Recent Changes
The licence plates have subtly changed shape in 2002, when not only the letter type (or font) changed, but also a few other changes were made.
- Combatting fraudulent reports of stolen licence plates (giving one three weeks to break speed limits with an alibi), licence plates are replaced immediately but using the same number. The new licence plate is tagged with a small number 1 over the first dash, that is increased with each new plate.
- A blue background is used for taxis.
- White letters on a blue or black background are used for classic cars older than January 1, 1978.
- Black letters on a white background are used for small trailers that hide the car's actual licence plate.
- Large trailers, caravans etc. have now got their own black/yellow licence plate.
- The letter Y is no longer used for cars, but instead for fast motor boats.
- The letter combinations SDB to SDZ and also SSB to SSZ are not issued because 'SD' and 'SS' continue to have fascist connotations in the Netherlands. However, registrations with the letter combination NSB were issued in 2010, although these were recalled because these were the initials of the Nationaal-Socialistische Beweging.
The RDW (the government service in charge of vehicle registrations) will soon exhaust all possible combinations of registration marks. The RDW has started requiring regular licence plates for mopeds, replacing the old insurance licence plates. As the old series of licence plates for cars, big and small lorries has come to an end, new vehicles are registered with marks in the format DD-LLL-D (where 'D' is a digit, and 'L' is a letter). Small lorries will even get now D-LLL-DD. The forthcoming registration plate format for cars will be D-LLL-DD and issuing will commence in December 2012 or January 2013 (when the DD-LLL-D combinations are exhausted.)
Read more about this topic: Vehicle Registration Plates Of The Netherlands