Vehicle registration plates of Finland
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Finnish car number plates usually carry three letters and three numbers separated with a dash, though vanity plates may carry just one of each. Since 1989 the code has no connection with the geographic location, except that Åland has its own type of plate. Between 1972/1973 and 1989 the first letter indicated where the vehicle had first time been registered as it the plate did not have to be changed even the vehicle was moved to another area of Finland.
[edit] History
History of license plates in Finland
1917-1922: Right after gaining independence, different license plates are issued for each city.
1922-1929: The standard plate has a white field, on which a provincial designation and four-digit number is marked.
1930s-40s: Annual plates are issued. Plates for odd-numbered years are white with black markings and plates for even-numbered years are black with white markings. The registration number consists of a provincial designation, dash and a (maximum) four-digit number. A seal and the last two digits of the current year are marked on the left side of the plate.
1950: Annual plates are no longer issued. The standard registration number consists of two letters, a dash and a (maximum) three-digit number, embossed in white on a black field. The first letter is the provincial designation.
1960: A white border is added to the plate. The registration number consists of three letters and one or two numbers.
1972: The current license plate type is introduced.
1996: The size of the vehicle license plate is reduced. The old dimensions are 123 mm x 342 mm and 123 mm x 397 mm.
2001: The EU-plates are introduced.
[edit] Current
The registration number consists of two or three letters and a (maximum) three-digit number, embossed in black on a white, reflective field. A dash appears between the letter and number series.
License plate dimensions are 118 mm x 442 mm or 200 mm x 256 mm.
Hole location/long plate: longitudinally 63,5 mm from the edge, vertically 59,0 mm from the edge (hole diameter 7 mm). Hole location/high plate: longitudinally 18,0 mm from the edge, vertically 100,0 mm from the edge (hole diameter 7 mm).
Old model license plate dimensions are 118 mm x 397 mm or 118 mm x 338 mm.
Hole location (118 mm x 397 mm): longitudinally 18,75 mm from the edge, vertically 59,6 mm from the edge (hole diameter 7 mm). Hole location (118 mm x 338 mm): longitudinally 16,75 mm from the edge, vertically 59,6 mm from the edge (hole diameter 7 mm).
On the vehicle designated for the President of the Finnish Republic, the license plates can be replaced with the Finnish coat-of-arms.
 |
ABC-123 |
An Åland number-plate has blue lettering.
| ÅLA-123 |
Regular, non-vanity plates also have some more limitations:
- 2-3 letters & 1-3 numbers
- The letters used are A-Z and Å, Ä & Ö
- The letter part may not begin with P or W (used for trailers, but if you want to buy specific plate then you can have also these letters in the beginning)
- The number part may not begin with 0
[edit] Special plates
A diplomatic number plate has a blue background and white reflective lettering. The letters are either "C" or "CD", for French "Corps Diplomatique". CD plates are with maximum of four numbers and C maximum of five numbers.
| CD-123 |
| C-1234 |
Museum registered cars have black plates which have two or three letters and maximum of three numbers with white color. Size on the plate is 118 mm x 338 mm.
| MAA-123 |
Museum registered motorcycles have black plates which have two letters and maximum of three numbers with white color. Size on the plate is 119 mm x 280 mm
| MR-100 |
Tractors and other similar work vehicles have maximum of three numbers and maximum of three letters, separated by a middot, with black on reflective yellow background.
| 561-ZN |
