French number plate

The plate number is a device allowing the identification of a vehicle of the French car fleet.

Characteristics

In Metropolitan France

Composed of a maximum of 8 characters (others that spaces), they are cut out in three parts separated by spaces, the first space which can be removed (Additional I of the decree of July 1st, 1996):

1st part: of one (two since October 1976) with four digits (three with more in the case of the presence of three letters);
2nd part: from one to three letters;
3rd part: two digits. For the Corsica , 2A and 2B (there remain however always some plates 20 ).

Classification is established in the following way: the figures evolve/move in first and when they arrive at their maximum value (999 or 9999 according to the system), the second part made up from one to three letters is incremented, i.e. the last letter is replaced by its following letter in the alphabet.

One thus sees appearing the following numbers - case of the majority of the departments with a passage to four digits with series QA - (the notation xx corresponds to the number of the department and does not influence the method of classification):

Of 1 has xx to 999 Z xx;
Of 1 AA xx to 999 PZ xx;
Of 1 QA xx to 9999 ZZ xx;
Of 11 AAA xx to 999 ZZZ xx.

Colors

The French number plates are white with before and yellows or white with the back of the vehicle.

Initially, the plates were made up of natures white or silver plated on bottom black or optionally since 1963 of black natures on reflecting funds white with before and orange with the back.

At January 1st, 1993, the reflecting plates become obligatory (in the colors already suggested since 1963) for the numbers emitted after this date. The plates at black bottom remain always approved for the numbers emitted until December 31st, 1992.

The European flag and the letter F which refers to France (synonymous: eurobande), was made compulsory on July 1st, 2004 for the numbers emitted after this date.

Starting from May 10th, 2007, the regulation evolves/moves in preparation for the next system of registration of the vehicles and makes it possible to apply plates to white zone the back of the vehicles.

Summary of the plates approved according to the date of emission of the number:

From April 1st, 1950 to December 31st, 1992: black or reflecting plates with or without eurobande (can be present at the back or at before and at the back);
From January 1st, 1993 to June 30th, 2004: reflecting plates with or without eurobande (can be present at the back or at before and at the back);
Since July 1st, 2004: reflecting plates with eurobande (with before and with the back).

Exclusion of combinations

For questions of legibility, letters I and O were never used in order to avoid confusion with figures 1 and 0. The letter U was removed in November 1984 due to confusion with the letter V on the statements.
figures 1 to 10 as that corresponding to the number of department (for example 24 QQ 24) are not allotted any more since October 1976.
Certaines onomatopoeias is avoided such as for example WC (even for some VC), PD and S (for the fear consisted the reference to the Schutzstaffel).

See the list of the series omitted on the site of Francoplaque.

Enumeration

Knowing that 23 letters of the alphabet are used, one easily finds the number of vehicles which one can equip with such plates: (999 × 22) + (999 × 14 × 23) + (9988 × 9 × 23) + (988 × 21 × 23 × 23) = 13.386.864. This by considering the fact that certain plates cannot beings allowed (cf exclusion of combinations).

In the DOM-TOM

See also: Plate number of overseas the French

Concerning DOM-TOM, there exist two possibilities:

the departments and communities 971 to 978 use a system similar to that used in metropolis with a maximum of nine characters, the first two figures of the number of department being more and more frequently superimposed to bring back the maximum number of characters to eight.
the territories have their own system:

the New Caledonia: one to six digits, follow-ups of letters NC;
the French Polynesia: one to six digits, follow-ups of the letter P;
TAAF (Islands Kerguelen only): two digits indicating the year, follow-ups of four digits to unknown coding;
Wallis-and-Futuna: one to four digits, follow-ups of the letters WF.

Characteristics

Special plates

public services of the State other than the army (for example the national police force):

Two or three digits corresponding to the department of fastener of the vehicle.
a letter indicating the space where is authorized to circulate the vehicle (D department, R area, NR national territory, E spaces European).
an indent.
Four digits (1001 to 9999).
a letter of series.

the armed , of which the Gendarmerie:

a figure representing the army corps (2 for the Gendarmerie - except specialized gendarmeries -, 6 for the Army, 7 for the Air force, 8 for the National marine and 9 for the General Services).
Two digits indicating the year of registration of the vehicle (01 per 2001).
a figure indicating the type of vehicle (1 for the cars and coaches, 3 for the trucks, etc).
Four digits (0001 to 9999) allotted by type and year, the army corps not entering in account.
Certains vehicles of the army does not have plates but figures painted with the stencil key set.

the military firemen

the Brigade of firemen of Paris, military unit, uses numbers different from the other military plates: a succession of letters identifying the type of vehicle (for example PS for “first aid”) then sequential figures.
the sailor-firemen of Marseilles use vehicles registered in the normal series of the Rhone delta, while the sailor-firemen of the naval base of Brest use vehicles with military serial numbers (National marine).

the drunk Paris iens of the RATP , except most recent, are identified only by one series of four digits.

the Diplomatic corps - green plates and characters orange (series CMD and CD) or silver plated (series C and K):

One to three digits identifying an embassy or an international organization.
One to three letters being able to be CD for Diplomatic corps, CMD for Diplomatic Mission leader, C for Body Consular or K for the nondiplomatic technical personnel or administrative.
One to three digits (1 to 999) for the series CMD and CD confused, series CMD being followed figure 1 for the vehicle of the ambassador (even 2 for certain countries).
One to three digits (1 to 999) for the departmental consular series (C and K confused), followed number of department on two or three digits.
Three or four digits (100 to 9999) for the series K main roads (embassies and international organizations).

agricultural vehicles - yellow or white plates and black characters:

One to five digits representing the number of the farm.
Two or three digits for the number of the department.
Several agricultural vehicles of the same exploitation can carry the same registration.

German military personnel in France - black plates and white characters:

Two letters DF.
a figure corresponding to the zone of fastening (0 to 3 Paris, 4 VAr and 6 to 9 Eurocorps of Strasbourg).
Three digits (000 to 999).
Once arrived at the end of the sequence, the numbers are réattribués.

French military personnel in Germany - blue plates and silver plated characters:

a figure (0 to 9) evolving/moving each time the last four figures reach 9999.
a figure corresponding to the zone of fastening (0 Counter of the Stewardship, 1 Baden-Baden, 2 Freiburg, 3 Pram-Pfalz, etc).
an indent.
Four digits (1001 to 9999).
zone 1 is in its second loop (91-9999 reached once).

Provisional and temporary plates

the registrations of delivery or repair are registrations delivered to accelerate the deliveries or obtained by the mechanics in certain precise cases. They are made up of:

One to four digits (1 to 9999).
Two letters WW.
possible a third letter of series, some being able to be specific to the prefecture/sub-prefecture on which the garage depends.
Two or three digits for the department (note: one can find MC for the temporary registrations of Monaco with self-adhesive plates on light blue bottom and white characters)
These registrations provisional are sold by notebook of ten stocks.

vehicles net of tax :

Concerns the foreign tourists coming to France or the French living in the free zones from Haute-Savoie and the Pays from Gex (Ain). Their vehicles bought or rented on the French territory did not discharge the VAT. They have red plates TT “transit temporary” and silver plated or white characters. These plates are allotted in each department, but in practice the three principal French manufacturers (Peugeot, Renault and Citroen) use beaches of numbers which theirs are reserved in the departments 75 and 92 (respectively TDA with TKZ 92, TLA with TSZ 92 and VAT with TZZ 75). Mercedes used these last years a series of numbers in the department 78 (1 to at least 482 TMA 78) but henceforth uses series TAA 78.
These plates temporary with text silver plated or white on red bottom are form:

One to three digits (1 to 999).
Three letters including two of series TAA to TZZ.
Two or three digits for the number of department (2A and 2B for Corsica).
a deadline of validity made up of the month written in small characters in top with below the last two figures the year.

the plates of the vehicles bought except EU and registered in the two free zones of Haute-Savoie and of the Country of Gex in Ain are form:

Five digits (10000 with island).
Two letters TT.
a letter indicating the free zone (Q Haute-Savoie and W Country of Gex in Ain).
No deadline of validity is specified on these plates, these last being valid as long as the owner of the vehicle lives in the free zone.

The new System of Registration of Vehicles (SIV)

The new French registration which will come into effect in January 2009 bases on model XX-NNN-YY in force since 1994 in Italy and will comprise seven symbols. This registration will be allotted “to life” with the vehicle which will thus preserve this registration even if it changes department or of owner.

This system has three main aims:

to simplify the administrative approaches of the motorists;
to reduce the tasks of the administration;
to fight against the automobile delinquency by improving the effectiveness of controls of the police force.

It is also a question of replacing the current system, whose exhaustion is envisaged at the end of 2024 for the Ville of Paris.

Method of classification

Each vehicle will then have a number “with life”. This number will consist of 7 characters of which:

1st part: two letters;
2nd part: three digits;
3rd part: two letters.

Principle of classification:

of AA-001-AA with AA-999-AA (the figures evolve/move in first);
of AA-001-AB with AA-999-AZ (2nd element letters of right-hand side);
of AA-001-BA with AA-999-ZZ (1st element letters of right-hand side);
of AB-001-AA with AZ-999-ZZ (2nd element letters of left);
of BA-001-AA with ZZ-999-ZZ (1st element letters of left).

The classification of the vehicles will thus be done in a chronological way and at the national level (of AA-001-AA to ZZ-999-ZZ ). There will not exist any more reference to the department of origin of the owner. Despite everything, an optional reference possible in the right part of the plate, including/understanding a regional emblem overcoming a number of department will be included in the selected area.

This new system relates to also since July 1st, 2004 “the small” two-wheeled vehicles and in particular the auto-cycles of 50 cm ³ which have a white plate with the back with a simplified classification (to the maximum two letters/three digits/a letter). The other vehicles will also have white plates with before as with the back (although the yellow had been initially selected). The distinction of the vehicles of less than 50 cm ³ with the others will be done finally only on the number of characters composing the number and either on the color of the plate.

The number of plates authorized by this new system is de
23 × 23 × 999 × 23 × 23 = 279.561.159 different plates in France, by excluding the letters now prohibited (the I , O and U because of their too near resemblance to the 1 , the 0 and the V ). One thus has 23 possible letters and 999 digits (the series start to 001). It is noticed that the number of potential plates will strongly fall (it exists 100 French departments) but considering the new national distribution that will not pose an immediate problem.

At a rate of 3 million new vehicles per annum and by taking of account the relabelling of the existing park, the foreseeable lifespan of this new system is of approximately 80 years.

New procedure

The procedure of registration will be it also modified, as well for practical reasons, as of cost and security of the system.

The plates of the new vehicles will be posed by the salesmen (after approval); the plates will be traçables; the policemen will be able to thus identify which posed the plate. In the event of removal, the automobile license will not need to be changed. As of the declaration (by Internet), the owner will obligatorily receive by mail with acknowledgment of delivery (average of control of the veracity of the address) a self-adhesive butterfly, protected him also, to stick on the chart. Moreover, one national electronic file renewed with inscription of the stolen vehicles and the unpaid infringements, consultable by the patrols of police force, will be set up.

See too

Internal bonds

international Code list of the number plates
Plate number
Swiss Plate number
German Plate number

External bonds

Francoplaque - Collectors of number plates
the STNI - the site of the serial numbers
the SFPI2 - Site French-speaking of the Number Plates
Site on the number plates in France and Europe
Code list of the diplomatic plates

History of the plates, classification and the regulation

serial numbers of the beautiful time (1901-1928)
serial numbers of the years 1930-1940
All on the regulation concerning the plates and serial numbers (1899-2007)

References

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