Format of Vehicle Registration Plates
1. Introduction
The format, dimensions and technical specifications of registration plates to be displayed on motor vehicles are laid down by law in the Vehicle Registration and Taxation Regulations 1992 (Statutory Instrument (S.I.) 318/1992 as amended, and Statutory Instrument (S.I.) 542/2012).
The main requirements are:
- the assigned registration number comprising numbers and letter/s in black on a white reflective background;
- the name of the county of registration in Irish at the top of the plate;
- the flag of the European Communities and the letters "IRL" on the left-hand side of the plate, the flag comprising twelve gold stars in a circle, the letters in white beneath it, all on a blue reflective background.
Acceptable plate formats are shown in the sections below.
2. Vehicles first brought into use on or before 31 December, 2012
This Registration plate format applies to all vehicles that were first registered, on or before 31 December 2012, either in Ireland or in another state.
Vehicles first registered in another state prior to 1 January 2013, and then imported into Ireland and registered, will be given a number plate of the format outlined below. The appropriate year index, applicable to the vehicle’s date of first registration in the other state, will be assigned.
Diagram 1:
Diagram 2:
No other numbers, letters or marks, etc. should appear on the plate.
3. Vehicles first brought into use on or after 1 January, 2013
This Registration plate format applies to all vehicles that were first registered, on or after 1 January 2013, either in Ireland or in another state.
Vehicles first registered in another state on or after 1 January 2013, and then imported into Ireland and registered, will be given a number plate of the format outlined below. The appropriate year index, applicable to the vehicle’s date of first registration in the other state, will be assigned.
As part of the Year index, an additional character, either '1' or '2', has been added.
The '1' indicates that the vehicle was first registered during the period 1 January to 30 June, in the year of registration.
The '2' indicates that the vehicle was first registered during the period 1 July to 31 December, in the year of registration.
Diagram 3:
Diagram 4:
Diagram 5:
Diagram 6:
No other numbers, letters or marks, etc. should appear on the plate.
4. Exceptions
The Registration Plate formats above do not apply to vehicles registered prior to 1 January, 1993, or to vehicles registered in the "ZV", "ZZ" or Trade Licence series.
5. Penalties
The use of Registration Plates in a format other than those shown in Diagrams 1-6 above, is Prohibited by Law, and vehicle owners who use them may incur fines of up to €5,000.
December 2012