License plate (Spain)

current Spanish license plate

Spanish registration from 1971 to 2001

License plate until 1971

The license plates in Spain have been based on a uniform national system since 2001, which does not allow any conclusions to be drawn about the exact origin of the vehicle.

In the case of the previously issued license plates, some of which are still in use, the first or the first two letters of the license plate identify the province in which the vehicle was first registered (for example A 5678 FGfor a vehicle from Alicante [because of the first letter A]).

Like the current license plates, these were vehicle-specific, i. In other words, the license plate remains on the vehicle when the owner changes.

Current labeling system

ARA instead of E.

Since 2001 the license plates have been assigned centrally, the regional origin of the respective vehicle is no longer recognizable. The new license plates consist of four digits followed by three letters, for example 2233 CXD. The license plates have black lettering on a white background with the state seal as a small pattern in light gray. On the left edge there is a blue band with the letter E for España and the European stars. The old license plates can also be equipped with the European country code at the owner's request. Occasionally, holders (illegally) stick over the E with the letters CAT or ARA to demonstrate that they belong to Catalonia or Aragon .

Two-line license plate

A vehicle in Spain always retains its registration number when the owner changes, even if it is sold in other provinces. The license plates are issued once, i.e. when a vehicle is deregistered, its number is never used again for any other purpose. The labels are also assigned in ascending order (2233 CXD is followed by 2234 CXD, etc.). On the one hand, the license plate can be used to determine the approximate age of the first registration of a vehicle in Spain, but on the other hand, the usability of the system is limited in time. This was one of the reasons for abolishing the old system, since in provinces with particularly high admission rates (Barcelona and Madrid) the possible combinations were exhausted. Originally, it was planned to allow three final letters in the identification of these two provinces. So after M 9999 ZZ in the province of Madrid the registration number M 0000BBB should follow. However, the validity period for the variant introduced in 2001 is limited to a few decades.

Another special feature of the new approval numbers is that they only contain consonants in the letter block. The very first of the new license plates was therefore not 0000AAA, but 0000BBB. Furthermore, the 9999DZZ was not followed by 0000EAA, but 0000FBB.

General series

The license plates of the general series (cars, trucks, etc.) have four digits followed by three letters, e.g. B. 3540 FLL.

License plate for special vehicles

Special vehicles

Special vehicles are given a license plate with a white background and red text and the first letter E for Vehículos E speciales (German: Spezialfahrzeuge) , followed by four digits and three letters, e.g. E.g .: E 1234 BCD.

Historic vehicles

Historic vehicles are given a license plate with a white background and black writing and the first letter H for Vehículos H istóricos (German: historic vehicles) , followed by four digits and three letters, e.g. E.g .: H 1234 BCD.

Vehicles with preliminary registration

provisional registration number

Vehicles with provisional registration are given a license plate with a green background and white letters and the first letter P for Temporales P articulares , followed by four digits and three letters, e.g. E.g .: P 1234 BCD.

Trailer number

Trailer license plate

In addition to the license plate of the towing vehicle, trailers receive a red license plate with the first letter R for R emolques (German: trailer) , followed by four digits and three letters, e.g. E.g .: R 8216 BBZ.

Export license plate

Export license plate (valid until January 2014)

Vehicles for tourists (vehicles purchased in Spain that are later to be registered in another country) receive a temporary license plate with a white background and black lettering and a small red field on the right edge on which the period of validity is noted (a Roman number for the month, below a number for the year, e.g. 19). The first letter T for Vehículos T urísticos (German: tourist vehicles) is followed by four digits and three letters, e.g. B. T 1234 BBC.

Diplomatic license plate, 1 = Vatican City

Diplomatic license plate, 10 = Brazil

International organization

Diplomatic marks

Diplomatic license plates come in two versions. Diplomatic Corps signs have a red background and show the letters CD, which stands for Corps Diplomatique . Codes for the consular corps begin with CC . Both types have white writing. The letters are followed by two groups of numbers, the first of which indicates the country of origin as an identifier (1 to 3 digits), e.g. B. in CD 13 444 with 13 for Canada.

Vatican City is preceded by the number 1.

The identification numbers 2-76 are assigned to a number of countries in alphabetical order - according to their Spanish name. 2 = Alemania = Germany, 7 = Austria = Austria, 70 = Switzerland, to 76 = Venezuela. A single gap arose at 64 with the end of the GDR (República Democrática Alemana) in 1989. Special features are: Vatican City (Estado de la Ciudad del Vaticano) is prefixed with the identifier 1, the Order of Malta (Orden de Malta) with no 56 queued. Numerous other countries have received one of the numbers from 77 to 419 without any apparent order.

Moped license plate

Taxi with SP sign

blue taxi license plate

Vehicles up to 50 cm³ have a license plate that is 16.5 cm high and 10 cm wide, with black lettering on a yellow background. All numbers start with "C" and are structured in the same way as all other Spanish license plates, i. This is followed by four digits and three letters, e.g. B. C 4567 BHY. The new system replaces all previously valid locally issued license plates.

Taxis and buses

Taxis and buses have an additional white sign with the black lettering "SP" in addition to the actual license plate. This stands for servicio público (public service).

Since 2018, taxis have been given a blue number plate with white letters on the back.

Further characteristics

For vehicles that belong to the Spanish categories Temporales Empresas Nuevos and Temporales Empresas Usados - these are probably provisional registrations and demonstration vehicles - license plates with a red background and white lettering with a white border with an S or V as the first letter are assigned, e.g. B, p. 5822 BBN (for the first category) and V 9783 BBC (for the second category).

Further information

Further information, in particular about the respective year of registration, and a more detailed list of the groups of letters can be found in the article Systematics of vehicle registration plates (Spain) .

Former labeling system

→ Main article : License plate (Spain) (until 2000)

Until 2000 there were distinctive signs for the provinces. They were followed by up to six-digit numbers by 1971. Then license plates were given out with one or two letters at the end. With these newer license plates, the number was only four digits. Not infrequently, a black "C" in a vertical, red-yellow-striped oval, based on the format of the international country code, demonstrated the solidarity with Catalonia (Catalunya).

Identification letters

Hallmarks of the Ertzaintza

Ministry of Agriculture and Environment

Ministry of Construction and Transport

Spanish police

Guardia Civil

• CME - Cuerpo Mossos d'Esquadra (Catalan Police)
• CNP - Cuerpo Nacional de Policía (National Police )
• DGP - Dirección General de la Policía (Spanish Police)
• E - Ertzaintza (Police of the Basque Country , E in a curved shape)
• EA - Ejército del Aire (Air Force)
• ET - Ejército Tierra (Army)
• FAE - Fuerzas Aliadas en España (vehicles of the Spanish NATO headquarters)
• FN - Fuerzas Navales (Navy)
• MF - Ministerio del Fomento (Ministry of Construction and Transport)
• MMA - Ministerio del Medio Ambiente (Ministry of Agriculture and Environment)
• PGC - Parque Guardia Civil (fleet of the Civil Guard )
• PME - Parque Móvil del Estado (State fleet)
• PMM - Parque Móvil Ministerios (ministries' fleet)
• PTT - Correos y Telégrafos (Post, Telephone and Telegraf - in the postal language French)