union. Coincides with ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 code. |
UAE | United Arab Emirates | 1971 | ||
UK | United Kingdom | 2021 | GB (1910–2021) | Before 1922, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. Until 2021, "GB" was used, but from 28 September 2021 the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland changed its international vehicle registration code from "GB" to "UK". (This does not affect territories for which the United Kingdom controls international relations outside Great Britain and Northern Ireland.) [20] [21] |
USA | United States | 1952 | US | Coincides with ISO 3166-1 alpha-3 code, used on registration plates for US Forces in Germany from 1962 until 2020, US now used by US Forces Germany since 2020. 'U' is currently used for registration plates for US Forces in Portugal (Lajes, Azores). |
UZ | Uzbekistan | 1992 | SU | Formerly part of the Soviet Union. Coincides with ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 code. |
V | Vatican City | 1931 | CV (Italian : Città del Vaticano) is used as a prefix on the licence plate number itself. The prefix used on official and government vehicles is SCV (Latin : Status Civitatis Vaticanae) | |
VN | Vietnam | 1953 | Coincides with ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 code. | |
WAG | Gambia | 1932 | West Africa Gambia | |
WAL | Sierra Leone | 1937 | West Africa Sierra Leone; on local licence plates SLE is used | |
WAN | Nigeria | 1937 | West Africa Nigeria | |
WD | Dominica | 1954 | Windward Islands Dominica | |
WG | Grenada | 1932 | Windward Islands Grenada | |
WL | Saint Lucia | 1932 | Windward Islands Saint Lucia | |
WS | Samoa | 1962 | Formerly Western Samoa. Coincides with ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 code. | |
WV | Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | 1932 | Windward Islands Saint Vincent | |
YAR | Yemen | 1960 | North Yemen formerly known as the Yemen Arab Republic. | |
YV | Venezuela | 1955 | ||
Z | Zambia | 1964[ citation needed ] | RNR | Formerly Northern Rhodesia. However, "ZM" is used on current driving licences. |
ZA | South Africa | 1936 | Zuid-Afrika (from Dutch; in Afrikaans it is Suid-Afrika). Coincides with ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 code. | |
ZW | Zimbabwe | 1980 | SR, RSR | Formerly Southern Rhodesia until 1965, Rhodesia unrecognised until 1980. Coincides with ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 code. |
Code | Country | Used until | Replaced by | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
ADN | Aden | 1980 | Y | From 1938, also known as South Yemen, People's Democratic Republic of Yemen (1967) |
BA | Burma | 1956 | BUR | From 1937 |
BP | Bechuanaland Protectorate | 1966 | BW | Now Botswana |
CA | Canada | 1956 | CDN | |
CS | Czechoslovakia | 1992 | CZ, SK | Split into Czech Republic and Slovakia. Coincided with ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 code. |
DA | Danzig, Free City of | 1939 | D (1939–1945) PL (since 1945) | Danzig (German for Gdańsk) |
DDR | German Democratic Republic | 1990 | D | From 1974 (used D until 1974), Deutsche Demokratische Republik. Coincided with ISO 3166-1 alpha-3 code. |
EIR | Éire | 1992 | IRL | Now Ireland |
ET | Egypt | 2024 | EG | Ratified to the United Nations in 2024. |
EW | Estonia | 1993 | EST | Eesti Vabariik (Estonian) |
FR | Faroe Islands | 1996 | FO | Føroyar (Faroese) |
GB | United Kingdom | 2021 | UK | Changed to UK to be inclusive of Northern Ireland (which is not part of Great Britain), though the previous GB did also apply to Northern Ireland. Coincided with ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 code. |
GBY | Malta | 1966 | M | Changed after independence from UK |
GRO | Greenland | 1910 | KN | Grønland (Danish language) / Kalaallit Nunaat (Greenlandic language). Unofficial. The official code is DK. |
HV | Upper Volta (French : Haute-Volta), now Burkina Faso | 1984 | BF | Upper Volta. Coincided with ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 code. |
K | Cambodia | 2009 | KH | Ratified by the United Nations as KH on 18 November 2009. [22] |
KS | Kyrgyzstan | 1992–2016 | KG | Ratified by the United Nations as KG in March 2016. |
LR | Latvia | 1927–1940 | SU, LV | Latvijas Republika (Latvian) |
MK | Republic of Macedonia | 1992–2019 | NMK | Became North Macedonia in 2019. Coincided with ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 code. |
NA | Netherlands Antilles | 1957 | The Netherlands Antilles were dissolved in 2010. | |
NIG | Niger | Unknown | RN | Still listed as NIG under the UN list. [23] |
PANG | Portuguese Angola | 1956 | P (1957-1975) | From 1932. Formerly part of Portugal |
PI | Philippines | 1973? | RP | Still listed as PI under the UN list. [24] |
R | Romania | 1981 | RO | |
RNY | Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland | 1953–1963 | NP, NR, SR | Now Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe |
RNR | Zambia | Unknown | Z? ZM? | Formerly Rhodesia, although still listed as RNR under the UN list (as of May 2024). |
ROU | Uruguay | 1979–2012 | UY[ citation needed ] | República Oriental del Uruguay (Spanish) |
RSR | Southern Rhodesia | 1965–1979 | SR | Now Zimbabwe |
RT | Togo | 1973 | TG | République togolaise (French). Formerly French Togoland − 1960 |
SA | Territory of the Saar Basin | 1926–1935 | D | League of Nations mandate, returned to Germany in 1935 |
SA | Saar Protectorate | 1947–1956 | D | French Protectorate, now Saarland, Germany |
SA | Saudi Arabia | Unknown | KSA | The date of the change is unknown. Coincided with ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 code. |
SB | Serbia | 1919 | SHS | Serbia became part of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes |
SCG | Serbia and Montenegro | 2006 | MNE, SRB | From Serbian name "Srbija i Crna Gora". Split into Montenegro and Serbia. Coincided with ISO 3166-1 alpha-3 code. |
SE | Saorstát Éireann | 1938 | EIR (IRL from 1962) | Under GB until 1924. Name changed to Éire, now Ireland |
SF | Finland | 1993 | FIN | SF from "Suomi – Finland" (the names of the country in its official languages, Finnish and Swedish) |
SHS | Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes | 1929 | Y | Kraljevina Srba, Hrvata i Slovenaca – Serbo-Croatian. The Kingdom changed its name to Yugoslavia |
SP [25] | Somaliland | 1960 | SO | Initialism of Somaliland Protectorate. |
SU | Soviet Union | 1991 | EST, LT, LV, BY, MD, UA, TJ, TM, GE, KZ, UZ, KS, AZ, AM, RUS | Coincided with ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 code. |
SWA | South West Africa | 1990 | Now Namibia | |
TS | Free Territory of Trieste | 1947–1954 | Territory Zone A (controlled by the United Kingdom and United States from 1947 to 1954 before given to Italy). Now in Italy, Croatia and Slovenia. | |
Y | Yugoslavia | 1953 | YU | |
YU | / Yugoslavia | 1992 | BIH, HR, NMK, MNE, RKS, SRB, SLO | Now Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Kosovo, Serbia, and Slovenia. MK for Macedonia was in use from 1993 until 2019. Coincided with ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 code. |
ZRE | Zaire | 1997 | CGO | Now the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Coincided with ISO 3166-1 alpha-3 code. |
There are unofficial codes in common use, such as "AS" for Asturias, "CAT" for Catalonia, "SCO" for Scotland, "CYM" for Wales (Welsh Cymru ), "ENG" for England, "BZH" for Brittany (Breizh), "GRD" for Groland (a fictional/satirical 'presipality'), "FRL" for Friesland, "NB" for North Brabant, "VL" for Flanders (Vlaanderen), "V" for Vojvodina/Vajdaság, "TS" for Transylvania, "P" for Palestine, "PR" for Puerto Rico, "CSB" for Kashubia (Cassubia) and "SIC" for Székely Land (from Latin Terra Siculorum). Some of these, such as "VL" which is used by Flemish separatists, are used despite being specifically illegal under local laws.
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 may be unfamiliar.
A separate system is used for vehicles belonging to the diplomats of foreign countries with license plates 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 Italy, not Turkey. Such markings in other countries (e.g. Norway) are indicated with numbers only, again different from international standards (e.g. 90 means Slovakia in Norway).
A country code is a short alphanumeric identification code for countries and dependent areas. Its primary use is in data processing and communications. Several identification systems have been developed.
ISO 3166 is a standard published by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) that defines codes for the names of countries, dependent territories, special areas of geographical interest, and their principal subdivisions. The official name of the standard is Codes for the representation of names of countries and their subdivisions.
ISO 3166-1 alpha-3 codes are three-letter country codes defined in ISO 3166-1, part of the ISO 3166 standard published by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), to represent countries, dependent territories, and special areas of geographical interest. They allow a better visual association between the codes and the country names than the two-letter alpha-2 codes. They were first included as part of the ISO 3166 standard in its first edition in 1974.
ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 codes are two-letter country codes defined in ISO 3166-1, part of the ISO 3166 standard published by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), to represent countries, dependent territories, and special areas of geographical interest. They are the most widely used of the country codes published by ISO, and are used most prominently for the Internet's country code top-level domains. They are also used as country identifiers extending the postal code when appropriate within the international postal system for paper mail, and have replaced the previous one consisting one-letter codes. They were first included as part of the ISO 3166 standard in its first edition in 1974.
These are data codes for Switzerland.
A vehicle registration plate, also known as a number plate or license plate or licence plate, is a metal or plastic plate attached to a motor vehicle or trailer for official identification purposes. All countries require registration plates for commercial road vehicles such as cars, trucks, and motorcycles, for hire. Whether they are required for other vehicles, such as bicycles, boats, or tractors, may vary by jurisdiction. The registration identifier is a numeric or alphanumeric ID that uniquely identifies the vehicle or vehicle owner within the issuing region's vehicle register. In some countries, the identifier is unique within the entire country, while in others it is unique within a state or province. Whether the identifier is associated with a vehicle or a person also varies by issuing agency. There are also electronic license plates.
ISO 3166-2:GB is the entry for the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (GBNI) in ISO 3166-2, part of the ISO 3166 standard published by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), which defines codes for the names of the principal divisions and subdivisions of all countries coded in ISO 3166-1. The codes and structures for the United Kingdom (UK) are provided to the ISO in Geneva by the British Standards (BS) and the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
A vehicle registration plate, also known as a number plate, license plate or licence plate, 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. An example of such format is the common EU format, with the EU flag above the country code issued in EU member states.
ISO 3166-2:IE is the entry for Ireland in ISO 3166-2, part of the ISO 3166 standard published by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), which defines codes for the names of the principal subdivisions of all countries coded in ISO 3166-1.
The Convention on Road Traffic, commonly known as the Vienna Convention on Road Traffic, is an international treaty designed to facilitate international road traffic and to increase road safety by establishing standard traffic rules among the contracting parties. The convention was agreed upon at the United Nations Economic and Social Council's Conference on Road Traffic and concluded in Vienna on 8 November 1968. This conference also produced the Convention on Road Signs and Signals. The convention had amendments on 3 September 1993 and 28 March 2006. There is a European Agreement supplementing the Convention on Road Traffic (1968), which was concluded in Geneva on 1 May 1971.
An International Driving Permit (IDP), often referred to as an international driving license, is a translation of a domestic driving license that allows the holder to drive a private motor vehicle in any country or jurisdiction that recognises the document. The term International Driving Permit was first mentioned in the document prescribed in the International Convention relative to Motor Traffic that was signed at Paris in 1926, and is a translation of the French 'permis de conduire international', or 'international driving license'. The Paris treaty, and all subsequent, use the word 'permit' exclusively in relation to all kinds of driving license.
The Convention on Road Signs and Signals, commonly known as the Vienna Convention on Road Signs and Signals, is a multilateral treaty to standardize the signing system for road traffic in use internationally.
Barbadian Vehicle registration plates consist of letters and numbers. The Barbados Licensing Authority issues licence plates to all new motor vehicle owners. Each licence plate has one or two letters which represents the part of the island which the vehicle's owner resides or previously resided at the time the vehicle was registered. The first part consists of one or two letters which determine the part of the island the registration is from, or category of vehicle. The international code for Barbadian plates is BDS.
Mandatory signs are road signs that are used to set the obligations of all traffic that uses a specific area of road. Most mandatory road signs are circular in shape and may use white symbols on a blue background with a white border, or black symbols on a white background with a red border, although the latter is also associated with prohibitory signs.
In the United Kingdom, a driving licence is the official document which authorises its holder to operate motor vehicles on highways and other public roads. It is administered in England, Scotland and Wales by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) and in Northern Ireland by the Driver & Vehicle Agency (DVA). A driving licence is required in England, Scotland, and Wales for any person driving a vehicle on any highway or other "road", as defined in s.192 Road Traffic Act 1988, irrespective of the ownership of the land over which the road passes. Similar requirements apply in Northern Ireland under the Road Traffic Order 1981.
Vehicle registration plates in Northern Ireland use a modified version of the British national registration plate system that was initiated for the whole of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland in 1903. Originally, all counties in the UK were allocated two identification letters. At that time, the whole of Ireland was in the UK, and the letters I and Z were reserved for the Irish counties. The 'I' series was used first, but by the time it came to using the 'Z' series in 1926, the Irish Free State had already come into existence, and so it was agreed that the Northern Ireland would use the AZ – YZ series, while the Free State would use the ZA – ZZ series. In 1987, the Republic of Ireland broke away from the system altogether. As of 2002 there were reportedly 794,477 recorded registration plates in Northern Ireland, compared to only 50 for the island as a whole when the format was first introduced in 1903.
The Convention on Road Traffic, commonly known as the Geneva Convention on Road Traffic, is an international treaty promoting the development and safety of international road traffic by establishing certain uniform rules among the contracting parties. The convention addresses minimum mechanical and safety equipment needed to be on board and defines an identification mark to identify the origin of the vehicle. The Convention was prepared and opened for signature by the United Nations Conference on Road and Motor Transport held at Geneva from 23 August to 19 September 1949. It came into force on 26 March 1952. This conference also produced the Protocol on Road Signs and Signals.
Egyptian vehicle registration number plates are used for official identification purposes for motor vehicles in Egypt. The international vehicle registration code for Egypt is EG.
Vehicle registration plates of official road vehicles registered in Vatican City use the prefix SCV followed by a series of digits while vehicle registration plates of residential road vehicles registered in Vatican City use the prefix CV followed by a series of digits. The Pope's car carries the registration SCV 1 in red lettering and the rest of the cars that the Pope can be inside, also carry red letters.
Vehicle registration plates are the alphanumeric plates used to display the registration mark of a vehicle, and have existed in the United Kingdom since 1904. It is compulsory for motor vehicles used on public roads to display vehicle registration plates, with the exception of vehicles of the reigning monarch used on official business.