LICENSE PLATE HISTORY

This page and the next list changes in normal series (passenger) plates in European countries since 1970. Changes to stickers or reflectorization are not included.

Future dates (in red) are uncertain and may be subject to change.

1 Jan 2009 - (F) Introduction of a new centralized system planned.
The format will be AB-123-CD. See information from Francoplaque.

2008(?) - (MNE) New plates planned. There will be a new design and more district codes. See information from Wikipedia and Gusinje.net

2008 - (NL) New format will be introduced: Two numerals followed by three letters and one more numeral, for normal cars from 01-GBB-1. When this is exhausted the format 1-ABC-23 will be used. The new format has already been introduced for mopeds and light
commercial vehicles. 97-VGK-7

2008 - (DK) Europlates will be introduced, but they will be optional. See official information with illustration and more detailed information in Danish. Current system expected to run out of combinations in 2009. Old numbers will then be reissued.

2008 - (B) The format 123-ABC will be introduced as the current system is running out of combinations. Europlates still not planned.

July 2008 - (SRB)
New plates planned. District codes will still be used. See image from Wikipedia.

By July 2007 - (PL)
Serial format AB C1234 in use in some districts. See photo courtesy of Greg.

25 Jun 2007 - (IS) New serial format AB C23 introduced.
See official information in Icelandic and a photo courtesy of Kurt Leuthold.

May 2007 - (RO) Europlates introduced. B 63 NTV

27 Apr 2007 - (F) White rear plates authorized. See official information. 425 FFY 92

By April 2007 - (PL) Serial format ABC 123DE in use in some districts.

2007 - (GE) New national flag added to plates. See photo courtesy of Sergey Lubnin.

1 Jan 2007 - (BG) and (RO) joined the European Union.
Europlates expected to be introduced soon.

1 Nov 2006 - (N) New style plates with blue band and Norwegian flag.
Official date of introduction 1 Nov, but the first plates were seen 25 Oct. TF 22635.
Plates in the new style, but without the blue band optional. TS 24245

1 Jul 2006 - (BG) Black, yellow and white plates without blue band no longer legal.
A-B-6573 B-9499-H C-6976-CX BT 8623 TB

3 and 5 Jun 2006 - (SCG) The union of Serbia and Montenegro ended when Montenegro (3 June) and Serbia (5 June) formally declared independence.
New international identification letters are MNE and SRB.

1 Jun 2006 - (SK) The Slovak coat of arms added to plates between the district code and the serial. TN 981 CB

4 May 2006 - (PL)
Europlates introduced. NO 69435 GD 4845K DW 052AJ OGL V770 BIA 16WK WWY 7L95. Plates with 8 characters introduced, serial formats FSD 01677 and ABC 1234D.

2006 - (PL) Serial format ABC 1DE2 in use in some districts.

By summer 2005 - (SLO) New serial format introduced in Ljubljana. LJ 36-0NL

25 May 2005 - (P) New serial format. 97-AA-73

May 2005 - (RUS) Three digit district codes introduced as needed in various districts, adding 100 to the original codes. B 372 AB | 150

By 2005 - (PL) Serial format ABC 12D3 in use in some districts.

1 Jan 2005 - (SK) Former series plates no longer valid. TN-77-90 TTC-00-81 NRI 41-39

20 Sep 2004 - (LT) Europlates introduced. AHO 890

Sep 2004 - (GR) Europlates introduced. IZB-4320

Mid-2004 - (CY) Europlates officially introduced. Unofficial europlates with both
the EU flag and the flag of Cyprus had been in use since the early 2000s. BAP 935

1 Jul 2004 - (F)
Europlates mandatory. 85 XB 80 178 ZK 83 3867 YA 67 93 AKW 78 791 AYP 92

1 Jun 2004 - (CZ) Europlates introduced. 4S5 0233

1 Jun 2004 - (EST) Europlates introduced. 737 MEK

May 2004 - (BY) New system, plates with flag and BY. 2987 AB-2

5 May 2004 - (LV) Europlates introduced. AA-56 FV-384 FC-4731

1 May 2004 - (H) Europlates introduced. JXF-600

1 May 2004 - (SK) Europlates introduced. MA-323 BA

1 May 2004 - (SLO) Europlates introduced. GO N1-047 KR 88-00D MB R5-27D

1 May 2004 - 10 new countries joined the European Union
(CY, CZ, EST, H, LV, LT, M, PL, SK, SLO). All except Poland introduced europlates
soon after. Malta had already done this before becoming members.

1 May 2004 - (LT) Stickers moved from the centre to the left of the plate. ADB701

Spring 2004 - (IS) Flag and letters IS added to plates. ZV 798

1 Mar 2004 - (UA) Completely new system. BX 1495 AB

2003/2004 - (AL) New style plates. TR 9099 I

Autumn 2003 - (LT)
District coding discontinued. No change to the appearance of the plates. ABK 731

Sep 2003 - (PL) New serial format in some districts. PGN AT33

1 Jul 2003 - (L) New series of two letters and four numerals on plates with a regular euroband front and rear. ZQ 7132

1 Apr 2003 - (S) Europlates introduced. Old style plates still optional. WJG 814

1 Feb 2003 - (NL)
Yellow plates without euroband no longer valid. SF-43-PR GT-ZH-65 36-DB-VH

Nov 2002 - (GBJ) J 99999 reached and followed by J 100000.
Photo courtesy of David Horman: J 100902

4 Nov 2002 - (A)
Europlates introduced. K 510BV G 55WRE W 17740N I 3348AD GR 217M RO 16SC IL 753EJ

Sep 2002 - (PL) New serial format in some districts. WWY 5A23

Late 2001/ early 2002 - (GBZ) G 99999 almost reached. System extended with a suffix letter from G 1000 A. Photo courtesy of Kurt Leuthold: G 5991 A

1 Jan 2002 - (CZ) Completely new system. 1M1 1793

1 Jan 2002 - (S) New style plates. TDC 056

14 Dec 2001 - (N) New style plates. Officially introduced 1 Jan 2002, but the first plates were seen 14 Dec 2001. AR 84362

1 Sep 2001 - (GB)
Completely new system, euroband optional. YC51 TFA SM51 LFN FL51 FDX AE02 RYA

1 May 2001 - (FIN)
Europlates introduced. Old style plates still issued on request. BZF-987

2001 - (HR) System extended to four numerals and two serial letters
(at first only in Zagreb). ZG 1295-AB

1 Nov 2000 - (D) Former style plates no longer issued. W-N 8 PI-KP 606 DÜW-YJ 16

26 Oct 2000 - (IRL) Six digit serial issued for the first time. 00-D-106606

18 Sep 2000 - (E) Completely new system on europlates. 3906 BKX. Former series plates may be remade with euroband. O 9454 BU A-0026-CY SA 3995 U MA 0753 AY

1 May 2000 - (PL) Completely new system with blue band plates. OB 00006 GD 0377P
WE 301AE BIA A705 POS 44AH (some formats originally only used for trailers).

1 Mar 2000 - (BY) New series with a third letter. 5899 AAB

1 Feb 2000 - (NL) Europlates introduced. 94-FJ-HS. All plates issued since 1977 had to
be exchanged, but kept their registrations. 58/XR-20 XR-44-VV NZ-FS-50

2000 - (BG) New blue band plates. C 4138 KA CT 0764 CC

30 Nov 1999 - (YU) New plates introduced in Kosovo. 402-KS-446

Sep 1999 - (B) New style plates. APF-368

17 Jun 1999 - (NL) New series. No longer valid on plates without euroband. 36-DB-VH

By Apr 1999 - (A) Serial of three numerals and two letters standardized in all districts except Wien and Innsbruck. SL 699BH

1 Jan 1999 - (I) Europlates introduced. BC 092 ZF BD 511 WL

1998/99 - (A) New format (in Innsbruck Land). IL 11CPK

Second half of 1998 - (YU) Red star replaced by national flag. SD 666-55 BG 106-943

1 Aug 1998 - (BIH)
Former Muslim, Croat and Serb series no longer valid. BI-9370 AA TR 317-FA

2 Feb 1998 - (BIH) Completely new unified system. 519-K-238

1 Jan 1998 - (P) Yellow date band added to plates. 49-69-JX

By May 1997 - (SLO) New series (at first only in Ljubljana). LJ A4-12A

By Apr 1997 - (TR) New serial (at first only in Istanbul). 34 UT 7781 34 ZD 8866

1 Apr 1997 - (SK) Completely new system. SC-434 AC

1997 - (HR)
System extended to four numerals and a serial letter (at first only in Zagreb). ZG 2366-D

1 Sep 1996 - (PL) System extended with a serial letter in some provinces. KAY 501K

Apr/ May 1996 - (AM)
Completely new system. White plates. Two numerals, two letters, three numerals.

By Feb 1996 - (TR) Blue band plates in use (optionally). 34 DG 006 34 UEA 40

1 Jan 1996 - (CY) Year letter discontinued. No change to the appearance of the plates.

1 Jan 1996 - (FO) Completely new system with blue band plates. LF 679

31 Dec 1995 - (H) Former series ceased to be valid.

5 Nov 1995 - (M) Completely new system with europlates. DUE 222

Sep 1995 - (BIH)
New series with blue band plates in the Muslim areas. No longer valid. BI-9370 AA

By Mar 1995 - (CZ) New style plates. JE 63-23 AHA 17-51

1995 - (AL) New style plates with red band. LA 2034 A

15 Jan 1995 - (D) Europlates (without hyphens) introduced nationwide.
Old style plates still optional. L G 9 KG AS 246 NWM KR 50

1 Jan 1995 - (UA) Completely new system. 14 602-59 TB

1 Nov 1994 - (GBM)
New style plates with red band. Former style still optional. FMN-245-M CMN-528-Y

By Sep 1994 - (SK) New lettering style. No longer valid. NRI 41-39

By 22 Mar 1994 - (I) Completely new system. AA 120 WE AB 077 SN

1994 - (SLO) New series (first in Ljubljana). LJ 25-09A

1994 - (BIH) New series in the Muslim areas. Two code letters followed by five numerals and a letter. No longer valid.

1994 - (A) New format (first in Salzburg Land). SL 699BH

1 Jan 1994 - (D)
Europlates introduced in Berlin and Brandenburg. B-Z 2879 UM-DM 707 MOL-MT 80

1 Jan 1994 - (S) New style plates. PFA 288

31 Dec 1993 - (D) Former DDR-plates ceased to be valid. CN 22-13 KUG 6-82

Late 1993 - (AZ) Completely new system. 10-GK-190

Late 1993 - (RUS) Completely new system. H 334 AA | 53 E 213 EP | 78

3 Dec 1993 - (RSM) New series. A4214

Aug 1993 - (GE) Completely new system. AAZ-602

Jun 1993 - (MK) Completely new system. BT 256-BV

1993 - (AL)
New series. As today, but without the red band. Believed to be no longer valid.

1993 - (BG) Hyphens gradually dropped from plates. No longer valid.
A 0337 T C 4425 CH EH 0074 T BT 8623 TB

1993 - (I) System extended with a serial letter in the third position (only in Milano).
MI 29A901 MI 15A317

1993 - (UA) New style plates. c 5022 IH

1993 - (AZ) Completely new system. Two numerals, one letter and three numerals.

By Mar 1993 - (LV) Completely new system. AJ-1 ER-13 AK-969 CT-6876

1 Jan 1993 - (EST)
Provincial coding introduced (the first letter). New style border. 056 MBB

1 Jan 1993 - (F) White front and yellow rear plates mandatory, europlates optional.
63 XC 60 8706 VF 59 309 LQM 75 178 ZK 83 32 MVR 75

1 Jan 1993 - (CS) Partitioned into (CZ) and (SK).

31 Dec 1992 - (HR) Former Yugoslav plates ceased to be valid.

25 Dec 1992 - (MD) Completely new system. C DL 974

1992/93 - (BIH)
New series with Cyrillic lettering in the Serb areas (Republika Srpska). Two code letters followed by four or five numerals with a hyphen in the middle. No longer valid.

1992/93 - (BIH)
New series in the Croatian part (Herzeg-Bosna). No longer valid. TR 317-FA

Jul 1992 - (BG) New series using only letters common to the western and Cyrillic alphabets. Colours changed from yellow to white. No longer valid.
P-0107-T C-6976-CX PB-0448-H CT-3846-AA

1 Jul 1992 - (BY) Completely new system. 0164 KA

1 Jul 1992 - (LT) Completely new system. BVT 107

1 Jun 1992 - (FIN - Åland) New style plates. ÅLG 84 ÅLB 642

May 1992 - (RO) New system with blue band plates. B 29 VDV IS 07 MYT

1992 - (HR)
System extended with a second serial letter (at first only in Zagreb). ZG 728-ZI

4 Mar 1992 - (P) New series. 64-36-GN

1992 - (SLO) Completely new system. LJ C7-719

1 Jan 1992 - (HR) Completely new system. DA 740-V

1 Jan 1992 - (P) Europlates introduced. XT-23-32

25 Dec 1991 - (SU) The Soviet Union ceased to exist.

21 Dec 1991 - (EST) Completely new system. 968 JAE

2 Sep 1991 - (NL) New series. No longer valid on plates without euroband. GT-ZH-65

1991 - (YU) Break-up of Yugoslavia.

Feb 1991 - (AL) Private vehicle plates introduced. White on black.
Two numerals, two letters (district code), three numerals. Believed to be no longer valid.

1 Jan 1991 - (D)
The West German system introduced in the former DDR. C-H 86 DD-AS 6154 GRM-C 403

1 Jan 1991 - (IRL) Europlates introduced. 93-G-1828 93-D-15138 93-LK-613 90-TN-1788

Dec 1990 - (CY) New series. BAP 935 AAM 449

3 Oct 1990 - (D) (DDR) Germany reunited.

1 Aug 1990 - (H) Completely new system. CVE-924

17 Apr 1990 - (AND) The new series continued on old style plates. B 6635

1 Jan 1990 - (A)
Completely new system. I 5463D W 984VW B 15KVT W 50076C UU 216X SP 80AD BM 4TNG

Page 2: 1970-1989