Why Austria's License Plates Avoid The Number 18

Austrian licence plates are mandatory vehicle registration plates that are used to verify street legality, provide proof of valid liability insurance, and identify and recognise the vehicle. The alphanumeric format for these plates is XX ∇=provincial emblem number+letter(s) or XX ∇=provincial emblem personalised letters+number, where XX represents one or two letters indicating the local registration office. The letter Q, however, is excluded from all sequences. While there is no explicit mention of the number 18 being prohibited, the standard format for licence plates in Austria does not include an alphanumeric combination with the number 18.

The letter Q is excluded from all sequences

Austrian licence plates are mandatory vehicle registration plates that display the registration mark of motor vehicles in Austria. The alphanumeric format for these plates is "XX ∇=provincial emblem number+letter(s)" or "XX ∇=provincial emblem personalised letters+number", where "XX" represents one or two letters indicating the local registration office (district where the registered possessor resides). The letter Q is excluded from all sequences in the three-to-six-letter/number sequence that uniquely distinguishes each vehicle with the same initial area code.

The general format for Austrian licence plates is as follows:

• One letter for provincial capitals or two letters for other districts, indicating the district where the vehicle is registered.
• The coat of arms of the province where the vehicle is registered.
• A combination of numbers and letters assigned by the district's administration or created according to the car owner's wishes for a fee.

The letter/number sequence must contain at least three characters, including at least one digit and one letter. In countryside districts, the maximum length is five characters, while state capitals can have up to six characters. Regular plates start with a digit and end with a letter, while personalised plates are ordered vice versa.

The exclusion of the letter Q from the letter/number sequence in Austrian licence plates ensures a clear distinction from the use of Q in other country's licence plate systems, such as the United States, where Q is used as a suffix to indicate a unique identifier for specific states. Maintaining a unique and distinguishable sequence in Austrian licence plates facilitates efficient vehicle identification and registration processes.

The alphanumeric combination must consist of at least three characters

Austrian licence plates have a specific alphanumeric format that must be followed. The combination must consist of at least three characters, including at least one digit and one letter. This alphanumeric sequence is preceded by a local registration office code, which is one or two letters indicating the district where the registered possessor resides. State capitals are assigned one letter, while other districts are given two. For example, the code for the city of Innsbruck is "I", while the district of Innsbruck countryside area is given the code "IL".

Following the registration office code and provincial emblem, the alphanumeric sequence serves to uniquely identify each vehicle with the same initial area code. This sequence can be a combination of letters and numbers assigned by the district's administration or created according to the car owner's wishes for a fee. Regular plates start with a digit and end with a letter, while personalised plates are ordered vice versa.

In countryside districts, the maximum number of characters in the sequence is five, while state capitals can have up to six. For example, a plate from the state capital of Klagenfurt in Carinthia could be "K ∇ 12345 A", with "K" representing Klagenfurt, the coat of arms of Carinthia as the provincial emblem, and the alphanumeric sequence "12345 A".

The letter "Q" is excluded from all alphanumeric sequences, and the sequence must be grouped together in a block to distinguish it from standard plates.

The letter/number sequence must contain at least one digit and one letter

Austrian licence plates have a specific format that must be followed, with a combination of letters and numbers. The sequence must contain at least one digit and one letter, with a minimum of three characters in total. For example, a typical licence plate in Austria would be formatted as "XY (district), coat of arms (province), 123 AB".

The first part of the licence plate consists of one or two letters, indicating the local registration office or district where the registered owner resides. As a general rule, state capitals have one letter, while other districts have two letters. This is followed by the coat of arms of the Austrian state that the district belongs to. Diplomatic vehicles display a dash instead, while federal official vehicles feature the Austrian Federal Eagle.

After this comes the letter/number sequence, which serves to uniquely identify each vehicle with the same initial area code. This sequence must contain at least one digit and one letter, with a minimum length of three characters. In countryside districts, the maximum length is five characters. Regular plates start with a digit and end with a letter, while personalised plates, which can be obtained for an extra fee, are ordered vice versa.

It is worth noting that the letter "Q" is excluded from all sequences, and some districts have specific lettering schemes with varying combinations of letters and numbers.

Personalised plates can be ordered for an extra fee

In Austria, licence plates are mandatory for all motor vehicles. The standard alphanumeric format for registration plates is "XX ∇=provincial emblem number+letter(s)" or "XX ∇=provincial emblem personalised letters+number". The letter/number sequence must contain at least three characters, including at least one digit and one letter.

To give an example, a typical Austrian licence plate would look like "XY (district), coat of arms (province), 123 AB". The first two letters indicate the district where the car is registered, with one letter representing provincial capitals and two letters for other districts. The coat of arms represents the province where the car is registered. The combination of numbers and letters that follow is either assigned or created according to the car owner's wishes for a fee.

There are some exceptions to these rules, such as special plates for vehicles belonging to the army, diplomats, international organisations, or the federal police.

The most telling part about the owner of the vehicle are the first two letters

Austrian licence plates are mandatory vehicle registration plates that display the registration mark of motor vehicles in the country. They are used to verify street legality, proof of valid liability insurance, and to identify and recognise the vehicle. The alphanumeric format for these plates is typically "XX ∇=provincial emblem number+letter(s)" or "XX ∇=provincial emblem personalised letters+number", where "XX" represents one or two letters that indicate the local registration office or the district where the registered possessor resides. As a general rule, state capitals have one letter, while other districts have two letters.

The most telling part about the owner of the vehicle is indeed the first two letters of the licence plate. These letters represent the district where the vehicle is registered and provide insight into the owner's place of residence. For example, "E" denotes Eisenstadt, "MA" represents Mattersburg, and "OP" stands for Oberpullendorf. This system applies to most vehicles, with some exceptions for special plates, such as those belonging to the army, diplomats, international organisations, or the federal police.

The remaining components of the licence plate include the coat of arms of the province where the vehicle is registered, followed by a combination of numbers and letters. This combination can be assigned by the district's administration or created according to the car owner's wishes for a fee. Personalised plates are obtained by paying an extra fee and typically feature the desired letter and number combination after the coat of arms.

The standard design of Austrian licence plates features a blue section on the left with the EU circle of stars and the country code "A". On the top and bottom are tribands in the national colours of Austria: red, white, and red. The text on the plates is imprinted in black letters and digits on a white background. Each car is required to display two licence plates, one on the front and one on the rear.

Frequently asked questions