Italy

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pre-1963 metal plates

pre-1963 army front car plate. E.I. = army.

International organization plate, used after World War II. CITES = Circolazione Temporanea Enti Stranieri (temporary registration for foreign bodies).

pre-1963 rear car plate. TO = Torino.

1959-1963 motorcycle plate. CN = Cuneo.

1963-1985 plastic plates

1963-1985 motorcycle plate. BO = Bologna.

1963-1985 trailer plate. VI = Vicenza. These plates were mounted on the side of the trailer. On the rear, there was a repeater plate of the towing vehicle's number, usually colored black on yellow, and often home made.

1963-1976 temporary tourist front and rear plates. EE = escursionisti estri (foreign tourists).

1963-1976 normal series pair. MO = Modena. Before 1985, the provincial code preceded the number on rear plates, but followed it on front plates.

Provisional cardboard plate. C1 = Bozen (South Tirol). I assume this format was used until 1976, since the metal-reinforced mounting holes are aligned exactly as they are on the pre-1976 normal series plates. There is an official stamp on the plate.

1976-1985 normal series pair. BA = Bari. You can notice two details: Before 1985, the provincial code preceded the number on rear plates, but followed it on front plates. And from 1976 on, when the orange province code was introduced, the rear plate came in two parts. That way, the same number part could be used either below a long province code part to make a two line plate, or to the right of a short province code part to make a one line plate. To prevent people from exchanging the province code, the two letters are repeated in small size on the number part.

1976-1985 provincial code plate from Aosta. In the French speaking province of Aosta, the provincial shield has been on all license plates since 1947. Until 1976, it was placed between the province code and the numerals. From 1976 on, it preceded the province code.

1976-1985 temporary tourist rear plate. EE = escursionisti estri (foreign tourists). EE rear plates were not in two parts, but the code letters were vertically aligned on the number part, which was possible because there were only five digit serial numbers. The same was done with the letters CD on diplomatic plates.

1985 onwards metal plates

1985-1994 normal series pair. BZ = Bozen.

In this series, the colors were reversed to allow for reflective plates, and the material changed from plastic to metal. The front plate became bigger, and the number format changed to the province code preceding the number, getting in line with the rear plate.

The rear plate came in two parts to allow for the formation of a one line or two line plate. Here, both versions are shown.

1985-1994 normal series front and rear plates from Rome (ROMA). Rome plates always had the city name spelled out in full. But note that the small letters on the number part of the rear plate use the abbreviation RM.

1985 onwards series temporary plate. EE = escursionisti estri (foreign tourists). Front and rear plates are identical. At the top center are two decals showing the month and year of expiry.

1985-1995 series diplomatic plate. CD = diplomatic corps, AU = Germany. Front and rear plates are identical.

1993 onwards moped plate. These use any combination of five letters and numerals. Prior to 1993, mopeds were unregistered.

1994-1998 normal series pair. No regional coding anymore. Rear plates were in one piece, one line rear plates started with A as first letter, then moved on to B and C.

1994-1998 normal series rear plate. No regional coding anymore. Rear plates were in one piece, two line rear plates had Z as the first letter.

1999 onwards normal series pair, the previous series being continued on new Euro style plates. Because people did not like the omission of the regianal code, a blue band was added on the right showing the province in small letters below the year of first registration of the vehicle. BZ = Bozen (South Tirol). The provinces with ethnic minorities (AO-Aosta, French; BZ-Bozen, Austrian; TN-Trento, Ladin) additionally have their shields above the code. Before 1999, only Aosta plates had shields. The shield for Bozen is identical to that of the Austrian province of Tirol.

1999 onwards motorcyle plate.

See also from the Military Forces Abroad page:

United States forces in Italy
Series used until 1969. This plate was used on a vehicle based in Livorno.

United States forces in Italy
Current series from 1968. AFI = Allied Forces in Italy, U = Udine, H = Cagliari.

The first vehicle of a force member is tax free and has white plates. Additional vehicles are subject to Italian taxes and receive black plates with the number 2 before the base code letter.

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	pre-1963 army front car plate. E.I. = army.
	International organization plate, used after World War II. CITES = Circolazione Temporanea Enti Stranieri (temporary registration for foreign bodies).
	pre-1963 rear car plate. TO = Torino.
	1959-1963 motorcycle plate. CN = Cuneo.

	1963-1985 motorcycle plate. BO = Bologna.
	1963-1985 trailer plate. VI = Vicenza. These plates were mounted on the side of the trailer. On the rear, there was a repeater plate of the towing vehicle's number, usually colored black on yellow, and often home made.
	1963-1976 temporary tourist front and rear plates. EE = escursionisti estri (foreign tourists).
	1963-1976 normal series pair. MO = Modena. Before 1985, the provincial code preceded the number on rear plates, but followed it on front plates.
	Provisional cardboard plate. C1 = Bozen (South Tirol). I assume this format was used until 1976, since the metal-reinforced mounting holes are aligned exactly as they are on the pre-1976 normal series plates. There is an official stamp on the plate.
	1976-1985 normal series pair. BA = Bari. You can notice two details: Before 1985, the provincial code preceded the number on rear plates, but followed it on front plates. And from 1976 on, when the orange province code was introduced, the rear plate came in two parts. That way, the same number part could be used either below a long province code part to make a two line plate, or to the right of a short province code part to make a one line plate. To prevent people from exchanging the province code, the two letters are repeated in small size on the number part.
	1976-1985 provincial code plate from Aosta. In the French speaking province of Aosta, the provincial shield has been on all license plates since 1947. Until 1976, it was placed between the province code and the numerals. From 1976 on, it preceded the province code.
	1976-1985 temporary tourist rear plate. EE = escursionisti estri (foreign tourists). EE rear plates were not in two parts, but the code letters were vertically aligned on the number part, which was possible because there were only five digit serial numbers. The same was done with the letters CD on diplomatic plates.

	1985-1994 normal series pair. BZ = Bozen. In this series, the colors were reversed to allow for reflective plates, and the material changed from plastic to metal. The front plate became bigger, and the number format changed to the province code preceding the number, getting in line with the rear plate. The rear plate came in two parts to allow for the formation of a one line or two line plate. Here, both versions are shown.
	1985-1994 normal series front and rear plates from Rome (ROMA). Rome plates always had the city name spelled out in full. But note that the small letters on the number part of the rear plate use the abbreviation RM.
	1985 onwards series temporary plate. EE = escursionisti estri (foreign tourists). Front and rear plates are identical. At the top center are two decals showing the month and year of expiry.
	1985-1995 series diplomatic plate. CD = diplomatic corps, AU = Germany. Front and rear plates are identical.
	1993 onwards moped plate. These use any combination of five letters and numerals. Prior to 1993, mopeds were unregistered.
	1994-1998 normal series pair. No regional coding anymore. Rear plates were in one piece, one line rear plates started with A as first letter, then moved on to B and C.
	1994-1998 normal series rear plate. No regional coding anymore. Rear plates were in one piece, two line rear plates had Z as the first letter.
	1999 onwards normal series pair, the previous series being continued on new Euro style plates. Because people did not like the omission of the regianal code, a blue band was added on the right showing the province in small letters below the year of first registration of the vehicle. BZ = Bozen (South Tirol). The provinces with ethnic minorities (AO-Aosta, French; BZ-Bozen, Austrian; TN-Trento, Ladin) additionally have their shields above the code. Before 1999, only Aosta plates had shields. The shield for Bozen is identical to that of the Austrian province of Tirol.
	1999 onwards motorcyle plate.

	United States forces in Italy Series used until 1969. This plate was used on a vehicle based in Livorno.
	United States forces in Italy Current series from 1968. AFI = Allied Forces in Italy, U = Udine, H = Cagliari. The first vehicle of a force member is tax free and has white plates. Additional vehicles are subject to Italian taxes and receive black plates with the number 2 before the base code letter.