International vehicle registration code


The country in which a motor vehicle's vehicle registration plate was issued may be indicated by an international licence plate country code, formerly known as an International Registration Letter or International Circulation Mark. It is referred to as the Distinguishing sign of the State of registration in the Geneva Convention on Road Traffic of 1949 and the Vienna Convention on Road Traffic of 1968.
The allocation of codes is maintained by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe as the Distinguishing Signs Used on Vehicles in International Traffic, authorised by the UN's Geneva Convention on Road Traffic and the Vienna Convention on Road Traffic. Many vehicle codes created since the adoption of ISO 3166 coincide with ISO two- or three-letter codes. The 2004 South-East Asian Agreement ... for the Facilitation of Cross-Border Transport of Goods and People uses a mixture of ISO and DSIT codes: Myanmar uses MYA, China CHN, and Cambodia KH, Thailand uses T, Laos LAO, and Vietnam VN.
The Geneva Convention on Road Traffic entered into force on 26 March 1952. One of the main benefits of the convention for motorists is the obligation on signatory countries to recognize the legality of vehicles from other signatory countries. When driving in other signatory countries, the distinguishing sign of the country of registration must be displayed on the rear of the vehicle. This sign must be placed separately from the registration plate and may not be incorporated into the vehicle registration plate.
Since the Vienna Convention on Road Traffic entered into force on 21 May 1977, in signatory countries it replaces previous road traffic conventions, including the Geneva Convention on Road Traffic, in accordance with its Article 48. According to the Vienna Convention on Road Traffic, the distinguishing sign of the country of registration must be displayed on the rear of the vehicle. The sign may either be placed separately from the registration plate as a white oval plate or sticker, or be incorporated in the vehicle registration plate. When the distinguishing sign is incorporated in the registration plate, it must also appear on the front registration plate of the vehicle.
The requirement to display a separate distinguishing sign is not necessary within the European Economic Area, for vehicles with license plates in the common EU format, which satisfy the requirements of the Vienna Convention, and so are also valid in non-EU countries signatory to that convention. Separate signs are also not needed for Canada, Mexico and the United States, where the province, state or district of registration is usually embossed or surface-printed on the vehicle registration plate.

Current codes

CodeCountryFromPrevious
code		Notes
A1910
AFG1971
AL1934
AM1992SUFormerly part of the Soviet Union
AND1957
AUS1954
AZ1993SUFormerly part of the Soviet Union
B1910
BD1978PAKFormerly East Pakistan
BDS1956
BF1990RHV / HVUntil August 2003, 1984; Haute Volta
BG1910
BH1938Former British Honduras. Still officially registered as BH as of 2007. New driving licenses appear to have 'BZ' instead of 'BH' as Belize's code.
BIH1992YUBosna i Hercegovina. Formerly part of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes, an earlier name for Yugoslavia.
BOL1967
BR1930
BRN1954
BRU1956
BS1950
BUR1956BAAlso known as Burma.
BVI1910
BW2003BPOfficially used by Botswana since 2003. Formerly RB until 2004. Formerly Bechuanaland Protectorate
BY1992 SUByelorussia; formerly part of the Soviet Union. The UN was officially notified of the change from SU to BY only in 2004.
C1930Some sources indicate CU as the official DSIT code.
CAM1952F & WANFormerly a territory of France, plus a strip of territory from eastern Nigeria. Unofficially using CMR on their plates.
CDN1956CACDN for "Canada Dominion"
CGO1997CB, RCL, CGO, ZRCongo Belge, République de Congo Léopoldville, Congo, Zaïre, République Démocratique du Congo
CH1911Confœderatio Helvetica
CI '1961FFormerly a territory of France
CL1961Formerly Ceylon. However, “SL” is being used on current driver licenses.
CO1952
CR1956
CY1932
CZ1993CSFormerly Československo
D1910Deutschland ; also used until 1974 by, which then used DDR until German reunification in 1990
DK1914
DOM1952
DY1910Part of AOF
' − 1960		Dahomey. Uses RB unofficially '
DZ1962F − 1911Djazayer ; Formerly part of France
E1910España
EAK1938East Africa Kenya
EAT1938EAT & EAZEast Africa Tanzania; formerly East Africa Tanganyika and East Africa Zanzibar
EAU1938East Africa Uganda
EAZ1964East Africa Zanzibar
EC1962
ER1993AOIAfrica Orientale Italiana
ES1978
EST1993EW 1919–1940 & 1991–1993
SU 1940–1991		Eesti Vabariik
ET1927
ETH1964AOI − 1941Africa Orientale Italiana
F1910
FIN1993SFSuomi / Finland
FJI1971
FL1923Fürstentum Liechtenstein
FO1996Føroyar
G1974ALEF − 1960Afrique Équatoriale Française. Unofficially using RG on their license plates.
GB 1910Before 1922, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. 'UK' appears instead of the 'GB' code on British driving licenses.
GBA1924Great Britain – Alderney
GBG1924Great Britain – Guernsey
GBJ1924Great Britain – Jersey
GBM1932Great Britain – Isle of Man
GBZ1924Great Britain – Gibraltar
GCA1956Guatemala, Central America
GE1992SUFormerly part of the Soviet Union. Older licence plates use "GEO" instead of "GE". Also used illegally by Equatorial-Guinea.
GH1959WAC − 1957West Africa Gold Coast − 1957
GR1913
GUY1972BRGFormerly British Guiana − 1966
H1910
HKJ1966JORHashemite Kingdom of Jordan
HN?Unofficial - no other code found for Honduras
HR1992SHS 1919–29
Y 1929–53
YU 1953–92		Hrvatska. Formerly part of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes, an earlier name for Yugoslavia. Immediately after Croatia's declaration of independence in 1991, it was common to see unofficial oval stickers with the letters "CRO". Despite the initial anticipation that Croatia's international vehicle registration code would be "CRO", Croatia opted for "HR" ' instead.
SHS was for the Kingdom of the Serbs, Croats and Slovenes .
I1919
IL1952"Israel" is written on the plate also in Hebrew and Arabic
IND1947
IR1936
IRL1992GB − 1910
SE − 1924
EIR − 1938
EIR/IRL − 1962		Formerly a part of the United Kingdom, Saorstát Éireann, Éire.
IRQ1930
IS1936Ísland
J1964
JA1932
K1956F − 1949Known as Kampuchea 1976–89. Formerly a territory of France. However, “KH” is being used on current driving licenses
KS1992SU − 1991Formerly part of the Soviet Union. However, “KG” is being used on current plates and driver licenses. Additionally, most vehicles use "KGZ" oval stickers instead of "KS".
KSA1973SAKingdom of Saudi Arabia
KWT1954
KZ1992SU − 1991Formerly part of the Soviet Union
L1911
LAO1959F – 1949Formerly a territory of France
LAR1972I − 1949, LTLibyan Arab Republic
LB1967
LS1967BLBasutoland − 1966
LT1992SU 1940–1991
LV1992LR 1927–1940
SU 1940–1991		Latvijas Republika
M1966GBY 1924–66
MA1924Maroc
MAL1967PRK – 1957
FM 1954-7
PTM 1957–67		Formerly Perak, then Federated Malay States, then Persekutuan Tanah Melayu
MC1910
MD1992SU − 1991Formerly part of the Soviet Union
MEX1952
MNE2006MN 1913–1919
SHS 1919–29
Y 1929–53
YU 1953–2003
SCG 2003–2006		Independent nation until 1918. After that, part of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes, then part of Yugoslavia and then Serbia and Montenegro. Independence restored in 2006.
MGL2002MNG displayed on current plates. Nevertheless, the new format will include MGL once again.
MOC1975MOC: 1932–56
P: 1957–75		Formerly part of Portugal. Moçambique
MS1938
MW1965EA 1932–38
NP – 1938–70
RNY option 1960–65		Formerly the Nyasaland Protectorate
N1922
NA1957
NAM1990SWAFormerly South West Africa
NAU1968
NEP1970
NIC1952
NL1910
NMK2019YU − 1992
MK 1992–2019		Formerly part of Yugoslavia. Known as Republic of Macedonia until 2019
NZ1958
P1910
PA1952
PE1937
PK1947
PL1921
PNG1978
PY1952
Q1972
RA1927República Argentina
RC1932The Republic of Congo also uses RC illegally on their license plates.
RCA1962République Centrafricaine
RCB1962République du Congo Brazzaville. Unofficially and illegally using RC on their plates.
RCH1930República de Chile
RG1972République de Guinée. Also used illegally by Gabon.
RH1952République d'Haïti
RI1955Republik Indonesia
RIM1964République islamique de Mauritanie
RKS Kosovo2010SHS 1919–29
Y 1929–53
YU 1953–92
SCG 2003–2006
SRB 2006-2010		Republic of Kosovo
RL1952République Libanaise
RM1962République de Madagascar
RMM1962AOF − 1960République du Mali. Formerly part of French West Africa
RN1977AOF − 1960République du Niger. Formerly part of French West Africa
RO1981R - 1981
ROK1971Republic of Korea
RP1975Republika ng Pilipinas
RSM1932Repubblica di San Marino
RU1962?Belgian territory of Ruanda-Urundi. Unofficially using BU on their plates.
RUS1992SUFormerly part of the Soviet Union
RWA1964RU − 1962Formerly part of Ruanda-Urundi − 1962
S1911
SD1935
SGP1952
SK1993CS 1919–39,1945–92
SQ 1939–45		Formerly Československo
SLO1992SHS 1919–29
Y 1929–53
YU 1953–92		Formerly part of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes Kraljevina Srba, Hrvata i Slovenaca, then part of Yugoslavia
SME1936
SN1962
SO1974
SRB2006SB – 1919
SHS 1919–29
Y 1929–53
YU 1953–2003
SCG 2003–2006		Formerly part of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes.
Then part of Yugoslavia.
Then Serbia and Montenegro
SUD1963
SY1938
SYR1952
T1955
TCH, TD1973Tchad
TG1973
TJ1992SU − 1991Formerly part of the Soviet Union
TM1992SU − 1991Formerly part of the Soviet Union
TN1957F − 1956Formerly a territory of France
TR1923
TT1964
UA1992SUFormerly part of the Soviet Union
UAE1971
USA1952
UY2012ROU
UZ1992SUFormerly part of the Soviet Union
V1931SCV is used as a prefix on the licence plate number itself.
VN1953
WAG1932West Africa Gambia
WAL1937West Africa Sierra Leone; on local licence plates SLE is used
WAN1937West Africa Nigeria
WD1954Windward Islands Dominica
WG1932Windward Islands Grenada
WL1932Windward Islands Saint Lucia
WS1962Formerly Western Samoa
WV1932Windward Islands Saint Vincent
YAR1960North Yemen formerly known as the Yemen Arab Republic
YV1955
Z1964RNRFormerly Northern Rhodesia. However, "ZM" is used on current driving licences.
ZA1936Zuid-Afrika
ZW1980SR, RSRFormerly Southern Rhodesia until 1965, Rhodesia unrecognised until 1980

Codes no longer in use

CodeCountryUsed untilReplaced byNotes
ADN Aden1980YFrom 1938, also known as South Yemen, People's Democratic Republic of Yemen
BA Burma1956BURFrom 1937.
BP Bechuanaland Protectorate1966Now Botswana
CA1956CDN
CS Czechoslovakia1992CZ / SKSplit into Czech Republic and Slovakia.
DA, Free City of1939D
PL 		Danzig
DDR German Democratic Republic1990DFrom 1974, Deutsche Demokratische Republik
EIR Éire1992IRLNow
EW1993ESTEesti Vabariik
FR Faroe Islands1996FOFøroyar
GBY1966MChanged after independence from UK
GRO Greenland1910KNGrønland / Kalaallit Nunaat. Unofficial. The official code is DK.
HV Upper Volta, now Burkina Faso1984BFUpper Volta
LR1927–1940SU, LVLatvijas Republika
MK Republic of Macedonia1992–2019NMKBecame North Macedonia in 2019
PANG Angola1956P From 1932. Formerly part of Portugal
R Romania1981RO
RB2003BPRepublic of Botswana. Formerly Bechuanaland Protectorate
RNY Rhodesia-Nyasaland Fed.1953–1963NP, NR, SRNow Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe
ROU1979–2012UYRepública Oriental del Uruguay
RSR Southern Rhodesia1965–1979SRNow Zimbabwe
RT1973TGRépublique togolaise. Formerly French Togoland − 1960
SA Saar Territory 1926–1935DSA is again Germany's Saarland
SA Protectorate1947–1956DSA is again Germany's Saarland
SB Serbia1919SHSSerbia became part of Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes
SCG Serbia and Montenegro2006MNE, SRBFrom Serbian name "Srbija i Crna Gora". Now Montenegro, Serbia
SE Saorstát Éireann1938EIR Under GB until 1924. Name changed to Éire, now
SF1993FINSF from "Suomi – Finland"
SHS Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes1929YKraljevina Srba, Hrvata i Slovenaca – Serbo-Croatian. Kingdom changed its name to Yugoslavia
SU Soviet Union1991EST, LT, LV, BY, MD, UA, TJ, TM, GE, KZ, UZ, KS, AZ, AM, RUS
SWA South West Africa1990Now Namibia
TS Free Territory of Trieste1947–1954Territory Zone A. Now in Italy, Croatia and Slovenia.
Y Yugoslavia1953YUYemen started using Y afterwards
YU / Yugoslavia1992BIH, HR, NMK, MNE, RKS, SRB, SLONow Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Kosovo, Serbia, and Slovenia. MK for Macedonia was in use from 1993 until 2019

Diplomatic licence plate codes

A separate system is used for vehicles belonging to the diplomats of foreign countries with license plate from the host country. That system is host country-specific and varies largely from country to country. For example TR on a diplomatic car in the USA indicates Italian, not Turkish. Such markings in Norway are indicated with numbers only, again different from international standards.