Standard Belgian licence plates - the format on top -(still in legal use) was issued from 1973 to 2008 (from 2008 to 2010 with the letter and number combinations reversed), whilst the one on the bottom is the current one introduced in 2010. License plates issues after January 2021 begin with a 2 as opposed to a 1
Number plates in Belgium are driver specific, meaning that they are transferred to a new vehicle from the owner's previous one.
The rear licence plate is state-supplied, while the front plate is owner-supplied. This has its influence on the look of the front plate, which can be identical to the rear one or similar to a European licence plates with a blue EU flag in it. Because of that, scratched, dirty, or old license plates may be sometimes affixed on the new cars in Belgium. The rear plate is usually mounted on a base plate which displays the letter "B" and usually an advertisement for the car dealer.[citation needed]
Number plates normally accompany owners rather than cars: this means that when an owner replaces their car they transfer the old number plate to their new car, while the new owner of the old car will need to associate to it their own existing number plate, if they have one, or otherwise apply for a new number. For this reason, although it is quite simple to determine when a given number combination was issued, the number used will give no reliable information about the original registration year of the car to which it is fixed.[citation needed]
The number plate has a white background with red numbers and letters. Standard Belgian plates issued before November 2010 measured 325mm by 105mm - smaller than most other European countries, although non-standard (for Belgium) sizes were frequently used for the front plate - in part due to influence from the rest of Europe and in part due to plates carrying additional information such as the Euro flag. In November 2010 Belgium introduced the standard European format as one of the last EU member states to do so. This delay was caused in part by opposition to abandoning the distinctive colour scheme (red characters on white background) in favour of the European standard, which dictates black characters on either a white or a yellow background. In the end it was decided to preserve the red-on-white colour although a darker shade of red (ruby red - RAL 3003) is used.
The combination on the plate does not give any information about the geographical location.
Sometimes the first letter (or first and second letter) has a special meaning:
CD: Diplomats (CD stands for 'Corps Diplomatique')
G: Agricultural vehicles
M or W: Motorcycles
O: Can be used on vintage vehicles which are more than 25 years old ("Oldtimers"). Since July 2013 a few restrictions were lifted. It is now allowed to drive the vehicle at night or at more than 25km from the home of the owner. The vehicle may not be used for commercial purposes or driving between home and work.
S: Scooters
T or TX: Taxis ("T" is used as initial letter, "TX" when preceded by a number)
U or Q: Trailer Plates
Z: Dealer Plate
ZZ: Test Drive Vehicle
For the remaining letters, all letters of the alphabet are used. Initially the letters I, M, Q and W were never used as the 2nd or 3rd letter, but they were added later to extend the number of available combinations. The letter "O" was not used as the 2nd/3rd letter on the six-character plates; on the seven-character plates it is used however.[citation needed]
Diplomats
2010 Diplomatic registration plateOld license plate for embassy staffP-6, Parliament registration plateBelgian military number plate, 2019Belgian military number plate, in this case Nr 1 for the King
The initial letters (CD - Corps Diplomatique) are printed in green or red, followed by a dot "." and 4 symbols (5 symbols in 2010) printed in red. By chronological order of registration, these symbols can be:
4 digits
1 letter + 3 digits
3 digits + 1 letter (observed in 2008)
2 letter + 3 digits (2010)
Court and royal household
Plates issued to vehicles of the Royal Court bear numbers only, following the standard colour scheme. Cars used by the king and queen have single-digit numbers only (1 to 9). Cars used by other members of the royal family have two digits.
Officials
Plates issued to state officials consist of a single letter followed by one to three numbers.[1] Roughly speaking, the initial letter is either "A" for Ministers (excluding regional executives) and Ministers of State (an honorific title for distinguished politicians), or "P" for members of Parliament (including regional parliaments), or "E" for members and services of the regional governments. The president of the Belgian Chamber of Representatives has licence plate "A1" (1st citizen of the Kingdom), the president of the Belgian Senate has "A2", the prime minister has "A3", and so on.[1]
Military
White plate with black numbers and a Belgian flag on the left. The NATO Headquarters formerly used a red plate with the white letters SB (later M) followed by a number.
Licence plates for trailers and caravans
These plates are issued in a separate series for trailers and caravans weighing over 750kg.
An earlier design of trailer licence plate consisted of a combination of three letters, starting with "U", and three digits, all red on a white reflecting background and within a red frame (thus the only difference from ordinary plates was the use of "U" as the first letter). (Dimensions: 340mm x 110mm). Plates of this design are no longer delivered, but are still valid.
As from 2002 the new European model was introduced. It is a number plate consisting of a combination of 3 letters and 3 digits of black colour on white reflecting background with black frame. This plate always starts with the letter "Q". On the left of the plate a blue banner of 44mm width has been added with on top a circle with 12 yellow stars and below a white character " B". These will replace gradually the old model. Dimensions: 521mm x 110mm
These plates are never delivered to regular vehicles.
Design further evolved after 2010 and the introduction of new 7 character plates. Trailer plates switched to the RAL-3001 color, still starting with the letter Q (1-QAA-123).
This design short lived, as they were soon replaced by plates using Q as indicative numbers instead (Q-ABC-123). These are the currently issued trailer plates design.
Plates for personnel of international bodies
Belgian vehicle registration plate for temporary registration (long-term)2000-2011 license plate for the EU Institutions1975-2000 license plate for the EU Institutions1975-2000 license plate for the EU Institutions
Plates given out to persons working for the international bodies in Belgium, including EU staff. "International" plates can be time-limited (according to the work contract) or have unlimited validity. If applicable, the time limitation is displayed inside the European circle of stars.
The plates have blue characters on a white background. The combination consists of 6 digits without letters. Until now the first digit is always "9". These plates have also been discontinued. Nato, EU, foreign institutions, were carrying a plate with the standard red template, with the 8-aaa-### format.
Since 2014 the NATO, EU, Foreign Institutions registered cars are provided with a standard red Belgian plate in the format N-LLL-NNN where N is a digit and L is a letter.
European Institutions
Staff of the institutions of the European Union located in Belgium could previously request a specialized number plate.[2] These plates were blue and displayed the letters "EUR" in a circle of yellow stars on the left hand side. These plates gradually became less popular than the "international" plates as the owner ran the risk of vandalism, since many Belgians erroneously believed that the car owner was not subject to Belgian car tax. From 2011 to mid-2015 these plates were replaced by a different format of a leading digit followed by three letters and three digits, with the leading digit "8" as identifier (8-AAA-111). The so-called 8-plates are no longer issued and staff of international organizations such as NATO, European Union, EuroControl, etc. are, since 2014, issued a standard Belgian plate. Those plates with the 8-LLL-NNN structure will, however, remain assigned until they expire.
Eurocontrol
Employees of the Eurocontrol Organisation could previously get a blue number plate consisting of three numbers followed by the word "EURO". Like all blue plates, this has also now been discontinued and replaced by the 8-AAA-111 series of plates.
Dealer plate
2006 Belgian vehicle registration plate for car dealers2019 Belgian vehicle registration plate for car dealers
Dealer plates are special plates available only to motor vehicle manufacturers and dealers. They can only be used on vehicles owned by the manufacturer/dealer and must be renewed every year. The dealer is not required to inform the government when transferring the dealer plate to another car, which is a requirement for regular license plates.
A dealer plate has green letters and numbers on a white background ("green plate"). Furthermore, it has the European flag on the left side. Standard dealer plates have Z as initial letter and A to Y as second letter. Plates starting with "ZZ" are reserved for test drives.
Until 1996 dealer plates were inexpensive and dealers tended to stock significant numbers of them, which they then rented out to owners of very expensive cars (dealer plates were exempt from an extra tax on luxury cars). To combat this fraud the law was changed, making a "green plate" much more expensive; also, police control was increased. As a result, dealers now keep fewer plates and abuse has diminished.
Personalized plate
2014 Personalized registration plate
It is possible to obtain a personalized plate. Before 16 November 2010, personalized plates could only have a six-character combination (AAA-111 or 111-AAA) or any of the five-character combinations of the 1951–1973 issues. The combination could be chosen by the owner of the plate with following restrictions:
The first letter must not conflict with standard rules, e.g. a combination starting with M-O-Q-U-W-Z is not allowed for a normal vehicle plate
Acronyms of Belgian political parties are not allowed
With the European format, introduced on 16 November 2010, personalized plates would begin with 9, e.g. "9-ABC-123". The possible combinations following the leading "9" were the same as before, i.e. five or six character combinations in the formats issued from 1951-2010. Since 31 March 2014, the format is no longer so restrictive, and motorists can fully customize their plate number. However, the plate number must include at least one letter, and cannot imitate number combinations reserved for special uses (i.e. CD-1234 from diplomatic plates, A-0 to A-99999 from official plates, etc.)[3]
Temporary plate
2016 Belgian temporary plate (rear)2016 Belgian export plate (front)
Temporary registration plates are issued for vehicles intended for export, either by companies or individuals. They are in a pattern generally reminiscent of other Belgian plates, but with white characters on a red background.
Effective 1 May 2016, the Belgian temporary plate has changed. The Euro-style plate has a blue band on the left, featuring a European circle of stars symbol and the letter B. The characters are stamped and coloured white on a red background, as previously, following a ZA - ## - AAA pattern. The first character is either a X for vehicles intended for export within 30 days, or W for temporarily registered vehicles. The two middle digits are the last two of a calendar year (for example, "16". for 2016). A three-letter indication of the month when the plate becomes effective appears below the second separator. Plates are issued in pairs for all vehicles (one front, one rear), except for motorcylcles, mopeds and trailers.[4]
Prior to 2016, these plates only bore numbers (no letters). In 2010, the number of digits increased from six to seven. A year band on the left side (on the right since 2010) indicates the expiration date.
From 1899 until 1925 and 1928 until 1951, registration plates had 6 numbers. However, their use has now expired. They went through various colour schemes (see below).
From 1925 until 1928 a structure very similar to the 1951-1961 style was used, except the style was fixed (always "A-1234").
From 1951 until 1973 registration plates had 5 characters: one letter and four numbers, or two letters and three numbers, or one letter, three numbers and one letter: "A-1111", "AA-111" and "A-111-A". Because plates are linked to drivers rather than to vehicles, many of these older plates are still in use.
Plates issued between 1973 and 2008 used a combination of three letters followed by three numbers: "AAA-111". In June 2008 a new pattern was introduced with the numbers in front: "111-AAA". By this time the 1973 series had almost run out of combinations. Until the first quarter of 2009 the last plates of the old series (starting with Y, the Z series being reserved for dealer use) were issued simultaneously with the new layout, with the latter reserved at first for registrations made through Internet.
European-style number plates, introduced on 15 November 2010, have seven characters: a leading digit followed by three letters and three digits (1-AAA-111). Distribution of the 111-AAA series stopped at that moment, so that even though plates were printed in this series up to number 999-CFQ, the last ones have never been issued. This and all older series remain valid and no date is set for their expiration.
1973-2008 Motorcycle plate
Plates for motorcycles with an engine capacity of more than 50 cc issued before November 2010 have black letters on a yellow background and begin with the letters "M" or "W". These plates have a square design, with the three letters on the first row and the three numbers on the second. The newer European plates were red on white like standard vehicle plates and begin with 1-MAA-001. With the introduction of license plates for (P-AAA-111) and <45km/h mopeds (S-AAA-111) in 2018, motorcycles got their own design again starting with M: (M-AAA-111) Motorcycles with an engine capacity of less than 50 cc carry no license plates.
Plates no longer in use
1899–1911: First plates used black letters on white plate.
1911–1919: White numbers on black plate. As currently, only the rear plate was provided by the state.
1919–1925: White numbers on blue plate.
1925–1928: White characters: one letter followed by numbers.
Belgium was supposed to start issuing the European registration plates in July 2010. However, with the unexpected collapse of the federal government, the introduction of the new scheme was postponed to 15 November 2010. The last plate from the old series, 999-CFQ, was pressed by State Secretary for MobilityÉtienne Schouppe.
The plate meets the European standard format: on the left a blue stripe showing the letter B and a circle of stars.
Flemish separatism and 'VL' controversy
When the new European plate scheme was in works in 2010 (during the 2007–11 Belgian political crisis), State Secretary for Mobility, Etienne Schouppe, who is part of the FlemishCD&V party, proposed a black text on yellow background style plate for better readability. However this was met with criticism from French Community politicians in the federal government because yellow and black are the official Flemish colours - eventually the old red-on-white style was re-adopted with the new plates[citation needed].
On 11 January 2011, amid the high separatism in Belgium, leader of the Flemish populist and nationalist Vlaams Belang party Filip Dewinter arrived in front of the Flemish Parliament sticking a 'VL' (for Vlaanderen, name of Flanders) badge over the existing 'B' (for Belgium) on the plates of his vehicle, and posing with VL plates in front of cameras.[6][7] He encouraged other Flemish people and his party members to get VL plates. The VL plates were denounced by Dirk Van der Maelen of the Flemish Socialistische Partij Anders party, who said it violates Belgian law that state vehicles registered in the country must carry the 'B' country code. Drivers who violate the law may be liable for a €55 fine. Tanguy Veys of the Vlaams Belang protested (wrongly) that similar nationalist plates are legally used in European regions such as Scotland, Brittany, Wales, England and Catalonia, despite them not being sovereign states.[8] Later that year, the Vlaams Belang started selling self-made yellow numberplates for 13 euros, featuring the VL code and a REPUBLIEK VLAANDEREN ("Republic of Flanders") subtitle.[9]
In 2017 it was reported that thousands of cars with VL plates were actively driving. Senator Karl Vanlouwe caused controversy for driving a car with VL, for which he was fined but refused to pay it, arguing in court that it is not illegal.[11][12]
Related Research Articles
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 road vehicles such as cars, trucks, and motorcycles. 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.
The most common format for vehicle registration plates in Romania consists of black letters on white background in the format CC 12 ABC, where CC is a two letter county code, 12 is a two digit group, and ABC is a three letter group. For Bucharest, the format is B 12 ABC or B 123 ABC, where B is code for Bucharest city, 12 and 123 is a two or three digit group, and ABC is a three letter group. The left side of the plate bears a blue vertical strip displaying the 12 stars of the European Union and the country code of Romania (RO). Between 1992-2007 the band featured the Romanian flag instead of the 12 stars. All lettering comes from the Latin alphabet.
The Italian vehicle registration plates are the compulsory alphanumeric plates used to display the registration mark of motor vehicles registered in Italy. They have existed in the country since 1897.
Austrian car number plates are mandatory vehicle registration plates displaying the registration mark of motor vehicles in Austria. They are used to verify street legality, proof of a valid liability insurance and to identify and recognise the vehicle.
Vehicle registration plates of Poland indicate the region of registration of the vehicle given the number plate.
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.
Vehicle registration plates are mandatory number plates used to display the registration mark of a vehicle registered in France. They have existed in the country since 1901. It is compulsory for most motor vehicles used on public roads to display them.
In Sweden, vehicle registration plates are used for most types of vehicles. They have three letters first, a space and two digits and one digit or letter after. The combination is mostly a random number and has no connection with a geographic location. The last digit is used to show what month the vehicle tax has to be paid, and before 2018 it was also used to show what month the car had to undergo vehicle inspection. Vehicles like police cars, fire trucks, public buses and trolley buses use the same type of plate as normal private cars and cannot be directly distinguished by the plate alone. Military vehicles have special plates. Part of the vehicle data is public and can be retrieved online.
Montenegrin car plates have black characters on a rectangular white background, with a blue strip on the left. Car, but not motorcycle, plates follow the 520 mm x 110 mm format. The old Yugoslav plate format was phased out from 6 June 2008 in favour of this format, which is on par with the common European Union format.
Standard Bulgarian vehicle registration plates display black glyphs on a white background, together with – on the left-hand side of the plate – a blue vertical "EU strip" showing the flag of Europe and, below it, the country code for Bulgaria: BG.
Vehicle registration plates of Serbia display black alphanumeric characters on a white background with blue field placed along the left side edge.
The Portuguese vehicle registration plate system for automobiles and motorcycles is simple and sequential. The system has no link to geographical locations or similar. It is an incremental numbering system consisting of three groups of two characters, separated by dashes. This system started in 1937 with AA–10–00, which ran out on 29 February 1992. This then went on to 00–01–AA and changed to 00–AA–01 in 2005. This last sequence was exhausted early in 2020, and it was announced on 3 March that it had been replaced by the sequence AA–00–AA. Moreover, the letters W and Y, never before used, and the letter K, used only for a short-lived series for imported vehicles in 1997, are being employed in the new system, meaning that this sequence should last more than six-and-a-half times as long as the previous. At current rates that it would not need replacing at least until the end of the 21st century, but the expected lifetime of the series is stated as being forty-five years.
Brazilian vehicle registration plates are issued by the states. Each state has a Departamento de Trânsito (DETRAN) that is in charge of vehicle registration and car tax collection, but plates are standardized across the country and form a national vehicle registration database.
Standard vehicle registration plates in Lithuania bear three letters and three numbers in black lettering on a white background. The plates are usually of the standard EU dimensions, but can also be manufactured in the American dimensions for special import vehicles. All plates issued since 2004 also bear a blue EU identification stripe on their left-hand edge. Those issued between the restoration of Lithuanian independence in 1990 and the country's accession to the European Union in 2004 bore a similar stripe with a small Lithuanian flag in place of the flag of the European Union.
Thailand's vehicle registration plates are issued by the Department of Land Transport (DLT) of the Ministry of Transport. They must be displayed on all motorized road vehicles, as required by the Motor Vehicle Act, B.E. 2522 and the Land Transport Act, B.E. 2522. The plates vary in design, colors and dimensions according to the type of vehicle, but usually display a registration number and the vehicle's province of registration. Specifications are given in Ministry of Transport regulations. Current style started in 1975 for most vehicle types, but with small changes in 1997, and 1997 for motorcycles.
Vehicle registration plates of Canada, also known as licence plates, are issued by provincial or territorial government agencies. Registration plates in Canada are typically attached to motor vehicles or trailers for official identification purposes. Some Canadian registration plates have unique designs, shapes, and slogans related to the issuing jurisdiction. For example, registration plates issued in the Northwest Territories are shaped like a polar bear. In Alberta, registration plates typically display the words "Wild Rose Country."
The vehicle registration plates of Cyprus are composed of three letters and three digits. A simple incremental numbering system is used; numbers run from 001 to 999 per letter sequence (alphabetic), so that, for example, the plate to be issued after MAA 999 would be MAB 001. However, registrants may be allowed to choose a number from available numbers in the extant letter sequence.
Vehicle registration plates of Vietnam generally take the form DDL-DDDDD for vehicles. Standard license plates have black characters on white background. Front plates measure 47 × 11 cm, rear ones are 27 × 20. In 2020 and 2021, both plates measure 6 x 12. The current scheme for civilian vehicles omits the letters I, J, O, Q and W, with the letter R reserved for trailers, and includes the Vietnamese D.
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