{"id":63781,"date":"2022-08-09T06:28:20","date_gmt":"2022-08-09T04:28:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/stage-wp.eurococ.eu\/car-registration-plates\/"},"modified":"2024-10-01T18:51:21","modified_gmt":"2024-10-01T16:51:21","slug":"car-registration-plates","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/stage-wp.eurococ.eu\/en\/blog\/car-registration-plates\/","title":{"rendered":"A Complete Guide On Car Registration Plates In Europe"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">After purchase, all vehicles need to be registered with the appropriate transport authority in the country where they will be driven. Registration ensures that vehicles and their drivers are regulated and monitored accordingly.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Car registration plates are assigned to vehicles after <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.era.europa.eu\/registers\/evr_en\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">registration in the EU<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Car registration plates contain a specific number which belongs to the car in question, making each vehicle unique, and they are attached to the front and back of the vehicle.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">EU members have adopted some general customs regarding car registration, making transport easier to regulate within the EU. When buying a car online in the EU, you should be familiar with car registration plates in EU countries and their surrounding rules.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Reading forward, you will come across all the vital information that concerns European car registration plates including the rules and the differences between countries.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Format of EU Car Registration Plates<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The most important aspect of car registration plates is the number that they bear, as this differentiates them from other cars in the same country. However, the exact appearance of a vehicle registration plate is also very important.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In the EU, there are standards that govern what a car registration plate looks like, including its size and overall design. Here are the most vital aspects to take note of.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>Size:<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For uniformity, a vehicle registration plate cannot simply be made in any size. So, there are approved dimensions for the length and width of license plates.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There are two license plate sizes that are most commonly used in Europe, and they are:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">520 mm x 110 mm (20.5 inches x 4.3 inches)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">520 mm x 120 mm (20.5 inches x 4.7 inches)<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The dimensions mentioned above are not limited to Europe but are also quite popular in the rest of the world. Some EU countries do not stick to the sizes above for their license plates. A few of them are:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Finland: 440 mm x 120 mm (17.3 inches x 4.7 inches)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Italy: 360 mm x 110 mm (14.2 inches x 4.3 inches) (for their front plates only)<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Some other countries in Europe that do not belong to the EU also often step away from the common format, including;<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">San Marino: 390 mm x 120 mm (15.4 inches x 4.7 inches)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Andora: 330 mm x 140 mm (13 inches x 5.5 inches)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Switzerland and Liechtenstein: 300 mm x 80 mm (11.8 inches x 3.1 inches) (for their front plates only)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Monaco: 260 mm x 110 mm (10.2 inches x 4.3 inches)<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Apart from all the sizes for number plates listed above, there are still a few more size standards that some European countries use, such as;<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">305 mm x 152 mm (12 inches x 6 inches)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">305 mm x 160 mm (12 inches x 6.3 inches)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">372 mm x 135 mm (14.6 inches x 5.3 inches)<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you intend to drive a car in Europe, its number plate will most likely fall under any of the categories listed above.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>Appearance<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Another characteristic of car registration plates in Europe that is regulated is their appearance, especially for countries that belong to the EU.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Since the European Union is connected in a lot of ways including transportation, the member countries have license plates that share some features. This way, EU vehicles are easy to identify, making journeys across the EU a lot more convenient.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The most notable physical feature shared by license plates in EU countries is the left section which is blue and contains a circle of 12 yellow stars. This design is a replica of the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.coe.int\/en\/web\/about-us\/the-european-flag\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">EU flag<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and is used to show uniformity among EU member nations.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The EU flag on car registration plates is complemented by the international vehicle registration code of that country.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/International_vehicle_registration_code\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">International vehicle registration codes<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> serve to distinguish countries from each other, making vehicles easy to identify. When a car is being driven in a country different from where it was registered, the vehicle registration code of its original country must be displayed on its rear.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Below are some examples of EU member countries and their corresponding international vehicle registration code:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">France &#8211; F<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Belgium &#8211; B<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Spain &#8211; E<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Germany &#8211; D<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Netherlands &#8211; NL<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Denmark &#8211; DK<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Apart from the blue EU flag on the left of the plate, EU vehicle registration plates are either white or yellow in colour. They are also often made from metal, even though Ireland, France, and Sweden often use both metal and plastic plates.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Examples Of Vehicle Registration Plates In EU Countries<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As mentioned earlier, vehicle registration plates in EU countries share some features, but also have some differences.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To help you further understand number plate registration in Europe, we will be exploring the characteristics of car registration plates in some EU countries, namely; Germany, France, Spain, and the Netherlands.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>Germany Vehicle Registration Plates<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In Germany, the colour of a vehicle registration plate is white, and the characters that make up the registration digits are black.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The common size for car registration plates is 520 mm x 110 mm (20.5 inches x 4.3 inches), which is one of the most popular license dimensions in Europe.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Like the rest of the EU, German license plates are designed with the customary EU flag on the left &#8211; a blue section with a circle of 12 yellow stars. Towards the bottom of the EU flag on the plate is Germany\u2019s international vehicle registration code, which is the letter \u2018D\u2019.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The first group of characters on a German license plate serve as the area code of the region where the car was registered, and are either one, two, or three letters. For a complete list of German license area codes, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.customeuropeanplates.com\/german-license-plate-codes#:~:text=Alphabetical%20List%20of%20German%20City%20Codes\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">check here<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The area code is followed by a Registration sticker of the corresponding German state at the bottom and a <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.iamexpat.de\/expat-info\/driving-germany\/periodic-technical-inspection-hauptuntersuchung-tuev#\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Safety Test<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> sticker with an expiry date at the top. Both stickers appear on the back plate, while front plates routinely have the Registration sticker alone.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The final section of characters is a group of letters and numbers, reaching up to six characters in total. This group of characters serves as a serial number to differentiate vehicles.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>France Vehicle Registration Plates<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Like their German counterparts, French vehicle registration plates are also white in colour, and the characters that denote their registration number are black.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Car registration plates in France also have the EU flag on their left side, and their international vehicle registration code, which is the letter \u2018F\u2019.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The standard size of French registration plates is 520 mm x 110 mm (20.5 inches x 4.3 inches).<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The registration characters consist of three groups of characters &#8211; two letters, three numbers, and two letters &#8211; and they are each separated by a dash.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The final component of license plates in France is a blue strip at the right end of the plate. This blue section contains the logo of a French region and its corresponding code.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">French car owners can decide whichever region they want on their car, regardless of the region where the vehicle gets registered.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>Spain Vehicle Registration Plates<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A Spanish vehicle registration plate is also white and contains black-coloured characters except for special cases like non-private vehicles that get <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Vehicle_registration_plates_of_Spain#Colour_plates\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">colour plates<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Spanish vehicle registration plates also have the EU flag on their left and are tagged with their international vehicle registration code, the letter \u2018E\u2019.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There are seven characters in sequence on Spanish license plates, the first four being numbers, and the last three being letters.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>The Netherlands Vehicle Registration Plates<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Unlike the three countries discussed above, car registration plates in the Netherlands are coloured yellow, even though their registration characters are also black.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Together with the EU flag on the left, license plates in the Netherlands are stamped with their international vehicle registration code, the letters \u2018NL\u2019.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The characters on the license plates for cars in the Netherlands are a combination of letters and numbers and their format is determined by the year of registration. You can <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Vehicle_registration_plates_of_the_Netherlands#Motor_cars\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">view the full list here<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>General Requirement For Vehicle Registration In The EU<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">From the four countries cited above, it is obvious that there are a lot of differences within the EU regarding vehicle registration. However, one requirement that is constant among all EU countries is a <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurococ.eu\/en\/#coc-pedia\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Certificate of Conformity (COC)<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A European Certificate of Conformity declares that a vehicle is compliant with EU transport regulations. If you buy a car abroad and want to register it, most EU countries require a Certificate of Conformity.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">EUROCOC helps people get Certificates of Conformity online with maximum convenience. Our services are without delay, and we deliver COCs at very affordable prices. To complete your car registration, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurococ.eu\/en\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">order a European COC now<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Registration Authorities In Different EU Countries<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here is a list of some notable EU countries and their transport registration authority:<\/span><\/p>\n<table>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><b>COUNTRY<\/b><\/td>\n<td><b>REGISTRATION AUTHORITY<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Spain<\/td>\n<td>Direcci\u00f3n General de Tr\u00e1fico<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>The Netherlands<\/td>\n<td>RDW<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Belgium<\/td>\n<td>Federale Overheidsdienst Mobiliteit en Vervoer<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Germany<\/td>\n<td>TUV<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Portugal<\/td>\n<td>Instituto do Registos et Notariado<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For a more extensive list containing most European transport authorities, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurococ.eu\/en\/coc-pedia\/export-import-of-vehicles\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">check here<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Creative Commons Rights Image<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-11481\" src=\"https:\/\/stage-wp.eurococ.eu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/plates-1-300x141.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"370\" height=\"174\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>After purchase, all vehicles need to be registered with the appropriate transport authority in the country where they will be driven. Registration ensures that vehicles and their drivers are regulated and monitored accordingly. Car registration plates are assigned to vehicles after registration in the EU. Car registration plates contain a specific number which belongs to [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":17,"featured_media":63788,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1451,1452,1426,1492],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-63781","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-b2c","category-early-stage-b2c","category-import","category-plates"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/stage-wp.eurococ.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/63781","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/stage-wp.eurococ.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/stage-wp.eurococ.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stage-wp.eurococ.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/17"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stage-wp.eurococ.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=63781"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/stage-wp.eurococ.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/63781\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stage-wp.eurococ.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/63788"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/stage-wp.eurococ.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=63781"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stage-wp.eurococ.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=63781"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stage-wp.eurococ.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=63781"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}