Code list for
Norwegian license plates

[Current list] [Alphabetically sorted] [Code list 1971] [Diplomats] [Export] [Pre-1971 list] [Pre-1971 detailed list]

Since April 1st 1971 Norwegian license plates have a two letter prefix code denoting the traffic office where the vehicle was first registered. The registration stays with the vehicle, so if a vehicle is sold to another district or the owner moves the registration remains unchanged.
When registering a new vehicle owners may choose any of the letter combinations currently in use throughout the country.

Reflective plates were introduced April 1st 1982, earlier plates were plain "metal" coloured, commonly referred to as silver. New style plates were first seen in December 2001
(although officially introduced from January 1st 2002). Trade plates became reflective in this style of plate. Nov 1st 2006 plates with a blue band with the Norwegian flag and identification letter N were officially introduced, but the first were seen Oct 25th.
Jan 1st 2009 flat plastic plates in an otherwise unchanged format were introduced.

Numerals:

This is the code list. Note that the letters I, M, O, Q, Æ, Ø and Å are not used.
Alphabetically sorted list here.

My notes:

1. AD AE AF AH listed as Fredrikstad. These used to be for Sarpsborg,
   but the office there closed and the letters were transferred to Fredrikstad.
   A new office for both Fredrikstad and Sarpsborg has now opened in Hafslund.
   5 digit AE plates are still issued for Sarpsborg, and AS for Fredrikstad.
   4 digit plates use a single series.
2. EL, GA and HY are centrally issued for the whole of Norway from Lillestrøm.
3. FF FH FJ were originally allocated to Oslo, they are currently not allocated.
   The following were originally allocated to Oslo, but are now used by a different office:
   EV Lillestrøm, EX Finnsnes, EY Kirkenes, EZ Drammen, FA Nordfjordeid (trade plates) and Mosjøen (4-digit plates), FB Stavanger (trade plates) and Lillehammer (4-digit plates),
   FC Tromsø, FD Bodø, FK Storslett, FL Tromsø, FN Moss (trade plates) and Mysen
   (4-digit plates), FP Trondheim, FR Vadsø.
   FE with 4 digits has been used for some military vehicles.
4. LE and LF were allocated to Vadsø and Setesdal respectively in 2003.
   However, LE and LF trade plates have been issued by Horten.
5. LY LZ NA NB NC used to be Sandefjord. Now Sandefjord is only listed with LY.
   The rest are transferred to Larvik. However, trade plates and 4 digit plates had already reached LZ and 4 digit plates are currently using NA.
6. NN NP NR NT NU used to be Porsgrunn. The office there is closed and the letters transferred to Skien. Skien has now exhausted 4 digit NN plates and moved on to NP.
7. NS was the Norwegian Nazi party during the war. The letters are not going to be used.
8. LF was allocated to Setesdal in 2003. 4 digit plates now use LF after most of PL
   was skipped. LF trade plates were issued by Horten.
9. SS was used for 2, 3 and 4 digit serials, but not for 5 digit serials,
   because the public objected to its use, even 50 years after the war.
10. VU was allocated to Trondheim in 2005 and VV in 2009. FP was used before VU (since 1997), issues commenced from VD. Around 90 5 digit VP plates were issued because of a mistake by the plate manufacturer the autumn of 2001.
11. Støren commenced issues from VT. Some VS plates were issued in 2006.
12. Levanger commenced issues from XL. 5 digit XL plates reached just above 36000,
    at which time XK was issued from 10000.
13. FD was allocated to Bodø in 2004.
14. ZD was allocated to Finnsnes in 1992, issues commenced from ZF.
    A handful of 5 digit ZD plates were issued in November 2001, probably by mistake.
15. ZC (1992) and FL (1997) have been allocated to Tromsø, issues commenced from ZE.
    FL will only be used for trade plates. FC allocated to Tromsø in 2009.
16. ZN officially listed as Tromsø (including Svalbard). In practice ZN is for Svalbard only,
    except for trade plates.
17. FR was allocated to Vadsø in 1989, issues commenced from ZP.
    LE was allocated to Vadsø in 2003, although Horten had already issued trade plates with LE.

Export/ tourist series
These plates are issued by the Police. The first numeral denotes the town.
The vast majority are issued by Oslo.

1. Oslo
2. Larvik
3. Kristiansand
4. Stavanger
5. Bergen
6. Trondheim
7. Tromsø