Vehicle registration plates of Austria

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Austrian car number plates are license plates found on Austrian cars.

Contents

[edit] Appearance

Example of a license plate in Austria
Example of a license plate in Austria
License plate from Austria - W stands for Vienna.
License plate from Austria - W stands for Vienna.

The license plates are made of metal. On the left there is a blue bar like in other EU countries; the text is in black letters on a white background. Two plates have to be present on each car- one on the front and one on the rear.

[edit] Numbering system

The text format on the plates is "xx state number letters" or "xx state letters number";

  • xx - one or two letters denoting the district of main residence of car holder. State capitals have one letter, all other districts have two letters.
  • state - insignia depicting the state the district is in; diplomatic cars have a dash (–)
  • number/letters - incrementing

there are several numbering schemes:

  • Until the year 2000, the plates were issued by the district administrations and a variety of numbering schemes have been used, such as one digit and three letters (eg FK 1 ABC for a car from Feldkirch district, Vorarlberg), two digits and two letters (eg WL 12 AB for a car form Wels district in Upper Austria) etc.
  • Since 2000, the plates are issued by car insurance companies and normally show three digits and two letters (eg xx 123 AB) in each county.
  • Cars in Vienna spot up to 5 digit numbers + 1 letter (eg W 12345 A) or 4 digit numbers + 2 letters (eg W 1234 AB)
    • moreover the letters are standardized for special types of cars:
      • RD - Rettungsdienst (ambulances)
      • BE - Bestattung (funeral services)
      • TX - Taxi (cabs)
      • LO - Linienomnibus (public buses)
      • GT - Gütertransport (trucks)
  • Army, diplomats, police etc. just have a number (starting with 1, incrementing)

[edit] Custom plates

For a fee it is possible to customize license plates; the format on those is "xx state custom_letters custom_number". These plates can easily be distinguished from standard plates because here the letters are followed by the number. (eg. G TOMMY 1)

[edit] Location prefixes (complete list)

  • Other
    • WD - Diplomatic corps in Vienna
    • GK - Consular officials in Styria
    • BB - Bundesbahn (Federal Railways)
    • BD - Kraftfahrlinien Bundesbus (Bus Service)
    • BG - Gendarmerie (local police) - obsolete since 2005 when Gendarmerie and Police merged, but still valid on Gendarmerie/police cars registrated before 2005
    • BP - Bundespolizei (state police) - since 2005 the only prefix for all newly registered police cars
    • BH - Bundesheer (Federal Army)
    • PT - Post & Telekom Austria
    • JW - Justizwache
    • ZW - Zollwache
    • FV - Finanzverwaltung (Financial Administration)
v • d • e
Vehicle registration plates of Europe
Sovereign
states

Albania · Andorra · Armenia1 · Austria · Azerbaijan2 · Belarus · Belgium · Bosnia and Herzegovina · Bulgaria · Croatia · Cyprus1 · Czech Republic · Denmark4 · Estonia · Finland · France4, 5, 6 · Georgia2 · Germany · Greece · Hungary · Iceland · Republic of Ireland · Italy · Kazakhstan3 · Latvia · Liechtenstein · Lithuania · Luxembourg · Republic of Macedonia · Malta · Moldova · Monaco · Montenegro · Netherlands · Norway · Poland · Portugal · Romania · Russia3 · San Marino · Serbia · Slovakia · Slovenia · Spain6 · Sweden · Switzerland · Turkey3 · Ukraine · United Kingdom (England • Northern Ireland • Scotland • Wales)
Dependencies,
autonomies,
other territories
Italics indicates an unrecognised or partially recognised country. 1 Entirely in Southwest Asia.  2 Partially or entirely in Asia, depending on the border definitions.  3 / 4 / 5 / 6 Has part of its territory in Asia / North America / South America / Africa.  7 / 8 Entirely on the North American Plate / African Plate.