Belgian car number plates
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Number plates in Belgium are driver specific. If you trade in your old car for a new one, you keep your old number plate.
The rear license plate is state supplied, while the front license plate is owner supplied. This has its influence on the look of the front license plate which can be identical to the rear one or similar to european license plates with a blue EU flag in it. The rear license plate is usually mounted to another plate which contains the "B" letter and usually an advertisement for the car manufacturer.
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[edit] Types
[edit] Standard
The number plate has a white background with red numbers and letters. Usually a three-letter combination followed by a three number combination: "AAA 111". There are still many "old" number plates in use (from the 1951-1973 system): one letter/four numbers or two letters/three numbers in various combinations.
Motor cycles with a capacity of more than 50 cc have black letters on a yellow background and begin with the letter "M". These plates have a square design, with the three letters on the first row and the three numbers on the second. Motor cycles with a capacity less than 50 cc have no license plate.
Sometimes the 1st letter has a special meaning:
- CD: Diplomats
- M or W: is used for motor cycles
- O: can be used on vintage vehicles which are more than 25 years old ("Oldtimers") and with some restrictions (cannot be driven at night or at more than 25 km from the home of the owner, except to go to vehicle meetings)
- TX: Taxi
- U or Q: Trailer Plates (see below)
- Z: Dealer Plate
[edit] History
- 1899-1911: First plates used black letters on white plate.
- 1911-1919: White numbers on black plate. Like currently, only rear plate was provided by the state.
- 1919-1925: White numbers on blue plate.
- 1925-1928: White characters: one letter followed by numbers.
- 1928-1951: Red numbers on white plate.
[edit] Plates still in use, red on white
- 1951-1961: 1 letter, 4 numbers
- 1962-1971: 2 letters, 3 numbers
- 1971-1973: 3 letters, 2 numbers
- 1973-current: 3 letters + 3 numbers
- 2008?: 3 numbers + 3 letters
[edit] Diplomats
The initial letters (CD) are printed in green, followed by a dot "." and 1 letter + 3 numbers printed in red. Older license plates have only three numbers and no letter.
[edit] Members of the Royal Family
The license plate consists of numbers only, following the standard colouring scheme. Cars used by the king and queen only have one number (1 to 9). Cars used by other members of the royal family have two numbers.
[edit] Members of Parliament
The license plate consists of 1 letter followed by 2 to 3 numbers. The initial letter is either "A" for Minister (including regional executives) and Ministers of State (an honorific title for distinguished politicians), or "P" for members of Parliament (including regional parliament).
[edit] Military
White plate with black numbers and a belgian flag on the left.
[edit] Trailer Plates
The new trailer plates have black letters/numbers on a white background and they begin with "Q" or "U". Furthermore they include the european flag on the left side of the plate. However the older version (same as the standard plates) are still on several trailers.
[edit] Temporary License Plates
Temporary license plates consist of 6 numbers. License plates which are assigned for a short period have a red background with white numbers, while license plates for a long period have a white background with blue numbers.
[edit] European Institutions
Staff of the institutions of the European Union located in Belgium may request a specialized number plate. These plates are blue and display the letters "EUR" in a circle of yellow stars on the left hand side.
[edit] EUROCONTROL
Employees at EUROCONTROL can get a blue number plate displaying the word "EURO".
[edit] Dealer Plate
A dealer plate has green letters and numbers on a white background (a "green plate"). Furthermore it has the european flag on the left side. Plates for test drives usually begin with "ZZ". Until a couple of years ago, dealer plates were cheap. Dealers had a lot of them lying around, and they were also used extensively as "normal plates" by friends or relatives of dealers, because these plates are not subject to the normal taxes on cars. The law was changed, a "green plate" became a lot more expensive and more controls happened by Belgian police forces. As a result, dealers kept less plates in their shops, and abuse has diminished.
