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Vehicle registration plates of Italy

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Current Italian plate. On the right blue strip, optionally, the year of registration (12 = 2012) and the provincial code (FI =Florence)
CountryItaly
Country codeI
Current series
Size(front) 360 x 110 mm
(rear) 520 x 110 mm
MaterialMetal (Aluminium)
Serial formatAA·111AA
Colour (front)Black on white
Colour (rear)Black on white
Introduced28 February 1994
Availability
Issued byMinistry of Infrastructure and Transport (Italy)
Manufactured byIstituto Poligrafico e Zecca dello Stato
History
First issued1897

The Italian vehicle registration plates (Italian: targhe d'immatricolazione or, simply, targhe) are the compulsory alphanumeric plates used to display the registration mark of motor vehicles registered in Italy. They have existed in the country since 1897.[1]

By law, Italian plates can only be made by the Istituto Poligrafico e Zecca dello Stato,[2] assigned by the territorial offices of the Italian Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport[3] and permanently attached to a single vehicle from its first registration to its disposal.

The current alphanumeric serial code AA·111AA was introduced on 28 February 1994 and consists of seven black characters on a rectangular, or squared, white background with a defined format (2 letters, 3 numbers, and then 2 letters) which is issued nationwide, regardless of the local registration office. Starting from 7 February 1999, this format was slightly redesigned adding a blue strip on the left containing the EU flag above the country code I in order to comply with the common EU format,[4] removing the previous space between the last number and the third letter, and adding a further blue strip on the right for optional stickers of the first registration year and of the provincial code.

History

[edit]

1897–1901

[edit]

In 1897 with the Royal Decree of 16 December 1897, n. 540[1] the very first Italian plates were provided for velocipedes and issued by the municipality of residence.

By analogy, in 1898, the municipality of Milan promulgated the Regulation for the circulation of motor vehicles (article 17) according to which a plate showing owner's name and the municipal license number, had to be displayed on the left side of any motor vehicle.

1901–1905

[edit]
A sample of Italian vehicle plate from 1901 to 1905, preserved at the Automobile Museum in Turin

With the Royal Decree of 28 August 1901, n. 416[5] the first Regulation for the circulation of cars on ordinary roads (article 91) was promulgated. This new law included the obligation to equip all vehicles with a specific fixed license plate, that had to be created by the owner and had to be made of metal showing, in full and clearly visible characters, the name of the province followed by a license number issued by the local prefecture.

Schematic representation

  GENOVA 83  

1905–1927

[edit]
Front plate attached to a 1912–14 Isotta Fraschini radiator, from Ancona (red numeric code =2)

Plates in this period were black-on-white. The registration number was a numeric code (in red), different for each province, and a progressive number on a single line, unique for that province (in black). E.g. 63 – 2993, where 63 is the code for Turin.

The standard shape was rectangular, whereas motorcycles had square plates. A front plate was optional.

As in the previous version, the number was assigned by the local prefecture and the plate had to be made by the owner.

Schematic representation

  63 – 2993  

1927–1976

[edit]
Rear plate used from 1927 to 1932, attached to a Fiat 501. PZ is the provincial code of Potenza

In 1927, during the Fascist regime, the Kingdom of Italy changed the number plates from a white background with black (and red) digits, to a black metallic background with white digits and introduced a new two-letter provincial code for all provinces (except for Rome that, since then, has been allowed to keep the full name on registration plates, and the unofficial code RM in documents for practical purposes). From 1927 to 1932, the progressive numeric code was placed before the provincial code, on a single line, for both front and rear plates.[6]

From 1932 to 1951, the front plate remained unchanged, but the rear plate became a 320 x 200 mm square, with a slightly altered Garamond font, and the provincial code was moved to the top left corner. From 1928 to 1944 the Fasces emblem was placed next to the provincial code. After the fall of the Fascist regime, from 1944 to 1948, the registration plates were printed by the National Association of the Amputees and War Invalids, the symbol of which replaced the Fasces emblem. In 1948 the Constitution of the Italian Republic was approved, so the Italian Republic emblem appeared for the first time on registration plates on both rear and front sides, but the format and font continued to be the same.

Rear registration plate used from 1951 to 1976, LI is the provincial code of Livorno
Front registration plate from 1951 to 1985. Note that the digits were placed before the provincial code. PG is the provincial code of Perugia

From 1951 to 1976, the rear square plate was reduced to 275 × 200 mm, while a single line rear registration plate (similar to the ones used by other European countries) was not still available. The front plate was reduced to 262 × 57 mm and it was also changed in order to get more linear characters and a smaller Italian Republic emblem. Starting from 1963, the material of the plates switched from metal to plastic. The scheme was the same introduced in 1927, which was a two-letter provincial code and a progressive numeric code, that was unique for that province and up to 6 characters long. On the rear plate, the Italian Republic emblem (a garland surrounding a five-pointed star with the letters "RI" in the middle of the star) was placed between the provincial code and the first two digits.

The code for the first 999,999 vehicles of any province was just a progressive number, not filled with initial zeroes; therefore, in the rear plate the last four digits were placed in the second row and the first ones in the first row, only if they were present. From 1,000,000 onwards, it was A00000–A99999, then B00000–B99999, and so on. Possible letters were, in this order, A B D E F G H K L M N P R S T U V Z X Y W. After that, it was 00000A–99999A, 00000D–99999D, and so on. Possible letters were, in this order, A D E F G H L M N P R S T V W X Y Z. Then, the letter was moved to the second position, and then to the third (same range as in the second position).

Schematic representation
Rear plate

  LI 16
  0116  

Front plate

  160116 LI  

1927–1932 rear plate

  10122 ROMA  

1976–1985

[edit]
1976-1985 front and rear Italian car number plates. ROMA is the provincial code of Rome.

The front plate was kept intact as in the 1927-1976 period. The rear plate, instead, began to be manufactured in two pieces. One, sized 10,7 × 33 cm, had black background with white digits, contained the progressive number and, in a very small font, the repetition of provincial code above and the Republic emblem. The other had black background with orange letters and contained the official provincial code and had two variants. One was 10,7 × 33 cm large, the other one was 10,7 × 20 cm large. Only one of the latter two was used depending on the type of plate holder that the plate was destined for: for a rectangular plate holder, the small provincial code piece was installed left of the progressive code, put together with rivets in specifically designed holes in the progressive code For cars that were designed with the previous number plate holder (Square), or too small for a rectangular plate, the long provincial code piece was installed above the progressive code. This change resolved the plate positioning problem on cars of foreign production, eventually the rectangular European system was preferred over the squared plate holder of Italian designed cars.

Schematic representations

Front plate
  X74306 ROMA  

Rear plate (rectangular)

  ROMA  RM X74306}

Rear plate (squared)

   ROMA 
  RM X74306}

1985–1994

[edit]
1985-1994 Italian rear car number plate. VR is the provincial code of Verona.

In 1985, plates began to use black digits on white reflective background. Rear plates remained identical as in the 1976-1985 period. Front plates became larger (32.5 × 10.7 cm) but remained slightly smaller than rear plates. The progressive code was moved after the provincial code, as it was already for rear plates.

The reflective background had an official code that appears on the background in small letters, PGS B1 or PGS A1.

(PGS means "Provveditorato Generale dello Stato" and A or B is the city where the reflective was made and 1-2 means white or yellow reflective)

This new system made so that provinces with less than 6 digits had to have a 0 in place of the missing digits (LC 004239).

The highest combination reached with the 1927 system was MI 01D000 for the province of Milan in 28/02/1994, the same day plates using the new system started to be issued.

In 1994, the provinces that were instituted in 1992 (Lecco, Verbania, Vibo-Valentia, Lodi) were allowed to choose to issue either the old 1927 system plates (PP NNNNNN) or the 1994 standard (LL NNN LL), up to 12.000 plates until 1999.

Rear plate (rectangular)

  VR A58322  

Front plate

  VR A58322  

Rear plate (squared)

     MI  
 1K4457 

1994–present

[edit]
1994-1999 Italian rear number plate, without blue strips.

From 28 February 1994, an entirely new numeration system was introduced which omitted any explicit reference to the place of origin. A simple alpha-numeric serial code takes the form AA 999 AA. Here ‘A’ can be any letter of the Latin alphabet except I, O, Q, U and is treated as a base-22 digit; 9 can be any decimal digit. e.g. AK 514 RH, AX 848 LK, BA 924 NS, etc. The three-digit number changes first, then the letters from right to left. So, first plate is AA 000 AA, followed by AA 001 AA...AA 999 AA, then AA 000 AB to AA 999 AZ, then AA 000 BA to AA 999 ZZ, then AB 000 AA to AZ 999 ZZ, then BA 000 AA to ZZ 999 ZZ.

Rear plates are no more in two pieces. Instead, a square plate can be chosen instead of the ordinary long one for vehicles with a squared plate holder. If the rear plate is square, the numbering scheme starts from ZA 000 AA, and is followed by ZA 001 AA...ZA 999 AA, then ZA 000 AB to ZA 999 AZ, then ZA 000 BA to ZA 999 ZZ, then ZB 000 AA to ZZ 999 ZZ.

1999-present Italian vehicle number plate from Bolzano.
1999-present Italian vehicle number plate from Aosta.
1999-present Italian vehicle number plate from Florence.

In 1999, the plates were redesigned, starting from the serial number BB 000HH. The digits are thicker. The last decimal digit is now very close to the third letter. The standard European blue band has been added on the left side, with the European flag motif (12 yellow stars) and the country code I. Another blue band was added, on the right side, bearing a yellow circle with the year of registration (optional).

The two-letter provincial code is optionally present on the right band in capital letters. For the capital city of Rome, the word Roma replaces the two-digit provincial code. Provincial codes are in capital letters except for three cases, where the second letter is expressed in small caps for the provincial codes of the autonomous provinces of Bolzano (Bz) and Trento (Tn) and the autonomous region Aosta Valley (Ao), that are surmounted by the local coat of arms.

The reintroduction of the provincial code (although no longer as a compulsory element of the plate) was implemented because the 1994 suppression of the two-letter provincial codes proved extremely unpopular. Unlike before, the provincial code is not part of the registration number, which is the same for the whole nation. Despite an initial period of popularity, the right band remains empty in most cases.

Since 2003, the PGS B1 or PGS A1 code has been replaced by the code MEF B1 or MEF A1.

Plate with empty right band
Schematic representations
  AE 170 HJ  
1994–1999 plate
  CZ 898NF  Bz
Current registration plate from Bolzano
ZA MI
904 SZ
Square registration plate from Milan

1994–1998 squared rear number plate

    ZA   
563 DE
 

Special plates

[edit]

Motorcycle plates

[edit]

1994 standard

[edit]
Motorbike number plate from Rome

Motorcycles from 1999 have plates with two letters and five digits, starting from AA 00000. For these vehicles, the province codes are not used to avoid confusion (i.e. the plate after AF 99999 is AH 00000, because AG is the old provincial code for Agrigento). Plate size is 177 mm × 177 mm (7 in × 7 in).

Like cars, motorcycles have blue two lateral bands, on the left is the EU band with the circle of 12 stars and Italy's international code (I) . On the right, the blue band has a yellow circle with the year of matriculation (00=2000) and underneath, the optional provincial code sticker (Roma= Rome).

From 1994 to 1999, motorcycles did not have the blue bands, and the first digit was on the right of the first two letters.

Due to the large quantity of old provincial system plates, the 1994 system motorcycles plates started to be distributed from 1996.

BB ROMA
03813

1994–1999 motorcycle standard

  AD 1
  0013  

Former provincial code system (1927–1994)

[edit]

From 1927 until 1994, motorcycles used to have, like cars, the Provincial Code instead of the two letters on two lines, followed by a maximum of 6 digits

From 1927 to 1932, Motorcycles used to have white digits on a black background and the provincial code was after the digits on the second line, in 1932 (to 1985) the motorcycle plates changed to a white background with blue digits, the provincial code was moved before the digits and like cars, Motorcycles used the Garamond font until 1951.

In 1951, motorcycles, unlike cars, had a font transition that was completed in 1963, when plates started to be made of plastic but keeping the old format.

From 1985 to 1994, motorcycles changed to a white reflective background and black digits and returned to be made of metal

Example of 1932-1985 Motorcycle plate from the province of Milan

  MI 65
  0116  

1927–1932 motorcycle plate

  2345 
   MI  

1985–1994 motorcycle plate

  MI 80
  9970  

Moped plates

[edit]
Old (left) and new (right) moped plates

Registration plates of small mopeds were introduced in 1994; before that date Italian mopeds had no plate at all. They were trapezoid-shaped and had a registration system based on a five letter-and-digit combination (treated as a 31-base numeric system), with the first two placed on top and the following three below (such as 47 A23 or K3 561 or 8X 4RF, whereby whole sets of series were assigned locally). In 2006 new moped plates were introduced; new plates have a rectangular shape measuring 12 by 14 cm. The registration shows six characters: the first is always "X" ("Y" for Local Police plates), the other five follows the same scheme as the old system; however the digit 1 and 0 and the letters A, E, I, O, Q and U are not used. Since 2012 old moped plates are no longer valid and have to be replaced by new ones.

The reason for the change was that with the old moped system, the plate could be transferred to another moped and was bound to the owner rather than the vehicle, whereas the new plates are bound to the vehicle.

Trailer plates

[edit]
Trailer plate until 2013

Car and truck trailers had two plates: the trailer's own one was quite small and bore the word "RIMORCHIO" (trailer) and a two letters-five digit code, the other had the same size of vehicles' rear plates and bore the same registration of the prime mover with black decal-characters on a retroflective yellow base. From February 2013 new trailer plates were introduced: they use the same pattern of standard vehicle plates, the numeric scheme is XL 000 LL where "L" is a generic letter, "0" is a digit and "X" is the reserved letter. Mover repetition plates are no longer needed on trailers registered with new plates, however they are still compulsory for old trailers with small plates and small unregistered "appendix trailers".

From 1932 to 1959 trailer plates were the same as car plates (white digits on a black background), only with the word "RIMORCHIO" under the numbers, written in italic.

After 1959 to 1985, the trailer plates were like the front vehicles number plates (black background with white digits), with the digits before the provincial code, with the word "RIMORCHIO" above the digits followed by the provincial code.

From 1985 until 1994 the trailer plates were enlarged, had black digits on a white reflective background with the provincial code before the digits and the word "RIMORCHIO" assumed red coloration. Until 1993 they had to be displayed on the right of the trailer.

Trailer plate schematic representation (2013)

  XA 123 AA  MI

1994–2013 trailer plate

  RIMORCHIO 
   AA 21633  

1985–1994 trailer plate

  RIMORCHIO 
   MI 121633  

1959–1985 trailer plate

 RIMORCHIO 
 53043 MI  

1932–1959 Trailer plate

 MI 2456 
 Rimorchio  

Police plates

[edit]
Registration Plate of Polizia Nazionale
Registration Plate of Guardia di Finanza

Local police forces have the word "POLIZIA LOCALE" (local police) in blue. They have the same pattern as trailer and civilian plates, the scheme is YL 000 LL where "L" is a letter, "0" is a digit and the "Y" is the reserved letter (for motorcycles YL 00000, mopeds Y00 000). Unlike civilian plates they do not show up the code. National police plates have "POLIZIA" in red followed by letter, then numbers (formerly numbers only until 1983). Customs police plates start with prefix "GdiF" in red. The serial letters and three serial numbers are in black.[7]

Pre-1983 National Police rear plate

  POLIZIA 
   21633  

Pre-1983 front National Police plate

 POLIZIA 21633   

Post-1983 National Police plate

  POLIZIA 
   F3722  

Post-1983 Guardia di Finanza (customs) plate

 GdiF 340 BH  

2009 local police plates

  YA 124 AA  CO

Diplomatic plates

[edit]
Current Registration Plate of Corpo Diplomatico from Vatican City (XG) since 1995

From 1932 to 1951, the diplomatic plates are square 32.0 x 22.0 cm, white digits on a black background using the Garamond font with the "CD" prefix instead of the province followed by a max of 5 digits, the first two digits was the country's code.

From 1951 to 1976, the diplomatic plates are square 27.5 x 20.0 cm, white digits on black background, changed to a more linear font, but the system was identical from the previous period.

ex: CD 22843

From 1976 to 1985 the diplomatic plates are on a single line, black background with white digits, with the letters "CD" vertically aligned, followed by 5 digits, the first two represented the country, the other three a progressive number.

In 1985 to 1995 the diplomatic plates have white reflective background with black digits, with blue letters and change to a CD 000 AA system, with the letters representing the country.

The Italian Republic emblem appears on top of the first two letters of the plate and on the top right the international white oval with a black letter representing Italy's international code (I)

Registration Plate of Nazioni Unite (Specialists)

Diplomatic plates have blue letters since 1985 and have 4 numbers to avoid confusion with the new civilian plates issued since 1994. These have the "CC" (Corpo Consolare), "CD" (Corpo Diplomatico) and four numbers, while "UN" (Nazioni Unite (Permanent)), "UNP" (Nazioni Unite (Specialists)), and "UNT" (Nazioni Unite (Transit)) plates have three. Scheme is CC 0000 AA or UNP 000 AA. The "AA" is a country code (blue) while "0" is a digit. Front and rear plates are identical and both measure 34 by 11 cm.

There are no diplomatic motorcycle plates used.

Schematic representations
  CD 0213 XG  
Current diplomatic corps plate, XG is the code of Vatican City.
  CC 0213 AF  
Current Corpo consolare plate
 CD 22926  
Diplomatic plate issued from 1976 to 1985
  CD 2  
  6421
Diplomatic plate issued from 1932 to 1976
  CD 213 AQ  
1985–1995 diplomatic corps plate of France format still in use but no longer issued
  UNP 147 AA  
United Nations plate for specialists

Military plates

[edit]
Registration Plate of Esercito Italiano
Registration Plate of Marina Militare

Military plates have the prefixes EI (Esercito Italiano, Army), AM (Aeronautica Militare, Air Force) and MM (Marina Militare, Navy), all of them red, the trailers have the indication "RIMORCHIO". There is a code same as mentioned before, but it is small and it is black. The scheme is EI LL 000. While "EI" is the prefix, "LL" is a letter and "0" is a digit to prevent confusion with civilian plates issued from 1994. Between the letter and number there is a green dot. In 1980 Army plates adopted the 11 by 34 cm size for both front and rear plates, but more recent plates use the 1994-99 civilian plate standard for rear plates. Starting from 2004, historical military vehicles that no longer possess the original plate use instead the scheme EI VS 000, "VS" (Veicolo Storico) is colored green. Until 1995 army plates used an EI 000 AA system and before 1985 used an EI 000000 system with the same dimension of civilian plates (smaller front plate) where certain number ranges were reserved for types of vehicles EX: EI 900000 to EI 999999 were reserved to trailers and EI 400000 to 450000 were reserved for recon vehicles. However, the pre-1979 numbers only system is still used for armored vehicles and tanks.

Schematic representations
  EI BL 235  
Current Esercito Italiano plate
 EI 234554   
Pre-1985 Esercito Italiano plate
  MM AB 123  
Current Marina Militare plate
  MM 567 RM  
1985–1997 Marina Militare plate
 MM 25550   
Pre-1985 Marina Militare plate
  EI 42
  0116  
Pre-1976 Esercito Italiano Plate
  EI VS 132  
Historical Esercito Italiano plate

Current Army motorcycle plate

  EI  A
  0351  

Current Army motorcycle plate

  EI  A
  0351  

Current Army Trailer plates

 RIMORCHIO

 EI AA 00  

1979–1995 Army Trailer plates

  EI R12 AE  

Pre–1979 Army Trailer plates

  EI R90
   1209  

Red Cross plates

[edit]
Registration Plate of Croce Rossa Italiana

Have the prefix "CRI" (Croce Rossa Italiana) in red, the style is CRI 000LL (pre-2007 was CRI L000L, motorcycles CRI 00000), while "L" is a letter, and "0" is a number on a white reflective background. Between "CRI" and the other characters there is the Red Cross sign. They use the same style of pre-1999 plates; the final code of two-line plates always starts with the letter "Z".

Trailer plates have the word "RIMORCHIO" above the digits using a CRI 0000 system.

Before 1985 Red Cross plates had a dot after every number and had the same format of civilian plates (smaller front plate)

Until 1985 Red Cross plates were numbers only, after late Seventies ambulances had to have the L000L format, while service cars continued to have numbers only until 2002 where all new Red Cross vehicles had to have the L000L system.

Schematic representations
 C.R.I 
 3235  
Pre-1985 Red Cross Plate
 CRI 1
 3235  
Current Red Cross Motorcycle plate
  CRI 12135  
1985-2002 (late Seventies for ambulances)
  CRI A 350 C  
2002–2007 plate
  CRI 273 AA  
Current plate
  CRI R 1343  
Current trailer plate

Firefighters

[edit]
Registration plate of Vigili del Fuoco
Registration plate of Vigili del Fuoco di Trento

Before 1938, firefighters vehicles used civilian plates

Since 1938 have the prefix "VF" (Vigili del Fuoco) in red . They have the same style and dimension of Port Authority plates, but they do not have text in the bottom section. Firefighters of autonomous regions use special Firefighters plates issued locally. Their schemes were VF 0L0 AA (formerly VF L00 AA), where "AA" at the end can be TN or BZ. Trailers have small red "R" between prefix and numbers.

Schematic representations
  VF 25646  
National firefighters plate (except for autonomous provinces below)
  VF R 1234  
Trailer plate
  VF 7A0 TN  
Firefighter plate from Trento

Port Authority plates

[edit]

Have the prefix "CP" (Capitaneria di Porto) in red. They have the text "GUARDIA COSTIERA" at the bottom. Those plates are considerably shorter than a standard one (circa 35 by 52mm), front and rear plates have the same size and square rear plates are not available.

Schematic representation

  CP 2378  

SMOM plates

[edit]
Vehicle registration plate of the Order, as seen in Rome, Italy.

Uses prefix "SMOM" (Sovrano militare ordine di Malta) in red, followed by two numbers (previously red). They have the text "SMOM" at the bottom. These plates used only by Sovereign Military Order of Malta members (only plate that was circulating on along with its diplomatic plate (code XA), being SMOM is a subject of international law.), and these plates were issued by Ministry of Defence.

Schematic representation

  SMOM 60  

Temporary plates

[edit]

These plates are used for vehicles temporarily circulating in Italy, but have to be exported, "EE" stands for "Escursionisti Esteri" (Foreign Hikers or temporary plates).

They have the same style of Diplomatic plates, but they start with "EE" (black) instead of "CD". The upper part of the plate has a small space for accommodating expiry date stickers.

From 1932 to 1951, they are square 32.0 x 22.0 cm, white digits on a black background with Garamond font, using an EE 00000 system.

From 1951 to 1976, they are square 27.5 x 20.0 cm, white digits on a black background with different font style and have the EE prefix instead of the province followed by a max of 5 digits ex: EE 10245

From 1976 to 1985, they are on a single line, white digits on a black background and the letters EE are vertically aligned, followed by a max of 5 digits.

From 1985, they are on a single line, black digits on white reflective background with the EE 000 AA system.

Motorcycles had the "EE" on the first line then 4 digits on the second line, white background with blue digits from 1932 to 1985 and have the sticker space above the republic emblem. From 1985 motorcycles have the prefix followed by a letter and a progressive number.

Schematic representation

  EE 053 AM  

Temporary series from 1976 to 1985

 EE 52926  

Temporary series from 1932 to 1976

 EE 1
 5322 

Temporary motorcycle plates from 1932 to 1985

  EE 
  7642
  

Temporary motorcycle plates from 1985

  EE 
  D881
  

Agricultural plates

[edit]

Agricultural machines have motorcycle-sized plates following the AA-0/00A scheme written in black on yellow. Agricultural trailers have the text "RIM AGR." in red on the upper part. The style is same as the old trailer plates but background is yellow and the serial is AA-000A. Agricultural trailers have to show both their own plates and a prime mover repetition one.

Agricultural plates from 1994

 AA 1
 53C 

Agricultural trailer plates from 1994

  RIM. AGR. 
 AA 000A 

Agricultural trailer plates from 1985 to 1994

  RIM. AGR. 
 PV 1423 

Agricultural trailer plates from 1959 to 1985

 RIM. AGR.  
 5341 MI 

Agricultural plates from 1948 to 1985

 AR 1  
 9134 

Agricultural plates from 1985 to 1994

 NO 3 
 4134 

Repeater plate used from 1985 to 1994

 NOR3
 4134 

Repeater plate from 1994

 AA R1
 13A

Road machinery plates

[edit]
Old registration plate of a road machinery (1992–1994)

The style of these plates is LL LNNN. They are square, red on yellow background. They were introduced in 1992, until 1994 they used a LL LLNNN System, where the first two letters were the provincial code. Due to the low road machinery plates assigned, provinces had been distributing the old system plates over the course of many years before the new ones appeared.

Road machinery plate from 1992 to 1994

 LI A
 A581 

Current road machinery plate

 AE J
 134 

1992–1994 trailed road machinery plate

 MACC. OP.
 AP A0652 

Current trailed road machinery plate

 MACC. OP.
 AD A 652 

Civil Defence plates

[edit]
Registration plate of Protezione Civile provinciale di Bolzano
Registration plate of Protezione Civile provinciale di Trento

These plates only exist in autonomous regions, they have the prefix "PC" (Protezione Civile) in red and an alphanumeric serial chosen by local authorities (PC ZS0LL in Bolzano (where ZS stands for Zivilschutz in German), PC L00TN in Trento). Cars of the national Civil Defence department have special plates bearing the "DPC" (Dipartimento della Protezione Civile) code followed by an alphanumeric serial (DPC L 0000) in Rome, while operative vehicles usually use civil plates. Emergency plates have the text at the top:"DIPARTIMENTO PROTEZIONE CIVILE RICOVERO DI EMERGENZA", then a provincial designator and four numbers.

Schematic representations
  DPC X 1234  
Dipartimento della Protezione Civile plate
  PC ZS0FZ  Bz
Civil Defense plate from Bolzano
  PC B61TN  ?
Civil Defence plate from Trento
DIPARTIMENTO
PROTEZIONE CIVILE
RICOVERO DI EMERGENZA

RM 0123
Emergency shelter plate

Carabinieri plates

[edit]
Registration Plate of Corpo di Carabinieri

These plates have the prefix "CC" (Corpo di Carabinieri) in red from 2000 when the Carabinieri became an independent corp. The style is CC LL 000 where "CC" is a prefix, "L" is a letter, and "0" is a digit. Motorcycles use a CC A0000 system.

Until 2000 "CC" plates did not exist and used the Army (EI) plates and the first CC plates (which were re-adapted EI plates) had a CC separate piece put over the first part to cover up the "EI" code

Schematic representation

  CC DF 948  

Motorcycle plate

 CC A  
 1905 

Trolleybus plates

[edit]

These plates' format is the two-letter provincial code, followed by the operator's logo and number (normally 3 digits). They use white digits on a blue background, and their size is 320 x 115 mm. Until the 1950s they were circulated along with normal car plates.

Test Plates

[edit]

Testing plates have a square (16.5 by 16.5 cm) size and follows the format XX p X/XXXX (where "X" could be a letter or a digit ) arranged in two lines since 2003. They are the only kind of Italian plates whose code could be chosen by the owner.

These plates have a "P" instead of the republic emblem that means Prova (Test)

These plates are usually used from car dealers to test the cars on the public road, for cars that do not have an insurance or do not have a regular number plate available. They can be transferred on other cars

From 1951 to 1976, testing plates used to be square, black background with white digits, in middle the word "PROVA" was written in red, followed by the provincial code, the official emblem and a progressive number.

From 1976 to 1985, these plates used to have black background with white digits on a single line, with the provincial code followed by a progressive number and the word "PROVA" vertically aligned by 90° degrees.

Until 1994, Test plates used to have the provincial code instead of the first two digits, followed by a random combination of letters and numbers. From 1994 to 2003, the plates used to be on a single line with two letters followed by the random digits.

Current Prova plate

  X0P 1
  AZ3A
  

1985–1994 Prova plate

  ROMA P AR13A  

Test series from 1948 to 1976

 PROVA
   MI
  
  5322 

Test series from 1976 to 1985

  ROMA PROVA 5033  

Province codes

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Province codes 1927 to present day

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Code Province Code Province Code Province Code Province Code Province
AG Agrigento AL Alessandria AN Ancona AO Aosta / Aoste AP Ascoli Piceno
AQ L'Aquila AR Arezzo AT Asti AV Avellino BA Bari
BG Bergamo BI Biella BL Belluno BN Benevento BO Bologna
BR Brindisi BS Brescia BT Barletta-Andria-Trani BZ Bolzano / Bozen CA Cagliari
CB Campobasso CE Caserta CH Chieti CL Caltanissetta CN Cuneo
CO Como CR Cremona CS Cosenza CT Catania CZ Catanzaro
EN Enna FC Forlì-Cesena FE Ferrara FG Foggia FI Florence (Firenze)
FM Fermo FR Frosinone GE Genoa (Genova) GO Gorizia GR Grosseto
IM Imperia IS Isernia KR Crotone LC Lecco LE Lecce
LI Leghorn (Livorno) LO Lodi LT Latina LU Lucca MB Monza and Brianza
MC Macerata ME Messina MI Milan MN Mantua MO Modena
MS Massa-Carrara MT Matera NA Naples NO Novara NU Nuoro
OR Oristano PA Palermo PC Piacenza PD Padua PE Pescara
PG Perugia PI Pisa PN Pordenone PO Prato PR Parma
PT Pistoia PU Pesaro and Urbino PV Pavia PZ Potenza RA Ravenna
RC Reggio Calabria RE Reggio Emilia RG Ragusa RI Rieti RN Rimini
RO Rovigo Roma Rome SA Salerno SI Siena SO Sondrio
SP La Spezia SR Syracuse SS Sassari SU South Sardinia SV Savona
TA Taranto TE Teramo TN Trent TO Turin TP Trapani
TR Terni TS Trieste TV Treviso UD Udine VA Varese
VB Verbania VC Vercelli VE Venice VI Vicenza VR Verona
VT Viterbo VV Vibo Valentia

These abbreviations for the names of provinces are extensively used in contexts other than vehicle registration. For example, "Trino (VC)", to indicate a place called Trino in the province of Vercelli, could appear on letterheaded paper or in a postal address or in a guide book and very often on business cards and trade signs. The abbreviations even count as valid words in crosswords and in Scarabeo, the Italian version of the board game Scrabble. Sometimes, the code RM is used instead of Roma for the province of Rome, in postal addresses or documents.

Province codes 1905 to 1927

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Number Province Number Province Number Province Number Province
1 Alessandria 2 Ancona 3 L'Aquila 4 Arezzo
5 Ascoli Piceno 6 Avellino 7 Bari 8 Belluno
9 Benevento 10 Bergamo 11 Bologna 12 Brescia
13 Cagliari 14 Caltanissetta 15 Campobasso 16 Caserta
17 Catania 18 Catanzaro 19 Chieti 20 Como
21 Cosenza 22 Cremona 23 Cuneo 24 Ferrara
25 Florence (Firenze) 26 Foggia 27 Forlì 28 Genoa (Genova)
29 Agrigento 30 Grosseto 31 Lecce 32 Leghorn (Livorno)
33 Lucca 34 Macerata 35 Mantua (Mantova) 36 Massa and Carrara
37 Messina 38 Milan (Milano) 39 Modena 40 Naples (Napoli)
41 Novara 42 Padua (Padova) 43 Palermo 44 Parma
45 Pavia 46 Perugia 47 Pesaro 48 Piacenza
49 Pisa 50 Imperia 51 Potenza 52 Ravenna
53 Reggio di Calabria 54 Reggio nell'Emilia 55 Rome (Roma) 56 Rovigo
57 Salerno 58 Sassari 59 Siena 60 Syracuse (Siracusa)
61 Sondrio 62 Teramo 63 Turin (Torino) 64 Trapani
65 Treviso 66 Udine 67 Venice (Venezia) 68 Verona
69 Vicenza 70 Pola 71 La Spezia 72 Taranto
73 Trent (Trento) 74 Trieste 75 Zara 76 Fiume

Defunct province codes (post-1927)

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Code Province Reason Years
AU Apuania Province renamed back to Massa-Carrara (MS). 1939-1949
CG Castrogiovanni City renamed to Enna. 1927-1928
CI Carbonia-Iglesias Province abolished. 2001-2016
CU Cuneo Code changed to CN. 1927-1928
FO Forlì Province renamed to Forlì-Cesena (FC). 1927-1994
FU Fiume Code changed to FM. 1927-1930
FM Fiume City no longer in Italy, present day Rijeka, Croatia 1930-1945
GI Girgenti City renamed to Agrigento. 1927-1928
LB Lubiana City no longer in Italy, present day Ljubljana, Slovenia 1941-1945
OG Ogliastra Province abolished. 2001-2016
OT Olbia-Tempio Province abolished. 2001-2016
PL Pola City no longer in Italy, present day Pula, Croatia 1927-1945
PU Perugia Code changed to PG. 1927-1933
PS Pesaro Province renamed to Pesaro and Urbino (PU). 1927-1994
VS Medio Campidano Province abolished. 2001-2016
ZA Zara City no longer in Italy, present day Zadar, Croatia 1927-1945

Diplomatic codes

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Greyed out codes are not currently used. Q and V cannot be used in consular corps plates, as such they are Bold Italic.[8][9]

Code Country Code Country Code Country Code Country Code Country
AA  Albania AC  Austria AE  Belgium AG  Bulgaria AK  Czech Republic
AM  Cyprus AN  Denmark AP  Finland AQ  France AU  Germany
AV  West Germany BA  East Germany BC  United Kingdom BF  Slovenia BG  Greece
BM  Ireland BN  Italy (Holy See) BP  Serbia BQ  Croatia BR  Luxembourg
BS  Malta BT  Monaco BV  Norway BX  Netherlands CA  Poland
CC  Portugal CE  Romania CG  San Marino CH  Spain CM  Switzerland
CN  Sweden CQ  Switzerland CR  Turkey CX  Hungary DA  Russia (formerly  Soviet Union)
DC  Ukraine DD  Uzbekistan DE  Vatican City (Apostolic Nunciature) DF  Slovenia DG  North Macedonia
DH  Bosnia and Herzegovina DL  Slovakia DM  Armenia DN  Georgia DP  Kazakhstan
DQ  Latvia DR  Belarus DS  Lithuania DT  Moldova DV  Iceland
DZ  Azerbaijan EA  Burkina Faso EB  Dominica EC  Uganda ED  Burundi
EF  Rwanda EG  Zimbabwe EH  Qatar EL  Chad EM  Mauritania
EN  Eritrea EP  Mali ER  Belize ES  Equatorial Guinea (c/o FAO) ET  Kosovo
GA  Afghanistan GB  Saudi Arabia GC  Bangladesh GD  Myanmar GE  Taiwan
GF  China GK  Philippines GL  North Korea GM  South Korea GP  United Arab Emirates
GQ  Philippines GS  Japan GZ  Jordan HA  India HC  Indonesia
HE  Iran HF  Iraq HL  Israel HP  Iraq HQ  Kuwait
HR  Lebanon HS  Malaysia HT  Oman HV  Pakistan HX  Syria
LA  Sri Lanka LB  Thailand LE  Vietnam LF  Yemen LH  Montenegro
LM  Timor-Leste NA  Algeria NC  Angola ND  Cameroon NF  Cape Verde
NG  Central African Republic NH  Republic of the Congo NL  Ivory Coast NM  Egypt NR  Ethiopia
NT  Gabon NX  Ghana PA  Guinea PB  Kenya PC  Lesotho
PD  Liberia PE  Libya PL  Madagascar PN  Morocco PQ  Nigeria
PS  Senegal PT  Sierra Leone PV  Mozambique PX  Somalia QA  South Africa
QC  Sudan QE  Tanzania QG  Tunisia QL  Democratic Republic of the Congo QN  Zambia
QP  Niger SA  Canada SD  Mexico SF SH SL SN SQ  United States TA  Costa Rica
TC  Cuba TE  Dominican Republic TF  Ecuador TG  Jamaica TH  Guatemala
TL  Haiti TM  Honduras TP  Nicaragua TQ  Panama TS  El Salvador
UA  Argentina UE  Bolivia UF  Brazil UH  Chile UL  Colombia
UN  Paraguay UP  Peru US  Uruguay UT  Venezuela VA  Argentina
VF  Brazil VL  Colombia VS  Uruguay XA S.M.O.M and  Palestine XC XD XE XF XH FAO,  United Nations, International organizations, and  European Union
XG  Vatican City ZA  Australia ZC  New Zealand

References

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  1. ^ a b "REGIO DECRETO 16 dicembre 1897, n. 540 - Normattiva". www.normattiva.it. Retrieved 2024-01-12.
  2. ^ "Istituto Poligrafico e Zecca dello Stato - Portale".
  3. ^ "Il portale dell'Automobilista - Rilascio Targhe e Carta di Circolazione". www.ilportaledellautomobilista.it. Retrieved 2024-01-12.
  4. ^ Council Regulation (EC) No 2411/98 of 3 November 1998 on the recognition in intra-Community traffic of the distinguishing sign of the Member State in which motor vehicles and their trailers are registered, 1998-11-03, retrieved 2024-01-12
  5. ^ "REGIO DECRETO 28 luglio 1901, n. 416 - Normattiva". www.normattiva.it. Retrieved 2024-01-12.
  6. ^ The use of alphabetical codes for number plates started in Italy on 28 February 1927, as prescribed by the Communication n. 3361 from Minister of Public Works (from R.D.I. n.314 13.3.1927 and the law n.2730 29.12.1927) which inaugurated a new highway code.
  7. ^ Italy's page on Worldlicenseplates.com
  8. ^ "CD and CC registration plates". Retrieved 24 April 2016.
  9. ^ "Diplomatic codes after 1984". Retrieved 24 April 2016.
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