Lexi Webster
The fonts used on Australian number plates have changed over time and vary by state. In the Australian state of New South Wales, vehicle registration plates have a rich history, with various font styles and colour schemes introduced since 1910. From 1910 to 1924, number plates featured black characters on a white background, transitioning to white characters on a black background from 1924 to 1937. In 1937, the serial format changed to two letters followed by three numbers, with plates displaying white characters on a black background. In 1951, a three-letter format was introduced, accompanied by a colour scheme change to black characters on a yolk yellow background. Over the years, New South Wales has offered themed number plates, including the Sydney 2000 Olympics, State of Origin, and NRL Premiership designs. The state also launched the Australiana Range in 2015, showcasing the state's iconic imagery.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Font | Highway Gothic C, URW Grotesk T Narrow, Futura, Compacta |
| Dimensions | 372 mm (14.6 in) length x 134 mm (5.3 in) height |
| Colors | Black, white, yellow, green, blue, red, multicolored |
| Layers | Single layer |
| Material | Metal |
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What You'll Learn
New South Wales number plates
In the Australian state of New South Wales, residents are required to register their motor vehicles and display vehicle registration plates. These plates must adhere to the standard Australian dimensions of 372 mm (14.6 in) in length and 134 mm (5.3 in) in height. The state's number plates have undergone several design changes over the years.
From 1910 to 1924, the plates featured black characters on a white background, with the state abbreviation added in 1912. In 1924, the colour scheme was reversed, resulting in white characters on a black background. During this period, rear plates were provided by the government, while motorists had to request front plates.
In February 1936, a new all-numeric standard Australian-style embossed plate was introduced, replacing the previous style. From 1910 to 1937, serials on car registration plates were all-numeric, running from 1 to 274-000. In contrast, serials on plates for lorries consisted of the letter "L" followed by up to five numbers.
Currently, motorists in New South Wales can choose any combination of letters and numbers, including plates with solely letters, up to a maximum of six characters. Plate customisation has also been introduced, offering coloured and premium options. However, certain restrictions are in place to prevent combinations that resemble special plates, such as those issued by Transport for NSW for accredited hire-car operators.
Additionally, specific number plates are designated for particular vehicle types. For instance, tourist vehicles have black-on-yellow plates with the prefix TV·nnna. Police and emergency vehicles, on the other hand, use aaa-nna slimline plates.
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History of Australian number plate colours
Australian vehicle registration plates, or number plates, are issued by state, territory, and Commonwealth governments, and the armed forces of Australia. The plates tend to bear the state or territory name and sometimes a state motto or slogan at the top and/or bottom of the plate. Issuance of Z-prefixed plates for the same purposes was passed on to the states after 2000. Australian Capital Territory plates started at ZYA-000, Victoria plates at ZED-000, Queensland plates at ZQ-0000, New South Wales plates at ZZZ-000, South Australia plates at ZSA-000, Western Australia plates at ZAA-00F, and Tasmania plates at ZTA-000. Only New South Wales and Victoria chose to use their state base colours (red on reflective white) rather than the standard black on reflective white.
Since the 1980s, recent issues of plates have also often used the state's colours and may include some imagery related to the state, such as the state logo. For example, Western Australia has a blue block at the top of the plate representing the sky, with a desert sun depicted in front, and the words "WESTERN AUSTRALIA" at the bottom. Tasmania's number plate is also unique, featuring the state logo, a thylacine in reeds, at the left, and the slogan, "Tasmania - Explore the possibilities".
Most Australian number plates have a white background, with the exception of those in New South Wales. Most have a six-figure sequence, but there is some variation. Canberra plates start with a Y, and the Australian Capital Territory plates have "ACT" at the top and a slogan at the bottom, either "Canberra - The Nation's Capital" or "Canberra - The Bush Capital".
The system introduced in 1951–52 allocated a series of six letters to the two most populous states, with a greater number of registered vehicles: New South Wales had A to F, Victoria had G to H and J to M. Three other states had a series of three letters: Queensland had N, P and Q, South Australia had R to T, and Western Australia had U and V. Tasmania, being a smaller jurisdiction, was only given one letter, W. The Australian Capital Territory was given Y, and the Northern Territory was given X. The letter Z was for Commonwealth government departmental use across Australia, with the second letter reflecting the department.
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Australian number plate dimensions
Australian number plates are issued by state, territory, and Commonwealth governments, as well as the armed forces of Australia. The standard dimensions for motor vehicle plates are 372 mm x 134 mm, while motorcycle plates measure 254 mm x 100 mm, and auxiliary plates are 253 mm x 99 mm. These standard plates are made of aluminium.
The state and district series plates can be remade in different colour combinations, including black on white, black on yellow, or in the Brand WA format (blue and white). The Brand WA format is unique to Western Australia, which opted out of the proposed national scheme due to its larger size.
Australian Capital Territory plates start with ZYA, Victoria with ZED, Queensland with ZQ, New South Wales with ZZZ, South Australia with ZSA, Western Australia with ZAA, and Tasmania with ZTA. New South Wales and Victoria are the only states that use their own state base colours instead of the standard black on reflective white with a red embossed Z prefix.
Military plates follow the format Annnnn, with the A representing "Army" and the following digits indicating the year of registration. This format is also used by the Defence Force, Navy, and Air Force, with their respective prefixes.
Additionally, alternative fuel vehicles must display a specific plate affixed to both front and rear number plates to assist emergency services in identifying potential hazards.
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Victorian number plate fonts
The design of Victorian number plates has evolved significantly since their introduction in 1910. The initial plates, issued from 1910 to 1939, featured numerals only, ranging from 1 to 285,000. From 1930 onwards, "Vic" inserts were added vertically down the left-hand side of the plate, enhancing its distinctiveness.
In 1939, Victoria adopted a new format with a two-letter, three-number combination (AA-000 to ZZ-999), retaining the "Vic" insert on the left. This format endured until 1953 when, due to the Federal number plate system, Victorian plates transitioned to a three-letter, three-number configuration: GAA-000 to HZZ-999, and JAA-000 to LZZ-999. These plates featured white lettering on a black background and prominently displayed the "Vic" insert at the top.
Over time, specialised plates have been introduced to represent specific regions or affiliations. For instance, plates with the format B-nnnnn are assigned to vehicles registered in Bendigo and Ballarat, featuring blue lettering on a reflective yellow background and customised town inserts. Similarly, the V-nnnn series is reserved for horse studs across Victoria, typically showcasing brown lettering on a yellow background and bearing the slogan "Victorian Thoroughbred".
In 1994, reflective blue-on-white plates were introduced, starting from NAA-000 and ending at QDQ-999. These plates incorporated the state logo of a blue St Edward's Crown and the Victorian Southern Cross. They also featured the slogan "Victoria – On the Move". Two years later, shorter slimline plates were released, offering a different font and the option of blue or green lettering on a white background.
The Euro plates, launched in 2005, measure 520 millimetres by 112 millimetres for standard sizes and 372 millimetres by 100 millimetres for mini sizes. These plates adopt the FE-Schrift font, resembling German plates. The general series range from VAA-000 to VZZ-999 and include a blue section on the left with "Vic" above the Victorian Southern Cross.
In August 2013, Victoria introduced a new series format: naa-naa, starting from 1AA-1AA. This series is estimated to last for 50 years and features the slogan "Vic – Stay Alert Stay Alive". However, the font choice has faced criticism due to potential confusion between certain letter and number combinations, such as "1CE" looking like "ICE" or "4OW" resembling "40W".
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New South Wales number plate updates
New South Wales number plates have gone through several updates and changes over the years. From 1910 to 1937, number plates for cars featured all-numeric serials, running from 1 to 274-000, while plates for lorries had the letter "L" followed by up to five numbers. During this period, until 1924, all plates had black characters on a white background, with the state abbreviation added from 1912 onwards. In 1924, the colour scheme for car plates was reversed to feature white characters on a black background.
In February 1936, a new all-numeric standard Australian style embossed plate was introduced, replacing the previous styles. The current regular issue plates in New South Wales adhere to the standard Australian dimensions of 372 mm (14.6 inches) in length and 134 mm (5.3 inches) in height, utilising standard Australian serial dies.
Motorists in New South Wales have certain choices and exclusions when it comes to number plates. They can choose any combination of letters and numbers, including plates with solely letters, up to a maximum of six characters. Plate customisation has also been introduced, including coloured and premium options, as well as for motorcycles. However, there are restrictions in place to prevent combinations that resemble special plates, such as those for accredited hire-car operators, and numeral-only plates that are auctioned off separately.
Specific types of vehicles in New South Wales have unique number plate formats. Tourist vehicles, for instance, have black-on-yellow plates with the prefix TV·nnna. These plates were originally issued as yellow-on-black in the 1960s and changed to the current reflective format in the early 1980s. Police and emergency vehicles, on the other hand, use slimline plates, with some Highway Patrol vehicles featuring the HWP series from 1975. Fire & Rescue New South Wales vehicles were previously registered with the FBY·nnn series but now use standard plates for both administrative and operational firefighting vehicles.
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Frequently asked questions
There is no single font used for Australian number plates. The font used varies across states and has changed over time. In the past, fonts such as Highway Gothic C, URW Grotesk T Narrow, and Futura have been used in the state of Victoria.
In New South Wales, the standard serial dies font is used for current regular-issue plates. In the past, the state has used various other fonts, including premium typeface fonts and standard dies fonts for their prestige plates.
Yes, Australian number plates have a standard size of 372 mm (14.6 in) in length by 134 mm (5.3 in) in height.
To make Australian number plates, you need to purchase a pressing machine and accessories (mold/jig) to emboss the metal plates. The production time is approximately 25-35 days, and the process involves submitting requirements, receiving a quote, confirming artwork, arranging deposits and production, and finally, cargo delivery and follow-up.
