 French front plate with local reference to a Department number (from 2009). In this example, 00 is used as a placeholder. There is a regional logo at the top right and the number of the department below it. | |
| Country | France |
|---|---|
| Country code | F |
| Current series | |
| Size | 520 mm × 110 mm 20.5 in × 4.3 in |
| Serial format | AA-123-AA |
| Colour (front) | Black on white |
| Colour (rear) | Black on white |
| Introduced | 2009 |
| History | |
| First issued | 1901 |
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Vehicle registration plates are mandatory number plates used to display the registration mark of a vehicle registered in France. They have existed in the country since 1901. It is compulsory for most motor vehicles used on public roads to display them.
In French, vehicle registration plates are called plaques d'immatriculation or plaques minéralogiques. The latter makes a reference to the national mining administration, which was responsible for issuing the plates in the early 20th century.
Since 1901, various systems have been successively introduced, the most recent dating from 2009. The registration plates issued since 2009 use a XX-NNN-ZZ format, composed of a series of 7 alphanumeric characters: 2 letters, 3 numbers, and then 2 letters (e.g. AB-126-FD). This format is monitored nationwide and car plates are permanent and attached to a single vehicle from its first registration to its disposal. As such, car plates do not need to be changed if the car is sold or if the owner moves to another region within France.
Cars bought before 2009 can still bear the old format, dating from 1950, if the owner has not moved to a different département since then. Unlike the new one, the 1950 format is geographical. Until 2009, car plates had to be changed whenever the owner moved to another département or bought a car from a person living in a different département. The 1950 format uses a N X NN format, composed of a series of one to four numbers, one to three letters and a two-digit code corresponding to the département where the car is registered. The international code for French plates is "F" (France).