Vehicle registration plates in Trinidad and Tobago are based on the type of vehicle and letter of the alphabet.
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Each registration number begins with a letter designating type of vehicle.
| Prefix | Type |
|---|---|
| P | Private Vehicle |
| D | Automobile Dealership |
| R | Rental Vehicle |
| H | Hired Vehicle, bus, taxi |
| V | Visitors |
| X | Terrestrial vehicles e.g. Paver (vehicle), extra heavy cranes |
| T | Transportation (Goods) Vehicles & Pickup Trucks |
Plates for each type are issued in alphabetical order, with the letters I, Q, and V excluded so as to avoid conflict with 1, O and diplomatic including the military and coast guard initials. The Trinidad Regiment bears a registration mark starting with TTR, the Defence Force bears a registration mark starting with TTDF, the Coast Guard bears a registration mark starting with TTCG and Voluntary Defence Force VDF.
Registration numbers have been issued in a prefix of letter "series", followed by the assigned numbers from 1 - 9999. When the number 9999 has been issued, the Licensing Authority then starts a new lettering "series" beginning from 1.The first registered vehicles bore the registration mark P 1, P 2, P 3 etc. Depending on the classification of the vehicle, the leading letter would reflect its use. A goods vehicle would have been e.g. T 567. A hired vehicle (taxi) would have been H 1998.
Upon the issue of registration number P 9999, a new "series" was issued; That was PA. From a goods vehicle TA. It started at PA 1 and ended at PA 9999. At the end of the end of that series, a new "series" was issued being PB. And so it continued. Upon the issuance of Registration number PZ 9999, The "series" then added a third letter and began PAA, or TAA for a goods vehicle, and HAA for a taxi. The first registration number in that "series" being PAA 1, and the last PAA 9999. The following "series" followed suit; PAB; PAC; PAD etc. Upon the issuance of the last in the PAZ "series" the new "series" began as PBA' followed by PBB, PBC, PBD etc. At the end of the PBZ "series", the new "series" began PCA, followed by PCB, PCC, PCD etc. With the noted exception of PCG, as this would have caused two main concerns, the first being the similarity to the Coast Guards registration mark of TTCG when issued for a goods vehicle, and the second being the similarity to the previously issued PCC "series".
The Motor Vehicle Act of Trinidad & Tobago specifies the use of either "white letters and numbers on a black surface" or alternatively, "the letters and numbers shall be black on a white surface." In both instances the regulations states that "every letter or figure shall be indelibly inscribed or so attached to such surface that it cannot readily be detached therefrom" .
The current series (June 2011) is "CT" (PCT/TCT/RCT/HCT etc.).
There has been officially over 800,000 vehicles registered for use on the roads of Trinidad & Tobago.
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