Germany
Special type plates
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| Trade Plates | |
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Trade plates, in pre-Euro and Euro style. AUR = Aurich SG = Solingen Trade plates have red characters, and the serial number starts with 06. They are issued to car dealers, manufacturers and repair shops and can be used by them on any unregistered vehicle. |
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Moped trade plate. Just like normal moped plates, trade plates are issued annually by the insurance companies. But while normal moped plates have black, green and blue characters in a tri-annual pattern, trade plates are always red and the first serial letter is always Z. |
| Temporary Plates | |
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Temporary plate. D = Düsseldorf. This is the older style. These plates were similar to dealer plates, but started with 04. Anyone could "borrow" such a plate from the registration authority for some days. Then the plates had to be returned. |
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Temporary plates. WES = Wesel; one line car plate. |
| Temporary Export Plates | |
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1951-1989 customs plates Until 1988, export plates were not issued by the normal registration authorities, but by the customs authority. Plates were oval and had a code denoting the customs office above the letter Z and one to four serial digits. Upper plate: 1951-1967 series. 728 = Stuttgart-Ost customs office. The seal reads "Zollzweigstelle Daimler-Benz Sindelfingen" (Customs branch office Daimler-Benz Sindelfingen). So this plate certainly was on a Mercedes car produced in the Sindelfingen plant, and registered right on the premises by the customs office there. I love such plates that tell their story! Middle Plate: 1967-1977 plate for motorcycles/trailers. 11 = Krefeld customs office. In 1967 the code list changed. The new codes were three digits for cars (two plates), and one or two digits for motorcycles and trailers (one plate).The seal reads "Hauptzollamt Krefeld" Lower plate: 1977-1989 plate for cars, trucks, etc. 890 = Stuttgart-West customs office. This plate is from after 1977, when the inscription of the seal changed to a uniform "Bundesfinanzverwaltung D". |
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1989 onwards temporary export plates.
S = Stuttgart WOB = Wolfsburg HB = Bremen. Up to four serial digits are followed by one serial letter. At the right is a red band showing the expiration date. Earlier plates had the year above the month, current plates have the date in the form day/month/year. Such plates are valid up to 1 year, have a red authority seal and no inspection stickers. They can only be obtained by non-Germans. The WOB plate is a special format for American specifications cars, using the dies for the smaller style tractor-size plates. The validation seal on the HB plate shows that it is from Bremerhaven, an exclave of the city state of Bremen. Euro style export plates do not have the blue band at the left. |
| Historic Vehicle Plates | |
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Historic vehicle plate pair. K = Köln.
Such plates are issued to vehicles that are at least 30 years old and fulfill certain criteria. The letter H is appended to an otherwise normal series number. Note that the letter is not considered part of the registration number. Therefore, it is not possible that the normal number K-YC707 is issued at the same time. Also note that no exhaust emissions test is required, so there is no hexagonal sticker on the front plate. |
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Historic vehicle collector plates. W = Wuppertal DU = Duisburg; American car plate These plates are similar to trade plates, but starting with 07 instead of 06. Also their use is similar: They are not assigned to one vehicle, but to the entire fleet of an antique vehicle collector. Usage is strictly restricted to antique car events and test driving. |
| Seasonal Plates | |
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Seasonal plates. D = Düsseldorf NZ = Neustrelitz (not issued anymore) These are otherwise normal series plates, showing the first and last month of validity on the right. The registrant can choose any period between 2 to 10 months. The D plate is valid every year from April to November. The NZ plate is valid in the winter season, from October to April. The D plate was used on the front of an American car with special permission, because a full size plate would not have fit. |
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Seasonal motorcycle plates. UM = Uckermark SÜW = Südliche Weinstraße The UM plate an example of the stickers being placed on the left side of the lower line, which is permitted for motorcycles if a shorter plate is possible that way. The SÜW plate is in the 2011 onwards style with smaller characters and the dates placed on the center line. |
| Tax Free Plates | |
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Tax free plates, in pre-Euro and Euro style. MH = Mülheim an der Ruhr JL = Jerichower Land. Tax free plates (e.g. for ambulances, charitable organizations, certain trailers) have green characters. |
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Agricultuaral tractor plates in pre-Euro and Euro style. UE = Uelzen OSL = Oberspreewald-Lausitz These are smaller size and have green characters, because such vehicles pay no road taxes. |
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