Vehicle registration plates of Estonia
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Vehicle registration plates of Estonia are composed of three numbers and three letters (e.g. 123 ABC). The registration plates are coloured black letters on a white background, and are the same size and length as other European plates. Previously the first of the three letters indicated the region of Estonia in which the car was registered; however, as of 2013, this is no longer the case. The third digit from the numbers indicated states when the car is due an inspection. It can be inspected up to 2 months after that digit. All modern Estonian plates are issued with the blue European Union identification label, as seen in picture one.
History
The first, post-Soviet, Estonian registration plates (1991) were composed of three numbers, with a licence label in the middle of the plate. The labels were dropped in 2004.
Only two suffixes were used on Soviet era plates: ЕА and ЭС. Neither identified any specific town or city, but rather served to inform that the vehicle had been registered in the Estonian SSR. There were plans to introduce an additional ЕС suffix, but as this occurred just before the collapse of the Soviet Union, the mark was subsequently allocated to the Russian city of St. Petersburg.[1]
Car designations (from when the system was being used)
- A and B- Tallinn
- D - Viljandimaa
- F - Pärnumaa
- G - Valgamaa
- H - Hiiumaa
- I - Ida-Virumaa outside of Narva
- J - Jõgevamaa
- K - Saaremaa (K as Kuressaare)
- L - Raplamaa
- M - Harjumaa outside of Tallinn
- N - Narva
- O - Põlvamaa
- P - Järvamaa (P as Paide)
- R - Lääne-Virumaa (R as Rakvere)
- S - Läänemaa (S as Haapsalu)
- T - Tartumaa
- V - Võrumaa
Special plates
- For American sized cars, the plate is the size of a standard American plate, and is composed of two numbers and three letters, the first of the three letters being Z to indicate the car is American sized (e.g. 12 ZCL), and is colored black letters on white background.
- For foreign residents, the plate is colored black letters on a yellow background, and consists of three numbers and three letters. The first two letters are EE, to indicate that it is owned by a foreign resident.
- For trailers, the plate consists of three numbers and two letters (e.g. 123 AB), and is colored black letters on white background.
- For motorcycles, the plate consists of two numbers and two letters (e.g. 12 AB), and is colored black letters on white background.
- For diplomatic corps, the plate is colored white letters on a blue background, and consists of two letters and four numbers. The two letters are either CD (for Corps Diplomatique) or AT (for Attaché). The first two numbers are a code for the individual Embassy. The Ambassador's private vehicles have registration plates with the letters CMD followed by three figures; again, the first two figures are the Embassy code.
- For the temporary license plate series, the plate is colored red letters on a white background and composed of two letters, a hyphen and four (for cars, trucks and buses) or three (for trailers) numbers. The letter indicates where the car was registered.
- For military vehicles, white letters on black background are used, their format is similar to cars, trailers or motorcycles. The first letters are EK, to indicate that the vehicle is belong to the Army.
- For Agricultural vehicles, the plate consists of four numbers and two letters (e.g. 1234 AB), and is colored black letters on white background.
- For Dealer vehicles, the plate is colored white letters on a dark green background (briefly used in 1993, not in use anymore).[2]
- For President's vehicle, they don't have a number, and bear coat of arms instead.
References
External links
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