Vehicle registration plates of Cyprus
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, 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.
The dimensions of Cyprus plates were similar to their British counterparts, and until 2004, characters were printed in black and in the same typeface as used on British plates. Plates from 2004 onwards are made of metal; between 1973 and 2004, they were made of plastic.
A new law on vehicle registration plates came into force on 3 June 2013, altering the design. Plates made before that date are white on the front of the vehicle and yellow on the rear, whereas new plates are white both on the front and the rear and, in addition, carry the month and year the vehicle was first registered in any country. The new series began with the combination MAA 001, skipping the remaining Lxx combinations. Replacing old plates with new ones has been made mandatory for motorcycles, taxis and lorries. Taxi plates are yellow on both sides and rental car plates are red on both sides, but no longer carry the T and Z prefix, respectively.
Following Cyprus' entry to the European Union in 2004, plates produced since have a blue band on the left edge with the Union's circle and stars in the top half and the country's international vehicle registration code CY in the bottom half and using FE-Schrift as the typeface after 2013, replacing the DIN 1451 typeface previously in use as mandatory.
Style and numbering
before 19301930 - 1950
1950 - 1956
1956 - 1973
1973 - 1990
1990 - 2003
2003 - 2013
2013 - today
Special plates
Car dealer1973 - 1990
1990 - today
Dealer plates show the letters ΔΟΚΙΜΗ, which means Test, on a white plate, followed by two sets of numerals, the first being the number of the dealer and the second is a serial number. The only officially-made plates in Cyprus. Formerly, they had the same format as the civilian vehicles, but used the code DL and the characters were written in red colour.
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plate
Rental cars
1973 - 1990
1990 - 2013
2013 - today
Composed of three letters and three numerals, on a dark red plate. The initial Z prefix was omitted after 2013.
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Taxi
1973 - 1990
1990 - 2003
2003 - 2013
2013 - today
Composed of three letters and three numerals, on a yellow plate. The initial T prefix was omitted after 2013.
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Trailers
1973 - 2013
Composed of up to five numerals with the suffix CT, on yellow plates. Since 2013, some numbers have been reissued on white plates.
2013 - today
Composed of five numerals and the prefix P, on white plates. Some early numbers were printed on remaining yellow plates.
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Trucks
1973 - 1990
1990 - 2003
2003 - 2013
2013 - today
Composed of three letters and three numerals, on yellow plates. The white front plates were omitted after 2013.
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Temporary
2003 - today
Temporary registrations are similar to civilian registration plates, but with an additional year band on the right side.
The top number denotes the month while the bottom one denotes the year.
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Visitor
Up to four numerals followed by the letter V, followed by two numerals indicating the year of registration.
After 2004, you cannot register a car as visitor, but visitor cars registered before 2004 can still get road tax.
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Diplomatic plates
1973 - 1990
1990 - 2013
2013 - today
Composed of a two-digit code for the country, followed by the letters CD and two digits. Previously they had the same format as civilian plates, on a green base and a prefix CD.
Codes: 29 = Russia, 49 = Netherlands
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Trucks and buses
Public service trucks and buses have secondary plates.
ΦΔΧ - Φορτηγό Δημοσίας Χρήσης for trucks
ΛΔΧ - Λεωφορείο Δημοσίας Χρήσης for buses.
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license plate
police licence plate
Other plates
UNFICYP plates have a blue background and display the prefixes UN or UNF followed by three numerals.
Sovereign Base Areas plates are prefixed SBAA followed by two digits, and have adopted the same new colour and typeface as the Republic of Cyprus.
Export plates, from 1973 until 1990, showed the letter E followed by four numerals.
The president's car does not have a number on its plate, it displays the coat of arms of Cyprus instead.
Cypriot National Guard plates are composed of an old version of the Greek flag followed by the letters ΕΦ and up to five digits.
Northern Cyprus
Style and numbering
civilian number plates still use the old format of Cyprus licence plates.Until 2018 front plates were white, rear plates yellow, both bordered in red. Two sizes are available: 300×150 mm or 520×110 mm.
From 2018 both front and rear number plates are white with embossed black letters and numbers, and a blue stripe on the left. The stripe must contain the stamp of the Motor Vehicles Registrar and the registration number of the licence plate manufacturers. Number plates had to be changed before the end of January 2019.
1973 - 2018
2018 - today
Special plates
TaxisTaxi plates show the prefix T, followed by two letters and three digits, formerly one letter only.
Trailer
Trailer plates show three numerals and the letter R.
Rental vehicles
1973 - 2018
2018 - today
Rental car plates have black signs on a red base, they show a prefix Z, followed by two letters and three digits.
Government / Police
Government and council vehicle registrations show black signs on a white base, composed of the three letters RHA and up to four numerals.
Police and Fire Brigade license plates follow the same format, but with inversed colours, with white signs on a black base.
Army
License plates of vehicles of the Cypriot armed forces are composed of seven numerals, with white signs on a small black plate.
Diplomatic plates
Diplomatic plates have the same format as civilian plates, but on a green base and with a CD prefix. Consulates follow the same format but uses CC instead of CD.
Visitor
Visitor plates have blue characters with the prefix ZZ and up to four numerals. Since 2004 they are no longer issued.
Temporary
Temporary plates have blue characters with the prefix ZT, and up to four numerals followed by one letter.
President
Previously, the presidential plate did not have a number, just the abbreviation of KKTCB.
This was changed in 2015, with the coat of arms being displayed in gold on a red plate.