Vehicle registration began in the Isle of Man on 1 January 1906, following the Highways Act Amendment Act 1905.
Vehicle registration began in the Isle of Man on 1 January 1906, following the Highways Act Amendment Act 1905.
Initially, number plates started with the letters 'MN' followed by up to four digits. In March 1935, the prefix 'MAN' came into use, followed by up to three digits, and in April 1936 a further three-letter scheme was introduced, placing a serial letter before the 'MN' code (giving the range BMN-1 to YMN-999).
In May 1959, the scheme changed to allow the digits to precede the letters, starting with the range 1-MN to 9999-MN. This was followed in May 1964 by 1-MAN to 999-MAN, which lasted for five months, and then by 1-BMN to 999-YMN.
In November 1971, unissued numbers from the original MN-1 to MN-9999 range started to be issued. When these ran out in May 1974, a trailing letter was added, giving MAN-2-A through to MAN-999-Y. In January 1979 this was swapped to be a prefix (A-1-MAN up to Y-999-MAN), and in May 1983 the range MAN-1000 to MAN-9999 was introduced. [note: MAN 1A was issued in the 1900s to the Lieutenant Governor's wife, thus the 1974 system commenced at MAN-2-A]
This was reversed in July 1985, giving 1000-MAN to 9999-MAN, which lasted until August 1987. At that point, the current system was introduced, which has an initial letter, followed by MN, up to three numerals, and a trailing single letter. The initial plate in this system was therefore BMN-1-A, [1] with the registration CMN-1-A being issued following BMN-999-Y. Thus the trailing letter does not indicate the vehicle age, unlike the similar format British plates, and many different suffix letters are issued each year.
The letters I, Q, S and Z are not used on Manx number plates. Additionally the letter A is also not used as the initial letter and the letter O is not used as the final letter.
The Isle of Man uses retro-reflective number plates with black letters; on a white background on the front of the vehicle, and yellow on the rear. Vehicles manufactured prior to 1 February 1990 can display white-on-black plates as an alternative.
Since 23 April 2004 plates may incorporate the Manx flag, bearing the triskelion symbol surrounded by a circle of six stars, representing the 6 sheadings and the international country identification code GBM (Great Britain and Northern Ireland – (Isle of) Man).
The region code 'MN' was reserved for the Isle of Man in the original Great Britain 1903 numbering scheme, and the code 'MAN' in the 1932 GB scheme. This means that no Isle of Man registration is duplicated by a GB registration. When the current 2001 scheme was adopted in Great Britain, the region code 'MN' (within the 'M' range for Manchester) was reserved as well as other combinations of MN.
MN is also the format for registration plates of County Monaghan (MN) Ireland so a vehicle featuring these plates eg 171-MN-234 could possibly be seen on the island but bears no connection to the island's registration system.
The current valid list of number plate formats are:
| Pool | Registration Number | Example | Years | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | MN 1 – MN 9999 | MN 123 | Jan 1906 → Mar 1935 | |
| 2 | MAN 1 – MAN 999 | MAN 123 | Mar 1935 → Apr 1936 | |
| 3 | xMN 1 – xMN 999 | BMN 123 | Apr 1936 → May 1959 | Excluding x = A, I, Q, S, Z |
| 4 | 1 MN – 9999 MN | 1234 MN | May 1959 → May 1964 | |
| 5 | 1 MAN – 999 MAN | 123 MAN | May 1964 → Oct 1964 | |
| 6 | 1 xMN – 999 xMN | 123 BMN | Oct 1964 → Nov 1971 | Excluding x = A, I, Q, S, Z |
| 7 | MN 1 – MN 9999 | MN 1234 | Nov 1971 → May 1974 | unissued numbers of 1906-1935 |
| 8 | MAN 1 x – MAN 999 x | MAN 123 A | May 1974 → Jan 1979 | Excluding x = I, O, Q, S, Z |
| 9 | x 1 MAN – x 999 MAN | A 123 MAN | Jan 1979 → May 1983 | Excluding x = I, Q, S, Z |
| 10 | MAN 1000 – MAN 9999 | MAN 1234 | May 1983 → Jul 1985 | |
| 11 | 1000 MAN – 9999 MAN | 1234 MAN | Jul 1985 → Aug 1987 | |
| 12 | xMN 1 y – xMN 999 y | BMN 123 A | Aug 1987 → today | Excluding x = A, I, Q, S, Z and y = I, O, Q, S, Z |
| 13 | MANX 1 – MANX 999 | MANX 123 | ? | |
| 14 | 1 MANX – 999 MANX | 123 MANX | ? |
There are around 65,000 registered vehicles in the Isle of Man. Number plates are produced and supplied privately, not by the government. The name of the supplying car dealer is often displayed along the bottom of the plate. Registrations can be transferred from vehicle to vehicle.
The official car of the Lieutenant Governor carries the registration number MAN-1. Registrations including the numbers 999 or 112 (for example, BMN-999-A) are used for emergency vehicles, but not exclusively.
Trade plates have red letters on a white background, and display a number prefixed by MNA.
A vehicle registration plate, also known as a number plate, 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.
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Australian vehicle registration plates or number plates are issued by state, territory, and Commonwealth governments, and the armed forces of Australia. The plates are associated with a vehicle and are generally intended to last for the time the vehicle remains registered in the state, though as they become unreadable they may be remade with like for like replacement. Motor vehicle registration in Australia are either renewed quarterly, half yearly or annually.
All motorised road vehicles in India are tagged with a registration or licence number. The Vehicle registration plate number is issued by the district-level Regional Transport Office (RTO) of respective states — the main authority on road matters. The number plates are placed in the front and back of the vehicle. By law, all plates are required to be in modern Hindu-Arabic numerals with Latin letters. The international vehicle registration code for India is IND.
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.
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.
An aircraft registration is a code unique to a single aircraft, required by international convention to be marked on the exterior of every civil aircraft. The registration indicates the aircraft's country of registration, and functions much like an automobile license plate or a ship registration. This code must also appear in its Certificate of Registration, issued by the relevant civil aviation authority (CAA). An aircraft can only have one registration, in one jurisdiction, though it is changeable over the life of the aircraft.
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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.
Vehicle registration plates are the mandatory number plates used to display the registration mark of a vehicle, and have existed in Spain since 1900. Most motor vehicles which are used on public roads are required by law to display them. The government agency responsible for the registration and numbering of vehicles is the Directorate General of Traffic.
Malaysian registration plates are displayed at the front and rear of all private and commercial motorised vehicles in Malaysia, as required by law. The issuing of the number plates is regulated and administered by the Malaysian Road Transport Department or JPJ.
In South Korea, the Surface Transportation Bureau of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (MOCT) oversees the design and issue of license plates for motor vehicles. The international code for South Korea is ROK.
Since Ukraine's independence in 1991, the country has used four main systems of vehicle registration plates.
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 Gibraltar are similar to those of the United Kingdom, with the same colours and typeface, similar to the common EU format. Vehicle registration plates, usually called 'number plates', include the international vehicle registration code for Gibraltar, 'GBZ'. GBG is used for Guernsey.
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 in Trinidad and Tobago are categorised using prefixes based on the type of vehicle and feature up to four succeeding digits. Registration plates in Trinidad and Tobago are supposed to be either white figures on a black background or black figures on a white background. All motor vehicles that are operating in the roads of Trinidad and Tobago are required by law to have a registration plate affixed to the front and rear of the vehicle at all times except during very specific situations. This current system has been present for over 40 years.
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.
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Media related to License plates of the Isle of Man at Wikimedia Commons