Number plates

Some key milestones in New Zealand’s vehicle number plate history, plus find out about different plates and what you won't find on them.

Are all number plates the same?

There are six types of registration plates:

1. Ordinary plates - for cars, trucks, vans. Theses plates were issued with two letters and up to four numbers to private cars on 1 July 1964 and commercial vehicles in 1965. The series went from AA1–AA9999 to ZZ1–ZZ9999, offering 6.7 million possible combinations. The last plate in the series was issued in March 2001.
   
   The new series of three letters and three numbers – from AAA104 ongoing to ZZZ999 – offers about 17.6 million possible combinations.
2. Single plates – for motorcycles, trailers, tractors, caravans. These plates were divided into two series in 1988:
   • One or two letters and three or four numbers for motorcycles, mopeds and tractors (starting at 1RLH) The current series is 1AAA–99AAA ongoing to 1ZZZ to 99ZZZ.
   • One to four numbers and one letter for trailers, excluding D and X, which are used for trade plates. The current series is A111A to Z999Z.
3. Trade plates – used mainly by vehicle manufacturers, assemblers and dealers. The trade plate also acts as a registration and is renewed each year. In 1986 black characters on yellow plates were introduced, showing the last two digits of the year the plate was purchased. The current series 1X–9999X and X1– X9999 replace the ‘D’ series.
4. Diplomatic plates – for vehicles owned by embassies, consulates and high commissions (DC, DCC, FC and FCC plates) and ministerial vehicles (CC, CCC, CR and CROWN plates).
5. Personalised plates – introduced in 1988, these plates can have up to six numbers or letters. Sold through Kiwi Plates Limited, personalised plates can have blue or red characters on a white background.
6. Overseas visitor registration plates – on vehicles brought in by visitors. So long as the vehicle displays plates from its home country, visitors’ cars can drive on New Zealand roads without paying registration and licensing fees. The vehicle must remain licensed in its own country, but have a current New Zealand warrant of fitness (WoF) or certificate of fitness (CoF). The car owner must also pay the ACC levy. This exemption is allowed for 18 months or until the vehicle is sold or if the visitor becomes a permanent resident in New Zealand.

What you won’t find on plates

You won’t find…

• combinations that could be offensive or cause confusion
• the letter ‘V’ – it was excluded (after the FV series) because it is difficult to distinguish from the letter U
• the letters I and O – these are not used in some cases as they are hard to distinguish from numbers one and zero.

Then in the early 1990s, the European style zero (with a stroke through it) was introduced to stop the confusion that arose between 0 (the number) and O (the letter) on personalised plates.