License plate (Cyprus)

Until the partition of the island of Cyprus in 1974, a uniform identification system was used, which is continued by the Republic of Cyprus in the south. The internationally not recognized Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus has been using its own license plates since then .

Republic of Cyprus

Current license plate format

1956–1973 (back)

1973–1990 (rear)

1990-2004 (rear)

2004–2013 (back)

2013, taxi and truck license plates (front and rear yellow plates)

The current license plates of the Republic of Cyprus correspond to the European standard dimensions of 520 mm × 110 mm and show a blue stripe with the nationality code CY for English Cyprus on the left edge . They were introduced in June 2013 and usually have black letters on a white background. After three letters there are three digits, no conclusions can be drawn about the admission location. The edition started with the letter group MAA .

history

	front license plate	rear license plate
1930 to 1950	1234	1234
1950 to 1956	A 123	A 123
1956 to 1973	FROM 123	FROM 123
1973 to 1990	FROM 123	FROM 123
1990 to 2003	ABC 123	ABC 123
2003 to 2013	ABC 123	ABC 123
Since 2013	ABC :: 123	ABC :: 123

The origins of the Cypriot license plates are in the British system . In the beginning, black signs with white or silver-colored writing were used; later the color was changed from black to yellow (back) or white (front). The combination consisted of a maximum of four digits until a leading letter was added in 1950. In 1956 another letter was added. Based on the two consecutive letters, conclusions could be drawn about the vehicle's registration year. In 1990 the combination YZ was achieved and the format changed to ABC 123 , with the first letter indicating the year of registration ( A = 1990/91, B = 1992, C = 1993, D = 1994). Since 1995 or beginning with the combination EAA , the signs have been awarded continuously regardless of the year of approval.

From 1973 to 2004 the license plates were made of plastic and since then have been made of metal. Since the Republic of Cyprus joined the EU, the license plates show the blue euro field with the letters CY on the left edge . As on the Maltese license plates , the first bars with the star wreath appeared before EU accession.

Since June 3, 2013, license plates have been issued for all new registrations according to a revised system. The basic color of the rear license plate was changed to white. The month and year of the first registration of the vehicle in the Republic of Cyprus appear between the letters and numbers by means of two two-digit numbers arranged one above the other. There is no obligation for cars to generally exchange old to new license plates. Only single-track vehicles and certain categories of taxis, vans and heavy vehicles had to replace the old license plates with new ones by December 3, 2013.

The size and design of older license plates varied, but the font used for the British license plates was usually used. With the accession to the EU, the size was standardized and mostly a variant of the German DIN font was used. Current signs use the FE script , which was also developed in Germany . Old license plates are deleted from the register, the combination of digits is no longer output. The signs can be kept as souvenirs by the owner of the car.

Special identifier

Diplomatic plates

Temporary license plate

Trailer license plate 2004

Trailer license plate 2013

Rental car license plate

• License plates of vehicles used for public transport ( taxis , buses) always began with a T before the actual combination, e.g. B. TABC 123 . Since then, these only differ from other license plates in the yellow background on the front and rear license plates.

• Diplomatic license plates show two digits, which encode the country of origin, followed by the letters CD for diplomatic, or AT for other personnel and two digits. The diplomatic signs issued from 1977 to 1999 were distinguished by their dark green background color. In their case, the number was preceded by the small letters CD .

• Temporary license plates show a red colored bar on the right with information on the period of validity (year or month / year).

• Since 2013, commercial trucks have had license plates with a yellow base color on the front and rear.

• Until 2013, trailer license plates had a yellow base color and followed the format 12345 CT . The letters stood for Cyprus Trailer . Since 2013 there have been new trailer license plates in the P 01234 format . They look similar to the Greek trailer license plates, but always have five digits (with leading zeros) and also show the date of the first registration (month / year). Due to the leading zeros, there is no risk of confusion with the Greek license plate until the number P-09999 is issued . To date (January 2020) around 3500 of these new trailer license plates have been issued.

• Rental cars have red license plates with black lettering on the front and back. They started with a Z until mid-2013 , followed by three letters and three digits from the normal series of awards. Since then, the combination begins without the additional Z .

• Dealer license plates have red letters on a white background and show the Greek word ΔOKIMH , followed by two groups of numbers. Before 2001, the signs consisted of the red letters DL and a number.

• The United Nations in Cyprus uses blue labels with white letters, which usually begin with UN .

• License plates of the Cypriot National Guard initially show a stylized Greek flag . This is followed by the letters ΕΦ for Greek Εθνική Φρουρά ( Ethniki Froura , National Guard) and a serial number. On the right edge are the elements from the flag of the Republic of Cyprus .

• The President's vehicle only has the coat of arms of the Republic of Cyprus on the license plate. In the case of the Archbishop of Cyprus , the letters AK are shown for Greek Αρχιεπίσκοπος Κύπρος (Archbishop of Cyprus).

• 

  President's license plate

• 

  Mark of the UN

• 

  Dealer identification

Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus

Current license plates since 2018

Taxi license plate (T)

License plate for rental cars (Z)

Diplomatic license plate (CD)

The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus , which is not recognized by the international community , issues similar license plates as the Republic of Cyprus in the south of the island. The current license plates were introduced in 2018. They are white and show black text consisting of two letters and three digits. On the left side there is a blue bar similar to the euro plate . Instead of a nationality mark, there is the seal of Motorlu Araçlar Mukayyitliği and a code of the sign manufacturer. Old license plates had to be replaced by January 31, 2019.

Before 2018, common signs were white on the front, yellow on the back, and had a red border. The inscription was always black. As a rule, the signs showed one or two letters and a maximum of three digits and were thus similar to the signs used in the south until 1990.

Since there was no agreement between the north and south, combinations were issued in Northern Cyprus that already existed in the system of the south. Occasionally, the license plates are supplemented by the flag of Northern Cyprus or a blue euro bar before 2018 , although the northern part of the island is in fact not part of the European Union.

Both systems are largely the same with regard to the other license plate variants. Car received red signs that a Z began. Vehicles for public transport were put a T in front of the actual combination.

The design of the north Cypriot diplomatic license plates corresponds to that of the southern Cypriot signs until 1999. They show the letters CD in front of the actual combination on a dark green background . License plates of authorities, the police and other institutions begin with the letters RHA .

SBAA mark

Akrotiri and Dekelia

Vehicles from the two British military bases Akrotiri and Dekelia have their own license plates. They show the letters SBAA for Sovereign Base Areas Administration and a two-digit number. The coloring corresponds to the Cypriot signs.

Individual evidence

1. ^ Registration Plate Law from June 2013. (No longer available online.) 2013, archived from the original on June 24, 2013 ; accessed on August 12, 2013 . Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.   
2. ↑ Information from CyprusDriving, English ( Memento of the original from June 24, 2013 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. , accessed February 21, 2014 
3. ↑ Archived copy ( Memento of the original from March 4, 2016 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. Vehicles affected by the exchange, accessed on February 21, 2014 
4. ↑ Deadline to change the license plates set as January 31, 2019. Ministry of Public Works and Transportation, May 18, 2018, accessed on May 3, 2020 . 

Web links

Commons : Cyprus License Plate  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

• License plate photos of Cyprus (German)
• License plate photos of Cyprus at Europlates.eu (English)
• Plate Images of Northern Cyprus (English)