Vehicle registration plates of Cyprus

The current format

Vehicle registration plates of Cyprus are composed of three letters and three numbers (e.g. ABC 123). The exact permitted dimensions of Cypriot number plates are similar to their British counterparts. Currently, characters must be in black. The front plate has a white background and the rear plate is yellow. The registration plates are written in the same Latin script type used on British plates, and the plates are made of metal instead of plastic. As of October 2010 the registration numbers have reached KYK.

System

1956-1990

1990-2004

pre 1930 front and rear plates

N1234

N for Nicosia S for Larnaca (Skala) P for Paphos L for Limassol

1930 to 1950 front and rear plates

1234

1950 to 1956 front and rear plates

A123

1956 to 1973 front and rear plates

AB123

1973 to 1990 front plate

AB123

1973 to 1990 rear plate

AB123

1990 to 2003: front plate

ABC123

1990 to 2003: rear plate

ABC123

Since 2003: front plate

ABC123

Since 2003: rear plate

ABC123

Special plates

• Car dealer plates -

ΔΟΚΙΜΗ 123-45

Red font ΔΟΚΙΜΗ (test) on white plate followed by two sets of numerals, first been the number of the dealer and the second the number of the plate. The only officially made plates in Cyprus.

• Taxi -

ΤABC123

Composed of four letters and three numbers (e.g. TABC123). The first letter would be a 'T' to indicate it's a taxi. The rest is from the normal series and on normal colors

• Rental cars -

ZABC123

Coloured black font on a dark red background, composed of four letters and three numbers (e.g. ZABC123). The first letter would be a 'Z' to indicate it's a hired car. The rest is from the normal series

• Lorry/Truck trailers -

12345CT

composed of to five numbers and CT

• Visitor -

1234V03

Up to four numbers followed by the letter V followed by two numbers indicating the year of registration(e.g. 1234V03). After 2004 you can not register a car as visitor but visitor cars register before 2004 can still get road tax.

• Trucks and Buses -

ΦΔΧ

ΛΔΧ

Public service trucks and buses have beside the registration plate a secondary plate (like the spanish SP plate). ΦΔΧ - Φορτηγό Δημοσίας Χρήσης (public service truck) for trucks and ΛΔΧ - Λεωφορείο Δημοσίας Χρήσης (public service bus) for busses

Northern Cyprus

Northern Cyprus civilian number plates are composed of two letters and 3 numbers, e.g AB 123. Front plates are white, rear plates are yellow, such as in Southern Cyprus, but in Northern Cyprus both front and rear plates are bordered in red. Rental cars are red numberplates with black writing, it the form of ZHZ 123. Government vehicles (those belonging to the government and the council) are 3 lettered and 3 numbered, such as RHA 123. Taxis are 3 lettered and 3 numbered, similar to South Cyprus's civilian numberplates. Diplomatic vehicles are in the same format as civilian vehicles, only on a Green numberplate. The armed forces vehicles are purely numbers, on a small numberplate, such as 8012352.