Current Codes
Note: an asterisk (*) indicates that this code is unofficial (does not appear in the UN list of distinguishing codes).
| Code | Country | From | Before | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | Austria | 1910 | ||
| AFG | Afghanistan | 1971 | ||
| AG* | Antigua and Barbuda | |||
| AL | Albania | 1934 | ||
| AM | Armenia | 1992 | SU | Formerly part of the Soviet Union |
| AND | Andorra | 1957 | ||
| ANG* | Angola | 1975 | PAN: 1932–1957, P: 1957–1975 | Formerly a territory of Portugal |
| ARK* | Antarctica | |||
| AUA*, ARU* | Aruba | NA | Formerly part of the Netherlands Antilles | |
| AUS | Australia | 1954 | ||
| AX* | Åland Islands | 2002 | SF | Territory of Finland. FIN is the official code. |
| AXA* | Anguilla | |||
| AZ | Azerbaijan | 1993 | SU | Formerly part of the Soviet Union |
| B | Belgium | 1910 | ||
| BD | Bangladesh | 1978 | PAK | Formerly East Pakistan |
| BDS | Barbados | 1956 | ||
| BF | Burkina Faso | 1990 | RHV / HV | until August 2003, 1984; (République (de)) Haute Volta (Upper Volta) |
| BG | Bulgaria | 1910 | ||
| BH | Belize | 1938 | former British Honduras. Uses BZ unofficially since 1980, although still officially registered as BH as of 2007. | |
| BHT* | Bhutan | |||
| BIH | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 1993 | YU | Bosna i Hercegovina |
| BOL | Bolivia | 1967 | ||
| BR | Brazil | 1930 | ||
| BRN | Bahrain | 1954 | ||
| BRU | Brunei | 1956 | ||
| BS | Bahamas | 1950 | ||
| BUR | Myanmar | 1956 | BA | Also known as Burma. |
| BVI | British Virgin Islands | |||
| BW | Botswana | 2003 | BP | unofficially for Botswana. Officially RB for Republic of Botswana. Formerly Bechuanaland Protectorate |
| BY | Belarus | 1992 (2004) | SU | Byelorussia; formerly part of the Soviet Union. The UN was officially notified of the change from SU to BY only in 2004. |
| BZ* | Belize | 1980 | former British Honduras. Still officially registered as BH (as of 2007). | |
| C | Cuba | 1930 | ||
| CAM | Cameroon | 1952 | F & WAN | Formerly a territory of France |
| CDN | Canada | 1956 | CA | Canadian Dominion |
| CH | Switzerland | 1911 | Confœderatio Helvetica (Latin) | |
| CI | Ivory Coast (Côte d'Ivoire) | 1961 | F | Formerly a territory of France |
| CL | Sri Lanka | 1961 | Formerly Ceylon | |
| CN* | People's Republic of China | |||
| CO | Colombia | 1952 | ||
| COM* | Comoros | F | Formerly a territory of France | |
| CR | Costa Rica | 1956 | ||
| CV* | Cape Verde | 1975 | P | Formerly a territory of Portugal |
| CY | Cyprus | 1932 | ||
| CYM* | Wales | Part of the United Kingdom, CYM from Cymru (Wales), GB is the official code. | ||
| CZ | Czech Republic | 1993 | CS | Formerly Československo (Czechoslovakia) |
| D | Germany | 1910 | Deutschland (German); also used until 1974 by East Germany, which then used DDR until German reunification in 1990 | |
| DJI* | Djibouti | F | Formerly a territory of France | |
| DK | Denmark | 1914 | ||
| DOM | Dominican Republic | 1952 | ||
| DY | Benin | 1910 | Part of AOF (Afrique occidentale française) − 1960 | Dahomey (name until 1975) |
| DZ | Algeria | 1962 | F − 1911 | Dzayer (Algerian Arabic); Formerly part of France |
| E | Spain | 1910 | España (Spanish) | |
| EAK | Kenya | 1938 | East Africa Kenya | |
| EAT | Tanzania | 1938 | EAT & EAZ | East Africa Tanzania; formerly East Africa Tanganyika and East Africa Zanzibar |
| EAU | Uganda | 1938 | East Africa Uganda | |
| EAZ | Zanzibar | East Africa Zanzibar | ||
| HC | Ecuador | 1962 | ||
| ENG* | England | Part of the United Kingdom, GB is the official code. | ||
| ER | Eritrea | ItalyAOI 1890 - 1936, United Kingdom 1936 - 1964 Ethiopia 1964–1993 Eritrea1993–Present | ItalyItalian, United Kingdom British Ethiopia Ethiopian Eritrea Eritrean | Africa Orientale Italiana (Italian), Ethiopia, United kingdom, Eritrea |
| ES | El Salvador | 1978 | ||
| EST | Estonia | 1993 | EW 1919–1940 & 1991–1993; SU 1940–1991 | Eesti Vabariik (Estonian); Formerly part of the Soviet Union |
| ET | Egypt | 1927 | ||
| ETH | Ethiopia | Italy1936-1941 United Kingdom1941-1964, Ethiopia1964–Present | Africa Orientale Italiana (Italian), Ethiopia | Africa Orientale Italiana (Italian) |
| F | France | 1910 | ||
| FIN | Finland | 1993 | SF | Suomi Finland (Finnish/Swedish) |
| FJI | Fiji | 1971 | ||
| FL | Liechtenstein | 1923 | Fürstentum Liechtenstein (German) | |
| FO | Faroe Islands | 1996 | Sometimes FØ or Fø | |
| FSM* | Federated States of Micronesia | |||
| G | Gabon | 1974 | ALEF − 1960 | Afrique Équatoriale Française |
| GB | United Kingdom (of Great Britain and Northern Ireland) GB is the official code. | 1910 | Before 1922 it was used for the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland | |
| GBA | Alderney | 1924 | Great Britain – Alderney | |
| GBG | Guernsey | 1924 | Great Britain – Guernsey | |
| GBJ | Jersey | 1924 | Great Britain – Jersey | |
| GBM | Isle of Man | 1932 | Great Britain – Isle of Man | |
| GBZ | Gibraltar | 1924 | Great Britain – Gibraltar | |
| GCA | Guatemala | 1956 | Guatemala, Central America | |
| GE | Georgia | 1992 | SU | Formerly part of the Soviet Union |
| GH | Ghana | 1959 | WAC − 1957 | West Africa Gold Coast − 1957 |
| GQ* | Equatorial Guinea | E | Formerly a territory of Spain – Spanish Guinea − 1968 | |
| GR | Greece | 1913 | ||
| GUY | Guyana | 1972 | BRG | Formerly British Guiana − 1966 |
| GW*, RGB* | Guinea-Bissau | 1974 | P | Portuguese Guinea – 1974. República da Guiné-Bissau |
| H | Hungary | 1910 | ||
| HK* | Hong Kong | 1932 | ||
| HKJ | Jordan | JOR | Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan | |
| HN* | Honduras | |||
| HR | Croatia | 1992 | SHS 1919–29, Y 1929–53, YU 1953–92 | Hrvatska (Croatian). Formerly part of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes (Kraljevina Srba, Hrvata i Slovenaca – Croatian), then part of Yugoslavia.
In the period immediately following Croatia's declaration of independence from Yugoslavia in 1991, it was common to see unofficial oval stickers with the letters "CRO" sold across Croatia. Despite the initial anticipation that Croatia's international vehicle registration code would be "CRO", Croatia officially opted for the 2-letter "HR" (Hrvatska) code instead. |
| I | Italy | 1919 | ||
| IL | Israel | 1952 | ||
| IND | India | 1947 | ||
| IR | Iran | 1936 | ||
| IRL | Ireland | 1962 | GB − 1910, SE − 1924, EIR − 1938 | Formerly Great Britain, Saorstát Éireann, Éire. Currently there is a campaign underway by Irish Language activists to have the name of the country in the native language represented by changing the code back to EIR or ÉIR. This is unnecessary, as Statutory Instrument No. 269 of 1961 provides: " ... the letters EIR are used to indicate the name of the State but the letters IRL may be substituted therefor." |
| IRQ | Iraq | 1930 | ||
| IS | Iceland | 1936 | Ísland (Icelandic) | |
| J | Japan | 1964 | ||
| JA | Jamaica | 1932 | ||
| K | Cambodia | 1956 | F − 1949 | Known as Kampuchea 1976–89. Formerly a territory of France. |
| KAN* | Saint Kitts and Nevis | |||
| KIR* | Kiribati | |||
| KN* | Greenland | GRO | Kalaallit Nunaat | |
| KP* | Democratic People's Republic of Korea | |||
| KS | Kyrgyzstan | 1992 | SU − 1991 | Formerly part of the Soviet Union |
| KSA | Saudi Arabia | 1973 | SA | |
| KWT | Kuwait | 1954 | ||
| KZ | Kazakhstan | 1992 | SU − 1991 | Formerly part of the Soviet Union |
| L | Luxembourg | 1911 | ||
| LAO | Laos | 1959 | F – 1949 | Formerly a territory of France (French Indochina) |
| LAR | Libya | 1972 | I − 1949, LT | Libyan Arab Republic; Formerly a territory of Italy |
| LB | Liberia | 1967 | ||
| LS | Lesotho | 1967 | BL | Basutoland − 1966 |
| LT | Lithuania | 1992 | SU 1940–1991 | Formerly part of the Soviet Union |
| LV | Latvia | 1992 | LR 1927–1940, SU 1940–1991 | Latvijas Republika (Latvian); Formerly part of the Soviet Union |
| M | Malta | 1966 | GBY 1924–66 | |
| MA | Morocco | 1924 | Maroc (French) | |
| MAL | Malaysia | 1967 | PRK – 1957, FM 1954-7, PTM 1957–67 | formerly Perak, then Federated Malay States, then Persekutuan Tanah Melayu (Malay) |
| MC | Monaco | 1910 | ||
| MD | Moldova | 1992 | SU − 1991 | Formerly part of the Soviet Union |
| MEX | Mexico | 1952 | ||
| MGL | Mongolia | |||
| MH* | Marshall Islands | |||
| MK | Macedonia | 1992 | YU − 1992 | Formerly part of Yugoslavia |
| MNE | Montenegro | 2006 | MN – 1913–1919, SHS 1919–29, Y 1929–53, YU 1953–2003, SCG 2003–2006 | Formerly part of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes (Srba, Hrvata i Slovenaca – Serbo-Croatian), then part of Yugoslavia and then Serbia and Montenegro (Srbija i Crna Gora – Serbian) |
| MO* | Macau | 1930s? | former Portuguese overseas province | |
| MOC | Mozambique | 1975 | MOC: 1932–56, P: 1957–75 | Formerly part of Portugal. Moçambique (Portuguese) |
| MS | Mauritius | 1938 | ||
| MV* | Maldives | |||
| MW | Malawi | 1965 | EA 1932–38, NP – 1938–70, RNY option 1960–65 | Formerly the Nyasaland Protectorate |
| N | Norway | 1922 | ||
| NA | Netherlands Antilles | 1957 | ||
| NAM | Namibia | 1990 | SWA | Formerly South West Africa |
| NAU | Nauru | 1968 | ||
| NC* | New Caledonia | |||
| NEP | Nepal | 1970 | ||
| NI* | Northern Ireland | Part of the United Kingdom, GB is the official code. | ||
| NIC | Nicaragua | 1952 | ||
| NL | Netherlands | 1910 | ||
| NZ | New Zealand | 1958 | ||
| OM* | Oman | |||
| P | Portugal | 1910 | ||
| PA | Panama | 1952 | ||
| PAL* | Palau | |||
| PE | Peru | 1937 | ||
| PK | Pakistan | 1947? | ||
| PL | Poland | 1921 | ||
| PMR* | Transnistria | 1990 | SU − 1991, MD 1991 | Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic – officially part of Moldova. Formerly part of the Soviet Union. |
| PNG | Papua New Guinea | 1978 | ||
| PR* | Puerto Rico | |||
| PS* | Palestinian territories | |||
| PY | Paraguay | 1952 | ||
| Q | Qatar | 1972 | ||
| RA | Argentina | 1927 | República Argentina (Spanish) | |
| RB | Botswana | 1966 | BP | Republic of Botswana. Unofficially uses BW. Formerly Bechuanaland Protectorate |
| RC | Republic of China (Taiwan) | 1932 | ||
| RCA | Central African Republic | 1962 | République Centrafricaine (French) | |
| RCB | Republic of the Congo | 1962 | République du Congo Brazzaville (French) | |
| RCH | Chile | 1930 | República de Chile (Spanish) | |
| RG | Guinea | 1972 | République de Guinée (French) | |
| RH | Haiti | 1952 | République d'Haïti (French) | |
| RI | Indonesia | 1955 | Republik Indonesia (Indonesian) | |
| RIM | Mauritania | 1964 | République islamique de Mauritanie (French) | |
| RKS* | Kosovo | 2010 | SRB; KS 1999–2010; RKS 2010 | Serbia claims Kosovo as part of its territory. |
| RL | Lebanon | 1952 | République Libanaise (French) | |
| RM | Madagascar | 1962 | République de Madagascar (French) | |
| RMM | Mali | 1962 | AOF − 1960 | République du Mali (French). Formerly part of French West Africa (Afrique Occidentale Française) |
| RN | Niger | 1977 | AOF − 1960 | République du Niger (French). Formerly part of French West Africa (Afrique Occidentale Française) |
| RO | Romania | 1981 | R | |
| ROK | Republic of Korea | 1971 | ||
| RP | Philippines | 1975 | Republic of the Philippines | |
| RSM | San Marino | 1932 | Repubblica di San Marino (Italian) | |
| RU | Burundi | 1962? | Belgian territory of Ruanda-Urundi | |
| RUS | Russia | 1992 | SU | Formerly part of the Soviet Union |
| RWA | Rwanda | 1964 | RU − 1962 | Formerly part of Ruanda-Urundi − 1962 |
| S | Sweden | 1911 | ||
| SCO* | Scotland | Part of the United Kingdom, GB is the official code. | ||
| SD | Swaziland | 1935 | ||
| SGP | Singapore | 1952 | ||
| SK | Slovakia | 1993 | CS 1919–39,1945–92, SQ 1939–45 | Formerly Československo (Czechoslovakia) |
| SLE* | Sierra Leone | 2002 | officially WAL; SLE is only used on local licence plates, written below the national flag | |
| SLO | Slovenia | 1992 | SHS 1919–29, Y 1929–53, YU 1953–92 | Formerly part of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes, then part of Yugoslavia |
| SME | Suriname | 1936 | ||
| SMOM* | Sovereign Military Order of Malta | |||
| SN | Senegal | 1962 | ||
| SO | Somalia | 1974 | ||
| SOL* | Solomon Islands | |||
| SRB | Serbia | 2006 | SB – 1919, SHS 1919–29, Y 1929–53, YU 1953–2003, SCG 2003–2006 | Formerly part of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes (Srba, Hrvata i Slovenaca – Serbo-Croatian), then part of Yugoslavia and then Serbia and Montenegro (Srbija i Crna Gora – Serbian) |
| STP* | São Tomé and Príncipe | 1975 | P | Formerly a territory of Portugal |
| SUD | Sudan | 1963 | ||
| SY | Seychelles | 1938 | ||
| SYR | Syria | 1952 | ||
| T | Thailand | 1955 | ||
| TCH, TD | Chad | 1973 | Tchad (French) | |
| TG | Togo | 1973 | ||
| TJ | Tajikistan | 1992 | SU − 1991 | Formerly part of the Soviet Union |
| TL* | Timor-Leste | P, RI | Formerly a territory of Portugal, then part of Indonesia | |
| TM | Turkmenistan | 1992 | SU − 1991 | Formerly part of the Soviet Union |
| TN | Tunisia | 1957 | F − 1956 | Formerly a territory of France |
| TO* | Tonga | |||
| TR | Turkey | 1935 | ||
| TT | Trinidad and Tobago | 1964 | ||
| TUV* | Tuvalu | |||
| UA | Ukraine | 1992 | SU | Formerly part of the Soviet Union |
| UAE | United Arab Emirates | |||
| USA | United States | 1952 | Correctly used by U.S.-registered vehicles abroad. Today, U.S.-owned vehicles registered in Europe use the licence plate code of the country in which they are located. | |
| UY | Uruguay | 2012 | ROU | |
| UZ | Uzbekistan | 1992 | SU | Formerly part of the Soviet Union |
| V | Vatican City | 1931 | ||
| VN | Vietnam | 1953 | ||
| VU* | Vanuatu | |||
| WAG | Gambia | 1932 | West Africa Gambia | |
| WAL | Sierra Leone | 1937 | West Africa Sierra Leone; on local licence plates SLE is used | |
| WAN | Nigeria | 1937 | West Africa Nigeria | |
| WD | Dominica | 1954 | Windward Islands Dominica | |
| WG | Grenada | 1932 | Windward Islands Grenada | |
| WL | Saint Lucia | 1932 | Windward Islands Saint Lucia | |
| WS | Samoa | 1962 | formerly Western Samoa | |
| WSA* | Western Sahara | 1932 | SH − 1976 | formerly Sahara Español (Spanish); now mostly occupied by Morocco, with some territory administered by the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic |
| WV | Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | 1932 | Windward Islands Saint Vincent | |
| YAR | Yemen | North Yemen formerly known as the Yemen Arab Republic | ||
| YV | Venezuela | the same code is used for aircraft | ||
| Z | Zambia | 1964 | NR | formerly Northern Rhodesia |
| ZA | South Africa | 1936 | Zuid-Afrika (from Dutch; in Afrikaans it is Suid-Afrika) | |
| ZRE | Democratic Republic of the Congo | 1971? | CB, RCL, CGO, ZR | Congo Belge (French), République de Congo Léopoldville (French), Congo (Kinshasa), Zaïre |
| ZW | Zimbabwe | 1980 | SR, RSR | formerly Southern Rhodesia until 1965, Rhodesia unrecognised until 1980 |
Read more about this topic: List Of International Vehicle Registration Codes
Famous quotes containing the words current and/or codes:
“Through this broad street, restless ever,
Ebbs and flows a human tide,
Wave on wave a living river;
Wealth and fashion side by side;
Toiler, idler, slave and master, in the same quick current glide.”
—John Greenleaf Whittier (1807–1892)
“I cannot help thinking that the menace of Hell makes as many devils as the severe penal codes of inhuman humanity make villains.”
—George Gordon Noel Byron (1788–1824)