EUROPEAN UNION COUNTRIES
- (A) Republik Österreich (Austria)
It is a regional matriculation system. The plate have city initials and city seal. W is Wien for example (Complete list).
- (B) Royaume de Belgique/ Koninkrijk België (Belgium)
This is a matriculation system very similar to Spanish one, but in this case there are three instead of four numbers and thee letters too. Formerly plates was smaller, but they has been adapted to European Union standard.
- (CY) Kipriakí Dimokratía / Κιπριακι Διμοκρατία (Cyprus)
The two last numbers indicate vehicle matriculation year.
- (CZ) Ceska Republika (Czech Republic)
Czech matriculation system is regional. The plate includes first an identificative letter of the city (A = Praha for example, Code list) followed by two letters and four numbers. Formerly there are other different codes (city initials). There are two stickers like German plates with matriculation date and technical inspection date. Coaches and lorries plates are yellow.
Former license plates had different city codes and numeration system. These codes date back to the former Czechoslovakia.
- (D) Bundesrepublik Deutschland (Germany)
German matriculation system is regional. The first 1, 2 or even 3 letters designate the city, for example M- München, F- Frankfurt, CUX- Cuxhaven. The cities called hanseatic had an H followed by the initial of the city: HB- Hansestadt Bremen.(Complete list). In addition there is a letter combination (up to 3 letters depending on the city, in some cities it's possible to choose that letters) and a numerical combination.
There are two stickers in the plate. The first of them is the state seal and the name of the city, the second indicate Technical inspection date.
- (DK) Kongeriget Danmark (Denmark)
Faroe Islands are an autonomous territory under Denmark and have its own license plate. The vehicle owner can choose three letters and two numbers if they had not been choosen before.
- (EST) Eesti Vabariik (Estonia)
The most typical thing about Estonian plates is the sticker included in its central part where it's indicated the matriculation year of the vehicle.
- (F) République Française (France)
It's a regional system. Consist on a four number combination and two letters (similar to the former Spanish system). Finally two numbers more indicate the department, ie: 75 Paris, 65 Hautes Pyrenees... (Complete list).
Another peculiarity is that the front plate is white and the rear plate is yellow (since 1993)
Former system was the same but both plates were black.
- (FIN) Suomen Tasavalta (Finland)
Finish matriculation system is very similar to Spanish, but they only use three numbers.
Ĺland Islands are an autonomous territory under Finland and have its own license plate. The first two letters of the license plate are the same for all the vehicles, ĹL (Ĺland).
- (GB) United Kingdom
The front plate is white and the rear one yellow like french plates. The first letter indicate the region where the vehicle has been registered and the second letter indicate the city, for example CA is from Cardiff in Wales (In Welsh Cymru) y SR is from Dundee in Scotland (Area Identifiers). In addition two numbers indicate registration date, for example 02 means that the vehicle was registered between march 1st 2002 and august 31th 2002 (Age Identifiers)
European Union blue band is optional and could be substituted for another band with Scotland or Wales flag.
- (GR) Hellenike Demokratía / Ηελλενικε Δεμοκρατία (Greece)
The first two letters indicate the town or island of origin, for example KR (KP in Greek) is Korinthos (Corintho) (Complete list). There is a sticker with the Greek seal in the middle of the plate.
- (H) Magyar Kösztarsasag (Hungary)
There are two stickers like Czech plates that indicate technical inspection date and registration date.
Former plates were similar, but without Euroband. Coaches and lorries plates are yellow.
- (I) Repubblica Italiana (Italy)
It's a regional system. The first two letters of the license plate indicate the city of origin, for example MO is Milan (Code list). Also the city is indicated in a second band similar to Euroband, but with a yellow circumference instead of the stars.
Formerly matriculation system was the same, but plates were black and the city initials were separated from the rest of characters with a white star (Italian Republic seal).
- (IRL) Republic of Ireland, Poblacht nah Éireann (Ireland)
There is only one letter that indicates city name, for example D is Dublin (Complete list). In the top of the plate appears the Irish name of city (Baile Atha Cliath is Dublin).
- (L) Groussherzogtum Lëtzebuerg (Luxembourg)
Former plates was smaller, but has been adapted to the rest of the EU countries. Matriculation system is like Belgian, but with only two letters.
- (LT) Lietuvos Respublika (Lithuania)
There are two stickers that indicate technical inspection date and registration date like Czech plates.
- (LV) Latvijas Republika (Latvia)
License plates don't have any city or region code.
- (M) Repubblika ta'Malta (Malta)
There's no matriculation system in Malta, Vehicle owner chooses three letters and three number (if that combination didn't exist). For example I have chosen EUR 004.
- (NL) Koninkrijk der Nederlanden (The Netherlands)
- (P) República Portuguesa (Portugal)
Portuguese license plates include a yellow band in the right end of the plate with two numbers. This numbers indicate matriculation date, above the year and bellow the month.
Fromer plates was black and it had not yellow band.
- (P) Polska Rzeczpospolita (Poland)
The first letter indicates province of origin, the following one or two letters indicate the city, for example OB is from Brzeg in Opolskie province (O). (Complete list).
Before Poland become part of the EU Polish license plates already had a blue band with the flag of Poland. Formerly plates were black with white letters.
- (S) Konungariket Sverige (Sweden)
It is use to have a validation sticker in the middle of the plate. Matriculation system consists on 3 letters followed by 3 numbers.
- (SK) Slovenská Republika (Slovakia)
The first two letters said to us the origin city, i.e. BL is Bratislava (Complete list).
- (SLO) Republika Slovenija (Slovenia)
The first two letters and central shield said to us the origin city, i.e. LJ is Ljubljana (Complete list).
Former license plates had the same system, but they was green-edged
