Vehicle registration plates of Germany

thumb|right|1-letter area code Z for [[Zwickau ]]

thumb|right|2-letter area code TR for [[Trier ]]

thumb|right|3-letter area code CUX for [[Cuxhaven ]]

Vehicle registration plates ( or, more colloquially, ) are mandatory alphanumeric plates used to display the registration mark of a vehicle registered in Germany. They have existed in the country since 1906, with the current system in use since 1956. German registration plates are alphanumeric plates in a standardised format, issued officially by the district authorities.

All motorised vehicles participating in road traffic on public space, whether moving or stationary, have to bear the plates allotted to them, displayed at the appropriate spaces at the front and rear. Additionally, the official seals on the plates show their validity which can also be proven by the documentation coming with them. Motorcycles and trailers carry only a rear plate.

A significant feature of German vehicle registration plates is the area code, which can be used to tell the district of registration. It has developed into a widespread habit in Germany, even a children's game when travelling, to guess "where that vehicle is from".

==Format and legal requirements==

thumb|275px|right|Number plate in post-1994 format (FE-style)

thumb|240px|right|Number plate in pre-1994 format (DIN-style), no longer issued but still in use

thumb|240px|right|Number plate with few characters, hence shorter than standard 520×110

thumb|120px|right|Number plate for motorcycles, issued until 2011 (280×200)

thumb|110px|right|Number plate for motorcycles, issued since 2011 (200×220)

thumb|110px|right|Small number plate (255×130)

Legal

The legal requirements for these licence plates are laid down in a federal law titled (Ordinance on the admission of vehicles for road traffic), or in the shortened version which replaced part of an older law named in 2011. The law distinguishes between meaning a specific combination of letters and digits, and which are the physical licence plates.

Typeface

Modern German plates use a typeface called FE-Schrift (, tamper-hindering script). It is designed so that the letter P cannot be altered to look exactly like an R, and vice versa; nor can the F or the L be forged to equal an E, etc. Another feature is the equal width of all characters, different from the old DIN 1451 script which had been in use since the introduction of the current system in 1956. FE-Schrift can be read by OCR software for automatic number plate recognition more easily than DIN 1451.

The present style was introduced in 1994 and became mandatory in 2000, so the number of licence plates issued in the old style has become very rare. As with many plates for countries within the European Union, a blue strip on the left shows a shortened country code in white text (D for = Germany) and the Flag of Europe (12 golden stars forming a circle on a blue background).

Material

Traditionally, German licence plates are made of aluminium sheeting, with embossed characters rising above background level. Over the years, however, various other materials have been used, albeit to a small extent only. Since 2013, a new style of plates made of plastic is allowed. They are said to be less sensitive to mechanical damage and to cause less CO2 emission in their production, but are more expensive.

File:Kennzeichen SLS 1964.jpg|Licence plate with part-plastic (1964); plate and area code are embossed whereas the identifier characters (J 5) are riveted on.

File:Plate-LD-L787.JPG|All-plastic plate (2008)

File:Kunststoff-Kennzeichen "3D-Kennzeichen".jpg|Plastic licence plate (2013), characters clipped on

File:German licence plate ...Z5000, detail, all metal.jpg|Detailed view of all-metal plate, characters partly worn off

File:FCN fan sticker on plate.jpg|FCN sticker on a licence plate (not exactly legal)

</gallery>

Number plates are retroflective, but must not be mirroring, concealed or soiled, nor may they be covered by glass, foil or similar layers.

Constituent elements

thumb|300px|Map of German districts and their licence plate codes

Area code

The first part or consists of one, two or three letters representing the district where the car was registered, such as B for Berlin or HSK for Hochsauerlandkreis. These letters basically refer to the German districts, yet after some changes in the law they are no longer unambiguous. When the current system was introduced, each district was assigned exactly one abbreviation. Whenever a district was merged with another or changed its name, their area code would be redefined. Whereas existing registrations would remain valid, any vehicle registered henceforth could only be issued the current code. In some cases an urban district and the surrounding non-urban district share the same letter code. Usually, these are distinguished by different letter/digit patterns. The assignment of each code and combination is registered with the (ZFZR). revoking the rule of unambiguity. In consequence, many districts now use more than one code, and certain codes, on the other hand, are not assigned to one district only. Likewise, several cities that share their code with the surrounding rural districts have started using any available codes for both districts without any distinction; the city of Regensburg, for example, and the surrounding rural district of Regensburg used different systems with their code R only until 2007.

Germany includes diacritical marks in the letters of some codes, that is the letters Ä, Ö, and Ü, but not ẞ. For a long time, German codes kept to the rule that a code with an umlaut would prohibit another code with the respective blank vowel, e.g. there could not be a district code FU as the code FÜ was already in use for Fürth. This rule was disregarded in 1996, when BÖ was introduced for Bördekreis in spite of BO existing for Bochum. However Bördekreis got BK in 2007, probably because of confusions abroad, for fines etc.

File:Licence plate N-AR 9 Nuremberg.jpg|N plate with two middle letters from Nuremberg (Nürnberg) city

File:Licence plate N-A 5 Nürnberger Land.jpg|N plate with one middle letter from Nürnberger Land district

File:GERMANY License plates with German letters - Flickr - woody1778a.jpg|Two plates with s, from Göttingen and Würzburg

</gallery>

Development of the area code

When the area codes were introduced, they were intended mainly as a means for police officers to identify speeders and other traffic offenders. However, they soon developed into everyday abbreviations of people's home areas and were cherished or despised. Sometimes, the codes of neighbouring districts were given mocking or spiteful meanings. When districts merged and only one of their codes could be continued, fierce battles might ensue about which one.

The Büsingen exclave

thumb|right|Licence plate from the municipality of Büsingen, 1970s

Since 1968, a peculiar rule has applied to the municipality of which is a German exclave completely surrounded by Swiss territory. Although Büsingen belongs to the German district of Konstanz, it is part of the Swiss customs area. For this reason, a vehicle registered to a citizen of Büsingen does not bear KN for Konstanz but BÜS, signifying to Swiss customs officers that this is in fact a domestic vehicle. There are about 700 cars with this area code, which makes Büsingen the smallest and least-populated registration precinct in Germany.

List of area codes

{| class="wikitable"

! List of license plate area codes of Germany

{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"

! colspan="5" | Codes starting with letter A

! scope="col" style="width: 40px;" |Code

! scope="col" style="width: 160px;" |City / rural district

! scope="col" style="width: 175px;" |State

! scope="col" style="width: 125px;" |Namesake

! scope="col" style="width: 350px;" |Notes

| rowspan="2" | A

| Augsburg City

| rowspan="2" | Bavaria

| rowspan="2" | Augsburg

| From [A-AA 100 to 999] To [A-ZZ 100 to 999] (Excludes [A-PS 100 to 999], reserved for city Police) From [A-AA 5000 to 9999] to [A-ZZ 5000 to 9999] [A-X 1 to 999] Where X is: B, F, G [A-XY 1 to 99] Where either X or Y or both are: B, F, G

| Augsburg District

| From [A-A 1000 to 9999] To [A-Z 1000 to 9999] From [A-AA 1000 to 4999] to [A-ZZ 1000 to 4999] [A-X 1 to 999] Where X isn't: B, F, G [A-XY 1 to 99] Where neither X nor Y are: B, F, G

| AA || Ostalb District || Baden-Württemberg || Aalen ||

| rowspan="2" | AB

| Aschaffenburg District

| rowspan="2" | Bavaria

| rowspan="2" | Aschaffenburg

| From [AB-AA 100 to 9999] to [AB-ZZ 100 to 9999] [AB-X 1 to 999] Where X is: B, F, G, I, O, Q [AB-'XY 1 to 99] Where either X or Y or both are: B, F, G, I, O, Q

| Aschaffenburg City

|From [AB-A 1000 to 9999] to [ AB-Z 1000 to 9999] [AB-X 1 to 999] Where X is not: B, F, G, I, O, Q [AB-'XY 1 to 99] Where neither X nor Y are: B, F, G, I, O, Q

| ABG || Altenburger Land District || Thuringia || Altenburg|Altenburg ||

| ABI || Anhalt-Bitterfeld District || Saxony-Anhalt || Anhalt-Bitterfeld ||

| AC || Aachen Region || North Rhine-Westphalia || Aachen ||

| AE || Vogtland District || Saxony || Auerbach ||

| AH || Borken District || North Rhine-Westphalia || Ahaus ||

| rowspan="2" | AIB

| Munich District

| rowspan="2" | Bavaria

| rowspan="2" | Bad Aibling

| From [AIB-Q 1] to [AIB-Q 9999]

| Rosenheim District

| Every other available combination

| AIC || Aichach-Friedberg District || Bavaria || Aichach ||

| AK || Altenkirchen (Westerwald) District || Rhineland-Palatinate || Altenkirchen|Altenkirchen ||

| ALF || Hildesheim District || Lower Saxony || Alfeld ||

| ALZ || Aschaffenburg District || Bavaria || Alzenau ||

| AM || Amberg City || Bavaria || Amberg ||From [AM-A 1 to 999] to [AM-Z 1 to 999] From [AM-AA 1 to 99] to [AM-ZZ 1 to 99]

| rowspan="2" | AN

| Ansbach District

| rowspan="2" | Bavaria

| rowspan="2" |Ansbach

| From [AN-AA 100 to 999] to [AN-ZZ 100 to 999] [AN-X 1 to 999] Where X is: B, F, G, I, O, Q [AN-'XY 1 to 99] Where either X or Y or both are: B, F, G, I, O, Q

| Ansbach City

| [AN-X 1 to 999] Where X is not: B, F, G, I, O, Q [AN-'XY 1 to 99] Where neither X nor Y are: B, F, G, I, O, Q

| ANA || Erzgebirge District || Saxony || Annaberg-Buchholz ||

| ANG || Uckermark District || Brandenburg || Angermünde ||

| ANK || Vorpommern-Greifswald District (Excluding Greifswald City) || Mecklenburg-Vorpommern || Anklam ||

| AÖ || Altötting District || Bavaria || Altötting|Altötting ||

| AP || Weimarer Land District || Thuringia || Apolda ||

| APD || Weimarer Land District || Thuringia || Apolda ||

| ARN || Ilm District || Thuringia || Arnstadt ||

| ART || Kyffhäuser District || Thuringia || Artern ||

| AS || Amberg-Sulzbach District || Bavaria || Amberg-Sulzbach ||

| ASL || Salzland District || Saxony-Anhalt || Ascherleben ||

| ASZ || Erzgebirge District || Saxony || Aue-Schwarzenberg ||

| AT || Mecklenburgische Seenplatte District (Excluding Neubrandenburg City) || Mecklenburg-Vorpommern || Altentreptow ||

| AU || Erzgebirge District || Saxony || Aue-Bad Schlema ||

| AUR || Aurich District || Lower Saxony || Aurich ||

| AW || Ahrweiler District || Rhineland-Palatinate || Bad Neuenahr-Ahrweiler ||

| AZ || Alzey-Worms District || Rhineland-Palatinate || Alzey ||

| AZE || Anhalt-Bitterfeld District || Saxony-Anhalt || Anhalt-Zerbst ||

{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"

! colspan="5" | Codes starting with letter B

! scope="col" style="width: 40px;" |Code

! scope="col" style="width: 160px;" |City / rural district

! scope="col" style="width: 175px;" |State

! scope="col" style="width: 125px;" |Namesake

! scope="col" style="width: 350px;" |Notes

| B

| colspan="2"| Berlin

| Berlin ||

| rowspan="2" | BA

| Bamberg City

| rowspan="2" | Bavaria

| rowspan="2" |Bamberg

| From [BA-AA 100 to 9999] to [BA-ZZ 100 to 9999] [BA-X 1 to 9999] Where X is :B, F, G, I, O, Q (Excludes [BA-P 1000 to 9999], reserved for City Police) [BA-XY 1 to 999] Where either X or Y or both are: B, F, G, I, O, Q

| Bamberg District

| [BA-X 1 to 9999] Where X is not:B, F, G, I, O, Q (Excludes [BA-P 1000 to 9999], reserved for District Police) [BA-XY 1 to 99] Where neither X nor Y are: B, F, G, I, O, Q

| BAD || Baden-Baden City || Baden-Württemberg || Baden-Baden ||

| BAR || Barnim District || Brandenburg || Barnim ||

| BB || Böblingen District || Baden-Württemberg || Böblingen |Böblingen ||

| BBG || Salzland District || Saxony-Anhalt || Bernburg ||

| BBL || Brandenburg Government, Landtag, and Police || Brandenburg || Brandenburgische Landesregierung || Code reserved for Brandenburg State-owned governmental vehicles

| BC || Biberach District || Baden-Württemberg || Biberach ||

| BCH || Neckar-Odenwald District || Baden-Württemberg || Buchen ||

| BD

| colspan="2"| German Bundestag, Bundesrat, Office of the Federal President, Federal Government and Ministries, Federal fiscal administration (incl. Federal Customs Service), and Federal Constitutional Court

| Bundesdienst (Federal service) || Code reserved for federally owned governmental vehicles

| BE || Warendorf District || North Rhine-Westphalia || Beckum ||

| BED || Mittelsachsen District || Saxony || Brand-Erbisdorf ||

| BER || Barnim District || Brandenburg || Bernau ||

| BF || Steinfurt District || North Rhine-Westphalia || Burgsteinfurt ||

| BGD || Berchtesgadener Land District || Bavaria || Berchtesgaden ||

| BGL || Berchtesgadener Land District || Bavaria || Berchtesgadener Land ||

| rowspan="2" | BH

| Ortenau District

| rowspan="2" | Baden-Württemberg

| rowspan="2" |Bühl

| [BH-OF 1 to 999] and [BH-OP 1 to 999] From [BH-F 7000] to [BH-F 7999] From [BH-N 8000] to [BH-N 8999] From [BH-O 2000] to [BH-O 2999] From [BH-OF 1000] to [BH-OF 6999] From [BH-OG 9000] to [BH-OG 9999] From [BH-OK 3000] to [BH-OK 3999] From [BH-OP 1000] to [BH-OP 4999]

| Rastatt District

| Every other available combination

| BI || Bielefeld City || North Rhine-Westphalia || Bielefeld ||

| BID || Marburg-Biedenkopf District || Hesse || Biedenkopf ||

| BIN || Mainz-Bingen District || Rhineland-Palatinate || Bingen ||

| BIR || Birkenfeld District || Rhineland-Palatinate || Birkenfeld ||

| BIT || Eifel District Bitburg-Prüm || Rhineland-Palatinate || Bitburg ||

| BIW || Bautzen District || Saxony || Bischofswerda ||

| rowspan="3" | BK

| Rems-Murr District

| rowspan="2" | Baden-Württemberg

| rowspan="2" |Backnang

| From [BK-A 100 to 999] to [BK-M 100 to 999] (Excluding Codes B, F, G, I) From [BK-N 1] to [BK-Z 999] (Excluding codes O and Q) From [BK-AA 1 to 99] to [BK-PZ 1 to 99] (Excluding Codes B, F, G, I, O, Q) From [BK-A 1000 to 9999] to [BK-Z 1000 to 9999]

| Schwäbisch Hall District

| [BK-A 1 to 99] to [BK-M 1 to 99] (Excluding Codes B, F, G, I) From [BK-RA 1 to 99] to [BK-ZZ 1 to 99] (Excluding Codes B, F, G, I, O, Q) From [BK-TA 1000 to 999] to [BK-ZZ 1000 to 999]

| Börde District || Saxony-Anhalt || Bördekreis

| [BK-X 1 to 999] Where X is: B, F, G, I, O, Q [BK-XY 1 to 99] Where either X or Y or both are : B, F, G, I, O, Q From [BK-A 1000 to 9999] to [BK-Z 1000 to 9999] From [BK-AA 100 to 999] to [BK-ZZ 100 to 999] From [BK-AA 1000 to 9999] to [BK-SZ 1000 to 9999]

| BKS || Bernkastel-Wittlich District || Rhineland-Palatinate || Bernkastel-Kues ||

| BL || Zollernalb District || Baden-Württemberg || Balingen ||

| BLB || Siegen-Wittgenstein District || North Rhine-Westphalia || Bad Berleburg ||

| BLK || Burgenland District || Saxony-Anhalt || Burgenlandkreis ||

| BM || Rhein-Erft District || North Rhine-Westphalia || Bergheim ||

| BN || Bonn City || North Rhine-Westphalia || Bonn ||

| BNA || Leipzig District || Saxony || Borna ||

| BO || Bochum City || North Rhine-Westphalia || Bochum ||

| BÖ || Börde District || Saxony-Anhalt || Börde ||

| BOG || Straubing-Bogen District || Bavaria || Bogen ||

| BOH || Borken District || North Rhine-Westphalia || Bocholt ||

| BOR || Borken District || North Rhine-Westphalia || Borken ||

| BOT || Bottrop City || North Rhine-Westphalia || Bottrop ||

| BP

| colspan="2"| German Federal Police

| Bundespolizei || Code reserved for Vehicles of German Federal Police

| BRA || Wesermarsch District || Lower Saxony || Brake ||

| BRB || Brandenburg an der Havel City || Brandenburg || Brandenburg ||

| BRG || Jerichower Land District || Saxony-Anhalt || Burg ||

| BRK || Bad Kissingen District || Bavaria || Bad Brückenau ||

| BRL || Goslar District || Lower Saxony || Braunlage ||

| BRV || Rotenburg (Wümme) District || Lower Saxony || Bremervörde ||

| BS || Braunschweig City (Brunswick) || Lower Saxony || Braunschweig ||

| BSB || Osnabrück District || Lower Saxony || Bersenbrück ||

| BSK || Oder-Spree District || Brandenburg || Beeskow ||

| rowspan="2" | BT

| Bayreuth District

| rowspan="2" | Bavaria

| rowspan="2" |Bayreuth

| From [BT-AA 100 to 9999] to [BT-ZZ 100 to 9999] [BT-X 1 to 999] Where X is: B, F, G [BT-XY 1 to 99] Where X or Y or both are: B, F, G

| Bayreuth City

| [BT-X 1 to 999] Where X is not : B, F, G, I, O, Q [BT-XY 1 to 99] Where neither X nor Y are: B, F, G, I, O, Q [BT-X 1000 to 9999] Where X is not: B, F, G

| BTF || Anhalt-Bitterfeld District || Saxony-Anhalt || Bitterfeld-Wolfen ||

| BÜD || Wetterau District || Hesse || Büdingen ||

| rowspan="2" | BUL

| Amberg-Sulzbach District

| rowspan="2" | Bavaria

| rowspan="2" |Burglengenfeld

| [BUL-X 1 to 999] Where X is: B, F, G

| Schwandorf District

| Every other available combination

| BÜR || Paderborn District || North Rhine-Westphalia || Büren ||

| BÜS || Büsingen am Hochrhein Municipality (A subdivision of Konstanz District)|| Baden-Württemberg || Büsingen || It is allocated its own code to facilitate cross-border travel, as it is a German exclave within Switzerland

| BÜZ || Rostock District || Mecklenburg-Vorpommern || Bützow ||

| BW

| colspan="2"| Federal Waterways and Shipping Administration

| Bundes-Wasserstraßen- und Schifffahrtsverwaltung || Code reserved for Vehicles of German Federal Waterway and Shipping Admin.

| BWL || Baden-Württemberg Government, Landtag, and Police || Baden-Württemberg || Baden-Württembergischer Landtag || Code reserved for Baden-Württemberg State-owned governmental vehicles

| BYL || Bavaria Government and Landtag || Bavaria || Bayerischer Landtag || Code reserved for Bavaria State-owned governmental vehicles

| BZ || Bautzen District || Saxony || Bautzen ||

{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"

! colspan="5" | Codes starting with letter C

! scope="col" style="width: 40px;" |Code

! scope="col" style="width: 160px;" |City / rural district

! scope="col" style="width: 175px;" |State

! scope="col" style="width: 125px;" |Namesake

! scope="col" style="width: 350px;" |Notes

| C || Chemnitz City || Saxony || Chemnitz || From [C-AA 1 to 9999] to [C-ZZ 1 to 9999]

| CA || Oberspreewald-Lausitz District || Brandenburg || Calau ||

| CAS || Recklinghausen District || North Rhine-Westphalia || Castrop-Rauxel ||

| CB || Cottbus City || Brandenburg || Cottbus || From [CB-AA 1 to 999] to [CB-ZZ 1 to 999]

| CE || Celle District || Lower Saxony || Celle ||

| CHA || Cham District || Bavaria || Cham ||

| CLP || Cloppenburg District || Lower Saxony || Cloppenburg ||

| CLZ || Goslar District || Lower Saxony || Clausthal-Zellerfeld ||

| CO || Coburg City Coburg District || Bavaria || Coburg||

| COC || Cochem-Zell District || Rhineland-Palatinate || Cochem ||

| COE || Coesfeld District || North Rhine-Westphalia || Coesfeld ||

| CR || Schwäbisch Hall District || Baden-Württemberg || Crailsheim ||

| CUX || Cuxhaven District || Lower Saxony || Cuxhaven ||

| CW || Calw District || Baden-Württemberg || Calw ||

{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"

! colspan="5" | Codes starting with letter D

! scope="col" style="width: 40px;" |Code

! scope="col" style="width: 160px;" |City / rural district

! scope="col" style="width: 175px;" |State

! scope="col" style="width: 125px;" |Namesake

! scope="col" style="width: 350px;" |Notes

| D || Düsseldorf City || North Rhine-Westphalia || Düsseldorf ||

| rowspan="2" | DA

| Darmstadt City

| rowspan="2" | Hesse

| rowspan="2" |Darmstadt

| From [DA-AA 100 to 999] to [DA-ZZ 100 to 999] [DA-XY 1 to 99] Where either X or Y or both are: B, F, G, I, O, Q [DA-X 1 to 99] Where X is: B, F, G, I, O, Q

|Darmstadt-Dieburg District

| From [DA-A 1000 to 9000] to [DA-Z 1000 to 9999] From [DA-AA 1000 to 9999] to [DA-ZZ 1000 to 9999] [DA-XY 1 to 99] Where neither X nor Y are: B, F, G, I, O, Q [DA-X 1 to 99] Where X is not: B, F, G, I, O, Q

| DAH || Dachau District || Bavaria || Dachau ||

| DAN || Lüchow-Dannenberg District || Lower Saxony || Dannenberg ||

| DAU || Vulkaneifel District || Rhineland-Palatinate || Daun ||

| DBR || Rostock District || Mecklenburg-Vorpommern || Bad Doberan ||

| rowspan="2" | DD

| Saxony Police

| rowspan="2" | Saxony

| rowspan="2" |Dresden

| From [DD-Q 1] to [DD-Q 9999]

| Dresden City

| From [DD-AA 1 to 9999] to [DD-ZZ 1 to 9999]

| DE || Dessau-Roßlau City || Saxony-Anhalt || Dessau-Roßlau ||

| DEG || Deggendorf District || Bavaria || Deggendorf ||

| DEL || Delmenhorst City || Lower Saxony || Delmenhorst||

| DGF || Dingolfing-Landau District || Bavaria || Dingolfing ||

| DH || Diepholz District || Lower Saxony || Diepholz ||

| DI || Darmstadt-Dieburg District || Hesse || Dieburg ||

| DIL || Lahn-Dill District (Excluding Wetzlar City) || Hesse || Dillenburg ||

| DIN || Wesel District || North Rhine-Westphalia || Dinslaken ||

| DIZ || Rhein-Lahn District || Rhineland-Palatinate || Diez ||

| DKB || Ansbach District || Bavaria || Dinkelsbühl ||

| DL || Mittelsachsen District || Saxony || Döbeln ||

| DLG || Dillingen an der Donau District || Bavaria || Dillingen ||

| DM || Mecklenburgische Seenplatte District (Excluding Neubrandenburg City) || Mecklenburg-Vorpommern || Demmin ||

| DN || Düren District || North Rhine-Westphalia || Düren ||

| DO || Dortmund City || North Rhine-Westphalia || Dortmund ||

| DON || Donau-Ries District || Bavaria || Donauwörth ||

| DU || Duisburg City || North Rhine-Westphalia || Duisburg||

| DUD || Göttingen District (Excluding Göttingen City) || Lower Saxony || Duderstadt ||

| DÜW || Bad Dürkheim District || Rhineland-Palatinate || Bad Dürkheim|Bad Dürkheim an der Weinstraße ||

| DW || Sächsische Schweiz-Osterzgebirge District || Saxony || Dippoldiswalde ||

| DZ || Nordsachsen District || Saxony || Delitzsch ||

{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"

! colspan="5" | Codes starting with letter E

! scope="col" style="width: 40px;" |Code

! scope="col" style="width: 160px;" |City / rural district

! scope="col" style="width: 175px;" |State

! scope="col" style="width: 125px;" |Namesake

! scope="col" style="width: 350px;" |Notes

| E || Essen City || North Rhine-Westphalia || Essen||

| EA || Wartburg District || Thuringia || Eisenach || Eisenach was an independent urban District until 1 July 2021, when it was merged into Wartburg District due to a budgetary crisis.

| EB || Nordsachsen District || Saxony || Eilenburg ||

| EBE || Ebersberg District || Bavaria || Ebersberg ||

| EBN || Haßberge District || Bavaria || Ebern ||

| rowspan="3" | EBS

| Kulmbach District

| rowspan="3" | Bavaria

| rowspan="3" |Ebermannstadt

| From [EBS-A 1 to 999] to [EBS-M 1 to 999]

| Bayreuth District

| From [EBS-N 1 to 999] to [EBS-Z 1 to 999]

| Forchheim District

| Every other available combination

| ECK || Rendsburg-Eckernförde District || Schleswig-Holstein || Eckernförde ||

| ED || Erding District || Bavaria || Erding ||

| EE || Elbe-Elster District || Brandenburg || Elbe-Elster ||

| rowspan="2" | EF

| Thuringia Police

| rowspan="2" | Thuringia

| rowspan="2" |Erfurt

| From [EF-LP 1000] to [EF-LP 9999]

| Erfurt City

| From [EF-AA 1 to 999] to [EF-ZZ 1 to 999]

| EG || Rottal-Inn District || Bavaria || Eggenfelden ||

| EH || Oder-Spree District || Brandenburg || Eisenhüttenstadt ||

| EI || Eichstätt District || Bavaria || Eichstätt ||

| EIC || Eichsfeld District || Thuringia || Eichsfeld ||

| EIL || Mansfeld-Südharz District || Saxony-Anhalt || Eisleben ||

| EIN || Northeim District || Lower Saxony || Einbeck ||

| EIS || Saale-Holzland District || Thuringia || Eisenberg ||

| EL || Emsland District || Lower Saxony || Emsland ||

| EM || Emmendingen District || Baden-Württemberg || Emmendingen ||

| EMD || Emden City || Lower Saxony || Emden||

| EMS || Rhein-Lahn District || Rhineland-Palatinate || Bad Ems ||

| EN || Ennepe-Ruhr District || North Rhine-Westphalia || Ennepe ||

| ER || Erlangen City || Bavaria || Erlangen||

| ERB || Odenwald District || Hesse || Erbach ||

| ERH || Erlangen-Höchstadt District || Bavaria || Erlangen-Höchstadt ||

| ERK || Heinsberg District || North Rhine-Westphalia || Erkelenz ||

| ERZ || Erzgebirge District || Saxony || Erzgebirge||

| ES || Esslingen District || Baden-Württemberg || Esslingen ||

| rowspan="4" | ESB

| Bayreuth District

| rowspan="4" | Bavaria

| rowspan="4" |Eschenbach

| From [ESB-AT 1 to 99] to [ESB-ZT 1 to 99]

| Amberg-Sulzbach District

| From [ESB-B 1] to [ESB-X 999] 'Where X is: B, F, G, I, O, Q

| Nürnberger Land District

| From [ESB-N 1] to [ESB-N 999]

| Neustadt an der Waldnaab District

| Every other available combination

| ESW || Werra-Meißner District || Hesse || Eschwege ||

| EU || Euskirchen District || North Rhine-Westphalia || Euskirchen ||

| EW || Barnim District || Brandenburg || Eberswalde ||

{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"

! colspan="5" | Codes starting with letter F

! scope="col" style="width: 40px;" |Code

! scope="col" style="width: 160px;" |City / rural district

! scope="col" style="width: 175px;" |State

! scope="col" style="width: 125px;" |Namesake

! scope="col" style="width: 350px;" |Notes

| F || Frankfurt am Main City || Hesse || Frankfurt ||

| FB || Wetterau District || Hesse || Friedberg ||

| FD || Fulda District || Hesse || Fulda ||

| FDB || Aichach-Friedberg District || Bavaria || Friedberg ||

| FDS || Freudenstadt District || Baden-Württemberg || Freudenstadt ||

| FEU || Ansbach District || Bavaria || Feuchtwangen ||

| FF || Frankfurt (Oder) City || Brandenburg || Frankfurt ||

| FFB || Fürstenfeldbruck District || Bavaria || Fürstenfeldbruck ||

| FG || Mittelsachsen District || Saxony || Freiberg ||

| FI || Elbe-Elster District || Brandenburg || Finsterwalde ||

| FKB || Waldeck-Frankenberg District || Hesse || Frankenberg ||

| FL || Flensburg City || Schleswig-Holstein || Flensburg ||

| FLÖ || Mittelsachsen District || Saxony || Flöha ||

| FN || Bodensee (Lake Constance) District || Baden-Württemberg || Friedrichshafen ||

| FO || Forchheim District || Bavaria || Forchheim ||

| FOR || Spree-Neiße District || Brandenburg || Forst ||

| rowspan="2" | FR

| Freiburg im Breisgau City

| rowspan="2" | Baden-Württemberg

| rowspan="2" |FReiburg

| [FR-X 1 to 999] Where X is: B, F, G, I, O, Q [FR-XY 1 to 99] Where either X or Y or both are: B, F, G, I, O, Q From [FR-NA 1000 to 9999] to [FR-ZZ 1000 to 9999]

| Breisgau-Hochschwarzwald District

|[FR-X 1 to 999] Where X is not: B, F, G, I, O, Q [FR-XY 1 to 99] Where neither X nor Y are: B, F, G, I, O, Q From [FR-AA 1000 to 9999] to [FR-MZ 1000 to 9999]

| FRG || Freyung-Grafenau District || Bavaria || Freyung-Grafenau ||

| FRI || Friesland District || Lower Saxony || Friesland ||

| FRW || Märkisch-Oderland District || Brandenburg || Bad Freienwalde ||

| rowspan="2" | FS

| Moosburg an der Isar City (A subdivision of Freising District)

| rowspan="2" | Bavaria

| rowspan="2" | Freising

| [FS-I 1 to 999] [FS-X 1000 to 999] Where X is: H, I, M, P, R [FS-XY 1 to 99] Where either X or Y or both are: I

| Freising District (Excluding Moosburg an der Isar City)

| [FS-X 1 to 999] Where X is not: I, O, Q [FS-XY 1 to 999] Where neither X nor Y are: I, O, Q

| FT || Frankenthal (Pfalz) City || Rhineland-Palatinate || Frankenthal ||

| FTL || Sächsische Schweiz-Osterzgebirge District || Saxony || Freital ||

| rowspan="2" | FÜ

| Fürth City

| rowspan="2" | Bavaria

| rowspan="2" | Fürth

| [FÜ-X 1 to 999] Where X is: B, F, G, I, O, Q [FÜ-XY 1 to 99] Where either X or Y or both are: B, F, G, I, O, Q From [FÜ-AA 100 to 9999] to [FÜ-ZZ 100 to 9999]

| Fürth District

| [FÜ-X 1 to 999] Where X is not: B, F, G, I, O, Q [FÜ-XY 1 to 99] Where neither X nor Y are: B, F, G, I, O, Q From [FÜ-A 1000 to 9999] to [FÜ-Z 1000 to 9999]

| FÜS || Ostallgäu District || Bavaria || Füssen ||

| FW || Oder-Spree District|| Brandenburg || Fürstenwalde ||

| FZ || Schwalm-Eder District || Hesse || Fritzlar ||

{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"

! colspan="5" | Codes starting with letter G

! scope="col" style="width: 40px;" |Code

! scope="col" style="width: 160px;" |City / rural district

! scope="col" style="width: 175px;" |State

! scope="col" style="width: 125px;" |Namesake

! scope="col" style="width: 350px;" |Notes

| G || Gera City || Thuringia || Gera||

| GA || Altmark District Salzwedel || Saxony-Anhalt || Gardelegen ||

| GAN || Northeim District || Lower Saxony || Bad Gandersheim ||

| GAP || Garmisch-Partenkirchen District || Bavaria || Garmisch-Partenkirchen ||

| GC || Zwickau District || Saxony || Glauchau ||

| GD || Ostalb District || Baden-Württemberg || Schwäbisch Gmünd ||

| GDB || Nordwestmecklenburg District (Excluding Wismar City) || Mecklenburg-Vorpommern || Gadebusch ||

| GE || Gelsenkirchen City || North Rhine-Westphalia || Gelsenkirchen ||

| GEL || Kleve District || North Rhine-Westphalia || Geldern ||

| rowspan="2" | GEO

| Haßberge District

| rowspan="2" | Bavaria

| rowspan="2" | Gerolzhofen

| [GEO-A 1000 to 9990] [GEO-B 1000 to 9990]

| Schweinfurt District

| Every other available combination

| GER || Germersheim District || Rhineland-Palatinate || Germersheim ||

| GF || Gifhorn District || Lower Saxony || Gifhorn ||

| GG || Groß-Gerau District || Hesse || Groß-Gerau ||

| GHA || Leipzig District || Saxony || Geithain ||

| GHC || Wittenberg District || Saxony-Anhalt || Gräfenhainichen ||

| GI || Gießen District || Hesse || Gießen ||

| GK || Heinsberg District || North Rhine-Westphalia || Geilenkirchen ||

| GL || Rheinisch-Bergischer District || North Rhine-Westphalia || Bergisch Gladbach ||

| GLA || Recklinghausen District || North Rhine-Westphalia || Gladbeck ||

| GM || Oberbergischer District || North Rhine-Westphalia || Gummersbach ||

| GMN || Vorpommern-Rügen District (Excluding Stralsund City) || Mecklenburg-Vorpommern || Grimmen ||

| GN || Main-Kinzig District (Excluding Hanau City) || Hesse || Gelnhausen ||

| GNT || Jerichower Land District || Saxony-Anhalt || Genthin ||

| rowspan="2" | GÖ

| Göttingen District (Excluding Göttingen City)

| rowspan="2" | Lower Saxony

| rowspan="2" | Göttingen

| [GÖ-X 1 to 999] Where X is: B, F, G, O, Q [GÖ-XY 1 to 99] Where either X or Y or both are: B, F, G, O, Q From [GÖ-AA 100 to 999] to [GÖ-ZZ 100 to 999]

| Göttingen City (A subdivision of Göttingen District)

| [GÖ-X 1 to 999] Where X isn't: B, F, G, I, O, Q [GÖ-XY 1 to 99] Where neither X nor Y are: B, F, G, I, O, Q From [GÖ-A 1000 to 9999] to [GÖ-Z 1000 to 9999]

| GOA || Rhein-Hunsrück District || Rhineland-Palatinate || Sankt Goar ||

| GOH || Rhein-Lahn District || Rhineland-Palatinate || Sankt Goarshausen ||

| GP || Göppingen District || Baden-Württemberg || Göppingen ||

| GR || Görlitz District || Saxony || Görlitz ||

| GRA || Freyung-Grafenau District || Bavaria || Grafenau ||

| GRH || Meißen District || Saxony || Großenhain ||

| GRI || Rottal-Inn District || Bavaria || Bad Griesbach || [GRI-XY 100 to 999] Where either X or Y or both are: B, I, O, Q

| GRM || Leipzig District || Saxony || Grimma ||

| GRZ || Greiz District || Thuringia || Greiz ||

| GS || Goslar District || Lower Saxony || Goslar ||

| GT || Gütersloh District || North Rhine-Westphalia || Gütersloh ||

| GTH || Gotha District || Thuringia || Gotha ||

| GÜ || Rostock District || Mecklenburg-Vorpommern || Güstrow ||

| GUB || Spree-Neiße District || Brandenburg || Guben ||

| GUN || Weißenburg-Gunzenhausen District || Bavaria || Gunzenhausen ||

| GV || Rhein District Neuss || North Rhine-Westphalia || Grevenbroich ||

| GVM || Nordwestmecklenburg District (Excluding Wismar City) || Mecklenburg-Vorpommern || Grevesmühlen ||

| GW || Vorpommern-Greifswald District (Excluding Greifswald City) || Mecklenburg-Vorpommern || Greifswald ||

| GZ || Günzburg District || Bavaria || Günzburg ||

{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"

! colspan="5" | Codes starting with letter H

! scope="col" style="width: 40px;" |Code

! scope="col" style="width: 160px;" |City / rural district

! scope="col" style="width: 175px;" |State

! scope="col" style="width: 125px;" |Namesake

! scope="col" style="width: 350px;" |Notes

| rowspan="2" | H

| Hanover City (A subdivision of Hanover Region)

| rowspan="2" | Lower Saxony

| rowspan="2" | Hannover

| [H-X 1 to 9999] Where X is: B, F, G, I, O, Q [H-XY 1 to 99] Where either X or Y or both are: B, F, G, I, O, Q From [H-A 1000 to 9999] to [H-Z 1000 to 9999] From [H-BA 1000 to 9999] to [H-BZ 1000 to 9999] From [H-FA 1000 to 9999] to [H-GZ 1000 to 9999]

| Hanover Region (Excluding Hanover City)

| [H-X 1 to 9999] Where X is not: B, F, G, I, O, Q [H-XY 1 to 99] Where neither X nor Y are: B, F, G, I, O, Q From [H-AA 1000 to 9999] to [H-AZ 1000 to 9999] From [H-CA 1000 to 9999] to [H-EZ 1000 to 9999] From [H-HA 1000 to 9999] to [H-ZZ 1000 to 9999]

| HA || Hagen City || North Rhine-Westphalia || Hagen ||

| HAB || Bad Kissingen District || Bavaria || Hammelburg ||

| HAL || Halle (Saale) City || Saxony-Anhalt || Halle ||

| HAM || Hamm City || North Rhine-Westphalia || Hamm ||

| HAS || Haßberge District || Bavaria || Hassfurt ||

| rowspan="2" | HB

| Bremen City

| rowspan="2" | State of Bremen

| rowspan="2" | Hansestadt Bremen

| From [HB-A 1 to 999] to [HB-Z 1 to 999] From [HB-AA 1 to 999] to [HB-ZZ 1 to 999]

| Bremerhaven City

| From [HB-A 1000 to 9999] to [HB-Z 1000 to 9999]

| HBN || Hildburghausen District || Thuringia || Hildburghausen ||

| HBS || Harz District || Saxony-Anhalt || Halberstadt ||

| HC || Mittelsachsen District || Saxony ||Hainichen ||

| rowspan="2" | HCH

| Freudenstadt District

| rowspan="2" | Baden-Württemberg

| rowspan="2" | Hechingen

| [HCH-QY 1000 to 999], [HCH-VY 1000 to 999] [HCH-YQ 1000 to 999], [HCH-YV 1000 to 999] [HCH-ZQ 1000 to 999]

| Zollernalb District

| Every other available combination

| rowspan="2" | HD

| Rhein-Neckar District

| rowspan="2" | Baden-Württemberg

| rowspan="2" | Heidelberg

| [HD-X 1 to 999] Where X is: B, F, G, I, O, Q [HD-XY 1 to 99] Where either X or Y or both are: B, F, G, I, O, Q From [HD-AA 100 to 9999] to [HD-ZZ 100 to 9999]

| Heidelberg City

| [HD-X 1 to 999] Where X isn't: B, F, G, I, O, Q [HD-XY 1 to 99] Where neither X nor Y are: B, F, G, I, O, Q From [HD-A 1000 to 9999] to [HD-Z 1000 to 9999]

| HDH || Heidenheim District || Baden-Württemberg || Heidenheim ||

| HDL || Börde District || Saxony-Anhalt || Haldensleben ||

| HE || Helmstedt District || Lower Saxony || Helmstedt ||

| HEB || Nürnberger Land District || Bavaria || Hersbruck ||

| HEF || Hersfeld-Rotenburg District || Hesse || Bad Hersfeld ||

| HEI || Dithmarschen District || Schleswig-Holstein || Heide ||

| HEL || Hesse Government and Landtag || Hesse || Hessischer Landtag|| Code reserved for Hesse State-owned governmental vehicles

| HER || Herne City || North Rhine-Westphalia || Herne ||

| HET || Mansfeld-Südharz District || Saxony-Anhalt || Hettstedt ||

| HF || Herford District || North Rhine-Westphalia || Herford ||

| HG || Hochtaunus District || Hesse || Bad Homburg ||

| HGN || Ludwigslust-Parchim District || Mecklenburg-Vorpommern || Hagenow ||

| HGW || Greifswald City (A subdivision of Vorpommern-Greifswald District) || Mecklenburg-Vorpommern || Hansestadt Greifswald ||

| HH

| colspan="2"| Hamburg

| Hansestadt Hamburg ||

| HHM || Burgenland District || Saxony-Anhalt || Hohenmölsen ||

| HI || Hildesheim District || Lower Saxony || Hildesheim ||

| HIG || Eichsfeld District || Thuringia || Heilbad Heiligenstadt ||

| HIP || Roth District || Bavaria || Hilpoltstein ||

| HK || Heide District || Lower Saxony || Heidekreis ||

| HL || Lübeck City || Schleswig-Holstein || Hansestadt Lübeck ||

| HM || Hameln-Pyrmont District || Lower Saxony || Hameln (Hamelin) ||

| HMÜ || Göttingen District (Excluding Göttingen City) || Lower Saxony || Hann. Münden ||

| rowspan="2" | HN

| Heilbronn District

| rowspan="2" | Baden-Württemberg

| rowspan="2" | Heilbronn

| From [HN-AA 100 to 999] to [HN-ZZ 100 to 999] From [HN-AA 1000 to 9999] to [HN-MZ 1000 to 9999] [HN-X 1 to 999] Where X is: B, F, G, I, O, Q [HN-XY 1 to 99] Where either X or Y or both are: B, F, G, I, O, Q

| Heilbronn City

| From [HN-A 1000 to 9999] to [HN-Z 1000 to 9999] From [HN-NA 1000 to 9999] to [HN-ZZ 1000 to 9999] [HN-X 1 to 999] Where X isn't: B, F, G, I, O, Q [HN-XY 1 to 99] Where neither X nor Y are: B, F, G, I, O, Q

| rowspan="2" | HO

| Hof District

| rowspan="2" | Bavaria

| rowspan="2" | Hof

| From [HO-AA 100 to 999] to [HO-ZZ 100 to 999] From [HO-AA 1000 to 9999] to [HO-ZZ 1000 to 9999] (Shared) [HO-B 1 to 999] [HO-G 1 to 999] [HO-F 1 to 99]

| Hof City

| From [HO-AA 1000 to 9999] to [HO-ZZ 1000 to 9999] (Shared) [HO-F 100 to 999] [HN-X 1 to 999] Where X isn't: B, F, G, I, O, Q [HO-XY 1 to 99] Where neither X nor Y are: B, F, G, I, O, Q

| HOG || Kassel District || Hesse || Hofgeismar ||

| HOH || Haßberge District || Bavaria || Hofheim ||

| HOL || Holzminden District || Lower Saxony || Holzminden ||

| HOM || Saarpfalz District (Excluding Sankt Ingbert City) || Saarland || Homburg ||

| HOR || Freudenstadt District || Baden-Württemberg || Horb ||

| HÖS || Erlangen-Höchstadt District || Bavaria || Höchstadt ||

| HOT || Zwickau District || Saxony || Hohenstein-Ernstthal ||

| HP || Bergstraße District || Hesse || Heppenheim ||

| HR || Schwalm-Eder District || Hesse || Homberg ||

| HRO || Rostock City || Mecklenburg-Vorpommern || Hansestadt Rostock||

| HS || Heinsberg District || North Rhine-Westphalia || Heinsberg ||

| HSK || Hochsauerland District || North Rhine-Westphalia || HochSauerlandKreis ||

| HST || Stralsund City (A subdivision of Vorpommern-Rügen District) || Mecklenburg-Vorpommern || Hansestadt Stralsund || From [HST-AA 1 to 999] to [HST-ZZ 1 to 999] [HST-X 1 to 999] Where X is: B, G, I, O, Q

| HU || Main-Kinzig District || Hesse || Hanau ||

| HV || Stendal District || Saxony-Anhalt || Havelberg ||

| HVL || Havelland District || Brandenburg || Havelland ||

| HWI || Wismar City (A subdivision of Nordwestmecklenburg District) || Mecklenburg-Vorpommern || Hansestadt Wismar||

| HX || Höxter District || North Rhine-Westphalia || Höxter ||

| HY || Bautzen District || Saxony || Hoyerswerda ||

| HZ || Harz District || Saxony-Anhalt || Harz ||

{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"

! colspan="5" | Codes starting with letter I

! scope="col" style="width: 40px;" |Code

! scope="col" style="width: 160px;" |City / rural district

! scope="col" style="width: 175px;" |State

! scope="col" style="width: 125px;" |Namesake

! scope="col" style="width: 350px;" |Notes

| IGB || St. Ingbert City (A subdivision of Saarpfalz District) || Saarland || St. Ingbert ||

| IK || Ilm District || Thuringia || Ilm-Kreis ||

| IL || Ilm District || Thuringia || Ilmenau ||

| ILL || Neu-Ulm District || Bavaria || Illertissen ||

| IN || Ingolstadt City || Bavaria || Ingolstadt ||

| IZ || Steinburg District || Schleswig-Holstein || Itzehoe ||

{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"

! colspan="5" | Codes starting with letter J

! scope="col" style="width: 40px;" |Code

! scope="col" style="width: 160px;" |City / rural district

! scope="col" style="width: 175px;" |State

! scope="col" style="width: 125px;" |Namesake

! scope="col" style="width: 350px;" |Notes

| J || Jena City || Thuringia || Jena ||

| JE || Wittenberg District || Saxony-Anhalt || Jessen ||

| JL || Jerichower Land District || Saxony-Anhalt || Jerichower Land ||

| JÜL || Düren District || North Rhine-Westphalia || Jülich ||

{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"

! colspan="5" | Codes starting with letter K

! scope="col" style="width: 40px;" |Code

! scope="col" style="width: 160px;" |City / rural district

! scope="col" style="width: 175px;" |State

! scope="col" style="width: 125px;" |Namesake

! scope="col" style="width: 350px;" |Notes

| K || Cologne City || North Rhine-Westphalia || Köln ||

| rowspan="2" | KA

| Karlsruhe City

| rowspan="2" | Baden-Württemberg

| rowspan="2" | Karlsruhe

| From [KA-AA 100 to 999] to [KA-ZZ 100 to 999] From [KA-NA 1000 to 9999] to [KA-ZZ 1000 to 9999] [KA-X 1 to 999] Where X is: B, F, G, Q [KA-XY 1 to 99] Where either X or Y or both are: B, F, G, Q

| Karlsruhe District

| From [KA-A 1000 to 9999] to [KA-Z 1000 to 9999] From [KA-AA 1000 to 9999] to [KA-MZ 1000 to 9999] [KA-X 1 to 999] Where X is not: B, F, G, Q [KA-XY 1 to 99] Where neither X nor Y are: B, F, G, Q

| KB || Waldeck-Frankenberg District || Hesse || Korbach ||

| KC || Kronach District || Bavaria || Kronach ||

| KE || Kempten (Allgäu) City || Bavaria || Kempten || From [KE-A 1 to 999] to [KE-Z 1 to 999] From [KE-AA 1 to 99] to [KE-ZZ 1 to 99]

| KEH || Kelheim District || Bavaria || Kelheim ||

| KEL || Ortenau District || Baden-Württemberg || Kehl ||

| rowspan="2" | KEM

| Bayreuth District

| rowspan="2" | Bavaria

| rowspan="2" | Kemnath

| From [KEM-AT 1 to 99] to [KEM-ZT 1 to 99]

| Tirschenreuth District

| Every other available combination

| KF || Kaufbeuren City || Bavaria || Kaufbeuren ||

| KG || Bad Kissingen District || Bavaria || Bad Kissingen ||

| rowspan="2" | KH

| Bad Kreuznach District (Excluding Bad Kreuznach City)

| rowspan="2" | Rhineland-Palatinate

| rowspan="2" | Bad Kreuznach

| From [KH-AA 1 to 999] to [KH-ZZ 1 to 999]

| Bad Kreuznach City (A subdivision of Bad Kreuznach District)

| From [KH-A 1 to 9999] to [KH-Z 1 to 9999]

| KI || Kiel City || Schleswig-Holstein || Kiel ||

| KIB || Donnersberg District || Rhineland-Palatinate || Kirchheimbolanden ||

| KK || Viersen District || North Rhine-Westphalia || Kempen-Krefeld ||

| rowspan="2" | KL

| Kaiserslautern District

| rowspan="2" | Rhineland-Palatinate

| rowspan="2" | Kaiserslautern

| From [KL-AA 100 to 999] to [KL-ZZ 100 to 999] [KL-X 1 to 999] Where X is: B, F, G, I, O, Q [KL-XY 1 to 99] Where either X or Y or both are: B, F, G, I, O, Q

| Kaiserslautern City

| [KL-X 1 to 9999] Where X isn't: B, F, G, I, O, Q [KL-XY 1 to 99] Where neither X nor Y are: B, F, G, I, O, Q

| KLE || Kleve District || North Rhine-Westphalia || Kleve ||

| KLZ || Altmark District Salzwedel || Saxony-Anhalt || Klötze ||

| KM || Bautzen District || Saxony || Kamenz ||

| KN || Konstanz District (Excluding Büsingen am Hochrhein Municipality) || Baden-Württemberg || Konstanz ||

| KO || Koblenz City || Rhineland-Palatinate || Koblenz ||

| KÖN || Rhön-Grabfeld District || Bavaria || Bad Königshofen ||

| KÖT || Anhalt-Bitterfeld District || Saxony-Anhalt || Köthen ||

| KÖZ || Cham District || Bavaria || Bad Kötzting ||

| KR || Krefeld City || North Rhine-Westphalia || Krefeld ||

| KRU || Günzburg District || Bavaria || Krumbach ||

| KS || Kassel District Kassel City || Hesse || Kassel||

| KT || Kitzingen District || Bavaria || Kitzingen ||

| KU || Kulmbach District || Bavaria || Kulmbach ||

| KÜN || Hohenlohe District || Baden-Württemberg || Künzelsau ||

| KUS || Kusel District || Rhineland-Palatinate || Kusel ||

| KW || Dahme-Spreewald District || Brandenburg || Königs Wusterhausen ||

| KY || Ostprignitz-Ruppin District || Brandenburg || Kyritz ||

| KYF || Kyffhäuser District || Thuringia || Kyffhäuser ||

{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"

! colspan="5" | Codes starting with letter L

! scope="col" style="width: 40px;" |Code

! scope="col" style="width: 160px;" |City / rural district

! scope="col" style="width: 175px;" |State

! scope="col" style="width: 125px;" |Namesake

! scope="col" style="width: 350px;" |Notes

| rowspan="2" | L

| Leipzig City

| rowspan="2" | Saxony

| rowspan="2" | Leipzig

| From [L-A 1 to 9999] to [L-T 1 to 9999] From [L-AA 1 to 9999] to [L-TZ 1 to 9999]

| Leipzig District

| From [L-U 1 to 9999] to [L-Z 1 to 9999] From [L-UA 1 to 9999] to [L-ZZ 1 to 9999]

| rowspan="2" | LA

| Landshut District

| rowspan="2" | Bavaria

| rowspan="2" | Landshut

| From [LA-AA 5000 to 9999] to [LA-ZZ 5000 to 9999] From [LA-AA 100 to 999] to [LA-ZZ 100 to 999] [LA-X 1 to 9999] Where X is: B, F, G, I, O, Q [LA-XY 1 to 99] Where either X or Y or both are: B, F, G, I, O, Q

| Landshut City

| From [LA-AA 1000 to 4999] to [LA-ZZ 1000 to 4999] [LA-X 1 to 9999] Where X isn't: B, F, G, I, O, Q [LA-XY 1 to 99] Where neither X nor Y are: B, F, G, I, O, Q

| LAN || Dingolfing-Landau District || Bavaria || Landau ||

| LAU || Nürnberger Land District || Bavaria || Lauf ||

| LB || Ludwigsburg District || Baden-Württemberg || Ludwigsburg ||

| LBS || Saale-Orla District || Thuringia || Bad Lobenstein ||

| LBZ || Ludwigslust-Parchim District || Mecklenburg-Vorpommern || Lübz ||

| LC || Dahme-Spreewald District || Brandenburg || Luckau ||

| LD || Landau in der Pfalz City || Rhineland-Palatinate || Landau ||

| LDK || Lahn-Dill District (Excluding Wetzlar City) || Hesse || Lahn-Dill-Kreis ||

| LDS || Dahme-Spreewald District || Brandenburg || Landkreis Dahme-Spreewald ||

| LEO || Böblingen District || Baden-Württemberg || Leonberg ||

| LER || Leer District || Lower Saxony || Leer ||

| LEV || Leverkusen City || North Rhine-Westphalia || Leverkusen ||

| rowspan="3" | LF

| Altötting District

| rowspan="3" | Bavaria

| rowspan="3" | Laufen

| [LF-X 1 to 999] Where X is: C, I, J, L, M, O, Q, V [LF-E 1 to 599]

| Traunstein District

| [LF-XY 100 to 999] Where XY is: FZ, GH, KQ, RW, TS, WW, XX, ZZ [LF-X 1 to 999] Where X is: B, F, G [LF-XY 1 to 99] Where XY is: DH, FZ, GH, KQ, LU, RW, TK, TS, WW, XX, ZZ [LF-DH 100 to 199] [LF-LU 100 to 299] [LF-TK 100 to 199] [LF-VW 200 to 499]

| Berchtesgadener Land District

| Every other available combination

| LG || Lüneburg District || Lower Saxony || Lüneburg ||

| LH || Coesfeld District Unna District || North Rhine-Westphalia || Lüdinghausen ||

| LI || Lindau (Bodensee) District || Bavaria || Lindau ||

| LIB || Elbe-Elster District || Brandenburg || Bad Liebenwerda ||

| LIF || Lichtenfels District || Bavaria || Lichtenfels ||

| LIP || Lippe District || North Rhine-Westphalia || Lippe ||

| LL || Landsberg District || Bavaria || Landsberg am Lech ||

| LM || Limburg-Weilburg District || Hesse || Limburg ||

| LN || Dahme-Spreewald District || Brandenburg || Lübben ||

| LÖ || Lörrach District || Baden-Württemberg || Lörrach||

| LÖB || Görlitz District || Saxony || Löbau ||

| LOS || Oder-Spree District|| Brandenburg || Landkreis Oder-Spree ||

| LP || Soest District|| North Rhine-Westphalia || Lippstadt ||

| LR || Ortenau District || Baden-Württemberg || Lahr ||

| LRO || Rostock District || Mecklenburg-Vorpommern || Landkreis Rostock ||

| LSA || Saxony-Anhalt Government, Landtag, and Police || Saxony-Anhalt || Land Sachsen-Anhalt || Code reserved for Saxony-Anhalt State-owned governmental vehicles

| LSN || Saxony Government and Landtag, || Saxony || Landtag Sachsen || Code reserved for Saxony State-owned governmental vehicles

| LSZ || Unstrut-Hainich District || Thuringia || Bad Langensalza ||

| LU || Ludwigshafen am Rhein City || Rhineland-Palatinate || Ludwigshafen ||

| LÜN || Unna District || North Rhine-Westphalia || Lünen ||

| LUP || Ludwigslust-Parchim District || Mecklenburg-Vorpommern || Ludwigslust-Parchim ||

| LWL || Ludwigslust-Parchim District || Mecklenburg-Vorpommern || Ludwigslust ||

{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"

! colspan="5" | Codes starting with letter M

! scope="col" style="width: 40px;" |Code

! scope="col" style="width: 160px;" |City / rural district

! scope="col" style="width: 175px;" |State

! scope="col" style="width: 125px;" |Namesake

! scope="col" style="width: 350px;" |Notes

| rowspan="2" | M

| Munich City

| rowspan="2" | Bavaria

| rowspan="2" | München

| [M-X 1 to 9999] Where X is: B, F, G [M-XY 1 to 99] Where either X or Y or both are: B, F, G [M-XY 100 to 9999] Where neither X nor Y are: I, O, Q Unless either X or Y is: B, F, G In addition, XY can be any other combination of letters.

| Munich District

| [M-X 1 to 9999] Where X isn't: B, F, G [M-XY 1 to 99] Where neither X nor Y: B, F, G [M-XY 100 to 9999] Where either X or Y or both are: I, O, Q But neither X nor Y are: B, F, G

| MA || Mannheim City || Baden-Württemberg || Mannheim ||

| MAB || Erzgebirge District || Saxony || Marienberg ||

| rowspan="2" | MAI

| Landshut District

| rowspan="2" | Bavaria

| rowspan="2" | Mainburg

| [MAI-X 1 to 9999] Where X is: B, F, G, I, O, Q

| Kelheim District

| Every other available combination

| MAK || Wunsiedel im Fichtelgebirge District || Bavaria || Marktredwitz ||

| rowspan="2" | MAL

| Landshut District

| rowspan="2" | Bavaria

| rowspan="2" | Mallersdorf-Pfaffenberg

| [MAL-X 1 to 9999] Where X is: B, F, G, I, O, Q

| Straubing-Bogen District

| Every other available combination

| MB || Miesbach District || Bavaria || Miesbach ||

| MC || Mecklenburgische Seenplatte District (Excluding Neubrandenburg City) || Mecklenburg-Vorpommern || Malchin ||

| MD || Magdeburg City || Saxony-Anhalt || Magdeburg ||

| ME || Mettmann District || North Rhine-Westphalia || Mettmann ||

| MED || Dithmarschen District || Schleswig-Holstein || Meldorf ||

| MEG || Schwalm-Eder District || Hesse || Melsungen||

| MEI || Meißen District || Saxony || Meißen ||

| MEK || Erzgebirge District || Saxony || Mittlerer Erzgebirgskreis ||

| MEL || Osnabrück District || Lower Saxony || Melle ||

| MER || Saale District || Saxony-Anhalt || Merseburg ||

| MET || Rhön-Grabfeld District || Bavaria || Mellrichstadt ||

| MG || Mönchengladbach City || North Rhine-Westphalia || Mönchengladbach ||

| MGH || Main-Tauber District || Baden-Württemberg || Bad Mergentheim ||

| MGN || Schmalkalden-Meiningen District || Thuringia || Meiningen ||

| MH || Mülheim an der Ruhr City || North Rhine-Westphalia || Mülheim ||

| MHL || Unstrut-Hainich District || Thuringia || Mühlhausen ||

| MI || Minden-Lübbecke District || North Rhine-Westphalia || Minden ||

| MIL || Miltenberg District || Bavaria || Miltenberg ||

| MK || Märkischer District || North Rhine-Westphalia || Märkischer Kreis ||

| MKK || Main-Kinzig District (Excluding Hanau City) || Hesse || Main-Kinzig-Kreis ||

| ML || Mansfeld-Südharz District || Saxony-Anhalt || Mansfelder Land ||

| MM || Memmingen City || Bavaria || Memmingen ||

| MN || Unterallgäu District || Bavaria || Mindelheim ||

| MO || Wesel District || North Rhine-Westphalia || Moers ||

| MOD || Ostallgäu District || Bavaria || Marktoberdorf ||

| MOL || Märkisch-Oderland District || Brandenburg || Märkisch-Oderland ||

| MON || Aachen Region Düren District || North Rhine-Westphalia || Monschau ||

| MOS || Neckar-Odenwald District || Baden-Württemberg || Mosbach ||

| MQ || Saale District || Saxony-Anhalt || Merseburg-Querfurt ||

| MR || Marburg-Biedenkopf District || Hesse || Marburg ||

| MS || Münster City || North Rhine-Westphalia || Münster ||

| MSE || Mecklenburgische Seenplatte District (Excluding Neubrandenburg City) || Mecklenburg-Vorpommern || Mecklenburgische Seenplatte ||

| MSH || Mansfeld-Südharz District || Saxony-Anhalt || Mansfeld-Südharz ||

| MSP || Main-Spessart District || Bavaria || Main-Spessart ||

| MST || Mecklenburgische Seenplatte District (Excluding Neubrandenburg City) || Mecklenburg-Vorpommern || Mecklenburg-Strelitz ||

| MTK || Main-Taunus District || Hesse || Main-Taunus-Kreis ||

| MTL || Leipzig District || Saxony || Muldental ||

| MÜ || Mühldorf am Inn District || Bavaria || Mühldorf ||

| rowspan="2" | MÜB

| Bayreuth District

| rowspan="2" | Bavaria

| rowspan="2" | Münchberg

| From [MÜB-A 100 to 999] to [MÜB-M 100 to 999] From [MÜB-N 1 to 999] to [MÜB-Z 1 to 999]

| Hof District

| Every other available combination

| MÜR || Mecklenburgische Seenplatte District (Excluding Neubrandenburg City) || Mecklenburg-Vorpommern || Müritz ||

| MVL || Mecklenburg-Vorpommern Government, Landtag, and Police || Mecklenburg-Vorpommern || Mecklenburg-Vorpommerscher Landtag || Code reserved for Mecklenburg-Vorpommern State-owned governmental vehicles

| MW || Mittelsachsen District || Saxony ||Mittweida ||

| MY || Mayen-Koblenz District || Rhineland-Palatinate || Mayen ||

| MYK || Mayen-Koblenz District || Rhineland-Palatinate || Mayen-Koblenz ||

| rowspan="2" | MZ

| Mainz City

| rowspan="2" | Rhineland-Palatinate

| rowspan="2" | Mainz

| From [MZ-AA 100 to 999] to [MZ-ZZ 100 to 999] From [MZ-AA 1000 to 9999] to [MZ-KY 1000 to 9999] [MZ-X 1 to 999] Where X is: B, F, G, I, O, Q [MZ-XY 1 to 99] Where either X or Y or both are: B, F, G, I, O, Q

| Mainz-Bingen District

| From [MZ-A 1000 to 9999] to [MZ-Z 1000 to 9999] From [MZ-LA 1000 to 9999] to [MZ-ZZ 1000 to 9999] [MZ-X 1 to 999] Where X isn't: B, F, G, I, O, Q [MZ-XY 1 to 99] Where neither X nor Y are: B, F, G, I, O, Q

| MZG || Merzig-Wadern District || Saarland || Merzig||

{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"

! colspan="5" | Codes starting with letter N

! scope="col" style="width: 40px;" |Code

! scope="col" style="width: 160px;" |City / rural district

! scope="col" style="width: 175px;" |State

! scope="col" style="width: 125px;" |Namesake

! scope="col" style="width: 350px;" |Notes

| rowspan="2" | N

| Nuremberg City

| rowspan="2" | Bavaria

| rowspan="2" | Nürnberg

| From [N-A 1000 to 9999] to [N-Z 1000 to 9999] From [N-AA 100 to 9999] to [N-ZZ 100 to 9999] [N-X 1 to 999] Where X is: B, F, G, I, O, Q [N-XY 1 to 99] Where either X or Y or both are: B, F, G, I, O, Q

| Nürnberger Land District

| [N-X 1 to 999] Where X isn't: B, F, G, I, O, Q, S

| rowspan="2" | NAB

| Schwandorf District

| rowspan="2" | Bavaria

| rowspan="2" | Nabburg

| [NAB-X 1 to 999] Where X is: B, F, G

| Amberg-Sulzbach District

| Every other available combination

| NAI || Hof District || Bavaria

|| Naila ||

| NAU || Havelland District || Brandenburg || Nauen ||

| NB || Neubrandenburg City (A subdivision of Mecklenburgische Seenplatte District) || Mecklenburg-Vorpommern || Neubrandenburg || From [NB-AA 1 to 999] to [NB-ZZ 1 to 999]

| ND || Neuburg-Schrobenhausen District || Bavaria || Neuburg an der Donau ||

| NDH || Nordhausen District || Thuringia || Nordhausen||

| NE || Rhein District Neuss || North Rhine-Westphalia || Neuss ||

| NEA || Neustadt an der Aisch-Bad Windsheim District || Bavaria || Neustadt an der Aisch ||

| NEB || Burgenland District || Saxony-Anhalt || Nebra ||

| NEC || Coburg City Coburg District || Bavaria || Neustadt bei Coburg||

| NEN || Schwandorf District || Bavaria || Neunburg||

| NES || Rhön-Grabfeld District || Bavaria || Bad Neustadt an der Saale ||

| NEW || Neustadt an der Waldnaab District || Bavaria || Neustadt an der Waldnaab||

| NF || Nordfriesland District || Schleswig-Holstein || Nordfriesland||

| NH || Sonneberg District || Thuringia || Neuhaus||

| NI || Nienburg/Weser District || Lower Saxony || Nienburg||

| NK || Neunkirchen District || Saarland || Neunkirchen ||

| NL || Lower Saxony Government and Landtag || Lower Saxony || Niedersächsischer Landtag || Code reserved for Lower Saxony State-owned governmental vehicles

| NM || Neumarkt in der Oberpfalz District || Bavaria || Neumarkt ||

| NMB || Burgenland District || Saxony-Anhalt || Naumburg ||

| NMS || Neumünster City || Schleswig-Holstein || Neumünster ||

| NÖ || Donau-Ries District || Bavaria || Nördlingen ||

| NOH || Grafschaft Bentheim District || Lower Saxony || Nordhorn ||

| NOL || Görlitz District || Saxony || Niederschlesische Oberlausitz ||

| NOM || Northeim District || Lower Saxony || Northeim ||

| NOR || Aurich District || Lower Saxony || Norden||

| NP || Ostprignitz-Ruppin District || Brandenburg || Neuruppin ||

| rowspan="2" | NR

| Neuwied District (Excluding Neuwied City)

| rowspan="2" | Rhineland-Palatinate

| rowspan="2" | Neuwied am Rhein

| From [NR-AA 1 to 999] to [NR-ZZ 1 to 999]

| Neuwied City (A subdivision of Neuwied District)

| From [NR-A 1 to 9999] to [NR-Z 1 to 9999]

| NRW || North Rhine-Westphalia Government, Landtag, and State Police || North Rhine-Westphalia || Nordrhein-Westfalen || Code reserved for North Rhine-Westphalia State-owned governmental vehicles

| NT || Esslingen District || Baden-Württemberg || Nürtingen ||

| NU || Neu-Ulm District || Bavaria || Neu-Ulm ||

| NVP || Vorpommern-Rügen District (Excluding Stralsund City) || Mecklenburg-Vorpommern || Nordvorpommern ||

| NW || Neustadt an der Weinstraße City || Rhineland-Palatinate || Neustadt an der Weinstraße ||

| NWM || Nordwestmecklenburg District (Excluding Wismar City) || Mecklenburg-Vorpommern || Nordwestmecklenburg ||

| NY || Görlitz District || Saxony || Niesky ||

| NZ || Mecklenburgische Seenplatte District (Excluding Neubrandenburg City) || Mecklenburg-Vorpommern || Neustrelitz ||

{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"

! colspan="5" | Codes starting with letter O

! scope="col" style="width: 40px;" |Code

! scope="col" style="width: 160px;" |City / rural district

! scope="col" style="width: 175px;" |State

! scope="col" style="width: 125px;" |Namesake

! scope="col" style="width: 350px;" |Notes

| OA || Oberallgäu District || Bavaria || Oberallgäu ||

| OAL || Ostallgäu District || Bavaria || Ostallgäu ||

| OB || Oberhausen City || North Rhine-Westphalia || Oberhausen ||

| OBB || Miltenberg District || Bavaria || Obernburg ||

| OBG || Stendal District || Saxony-Anhalt || Osterburg ||

| OC || Börde District || Saxony-Anhalt || Oschersleben ||

| OCH || Würzburg District || Bavaria || Ochsenfurt ||

| OD || Stormarn District || Schleswig-Holstein || Bad Oldesloe ||

| OE || Olpe District || North Rhine-Westphalia || Olpe ||

| OF || Offenbach District Offenbach am Main City || Hesse || Offenbach ||

| OG || Ortenau District || Baden-Württemberg || Offenburg ||

| OH || Ostholstein District || Schleswig-Holstein || Ostholstein ||

| OHA || Göttingen District (Excluding Göttingen City) || Lower Saxony || Osterode am Harz ||

| ÖHR || Hohenlohe District || Baden-Württemberg || Öhringen ||

| OHV || Oberhavel District || Brandenburg || Oberhavel ||

| OHZ || Osterholz District || Lower Saxony || Osterholz-Scharmbeck ||

| OK || Börde District || Saxony-Anhalt || Ohrekreis ||

| rowspan="2" | OL

| Oldenburg City

| rowspan="2" | Lower Saxony

| rowspan="2" | Oldenburg

| From [OL-AA 100 to 999] to [OL-ZZ 100 to 999] [OL-X 1 to 999] Where X is: B, F, G, I, O, Q [OL-XY 1 to 99] Where either X or Y or both are: B, F, G, Q

| Oldenburg District

| From [OL-A 1000 to 9999] to [OL-Z 1000 to 9999] [OL-X 1 to 999] Where X isn't: B, F, G, I, O, Q [OL-XY 1 to 99] Where neither X nor Y are: B, F, G, I, O, Q

| OP || Leverkusen City || North Rhine-Westphalia || Opladen ||

| OPR || Ostprignitz-Ruppin District || Brandenburg || Ostprignitz-Ruppin ||

| rowspan="2" | OS

| Osnabrück District

| rowspan="2" | Lower Saxony

| rowspan="2" | Osnabrück

| From [OS-AA 100 to 999] to [OS-ZZ 100 to 999] (Excludes [OS-PD 100 to 999], reserved for District Police) From [OS-AA 3000 to 9999] to [OS-ZZ 3000 to 9999] [OS-X 1 to 9999] Where X is: B, F, G, I, O, Q [OS-XY 1 to 99] Where either X or Y or both are: B, F, G, I, O, Q

| Osnabrück City

| From [OS-AA 1000 to 2999] to [OS-ZZ 1000 to 2999] [OS-X 1 to 9999] Where X isn't: B, F, G, I, O, Q (Excludes [OS-P 1 to 9999], reserved for City Police) [OS-XY 1 to 99] Where neither X nor Y are: B, F, G, I, O, Q

| OSL || Oberspreewald-Lausitz District || Brandenburg || Oberspreewald-Lausitz ||

| OTW || Neunkirchen District || Saarland || Ottweiler ||

| OVI || Schwandorf District || Bavaria || Oberviechtach ||

| OVL || Vogtland District || Saxony || Obervogtland ||

| OZ || Nordsachsen District || Saxony || Oschatz ||

{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"

! colspan="5" | Codes starting with letter P

! scope="col" style="width: 40px;" |Code

! scope="col" style="width: 160px;" |City / rural district

! scope="col" style="width: 175px;" |State

! scope="col" style="width: 125px;" |Namesake

! scope="col" style="width: 350px;" |Notes

| P || Potsdam City || Brandenburg || Potsdam ||

| rowspan="2" | PA

| Passau City

| rowspan="2" | Bavaria

| rowspan="2" | Passau

| From [PA-A 1 to 9999] to [PA-Z to 9999]

| Passau District

| From [PA-AA 1 to 999] to [PA-ZZ 1 to 999]

| PAF || Pfaffenhofen an der Ilm District || Bavaria || Pfaffenhofen ||

| PAN || Rottal-Inn District || Bavaria || Pfarrkirchen ||

| rowspan="2" | PAR

| Kelheim District

| rowspan="2" | Bavaria

| rowspan="2" | Parsberg

| [PAR-Q 1 to 999], [PAR-Y 1 to 999] [PAR-BB 1 to 999], [PAR-CC 1 to 9999]

| Neumarkt in der Oberpfalz District

| Every other available combination

| PB || Paderborn District || North Rhine-Westphalia || Paderborn ||

| PCH || Ludwigslust-Parchim District || Mecklenburg-Vorpommern || Parchim ||

| PE || Peine District || Lower Saxony || Peine ||

| rowspan="3" | PEG

| Nürnberger Land District

| rowspan="3" | Bavaria

| rowspan="3" | Pegnitz

| [PEG-A 1 to 999]

| Bayreuth District

| From [PEG-B 1 to 999] to [PEG-Z 1 to 999]

| Forchheim District

| From [PEG-AA 1 to 99] to [PEG-ZZ 1 to 99] From [PEG-A 1000 to 9999] to [PEG-Z 1000 to 9999]

| rowspan="2" | PF

| Pforzheim City

| rowspan="2" | Baden-Württemberg

| rowspan="2" | Pforzheim

| From [PF-AA 100 to 999] to [PF-ZZ 100 to 999] From [PF-NA 1000 to 9999] to [PF-ZZ 1000 to 9999] [PF-X 1 to 999] Where X is: B, F, G, I, O, Q [PF-XY 1 to 99] Where either X or Y or both are: B, F, G, I, O, Q

| Enz District

| From [PF-A 1000 to 9999] to [PF-Z 1000 to 9999] From [PF-AA 1000 to 9999] to [PF-MZ 1000 to 9999] [PF-X 1 to 999] Where X isn't: B, F, G, I, O, Q [PF-XY 1 to 99] Where neither X nor Y are: B, F, G, I, O, Q

| PI || Pinneberg District || Schleswig-Holstein || Pinneberg ||

| PIR || Sächsische Schweiz-Osterzgebirge District || Saxony || Pirna ||

| PL || Vogtland District || Saxony || Plauen ||

| PLÖ || Plön District || Schleswig-Holstein || Plön ||

| PM || Potsdam-Mittelmark District || Brandenburg || Potsdam-Mittelmark ||

| PN || Saale-Orla District || Thuringia ||Pößneck ||

| PR || Prignitz District || Brandenburg || Prignitz ||

| PRÜ || Eifel District Bitburg-Prüm || Rhineland-Palatinate || Prüm ||

| rowspan="2" | PS

| Pirmasens City

| rowspan="2" | Rhineland-Palatinate

| rowspan="2" | Pirmasens

| From [PS-A 1 to 9999] to [PS-Z 1 to 9999]

| Südwestpfalz District

| From [PS-AA 1 to 999] to [PS-ZZ 1 to 999]

| PW || Vorpommern-Greifswald District (Excluding Greifswald City) || Mecklenburg-Vorpommern || Pasewalk ||

| PZ || Uckermark District || Brandenburg || Prenzlau ||

{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"

! colspan="5" | Codes starting with letter Q

! scope="col" style="width: 40px;" |Code

! scope="col" style="width: 160px;" |City / rural district

! scope="col" style="width: 175px;" |State

! scope="col" style="width: 125px;" |Namesake

! scope="col" style="width: 350px;" |Notes

| QFT || Saale District || Saxony-Anhalt || Querfurt ||

| QLB || Harz District || Saxony-Anhalt || Quedlinburg ||

{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"

! colspan="5" | Codes starting with letter R

! scope="col" style="width: 40px;" |Code

! scope="col" style="width: 160px;" |City / rural district

! scope="col" style="width: 175px;" |State

! scope="col" style="width: 125px;" |Namesake

! scope="col" style="width: 350px;" |Notes

| rowspan="2" | R

| Regensburg City

| rowspan="2" | Bavaria

| rowspan="2" | Regensburg

| From [R-AA 100 to 999] to [R-ZZ 100 to 999] From [R-MN 1000 to 9999] to [R-ZZ 1000 to 9999] [R-X 1 to 999] Where X is: B, F, G, I, O, Q [R-XY 1 to 99] Where either X or Y or both are: B, F, G, I, O, Q (Excludes [R-PR 100 to 999], reserved for City Police)

| Regensburg District

| From [R-A 1000 to 9999] to [R-Z 1000 to 9999] From [R-AA 1000 to 9999] to [R-MM 1000 to 9999] [R-X 1 to 999] Where X isn't: B, F, G, I, O, Q [R-XY 1 to 99] Where neither X nor Y are: B, F, G, I, O, Q

| RA || Rastatt District || Baden-Württemberg || Rastatt ||

| RC || Vogtland District || Saxony || Reichenbach ||

| RD || Rendsburg-Eckernförde District || Schleswig-Holstein || Rendsburg ||

| RDG || Vorpommern-Rügen District (Excluding Stralsund City) || Mecklenburg-Vorpommern || Ribnitz-Damgarten ||

| RE || Recklinghausen District || North Rhine-Westphalia || Recklinghausen ||

| REG || Regen District || Bavaria || Regen ||

| rowspan="2" | REH

| Wunsiedel im Fichtelgebirge District

| rowspan="2" | Bavaria

| rowspan="2" | Rehau

| [REH-AU 900 to 999] [REH-X 1 to 999] Where X is: A, E, F, H, J, M, N, P, R, S, V, X [REH-XY 100 to 999] Where XY is: AA, FF, GG, OO, ZZ

| Hof District

| Every other available combination

| REI || Berchtesgadener Land District || Bavaria || Bad Reichenhall ||

| RG || Meißen District || Saxony || Riesa-Großenhain ||

| RH || Roth District || Bavaria || Roth ||

| RI || Schaumburg District || Lower Saxony || Rinteln ||

| RID || Kelheim District || Bavaria || Riedenburg ||

| RIE || Meißen District || Saxony || Riesa ||

| RL || Mittelsachsen District || Saxony || Rochlitz ||

| RM || Mecklenburgische Seenplatte District (Excluding Neubrandenburg City) || Mecklenburg-Vorpommern || Röbel/Müritz ||

| RN || Havelland District || Brandenburg || Rathenow ||

| rowspan="2" | RO

| Rosenheim District

| rowspan="2" | Bavaria

| rowspan="2" | Rosenheim

| From [RO-A 1000 to 9999] to [RO-Z 1000 to 9999] From [RO-AA 10 to 9999] to [RO-ZZ 100 to 9999] [RO-X 1 to 999] Where X is: B, F, G, I, O, Q [RO-XY 1 to 99] Where either X or Y or both are: B, F, G, I, O, Q

| Rosenheim City

| [RO-X 1 to 999] Where X isn't: B, F, G, I, O, Q [RO-XY 1 to 99] Where neither X nor Y are: B, F, G, I, O, Q

| rowspan="2" | ROD

| Schwandorf District

| rowspan="2" | Bavaria

| rowspan="2" | Roding

| [RO-B 1 to 599], [RO-F 1 to 799] [RO-G 50 to 499] [RO-I 100 to 1999] (Excludes [RO-P 100 to 999], reserved for City Police)

| Cham District

| Every other available combination

| ROF || Hersfeld-Rotenburg District || Hesse || Rotenburg an der Fulda ||

| ROK || Donnersberg District || Rhineland-Palatinate || Rockenhausen ||

| rowspan="2" | ROL

| Landshut District

| rowspan="2" | Bavaria

| rowspan="2" | Rottenburg an der Laaber

| From [ROL-AA 1 to 999] to [ROL-ZZ 1 to 999] [ROL-X 1 to 9999] Where X is: B, F, G, I, O, Q

| Kelheim District

| Every other available combination

| ROS || Rostock District || Mecklenburg-Vorpommern || Rostock ||

| ROT || Ansbach District || Bavaria || Rothenburg ob der Tauber ||

| ROW || Rotenburg (Wümme) District || Lower Saxony || Rotenburg (Wümme) ||

| RP || Rhein-Pfalz District || Rhineland-Palatinate || Rhein-Pfalz ||

| RPL || Rhineland-Palatinate Government, Landtag, and State Police || Rhineland-Palatinate || Rheinland-Pfälzischer Landtag || Code reserved for Rhineland-Palatinate State-owned governmental vehicles

| RS || Remscheid City || North Rhine-Westphalia || Remscheid ||

| RSL || Dessau-Roßlau City || Saxony-Anhalt || Dessau-Rosslau ||

| RT || Reutlingen District || Baden-Württemberg || Reutlingen ||

| RU || Saalfeld-Rudolstadt District || Thuringia || Rudolstadt ||

| RÜD || Rheingau-Taunus District || Hesse || Rüdesheim ||

| RÜG || Vorpommern-Rügen District (Excluding Stralsund City) || Mecklenburg-Vorpommern || Rügen ||

| RV || Ravensburg District || Baden-Württemberg || Ravensburg ||

| RW || Rottweil District || Baden-Württemberg || Rottweil ||

| RZ || Herzogtum Lauenburg District || Schleswig-Holstein || Ratzeburg ||

{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"

! colspan="5" | Codes starting with letter S

! scope="col" style="width: 40px;" |Code

! scope="col" style="width: 160px;" |City / rural district

! scope="col" style="width: 175px;" |State

! scope="col" style="width: 125px;" |Namesake

! scope="col" style="width: 350px;" |Notes

| S || Stuttgart City || Baden-Württemberg || Stuttgart ||

| SAB || Trier-Saarburg District || Rhineland-Palatinate || Saarburg ||

| SAD || Schwandorf District || Bavaria || Schwandorf ||

| SÄK || Waldshut District || Baden-Württemberg || Bad Säckingen ||

| SAL || Saarland Government, Landtag, and State Police || Saarland || Saarländischer Landtag || Code reserved for Saarland State-owned governmental vehicles

| rowspan="3" | SAN

| Kronach District

| rowspan="3" | Bavaria

| rowspan="3" | Stadtsteinach

| From [SAN-S 1 to 999] to [SAN-V 1 to 999] From [SAN-AA 1 to 99] to [SAN-FZ 1 to 99]

| Kulmbach District

| From [SAN-A 1 to 999] to [SAN-R 1 to 999] From [SAN-JA 1 to 99] to [SAN-ZZ 1 to 99]

| Hof District

| From [SAN-W 1 to 999] to [SAN-Z 1 to 999] From [SAN-GA 1 to 999] to [SAN-IZ 1 to 999]

| SAW || Altmark District Salzwedel || Saxony-Anhalt || Salzwedel ||

| SB || Saarbrücken Region (Excluding Völklingen City) || Saarland || Saarbrücken ||

| SBG || Vorpommern-Greifswald District (Excluding Greifswald City) || Mecklenburg-Vorpommern || Strasburg ||

| SBK || Salzland District || Saxony-Anhalt || Schönebeck ||

| SC || Schwabach City || Bavaria || Schwabach ||

| SCZ || Saale-Orla District || Thuringia || Schleiz ||

| SDH || Kyffhäuser District || Thuringia || Sondershausen ||

| SDL || Stendal District || Saxony-Anhalt || Stendal ||

| SDT || Uckermark District || Brandenburg || Schwedt ||

| SE || Segeberg District || Schleswig-Holstein || Bad Segeberg ||

| SEB || Sächsische Schweiz-Osterzgebirge District || Saxony || Sebnitz ||

| SEE || Märkisch-Oderland District || Brandenburg || Seelow ||

| SEF || Neustadt an der Aisch-Bad Windsheim District || Bavaria || Scheinfeld ||

| SEL || Wunsiedel im Fichtelgebirge District || Bavaria || Selb ||

| SFB || Oberspreewald-Lausitz District || Brandenburg || Senftenberg ||

| SFT || Salzland District || Saxony-Anhalt || Staßfurt ||

| SG || Solingen City || North Rhine-Westphalia || Solingen ||

| SGH || Mansfeld-Südharz District || Saxony-Anhalt || Sangerhausen ||

| SH || Schleswig-Holstein Government, Landtag, and Schleswig-Holstein Police || Schleswig-Holstein || Schleswig-Holstein || Code reserved for Schleswig-Holstein State-owned governmental vehicles

| SHA || Schwäbisch Hall District || Baden-Württemberg || Schwäbisch Hall ||

| SHG || Schaumburg District || Lower Saxony || Stadthagen ||

| SHK || Saale-Holzland District || Thuringia || Saale-Holzland-Kreis ||

| SHL || Suhl City || Thuringia || Suhl ||

| SI || Siegen-Wittgenstein District || North Rhine-Westphalia || Siegen ||

| SIG || Sigmaringen District || Baden-Württemberg || Sigmaringen ||

| SIM || Rhein-Hunsrück District || Rhineland-Palatinate || Simmern ||

| SK || Saale District || Saxony-Anhalt || Saalekreis ||

| SL || Schleswig-Flensburg District || Schleswig-Holstein || Schleswig ||

| SLE || Düren District Euskirchen District || North Rhine-Westphalia || Schleiden ||

| SLF || Saalfeld-Rudolstadt District || Thuringia || Saalfeld ||

| rowspan="2" | SLG

| Ravensburg District

| rowspan="2" | Baden-Württemberg

| rowspan="2" | Bad Saulgau

| [SLG-X 1 to 9999] Where X is: A, M, P, Q, W From [SLG-AX 1 to 999] to [SLG-ZX 1 to 999] Where X is: U, Y

| Sigmaringen District

| [SLG-X 1 to 9999] Where X is: B, D, F, H, N, O, R, S, T, Y From [SLG-AX 1 to 999] to [SLG-ZX 1 to 999] Where X is: From A to J

| SLK || Salzland District || Saxony-Anhalt || Salzlandkreis ||

| SLN || Altenburger Land District || Thuringia || Schmölln ||

| SLS || Saarlouis District || Saarland || Saarlouis ||

| SLÜ || Main-Kinzig District (Excluding Hanau City) || Hesse || Schlüchtern ||

| SLZ || Wartburg District || Thuringia || Bad Salzungen ||

| SM || Schmalkalden-Meiningen District || Thuringia || Schmalkalden ||

| SMÜ || Augsburg District || Bavaria || Schwabmünchen ||

| SN || Schwerin City || Mecklenburg-Vorpommern || Schwerin ||

| SO || Soest District|| North Rhine-Westphalia || Soest ||

| SOB || Neuburg-Schrobenhausen District || Bavaria || Schrobenhausen ||

| SOG || Weilheim-Schongau District || Bavaria || Schongau ||

| SOK || Saale-Orla District || Thuringia || Saale-Orla-Kreis ||

| SÖM || Sömmerda District || Thuringia || Sömmerda ||

| SON || Sonneberg District || Thuringia || Sonneberg ||

| SP || Speyer City || Rhineland-Palatinate || Speyer ||

| SPB || Spree-Neiße District || Brandenburg || Spremberg ||

| SPN || Spree-Neiße District || Brandenburg || Spree-Neiße ||

| rowspan="2" | SR

| Straubing City

| rowspan="2" | Bavaria

| rowspan="2" | Straubing

| From [SR-A 1 to 9999] to [SR-Z 1 to 9999] (Excludes [SR-P 1000 to 9999], reserved for City Police)

| Straubing-Bogen District

| From [SR-AA 1 to 999] to [SR-ZZ 1 to 999]

| SRB || Märkisch-Oderland District || Brandenburg || Strausberg ||

| SRO || Saale-Holzland District || Thuringia || Stadtroda ||

| ST || Steinfurt District || North Rhine-Westphalia || Steinfurt ||

| STA || Starnberg District || Bavaria || Starnberg ||

| STB || Ludwigslust-Parchim District || Mecklenburg-Vorpommern || Sternberg ||

| STD || Stade District || Lower Saxony || Stade ||

| STE || Lichtenfels District || Bavaria || Bad Staffelstein ||

| STL || Erzgebirge District || Saxony || Stollberg ||

| rowspan="2" | STO

| Sigmaringen District

| rowspan="2" | Baden-Württemberg

| rowspan="2" | Stockach

| [STO-X 1 to 9999] Where X is: B, D, F, H, N, O, R, S, T, Y From [STO-AX 1 to 999] to [STO-ZX 1 to 999] Where X is: From A to J

| Konstanz District (Excluding Büsingen am Hochrhein Municipality)

| [STO-X 1 to 9999] Where X is: C, E, G, I, J, K, L, V, X, Z From [STO-AX 1 to 999] to [STO-ZX 1 to 999] Where X is: From K to T

| SU || Rhein-Sieg District || North Rhine-Westphalia || Siegburg ||

| SUL || Amberg-Sulzbach District || Bavaria || Sulzbach-Rosenberg ||

| SÜW || Südliche Weinstraße District || Rhineland-Palatinate || Südliche Weinstraße ||

| rowspan="2" | SW

| Schweinfurt District

| rowspan="2" | Bavaria

| rowspan="2" | Schweinfurt

| From [SW-AA 100 to 9999] to [SW-ZZ 100 to 9999] [SW-X 1 to 9999] Where X is: B, F, G, I, O, Q [SW-XY 1 to 99] Where either X or Y or both are: B, F, G, I, O, Q

| Schweinfurt City

| [SW-X 1 to 9999] Where X isn't: B, F, G, I, O, Q [SW-XY 1 to 99] Where neither X nor Y are: B, F, G, I, O, Q

| SWA || Rheingau-Taunus District || Hesse || Bad Schwalbach ||

| SY || Diepholz District || Lower Saxony || Syke ||

| SZ || Salzgitter City || Lower Saxony || Salzgitter ||

| SZB || Erzgebirge District || Saxony || Schwarzenberg ||

{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"

! colspan="5" | Codes starting with letter T

! scope="col" style="width: 40px;" |Code

! scope="col" style="width: 160px;" |City / rural district

! scope="col" style="width: 175px;" |State

! scope="col" style="width: 125px;" |Namesake

! scope="col" style="width: 350px;" |Notes

| TBB || Main-Tauber District || Baden-Württemberg || Tauberbischofsheim ||

| TDO || Nordsachsen District || Saxony || Torgau-Delitzsch-Oschatz ||

| TE || Steinfurt District || North Rhine-Westphalia || Tecklenburg ||

| TET || Rostock District || Mecklenburg-Vorpommern || Teterow ||

| TF || Teltow-Fläming District || Brandenburg || Teltow-Fläming ||

| TG || Nordsachsen District || Saxony || Torgau ||

| THL || Thuringia Government and Landtag || Thuringia || Thüringer Landtag || Code reserved for Thuringia State-owned governmental vehicles

| THW

| colspan="2"| Federal Agency for Technical Relief

| Technisches Hilfswerk || Code reserved for Vehicles of German Federal Agency for Technical Relief.

| TIR || Tirschenreuth District || Bavaria || Tirschenreuth ||

| TO || Nordsachsen District || Saxony || Torgau-Oschatz ||

| TÖL || Bad Tölz-Wolfratshausen District || Bavaria || Bad Tölz ||

| TP || Uckermark District || Brandenburg || Templin ||

| TR || Trier-Saarburg District Trier City || Rhineland-Palatinate || Trier ||

| TS || Traunstein District || Bavaria || Traunstein ||

| TT || Bodensee (Lake Constance) District || Baden-Württemberg || Tettnang ||

| TÜ || Tübingen District || Baden-Württemberg || Tübingen ||

| TUT || Tuttlingen District || Baden-Württemberg || Tuttlingen ||

{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"

! colspan="5" | Codes starting with letter U

! scope="col" style="width: 40px;" |Code

! scope="col" style="width: 160px;" |City / rural district

! scope="col" style="width: 175px;" |State

! scope="col" style="width: 125px;" |Namesake

! scope="col" style="width: 350px;" |Notes

| rowspan="3" | ÜB

| Sigmaringen District

| rowspan="3" | Baden-Württemberg

| rowspan="3" | Überlingen

| [ÜB-X 1 to 999] Where X is: K, N, P, Q, U, W, Y, Z [ÜB-X 1000 to 9999] Where X is : A, E From [ÜB-XA 1 to 99] to [ÜB-XZ 1 to 99] Where X is: A, C, E [ÜB-XY 100 to 999] Where XY is: BB, HH, II, MM, NN, OO, XX [ÜB-XY 1000 to 9999] Where XY is: FF, GG, PP, RR, VV

| Ravensburg District

| [ÜB-X 1 to 999] Where X is: A, C, E, G, I, J, L [ÜB-X 1000 to 9999] Where X is: B, X From [ÜB-XA 1 to 99] to [ÜB-XZ 1 to 99] Where X is: U, V, W, Y, Z [ÜB-XY 100 to 999] Where XY is: AA, DD, FF [ÜB-XY 1000 to 9999] Where XY is: KK, OO, TT, RV

| Bodensee (Lake Constance) District

| [ÜB-X 1 to 999] Where X is: B, D, F, H, M, O, R, S, T, V, X [ÜB-X 1000 to 9999] Where X is not: A, B, E, X From [ÜB-XA 1 to 99] to [ÜB-XZ 1 to 99] Where X isn't: A, C, E, U, V, W, Y, Z [ÜB-XY 100 to 999] Where XY is not: AA, BB, DD, FF, HH, II, MM, NN, OO, XX [ÜB-XY 1000 to 9999] Where XY is not: FF, GG, KK, OO, PP, RR, RV, TT, VV

| UE || Uelzen District || Lower Saxony || Uelzen ||

| UEM || Vorpommern-Greifswald District (Excluding Greifswald City) || Mecklenburg-Vorpommern || Ueckermünde ||

| UFF || Neustadt an der Aisch-Bad Windsheim District || Bavaria || Uffenheim ||

| UH || Unstrut-Hainich District || Thuringia || Unstrut-Hainich ||

| rowspan="2" | UL

| Alb-Donau District

| rowspan="2" | Baden-Württemberg

| rowspan="2" | Ulm

| From [UL-AA 100 to 999] to [UL-ZZ 100 to 999] From [UL-NA 1000 to 9999] to [UL-ZZ1000 to 9999] [UL-X 1 to 999] Where X is: B, F, G, I, O, Q [UL-XY 1 to 99] Where either X or Y or both are: B, F, G, I, O, Q

| Ulm City

| [UL-A 1000 to 4999], [UL-A 6000 to 9999] From [UL-B 1000 to 9999] to [UL-Z 1000 to 9999] [UL-X 1 to 999] Where X isn't: B, F, G, I, O, Q [UL-XY 1 to 99] Where neither X nor Y are: B, F, G, I, O, Q

| UM || Uckermark District || Brandenburg || Uckermark ||

| UN || Unna District || North Rhine-Westphalia || Unna ||

| USI || Hochtaunus District || Hesse || Usingen ||

{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"

! colspan="5" | Codes starting with letter V

! scope="col" style="width: 40px;" |Code

! scope="col" style="width: 160px;" |City / rural district

! scope="col" style="width: 175px;" |State

! scope="col" style="width: 125px;" |Namesake

! scope="col" style="width: 350px;" |Notes

| V || Vogtland District || Saxony || Vogtland ||

| VAI || Ludwigsburg District || Baden-Württemberg || Vaihingen ||

| VB || Vogelsberg District || Hesse || Vogelsberg ||

| VEC || Vechta District || Lower Saxony || Vechta ||

| VER || Verden District || Lower Saxony || Verden ||

| VG || Vorpommern-Greifswald District (Excluding Greifswald City) || Mecklenburg-Vorpommern || Vorpommern-Greifswald ||

| rowspan="3" | VIB

| Rottal-Inn District

| rowspan="3" | Bavaria

| rowspan="3" | Vilsbiburg

| [VIB-X 1 to 9999] Where X is: B, I, O, Q]

| Mühldorf am Inn District

| [VIB-G 1 to 9999]

| Landshut District

| Every other available combination

| VIE || Viersen District || North Rhine-Westphalia || Viersen ||

| VIT || Regen District || Bavaria || Viechtach ||

| VK || Völklingen City (A subdivision of Saarbrücken Region) || Saarland || Völklingen ||

| VOH || Neustadt an der Waldnaab District || Bavaria || Vohenstrauß ||

| VR || Vorpommern-Rügen District (Excluding Stralsund City) || Mecklenburg-Vorpommern || Vorpommern-Rügen ||

| VS || Schwarzwald-Baar District || Baden-Württemberg || Villingen-Schwenningen ||

{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"

! colspan="5" | Codes starting with letter W

! scope="col" style="width: 40px;" |Code

! scope="col" style="width: 160px;" |City / rural district

! scope="col" style="width: 175px;" |State

! scope="col" style="width: 125px;" |Namesake

! scope="col" style="width: 350px;" |Notes

| W || Wuppertal City || North Rhine-Westphalia || Wuppertal ||

| WA || Waldeck-Frankenberg District || Hesse || Waldeck ||

| WAF || Warendorf District || North Rhine-Westphalia || Warendorf ||

| WAK || Wartburg District || Thuringia || Wartburgkreis ||

| WAN || Herne City || North Rhine-Westphalia || Wanne-Eickel ||

| WAR || Höxter District || North Rhine-Westphalia || Warburg ||

| WAT || Bochum City || North Rhine-Westphalia || Wattenscheid ||

| WB || Wittenberg District || Saxony-Anhalt || Wittenberg ||

| WBS || Eichsfeld District || Thuringia || Leinefelde-Worbis ||

| WDA || Zwickau District || Saxony || Werdau ||

| WE || Weimar City || Thuringia || Weimar ||

| WEL || Limburg-Weilburg District || Hesse || Weilburg ||

| WEN || Weiden in der Oberpfalz City || Bavaria || Weiden ||

| rowspan="2" | WER

| Augsburg District

| rowspan="2" | Bavaria

| rowspan="2" | Wertingen

| [WAR-YA 1 to 999] to [WAR-YZ 1 to 999] From [WAR-A 7000 to 9999] to [WAR-Z 7000 to 9999]

| Dillingen an der Donau District

| Every other available combination

| WES || Wesel District || North Rhine-Westphalia || Wesel ||

| WF || Wolfenbüttel District || Lower Saxony || Wolfenbüttel ||

| WG || Ravensburg District || Baden-Württemberg || Wangen ||

| WHV || Wilhelmshaven City || Lower Saxony || Wilhelmshaven ||

| WI || Wiesbaden City || Hesse || Wiesbaden || (Excludes [WI-HP 100 to 9999], reserved for City Police)

| WIL || Bernkastel-Wittlich District || Rhineland-Palatinate || Wittlich ||

| WIS || Nordwestmecklenburg District (Excluding Wismar City) || Mecklenburg-Vorpommern || Wismar ||

| WIT || Ennepe-Ruhr District || North Rhine-Westphalia || Witten ||

| WIZ || Werra-Meißner District || Hesse || Witzenhausen ||

| WK || Ostprignitz-Ruppin District || Brandenburg || Wittstock ||

| WL || Harburg District || Lower Saxony || Winsen (Luhe) ||

| WLG || Vorpommern-Greifswald District (Excluding Greifswald City) || Mecklenburg-Vorpommern || Wolgast ||

| WM || Weilheim-Schongau District || Bavaria || Weilheim ||

| WMS || Börde District || Saxony-Anhalt || Wolmirstedt ||

| WN || Rems-Murr District || Baden-Württemberg || Waiblingen ||

| WND || Sankt Wendel District || Saarland || Sankt Wendel ||

| WO || Worms City || Rhineland-Palatinate || Worms ||

| WOB || Wolfsburg City || Lower Saxony || Wolfsburg ||

| WOH || Kassel District || Hesse || Wolfhagen ||

| rowspan="2" | WOL

| Freudenstadt District

| rowspan="2" | Baden-Württemberg

| rowspan="2" | Wolfach

| From [WOL-A 9000 to 9999] to [WOL-E 9000 to 9999]

| Ortenau District

| Every other available combination

| rowspan="3" | WOR

| Munich District

| rowspan="3" | Bavaria

| rowspan="3" | Wolfratshausen

| [WOL-F 1 to 9999] [WOL-O 1 to 9999]

| Starnberg District

| [WOL-B 1 to 9999] [WOL-G 1 to 9999]

| Bad Tölz-Wolfratshausen District

| Every other available combination

| WOS || Freyung-Grafenau District || Bavaria || Wolfstein ||

| WR || Harz District || Saxony-Anhalt || Wernigerode ||

| WRN || Mecklenburgische Seenplatte District (Excluding Neubrandenburg City) || Mecklenburg-Vorpommern || Waren ||

| rowspan="2" | WS

| Mühldorf am Inn District

| rowspan="2" | Bavaria

| rowspan="2" | Wasserburg

| [WS-Q 1 to 9999] From [WS-QA 1 to 9999] to [WS-QZ 1 to 9999]

| Rosenheim District

| Every other available combination

| WSF || Burgenland District || Saxony-Anhalt || Weissenfels ||

| WST || Ammerland District || Lower Saxony || Westerstede ||

| WSW || Görlitz District || Saxony || Weisswasser ||

| WT || Waldshut District || Baden-Württemberg || Waldshut-Tiengen ||

| WTL || Osnabrück District || Lower Saxony || Wittlage ||

| WTM || Wittmund District || Lower Saxony || Wittmund ||

| rowspan="2" | WÜ

| Würzburg City

| rowspan="2" | Bavaria

| rowspan="2" | Würzburg

| From [WÜ-AA 100 to 999] to [WÜ-ZZ 100 to 999] From [WÜ-AA 1000 to 9999] to [WÜ-ZZ 1000 to 9999]

(Excludes [WÜ-PP 1 to 9999], reserved for Police) [WÜ-X 1 to 999] Where X is B, F, G, I, O, Q [WÜ-XY 1 to 99] Where either X or Y or both are: B, F, G, I, O, Q

| Würzburg District

| From [WÜ-A 1000 to 9999] to [WÜ-Z 1000 to 9999] [WÜ-X 1 to 999] Where X isn't B, F, G, I, O, Q [WÜ-XY 1 to 99] Where neither X nor Y are: B, F, G, I, O, Q

| WUG || Weißenburg-Gunzenhausen District || Bavaria || Weißenburg ||

| WÜM || Cham District || Bavaria || Waldmünchen (with rearranged letter order) ||

| WUN || Wunsiedel im Fichtelgebirge District || Bavaria || Wunsiedel ||

| WUR || Leipzig District || Saxony || Wurzen ||

| WW || Westerwald District || Rhineland-Palatinate || Westerwald ||

| WZ || Lahn-Dill District || Hesse || Wetzlar ||

| WZL || Börde District || Saxony-Anhalt || Wanzleben-Börde ||

{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"

! colspan="5" | Codes starting with letter X

! scope="col" style="width: 40px;" |Code

! scope="col" style="width: 160px;" |City / rural district

! scope="col" style="width: 175px;" |State

! scope="col" style="width: 125px;" |Namesake

! scope="col" style="width: 350px;" |Notes

| X

| colspan="2"| NATO Headquarters in Germany || Arbitrarily chosen || [X-1000] Format

{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"

! colspan="5" | Codes starting with letter Y

! scope="col" style="width: 40px;" |Code

! scope="col" style="width: 160px;" |City / rural district

! scope="col" style="width: 175px;" |State

! scope="col" style="width: 125px;" |Namesake

! scope="col" style="width: 350px;" |Notes

| Y

| colspan="2"| Bundeswehr (German Federal Military) || Arbitrarily chosen || [Y-100 123] Format

{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"

! colspan="5" | Codes starting with letter Z

! scope="col" style="width: 40px;" |Code

! scope="col" style="width: 160px;" |City / rural district

! scope="col" style="width: 175px;" |State

! scope="col" style="width: 125px;" |Namesake

! scope="col" style="width: 350px;" |Notes

| Z || Zwickau District || Saxony || Zwickau ||

| ZE || Anhalt-Bitterfeld District || Saxony-Anhalt || Zerbst ||

| ZEL || Cochem-Zell District || Rhineland-Palatinate || Zell ||

| ZI || Görlitz District || Saxony || Zittau ||

| ZIG || Schwalm-Eder District || Hesse || Ziegenhain ||

| ZP || Erzgebirge District || Saxony || Zschopau ||

| ZR || Greiz District || Thuringia || Zeulenroda-Triebes ||

| rowspan="2" | ZW

| Zweibrücken City

| rowspan="2" | Rhineland-Palatinate

| rowspan="2" | Zweibrücken

| From [ZW-A 1 to 9999] to [ZW-Z 1 to 9999] From [ZW-AA 100 to 9999] to [ZW-ZZ 100 to 9999]

| Südwestpfalz District

| From [ZW-AA 1 to 99] to [ZW-ZZ 1 to 99]

| ZZ || Burgenland District || Saxony-Anhalt || Zeitz ||

{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"

! colspan="6" | Codes starting with Numbers, 0 to 9

! colspan="2" scope="col" style="width: 40px;" |Code

! scope="col" style="width: 160px;" |City / rural district

! scope="col" style="width: 175px;" |State

! scope="col" style="width: 125px;" |Namesake

! scope="col" style="width: 270px;" |Notes

|rowspan="5" | 0

| [0-1]

| colspan="2" | Vehicle of the Federal President

| ||

| [0-2]

| colspan="2" | Vehicle of the Federal Chancellor

| ||

| [0-3]

| colspan="2" | Vehicle of the Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs

| ||

| [0-4]

| colspan="2" | Vehicle of the State Secretary of the Federal Foreign Office

| ||

| [0-## 1 to 999] [0-### 1 to 999]

| colspan="2" | Diplomatic license plate Where ## or ### is a numerical code associated with each country.

| ||

| 1

| [1-1]

| colspan="2" | Vehicle of the President of the Bundestag

| ||

Stickers

Registration plates become valid with the official seal of registration. The inspection generally had to be performed every two years, only later brand new cars were granted an extra year before their first technical inspection. Consequently, there were not so many different colours needed, and the pattern was different then.

Between 1985 and 2010, a similar yet hexagonal sticker was applied to the front plate, certifying the emission test which had to be performed separately since March 1985. With a change of laws effective in 2010, the emission test was incorporated into the safety test, so the emission sticker became obsolete.

File:Kfz-Zulassungsplakette Stadt Duisburg SecuRasta.jpg|Registration seal, City of Duisburg, pre-1994 version with city arms

File:Stadt Duisburg-KFZ-Zulassungsplakette neue Ausführung.JPG|Registration seal, City of Duisburg, North Rhine-Westphalia, post-1994 version with state emblem

File:Zulassungsplakette LRA Mühldorf am Inn-alt.jpg|Registration seal, Mühldorf am Inn, pre-1994, Bavaria state arms monochrome

File:Zulassungsplakette Coburg.png|Registration seal, Coburg district, post-1994, Bavaria state arms in colours

File:Bundeswehr-Zulassungssiegel.jpg|Bundeswehr registration seal with the Bundesadler

</gallery>

File:Plakette Hauptuntersuchung.svg|Safety test sticker

File:Plakette Abgassonderuntersuchung.svg|Emission test sticker (1985–2010)

File:Kfz-Kennzeichen Deutschland - Toepfchensiegel.jpg|Safety test (here: valid until June 2007) and registration seal (Fürth, Bavaria)

File:TUEV Plakette 1964.jpg|Ancient safety test marker, September 1964

</gallery>

{| class="wikitable"

|+ Colours of the emission test (1985–2010) and vehicle safety test stickers (since 1974)

! colspan="2" style="text-align: center;" | Colour

! colspan="11" style="text-align: center;" | Year

| style="background-color: #8f4e35;" |

| RAL 8004 (, Copper brown)

| 1974

| 1980

| 1986

| 1992

| 1998

| 2004

| 2010

| 2016

| 2022

| 2028

| 2034

| style="background-color: #e1a6ad;" |

| RAL 3015 (, Light pink)

| 1975

| 1981

| 1987

| 1993

| 1999

| 2005

| 2011

| 2017

| 2023

| 2029

| 2035

| style="background-color: #48a43f;" |

| RAL 6018 (, Yellow-green)

| 1976

| 1982

| 1988

| 1994

| 2000

| 2006

| 2012

| 2018

| 2024

| 2030

| 2036

| style="background-color: #dd7907;" |

| RAL 2000 (, Yellow-orange)

| 1979

| 1983

| 1989

| 1995

| 2001

| 2007

| 2013

| 2019

| 2025

| 2031

| 2037

| style="background-color: #2874b2;" |

| RAL 5015 (, Sky blue)

| 1978

| 1984

| 1990

| 1996

| 2002

| 2008

| 2014

| 2020

| 2026

| 2032

| 2038

| style="background-color: #d9c022;" |

| RAL 1012 (, Lemon yellow)

| 1977

| 1985

| 1991

| 1997

| 2003

| 2009

| 2015

| 2021

| 2027

| 2033

| 2039

thumb|left|Old style safety test sticker, 1967

{| class="wikitable"

|+ Colours of vehicle safety test stickers (1961–73)

! colspan="2" style="text-align: center;" | Colour

! colspan="4" style="text-align: center;" | Year

| style="background-color: #F8F8FF;" |

| , White

| 1961

| 1965

| 1969

| 1973

| style="background-color: #556B2F;" |

| , Dark Olive Green

| 1962

| 1966

| 1970

| style="background-color: #FFD700;" |

| , Golden Yellow

| 1963

| 1967

| 1971

| style="background-color: #0000FF;" |

| , Blue

| 1964

| 1968

| 1972

thumb|right|Bus with repeater plate, due to the bike carrier

All these stickers are specially treated to be easily transferred onto the licence plates, but hard to be removed without damaging the plate itself, making them relatively counterfeit-proof.

The only licence plates which do not need to carry either seal are repeaters. These are obligatory when the original rear plate is covered, in part or whole, by cargo or attached parts, such as bicycle carriers. Further restrictions are caused by "prohibited" combinations (see below).

Personalised plates

thumb|right|Very old example of a personalised plate, from [[Kiel ]]

For an extra charge of €10.20, vehicle owners can register a personalised identifier, keeping to the above rules. In most cases of personalised plates, owners choose their initials and a number reflecting their date of birth. In this fashion, fictional Mrs , born 2 May 1965 and living in Essen, might choose E-UM 2565 for her car. By combining area code and random letters, further possibilities arise, such as a man from Oldenburg named Olaf, born on Christmas Eve, could choose OL-AF 2412. A resident of the town of Pirna might choose PIR-AT 77, meaning "pirate" in German. Kiel and Kleve are two examples of places where the number plate can spell out all of the city name.

These vanity plates can only be made up of the available prefixes and numbers, within the general rules. A James Bond fan from Hamburg would not be allowed the plate HH-JB 007 because leading digits 0 (or even double-0) are not possible; however, he might strive for HH-J 8007 or HH-OO 7, imitating digits by letters or vice versa. The owner of a Volkswagen Polo can certainly show VW in the middle section, but neither PO-LO 1995 nor VW-P0 L01 would be possible, as these prefixes are not issued nor may letters and digits be mixed at will. Nonetheless, a notable variety of personalised number plates can be spotted on German roads.

File:BIER (beer) licence plate Germany from Bielefeld.JPG| means beer

File:WESEL158.jpg| means money

File:AC-DC-1980 License plate Aachen Germany.jpg|AC/DC is a rock band.

File:License plate DI-AL 110.jpg|110 is the police emergency number

File:BA-BY (German license plate).JPG

File:Germany license plate GI-RL.jpg

</gallery>

Company cars

Whereas private persons are required to register their vehicle with the district authority of their residence, commercial enterprises can choose to establish branch offices from where to register at will – either for financial reasons, as insurance fees are dependent on the address of registration, or to obtain an interesting licence plate. On the other hand, other enterprises show their origin proudly nationwide. One of these is ADAC, the German automobile association, based in Munich. All their assistance cars, operating from the Alps to the North Sea, bear an M plate.

Deutsche Bahn, after being corporatised and relinquishing their (authority plate) DB, prefers this logo as their middle letters, e. g. F-DB for the Frankfurt office.

Deutsche Telekom, the largest telecommuncations company, often uses BN plates, as their headquarters remained in Bonn, where the company originated out of a governmental post & telephone agency. Yet wherever the respective branch office may be, the middle letters DT are preferred.

The Kone company registers their German vehicles in Koblenz, with middle letters NE, thus displaying their trademark on their plates. BMW, owner of Mini, registers all Mini press/marketing cars in the district of Minden-Lübbecke which holds the code MI, to get "MI-NI" number plates for the cars. BMW itself is based in Munich, yet M-INI plates are not possible to issue, as three letters after the district code are not permitted.

From 1970s up to 1994, Essen city buses owned by city transport company EVAG (Essener Verkehrs-AG) were registered with E-AT number plates. This may be regarded a pun, as eat translates into German as .

File:ADAC Ford S-Max.JPG|ADAC roadside assistance car

File:Deutsche Bahn Bauüberwachung.jpg|Deutsche Bahn (DB) construction supervisor

File:Telekom mobility 2 cars.jpg|2 cars of Deutsche Telekom (DT), registered in Münster

File:Kone licence plate.jpg|A car of Kone's, unmistakably

File:Duobus in electric mode near Essen Wasserturm - geo.hlipp.de - 3997.jpg|Bus E-AT 895, headed for Essen-Kray in 1991

</gallery>

Prohibited combinations

Combinations that are regarded as a , which means "offence to moral and customs", are disallowed or otherwise avoided.

thumb|right|ADAC car parade in 1965 – the plate on the far left reads M-SA 617

Those prefixes must not be issued as middle letters now, yet the list of forbidden codes appears to have developed over the decades. In the 1960s, the renowned ADAC had no qualms with the middle letters SA, as seen on an archive photo. Although the "infamous" combinations were generally excluded from the list of possible area codes with the introduction of the current system, the French occupation force had between 1945 and 1949 used the combination SA followed by the double-digit numbers 01 to 08 for the then seven rural districts in the Saar Protectorate and its capital Saarbrücken. By 1990, however, codes like these were not taken into consideration for newly formed districts in former GDR: The district used the name of its capital, Pirna, in its code PIR, to avoid the use of SS. When the districts of Torgau, Delitzsch and Oschatz merged into , they combined their initials into TDO, instead of abbreviating Northern Saxony as NS.

thumb|200px|right|Example of banned combination ([[Nazism|NS) which was issued accidentally]]

On the other hand, the area codes HH and AH were chosen for and former district , although they could be interpreted as and , respectively. In everyday German, the letters AH are not regarded as an obvious abbreviation for that name, even less so in the 1950s when the lists were created. Nonetheless, these two-letter codes and the respective numerals 18 and 88, signifying the first and eighth letter of the alphabet, obviously have developed into Nazi symbols. They are therefore generally avoided in the serial part of licence plates, although they may be found sometimes. Generally, the decision whether or not a certain combination is permitted lies with the respective district authority. In Brandenburg, any plates that are related to Hitler, the Hitler salute, etc. cannot be issued, especially if they would be bearing digits 1888, 8818, 8888 or ending in 88, 888, 188. Nor can the combinations AH 18 and HH 18 be issued to new owners. Some districts however allow these combinations if they are the owner's initials (for example, might be able to get XX-NS 1234).

In 2004 in Nuremberg, a car owner was refused a number plate beginning N-PD because of the connection to the political party NPD. After the terror group National Socialist Underground was uncovered in 2011, the city of Nuremberg refused number plates beginning with N-SU and even abolished the respective plates on their own vehicles of (sewage and environmental department).

In the 2010s, some districts started banning licence plates with the middle letters IS which resembled the Islamic State. The Herford district registration office ceased issuing registration plates with the combination HF-Z in April 2022 to avoid connotations with the use of the letter "Z" as a symbol for the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine.

thumb|right|Permitted: [[Aachen|AC-AB]]

The combinations STA-SI, S-ED HE-IL/HEI-L, IZ-AN and WAF-FE are also forbidden or discouraged, to avoid association with Stasi, the of the GDR, the Nazi salute, NAZI backwards and the German word for weapon respectively. Other combinations affected are BUL-LE (German derogative for police, roughly comparable to pig), MO-RD (German word for murder), TO-D (German word for death), KI-LL (kill) and SU-FF (boozing).

thumb|right|Consensual: [[Segeberg|SE-X]]

On the other hand, plates that would seem offensive in other circumstances have been allowed, such as the infamous acronym AC-AB. Since the 1950s, morals and customs have certainly changed, and combinations which may have appeared indecent then do not raise an eyebrow now. Therefore, it is not a problem to get a licence plate with S-EX, Cologne issues K-TX to taxis and K-LN to the city's own vehicles. The combinations B-FA and BN-AA with any 4-digit numbers are issued by Berlin and Bonn, respectively, to embassy domestic staff without diplomatic status. the area code G was used for a fictional "large city" () in the Ruhrgebiet area. However, if the plot is supposed to take place in a defined town or region, the audience would expect cars to show codes of that area on their number plates. When James Bond was driving through Hamburg in Tomorrow Never Dies, the obviously fake Berlin licence plates on his BMW were soon pointed out.

Prior to 2000, it was also possible to use number plates with bogus identifiers containing the letters B, F, G, I, O and Q, which at that time were not issued in the middle group. However, any of these letters can appear on a real licence plate. In order to demonstrate clearly that the plate shown is a fictitious one, the crew could use an impossible identifier, such as an in this middle section.

Registration

Procedures

thumb|right|Several shops advertising (plates), in the street of the registration authority

Vehicles must be registered with their owner's name and current address. On proof of identity, vehicle documentation and liability insurance, the registration will take place in the district authority competent for the respective address. Both the dimensions of the plates and the typeface of letters and numbers are standardized. After purchasing the number plate, the official stamps must be applied, back at the registration office. The data which are stored there refer to the vehicle, the owner and the insurance. Inquiries from foreign authorities can be addressed to ZFZR which will then direct them to the correct district.

Changes, such as a vehicle being sold or its owner moving residence, must be registered to keep the vehicle documentation up to date.

thumb|right|Example of a defaced plate – notice how the bottom seal is completely gone, due to scraping. (from [[Kronach).]]

When owners choose to deregister their vehicle, the officer at the local authority will want to see the licence plates with defaced seals on them as proof that the plate can no longer be used in public. For this purpose, scratching tools are available for use at the registration office. Once defaced, the plates may only be used legally on public roads for one return journey to the owner's residence. If a vehicle is to be deregistered and a new one registered to the same owner, it is possible to swap the licence plate from old to new within the same process. Documentation and fees are necessary nonetheless, and neither vehicle should be used to reach the authority, as the assignment of the number changes by the minute.

It is general practice for owners to deregister their vehicles when selling them, typically when a sale is agreed. A sales contract is highly recommended, and various forms are available online for free. A seller may hand over their vehicle with valid licence plates and papers still in their name to the new owner, and the owner will complete the registration transfer to their name. In a scenario without a proper sales contract, the seller may become liable when the buyer commits traffic violations or even criminal acts related to the car or plates. It is generally not recommended to sell used cars with licence plates.

A car whose owner has not paid their insurance premium and is reported to the police by the insurance company may get , unstamped when found in a public place. The police will remove the official seal using a scratching tool like a screwdriver, leaving the plate without a valid seal. This renders the vehicle illegal to be used, or to be left in a public place, unless the insurance premium is paid and plates are fitted with a new official seal. A one-time journey to the relevant registration authorities is permitted to have the seal reinstated, once insurance is restored.

Costs

As of 2020, the average registration fee is €26.00 whilst further fees may apply for choosing an individual identifier or for reservation of such. Whereas some of these amounts are ordained by federal laws, others vary slightly from one district to the next. The prices for number plates, on the other hand, are subject to the free market and range from less than €10 up to around €40 per piece. Generally, it is cheaper to have the plates ordered online, but faster to walk across the street and have them made on the spot.

Further costs arise for motor vehicle tax (€194 on average yet very much depending on engine and emissions) and mandatory liability insurance (€260 on average, in 2019; depending on the model of the vehicle, age and residence of the owner, etc.). Comprehensive insurance is recommended but voluntary.

Special types of registration

Besides the most common way of registering a vehicle for everyday, all-year use indefinitely, it is possible to register for several months of each year, or for a few days in order to export the vehicle abroad. As well it is allowed, under certain restrictions, to register two vehicles (such as a car and a motorhome) under one number, with the same main licence plate. These variations may save expenses in tax and insurance. Further ways of saving apply to vintage cars and to electrically powered vehicles. Each of these special registrations are represented in the respective licence plate.

Special codes, colours and formats

Certain types of vehicle bear special codes.

thumb|right| vehicle, 1960s/70s, with old-style BP plate

Public sector

Before the legal reforms of 2006, official vehicles such as police, fire fighting and municipal administration did not carry a letter after the sticker, but only the district prefix and a number, such as M-1234. These included:

vehicles of the district government: 1–199, 1000–1999, 10000–19999
vehicles of the local government, e.g. fire brigade: 200–299, 2000–2999, 20000–29999, 300–399
police: 3000–3999, 7000–7999, 30000–39999, 70000–79999
disaster relief (mostly changed to "THW", see above): 8000–8999, 80000–89999

This style of plate is no longer issued in most states, but many official vehicles which were registered before 2006 still carry this type of plate.

File:Deutsches Kfz-Kennzeichen für Behördenfahrzeuge (Nummernbereich 3).jpg|Official registered vehicle (here: fire brigade)

File:Deutsches Kfz-Kennzeichen für Behördenfahrzeuge (Nummernbereich 8).jpg|Official registered vehicle for disaster relief

File:Germany NRW licenseplate.jpg|License plate of official vehicle in North Rhine-Westphalia

File:License plate of city council of Trier.jpg|License plate of city council of Trier

</gallery>

A similar style is issued by some districts to consular or diplomatic vehicles in the form Aaa-9NNn (example: D-921). Unlike the other style of diplomatic/consular plates issued in Berlin and Bonn (see below), this plate does not indicate the nationality of the mission.

Diplomatic plates

Plates of cars covered by diplomatic immunity bear the digit 0 (Zero), followed by a two- or three-digit number which indicates the specific diplomatic mission, a hyphen and another number counting within this mission. Traditionally, a digit 1 in this final place denotes the ambassador or . Lower-ranking embassy or consular staff without full diplomatic status are issued plates with the regular city code (mostly B for the capital, Berlin, or BN for the former capital, Bonn); the following numerals are analogous to the "0-plates", e.g. B 19–256. Further holders of diplomatic plates are certain international organizations, such as the UNHCR or the European Central Bank.

File:0-153 Zypern Cyprus diplomatenkennzeichen.JPG|Car of the Cypriot ambassador

File:Deutsches Diplomatenkennzeichen (Indonesien).jpg|Diplomatic plate, Indonesian embassy in Berlin

File:GERMANY, BERLIN -FRENCH CONSULATE license plate Flickr - woody1778a.jpg|Plate for diplomatic employee, French embassy in Berlin

File:Hamburg CC Diplomatic license plate.jpg|Consular corps plate in Hamburg

File:Diplomatic license plate Germany 0 17-175.jpg|Small format plate for a U.S. diplomat

</gallery>

{| class="wikitable sortable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"

|+ List

! colspan="4" | Diplomatic Codes on German Licence Plates

! Code !! Flag with State !! State in German !! Notes

| 10 || || Vatikanstadt

| 11 || || Ägypten

| 12 || || Angola

| 13 || || Albanien

| 14 || || Äthiopien

| 15 || || Afghanistan

| 16 || || Algerien

| 17 || || Vereinigte Staaten von Amerika || Amerika

| 18 || || Argentinien

| 19 || || Australien

| 20 || || Bangladesch

| 21 || || Belgien

| 22 || || Brunei

| 23 || || Bulgarien

| 24 || || Myanmar || formerly Birma

| 25 || || Bolivien

| 26 || || Brasilien

| 27 || || Burundi

| 28 || || Chile

| 29 || || China

| 30 || || Costa Rica

| 31 || || Belarus || formerly Weißrussland

| 32 || || Bosnien und Herzegowina

| 33 || || Äquatorialguinea

| 34 || || Dänemark

| 35 || || Benin || formerly

| 36 || || Dominikanische Republik

| 37 || || Ecuador / Ekuador

| 38 || || Elfenbeinküste

| 39 || || El Salvador

| 40 || || Kosovo

| 41 || || Estland

| 42 || || Liechtenstein

| 43 || || Montenegro

| 44 || || Finnland

| 45 || || Frankreich

| 46 || || Gabun

| 47 || || Ghana

| 48 || || Griechenland

| 49 || || Vereinigtes Königreich || Großbritannien

| 50 || || Guatemala

| 51 || || Guinea

| 52 || || Lettland

| 53 || || Litauen

| 54 || || Haiti

| 55 || || Honduras

| 56 || || Indien

| 57 || || Indonesien

| 58 || || Irak

| 59 || || Iran

| 60 || || Irland

| 61 || || Island

| 62 || || Laos

| 63 || || Kap Verde

| 64 || || Israel

| 65 || || Italien

| 66 || || Jamaika

| 67 || || Japan

| 68 || || Jemen

| 69 || || Jordanien

| 70 || || Serbien || formerly Jugoslawien

| 71 || || Kuwait

| 72 || || Kuba

| 73 || || Katar

| 74 || || Kamerun

| 75 || || Kanada

| 76 || || Kenia

| 77 || || Kolumbien

| 78 || || Kongo

| 79 || || Südkorea || Korea (Republik)

| 80 || || Libanon

| 81 || || Liberia

| 82 || || Libyen

| 83 || || Lesotho

| 84 || || Luxemburg

| 85 || || Madagaskar

| 86 || || Malawi

| 87 || || Malaysia

| 88 || || Mali

| 89 || || Marokko

| 90 || || Mauretanien

| 91 || || Mexiko

| 92 || || Malta

| 93 || || Monaco

| 94 || || Nepal

| 95 || || Neuseeland

| 96 || || Nicaragua

| 97 || || Niederlande

| 98 || || Niger

| 99 || || Nigeria

| 100 || || Norwegen

| 101 || || Mongolei

| 102 || || Mosambik || a.k.a. Moçambique

| 103 || || Oman

| 104 || || Burkina Faso || formerly Obervolta

| 105 || || Österreich

| 106 || || Pakistan

| 107 || || Panama

| 108 || || Paraguay

| 109 || || Peru

| 110 || || Philippinen

| 111 || || Polen

| 112 || || Portugal

| 113 || || Papua-Neuguinea

| 114 || || Namibia

| 115 || || Ruanda ||

| 116 || || Rumänien

| 117 || || Sambia

| 118 || || Saudi-Arabien

| 119 || || Schweden

| 120 || || Schweiz

| 121 || || Senegal

| 122 || || Sierra Leone

| 123 || || Singapur

| 124 || || Simbabwe

| 125 || || Somalia

| 126 || || Spanien

| 127 || || Sri Lanka

| 128 || || Sudan

| 129 || || Südafrika

| 130 || || Syrien

| 131 || || Tansania

| 132 || || Thailand

| 133 || || Togo

| 134 || || Tonga

| 135 || || Tschechien || formerly Tschechoslowakei

| 136 || || Tschad

| 137 || || Türkei

| 138 || || Tunesien

| 139 || || Uganda

| 140 || || Russland || formerly UdSSR =

| 141 || || Uruguay

| 142 || || Ungarn

| 143 || || Ukraine

| 144 || || Grenada

| 146 || || Venezuela

| 147 || || Vietnam

| 148 || || Vereinigte Arabische Emirate

| 151 || || Demokratische Republik Kongo || formerly

| 152 || || Zentralafrikanische Republik

| 153 || || Zypern

| 154 || || Kroatien

| 155 || || Slowenien

| 156 || || Aserbaidschan

| 157 || || Slowakei

| 158 || || Kasachstan

| 159 || || Nordmazedonien

|rowspan="2"| 160 || || Usbekistan

| before 1990 || DDR

| 161 || || Eritrea

| 162 || || Georgien

| 163 || || Tadschikistan

| 164 || || Bahrain

| 165 || || Kambodscha

| 166 || || Armenien

| 167 || || Kirgisistan

| 168 || || Moldawien || a.k.a. Republik Moldau

| 169 || || Turkmenistan

| 170 || International Labour Organization || Internationale Arbeitsorganisation || ILO

| 171 || European Central Bank || Europäische Zentralbank || ECB

| 172 || European Union Aviation Safety Agency || Europäische Agentur für Flugsicherheit || EASA

| 173 || United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees || Hoher Flüchtlings-Kommissar || UNHCR

| 174 || Organisation for Joint Armament Cooperation || Gemeinsame Organisation für Rüstungskooperation || OCCAR

| 175 || International Organization for Migration || Verbindungsstelle der Internationalen Organisation für Migration || IOM

| 176 || || Liga der Arabischen Staaten ||

| 177 || Franco-German Youth Office || Deutsch-Französisches Jugendwerk ||

| 178 || European Space Operations Centre || Europäisches Operations-Zentrum für Weltraumforschung || ESOC

| 179 || NATO Eurofighter and Tornado Management Agency || NATO-Agentur für Entwicklung, Produktion und Logistische Betreuung der Waffensysteme EF 2000 und Tornado || NETMA

| 180 || European Southern Observatory || Europäische Südsternwarte || ESO

| 181 || European Molecular Biology Laboratory || Europäisches Laboratorium für Molekularbiologie || EMBL

| 182 || European Commission || Europäische Kommission

| 183 || European Patent Office || Europäisches Patentamt || EPO

| 184 || Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development || Organisation für wirtschaftliche Zusammenarbeit und Entwicklung || OECD

| 185 || World Food Programme || Welternährungsprogramm der Vereinten Nationen (UNEP) || WFP

| 186 || European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites || Europäische Organisation für die Nutzung meteorologischer Satelliten || EUMETSAT

| 187 || European Astronaut Centre || Europäisches Astronautenzentrum || EAC

| 188 || UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning || UNESCO-Institut für lebenslanges Lernen || UIL

| 189 || German-Polish Youth Office || Deutsch-Polnisches Jugendwerk (DPJW) ||

| 190 || World Bank || Weltbank || IFC

| 191 || || Europäisches Zentrum für Umwelt und Gesundheit

| 192 || UNEP Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals || Umweltprogramm der UN, Sekretariat zur Erhaltung der wandernden wildlebenden Tierarten || CMS

| 193 || United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change || Sekretariat der Klimarahmen-Konvention || UNFCCC

| 194 || United Nations Volunteers || Freiwilligenprogramm der Vereinten Nationen || UNV

| 195 || International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea || Internationaler Seegerichtshof || ITLOS

| 196 || United Nations Information Centres || Informationszentrum der Vereinten Nationen || UNIC

| 197 || United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification || UN-Sekretariat der Wüstenkonvention || UNCCD

| 198 || International Centre for Technical and Vocational Education and Training || Internationales Zentrum für Berufsbildung || UNEVOC

| 199 || United Nations University || Universität der Vereinten Nationen, Forschungsinstitut für Katastrophenmanagement || UNU

| 200 || || Mauritius

| 201 || || Nordkorea || Demokratische Volksrepublik Korea

| 202 || || Dschibuti

| 203 || || Guinea-Bissau

| 204 || || Südsudan

| 205 || || Botswana

| 206 || || Malediven

| 207–299 || available for further nations

| 300 || United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs / United Nations Platform for Space-based Information for Disaster Management and Emergency Response || Plattform der Vereinten Nationen für raumfahrtgestützte Informationen für Katastrophenmanagement und Notfallmaßnahmen || UNOOSA/UN-SPIDER

| 301 || UNEP Study The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity || Studie "Die Ökonomie der Ökosysteme und der biologischen Vielfalt" || TEEB

| 302 || International Renewable Energy Agency || Internationale Organisation für Erneuerbare Energien || IRENA

| 303 || Global Crop Diversity Trust || Welttreuhandfonds für Kulturpflanzenvielfalt || GCDT

| 304 || UN SDG Action Campaign || Aktionskampagne für die Ziele der Vereinten Nationen für nachhaltige Entwicklung || SDG

| 305 || Global Center for UN Personal Services || Globales Zentrum für Personaldienste der Vereinten Nationen || oneHR

| 306 || UNICEF, Berlin office || UNICEF, Büro Berlin ||

| 307 || World Bank, Berlin Office || Weltbank, Büro Berlin ||

| 308 || United Nations Research Institute for Social Development || Forschungsinstitut der Vereinten Nationen für Soziale Entwicklung || UNRISD

| 309 || Initiative for Transparency in Climate Protection || Initiative für Transparenz im Klimaschutz || UNOPS-ICAT

| 310 || Secretariate for Water Supply || UN-Habitat/-Sekretariat für Wasserversorgung || GWOPA

| 311 || United Nations System Staff College || Wissenszentrum für nachhaltige Entwicklung || UNSSC

| 312 || World Health Organization || Weltgesundheitsorganisation || WHO

| 313 || United Nations Institute for Training and Research || Ausbildungs- und Forschungsinstitut der Vereinten Nationen || UNITAR

| 314 || United Nations Development Programme || Entwicklungsprogramm der Vereinten Nationen || UNDP

| 315 || Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS || Gemeinsames Programm der Vereinten Nationen für HIV/Aids || UNAIDS

| 316 || United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs || Hauptabteilung Wirtschaftliche und Soziale Angelegenheiten der Vereinten Nationen || UN-DESA

| 317 || Bank for International Settlements || Bank für internationalen Zahlungsausgleich || BIZ

| 318 || European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts || Europäisches Zentrum für mittelfristige Wettervorhersage || ECMWF / EZMW

| 319 || European Union – Latin America and Caribbean Foundation || EU-Lateinamerika-Karibik-Stiftung || EU-LAK

| 320 || United Nations Population Fund || Bevölkerungsfonds der Vereinten Nationen || UNFPA

| 321 || Anti-Money Laundering Authority || Behörde zur Bekämpfung von Geldwäsche und Terrorismusfinanzierung || AMLA

| 322 || United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women || Einheit der Vereinten Nationen für Gleichstellung und Ermächtigung der Frauen

| 323 || International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance || Internationale Allianz zum Holocaustgedenken || IHRA

| 324–399 || available for further organisations

Military

thumb|200px|right| (armed forces)

Bundeswehr uses old style non-reflecting plates. The German flag is shown, instead of the blue EU strip. Bundeswehr plates use the letter Y instead of a city code, as no German city has this initial. The Y is followed by a dash and a six-digit number (or five digits for motorcycles), for example Y-123 456. These vehicles are tax-exempt and need not to be insured since the German government acts as insurer. There is also no mandatory technical inspection required but the Armed Forces carry out a regular internal inspection on these vehicles similar to the official inspection.
Military vehicles which are used by the NATO headquarters in Germany use the same design as the Y-plates except they carry the letter X followed by a four-digit number, for example X-1234.

Different colours

Very rarely, German licence plates bear characters in different colours than black. These exceptions are:

Green on white

thumb|200px|right|Plate for tax-exempt vehicles

Vehicles which are exempt from vehicle taxes (for example ambulances, tractors, agricultural trailers, trailers for boats or trailers for gliders) have green print on a white background plate. The special licence plate adds the letter E at the end of the licence number. Owners of all-electric cars and plug-in hybrids with a minimum all-electric range of can apply for the special licence. The minimum range for eligible plug-in hybrids was increased from from 1 January 2018.

Seasonal

thumb|200px|right|Seasonal number plate, here valid from 1 April to 31 October of each year

Seasonal number plates are popular for motorbikes or convertibles in the summertime, or for "winter cars" substituting them, yet these plates are available for any vehicle.

Temporary registration

thumb|200px|right|Temporary plate (); this one was valid until 9 March 2004.

Used vehicles which are not currently registered to any person or company – or have been deregistered by their current owner, temporarily or permanently – can be driven on public roads using short-term plates, valid for five days only.

thumb|400px|right|German Empire (1871–1918)

thumb|400px|right|Weimar Republic (1918–1933)

{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible"

|+ class=nowrap | List of codes on German licence plates (1906–1945)

! Code

! colspan="2" | Country / province / district

! scope="col" | Notes

| || Prussia ||

| || Berlin || ||

| || Posen-West Prussia || || 1922–1938

| || Province of East Prussia || ||

| || Province of West Prussia || || 1906–1922 then merged into Posen-West Prussia

| || Province of Brandenburg || ||

| || Province of Pomerania || ||

| || Province of Silesia || ||

| || Province of Hohenzollern || ||

| || Province of Saxony || ||

| || Province of Schleswig-Holstein || ||

| || Province of Hanover || ||

| || Province of Hesse-Nassau || ||

| || Province of Westphalia || ||

| || Province of Posen || || 1906–1922 then merged into Posen-West Prussia

| || District of Düsseldorf || || 1928–1945

| || Rhine Province || || excl. Bezirk Düsseldorf 1928–1945

| rowspan="2" | || Kingdom of Bavaria || || 1906–1918

| Free State of Bavaria || || 1918–1945

| || Munich City District || ||

| || Upper Bavaria || ||

| || Lower Bavaria || ||

| || Circle of the Rhine || ||

| || Upper Palatinate || ||

| || Upper Franconia || ||

| || Bavarian Military || || 1910–1919

| || City of Nuremberg || || incl. Fürth

| || Post || || 1910–1923

| || Middle Franconia || ||

| || Lower Franconia || ||

| || Swabia || ||

| rowspan="2" | || Kingdom of Württemberg || || 1906–1918

| Free People's State of Württemberg || || 1918–1945

| ||colspan="2"| Neckarkreis: Stuttgart City ||

| ||colspan="2"| Neckarkreis: Backnang, Besigheim, Brackenheim, Cannstatt, Esslingen ||

| ||colspan="2"| Neckarkreis: Heilbronn, Leonberg, Ludwigsburg, Marbach, Maulbronn ||

| ||colspan="2"| Neckarkreis: Neckarsulm, Oberamt Stuttgart, Vaihingen, Waiblingen, Weinsberg ||

| ||colspan="2"| Schwarzwaldkreis: Balingen, Calw, Freudenstadt, Herrenberg, Horb, Nagold ||

| ||colspan="2"| Schwarzwaldkreis: Neuenburg, Nürtingen, Oberndorf, Reutlingen, Rottenburg ||

| ||colspan="2"| Schwarzwaldkreis: Rottweil, Spaichingen, Sulz, Tübingen, Tuttlingen, Urach ||

| ||colspan="2"| Jagstkreis: Aalen, Crailsheim, Ellwangen, Gaildorf, Gerabronn ||

| ||colspan="2"| Jagstkreis: Gmünd, Hall, Heidenheim, Künzelsau ||

| ||colspan="2"| Jagstkreis: Mergentheim, Neresheim, Öhringen, Schorndorf, Welzheim ||

| ||colspan="2"| Donaukreis: Biberach, Blaubeuren, Ehingen, Geislingen, Göppingen, Kirchheim ||

| ||colspan="2"| Donaukreis: Laupheim, Leutkirch, Münsingen, Ravensburg, Riedlingen ||

| ||colspan="2"| Donaukreis: Saulgau, Tettnang, Ulm, Waldsee, Wangen ||

| ||colspan="2"| Württembergische Post || 1912–1923

| rowspan="2" | || Kingdom of Saxony || || 1906–1918

| Free State of Saxony || || 1918–1945

| ||colspan="2"| Kreishauptmannschaft Bautzen Kreishauptmannschaft Dresden-Bautzen || 1906–1932 1932–1945

| ||colspan="2"| Kreishauptmannschaft Dresden Kreishauptmannschaft Dresden-Bautzen || 1906–1932 1932–1945

| ||colspan="2"| Kreishauptmannschaft Leipzig ||

| ||colspan="2"| Kreishauptmannschaft Chemnitz ||

| ||colspan="2"| Kreishauptmannschaft Zwickau and police authorities () Zwickau and Plauen ||

| rowspan="2" | || Grand Duchy of Baden || || 1906–1918

| Republic of Baden || || 1918–1945

| || Baden

| rowspan="2" | || Grand Duchy of Hesse || || 1906–1918

| People's State of Hesse || || 1918–1945

| || Province of Upper Hesse || || 1906–1937

| || Province of Rhenish Hesse || || 1906–1937

| || Province of Starkenburg || || 1906–1937

| || People's State of Hesse || || 1937–1945

| || Alsace-Lorraine || || 1906–1918

| || Lower Alsace || || 1906–1918

| || Upper Alsace || || 1906–1918

| || Lorraine || || 1906–1918

! colspan="4"| Further states and realms

! Code

! colspan="2" | Country / province / district

! scope="col" | Notes

| rowspan="2" | || Duchy of Anhalt || || 1906–1918

| Free State of Anhalt || || 1918–1945

| rowspan="2" | || Duchy of Brunswick || || 1906–1918

| Free State of Brunswick || || 1918–1945

| rowspan="3" | || Duchy of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha || || 1906–1918

| Free State of Gotha || || 1918–1920 then merged into Thuringia

| Free State of Coburg || || 1918–1920 then united with Bavaria

| || Hansestadt Bremen || ||

| || Hansestadt Hamburg || ||

| || Hansestadt Lübeck || || 1906–1937

| || Hansestadt Lübeck || || 1903–1906

| rowspan="2"| || Principality of Lippe || || 1906–1918

| Free State of Lippe || || 1918–1945

| || colspan="2"|Mecklenburg || 1934–1945

| rowspan="2"| || Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg-Schwerin || || 1906–1918

| Free State of Mecklenburg-Schwerin || || 1918–1934 then merged into Mecklenburg

| rowspan="2"| || Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg-Strelitz || || 1906–1918

| Free State of Mecklenburg-Strelitz || || 1918–1934 then merged into Mecklenburg

| rowspan="2"| || Grand Duchy of Oldenburg || || 1906–1918

| Free State of Oldenburg || || 1918–1945

| || Oldenburg, Lübeck exclave || || 1906–1937 then merged into Schleswig-Holstein

| || Oldenburg, Birkenfeld exclave || || 1906–1937 then merged into Rhine Province

| || Reuss Elder Line || || 1906–1920 then merged into Thuringia

| || Reuss Younger Line || || 1906–1920 then merged into Thuringia

| || Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach || || 1906–1920 then merged into Thuringia

| || Saxe-Altenburg || || 1906–1920 then merged into Thuringia

| || Saar Basin || || 1920–1935

| || Saarland || || 1935–1945

| || Schaumburg-Lippe || || 1906–1945

| || Saxe-Meiningen || || 1906–1920 then merged into Thuringia

| || Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt || || 1906–1920 then merged into Thuringia

| || Schwarzburg-Sondershausen || || 1906–1920 then merged into Thuringia

| || rowspan="2"|Thuringia || rowspan="2"| || 1920–1922

| || 1922–1945

| || Waldeck || || 1906–1929 then merged into Hessen-Nassau

During World War I the German Army was assigned the combination MK for , military vehicle of the German Army. After the war, during the Weimar Republic, the German Army used RW for . Beyond this, there were no significant changes after the overthrow of the German monarchy.

Nazi Germany

thumb|right|Army vehicle

During the Nazi regime (1933–1945), the system of licence plates was basically continued. New combinations were issued for nationwide institutions or organisations, such as DR (Deutsche Reichsbahn) for the railway authority, WH , WL , WM and WT for the military, or POL for the police.

While the Nazi state expanded and waged war, their bureaucrats applied their systems, including licence plates, to occupied countries or territories. Thus, plates of similar style were introduced in Austria, on Czech and Polish territory, in Alsace and Lorraine, and beyond.

Postwar Germany

thumb|Occupation zones of Germany, 8 Jun 1947 - 22 Apr 1949

After 1945, however, the victorious allied forces abolished the system of German licence plates and instead assigned new lettering combinations in their respective occupation zones. Although each nation implemented their own ideas initially, a system for all four zones was introduced by 1949. At first, the different zones were distinguishable by the first letter prefix A, B, F or S standing for the American, British, French or Soviet occupation zone, respectively. A second letter below indicated the area or country in question, such as stood for American zone/Bavaria. This area code was followed by a two-digit number signifying the district and another number counting within that area. When the numbers became scarce after some years, another zone prefix (e. g. without the first letter) would be introduced additionally.

The city of Berlin had a special status and, consequentially, special plates. Having abolished the old number plates in 1945, the Soviet occupation forces issued plates with Cyrillic characters at first. Motorcycles were issued БM (=BM, 1945–1946) and ГM (GM, 1945–1947). Cars, lorries and buses received ГФ (=GF, 1945–1946) and БГ (=BG, 1945–1947). These were replaced on the insistence of the western powers, first to KB for Kommandatura Berlin and, in the Eastern part of the city, to GB in 1948.

File:1945-1956 license plate Bavaria.jpg|Licence plate from Bavaria, American occupation zone

File:KFZ_Kennzeichen_BS.S-H_Pinneberg_03.jpg|Licence plate from Schleswig-Holstein, British occupation zone

File:Kfz_Kennzeichen_in_der_Franz%C3%B6sischen_Besatzungszone_-_panoramio.jpg|Licence plate from Baden, French occupation zone (motorcycle format)

File:License_plate_occupied_Germany_Soviet_Zone_1951.jpg|Licence plate from Saxony, Soviet occupation zone

</gallery>

Vehicles of occupation/NATO forces

thumb|right|Occupation 1947 licence plate

The British Army of the Rhine (BAOR), initially occupation forces, later NATO elements, issued servicemen with plates carrying white letters and numerals on a black background for their personal vehicles. These cars stood out in comparison to the black on white German plates, and following the terrorist murder of a British serviceman, identified when returning to his car with BAOR licence plates, servicemen had to opt for their cars to carry either UK plates (generally right-hand drive vehicles) or German plates (generally left-hand drive vehicles). During the time that Belgian forces were stationed in West Germany, white on black plates similar to the BAOR plates were used.

US Forces vehicles

thumb|right|"HK" number plate

The American Forces have tried to "blend in" their serviceperson private vehicles in another way. Starting in 2000, they adopted a type of which closely resembled the German plates yet bore area codes which were at that time not assigned to any district, i.e. AD, AF and HK, later also IF and QQ. These codes still stood out, especially as they bore the NATO symbol instead of the EU's circle of stars and the registration seal candidly read instead of, e.g. . Since 2006, the vehicles in question bear with regular German area codes, generally referring to the district of their official stationing.

East Germany, DDR

The German Democratic Republic issued their own style of licence plates beginning in 1953. The first letter would indicate the (administrative district) where the vehicle was registered. These initials, however, did not refer to the name of the Bezirk but were distributed almost alphabetically from North to South.

thumb|350px|right|Districts of the GDR

thumb|350px|right|3 Trabants with East Berlin licence plates. The red car bears a plate in the "Western" typeface.

{| class="wikitable sortable";

|- style="background:#EEEEFF"

! scope="col" | Prefix

! scope="col" | Bezirk

! A

| Rostock

! B

| Schwerin

! C

| Neubrandenburg

! D

|rowspan="2"| Potsdam

! P

! E

| Frankfurt (Oder)

! H

|rowspan="2"| Magdeburg

! M

! I

| Berlin Hauptstadt der DDR

! K

|rowspan="2"| Halle

! V

! L

|rowspan="2"| Erfurt

! F

! N

| Gera

! O

| Suhl

! R

|rowspan="2"| Dresden

! Y

! S

|rowspan="2"| Leipzig

! U

! T

|rowspan="2"| Karl-Marx-Stadt

! X

! VA

| Volksarmee (Armed Forces)

| Volkspolizei (Police)

! Z

| Cottbus

After German reunification in 1990, the DDR plates were soon abolished and the West German system introduced, starting in 1991 and completed in 1993. Even before this transition phase, it could be observed that licence plates in GDR scheme were produced with West German typeface on the respective machinery.

West Germany

In July 1956 the current system was introduced in then West Germany, replacing the post-war system. The occupation zones were no longer referred to, instead the new system based on the districts of Germany. Each of these was assigned an alphabetic code which had its origin in the name of the district, i.e. of the city or of the capital of the rural district. Quite often, a "district-free" city was surrounded by, or adjacent to a rural district of the same name. In this case, they would both share the code as well as the name, yet devise a way how to split the possible alphanumerical combinations.

thumb|right|Number plate in the 1956 style, from [[Hannover]]

The number of letters in the area code hints at the size of the district. The basic idea was to even out the number of characters on all licence plates, because the most populous districts would have more cars and, consequently, more digits after the prefix. The largest German cities generally only have one-letter codes, such as B=Berlin, M=Munich (), K=Cologne (), F=Frankfurt, S=Stuttgart, H=Hannover. Therefore, cities or districts with fewer letters are generally assumed to be bigger and more important whereas three-letter codes tend to be regarded as rural and dull. Reflecting that, most districts aimed for a combination with fewer letters for their prefix code.

The most significant exception of the one-letter code is Germany's second largest city Hamburg which bears HH for , because of its historical membership in the Hanseatic League, reflected already in its prefix used between 1906 and 1945. A similar principle applies to Bremen and Bremerhaven, forming the state Free Hanseatic City of Bremen and sharing the common prefix HB (1906–1947, and again since 1956). Likewise, Lübeck received its former prefix HL, already used between 1906 and 1937 when its statehood was abolished.

The first drafts, however, had to be altered in a few cases. The district of Wittlich rejected the code WC, understandably, and received WIL instead. The code KZ, initially projected for Konstanz, was withdrawn fast, due to recent history, and replaced by KN. Neither were SA, SS or HJ considered to be issued. The code SD was projected for Stade and was finally altered into STD after protests from that district who did not want to bear the abbreviation of the .

When originally planned, the system included codes for districts in Eastern Germany which were to be reserved until reunification. That included the territory of the GDR as well as the territories annexed to Poland and the Soviet Union after World War II, which West Germany's government still claimed in that era until about 1970. When reunification came in 1990, the reserved codes (e.g. P for Potsdam) were indeed issued to East German districts in January 1991, often as originally planned and as they existed at that time.

First changes

Starting in the early 1970s, West German districts were extensively rearranged. In order to reduce their number and so simplify governance, different steps could be taken:

city districts "swallowed" neighboring municipalities and thus grew.
city districts lost their sovereignty and were integrated into the surrounding or neighbouring rural district.
rural districts merged with one or several others, or were split up between neighbouring districts.
single municipalities were moved between districts, as was deemed appropriate or practical.

In each of these cases, the new districts had to be endowed with an area code. Again, various solutions were possible:

the largest or most populous district bestowed its name and code upon the newly created unit.
one former district gave its name and/or capital while another's area code was used for the new district.
the new unit was given a new name yet continued to use an existing area code.
the new unit was given a new name and created a new area code.

In any case, the adamant rule was that one area code per district was valid and would be issued to any vehicle registered henceforth. Existing registrations would remain valid until the vehicle was removed from this district to be either relocated or permanently deregistered. Another rule, however, was abolished. Whereas rural districts had generally been named after their capital town, it was now possible to create new names, applying to geographical or historical features. As well it was possible to combine the names of the districts that had merged, either keeping one of their codes or creating a new one.

Germany reunited

thumb|right|Trabant registered in Stendal; pre-1994 typeface

When the GDR ceased to exist and Germany was reunited in its present size on 3 October 1990, new area codes were issued to the East German districts. In many cases they could be taken from the old lists that had been prepared before 1956: P stood for Potsdam, EF for Erfurt, SON for Sonneberg. Yet, a considerable number of codes was altered, either because a code which had been reserved for a district in today's Poland or Russia had become available, or because the projected code had meanwhile been issued to a West German district.

A prominent example of a reserved code being reused before reunification was one-letter L which was originally planned for Leipzig, by far the largest German city starting with L. However this code was given to the newly formed Hessian city of Lahn and the district Lahn-Dill-Kreis in 1977, as hopes for reunification faded away. After the rather unexpected reunification (and Lahn city having split up again and thus abolished in 1979), the L was returned to the city of Leipzig and Lahn-Dill-Kreis was issued LDK instead.

The letter G was first reserved for the East German city of Görlitz and later awarded to the city of Gera, although both are smaller than the West German Gelsenkirchen (GE). The area code ZK had been reserved, in the 1950s, for the city of Zwickau but was rejected as ZK had become the abbreviation of the loathed of the former Communist party SED.

In analogy to the three northwestern Hamburg, Bremen and Lübeck, but without historical examples of formerly issued prefixes, four northeastern Hanseatic cities, Greifswald, Rostock, Stralsund and Wismar, chose the prefixes HGW, HRO, HST and HWI. There were no suitable two-letter codes available since HG, HR, HS and HW were already taken by West German districts.

Beginning in the mid-1990s, however, districts in East Germany were rearranged again, similar to the West two decades before. Thus many of these codes issued before were now outdated, but could still be seen alongside the new code. This rearrangement was continued in a second step after 2000, which created large districts with a remarkable variety of possible area codes registered. Still, only one of these was the current one which would be issued to vehicles registered at the moment.

Liberalized registration rules

After the reorganization of districts, from the 1970s onward, many area codes expired and new ones were created at that time. However, number plates issued before these rearrangements remain valid, providing the vehicle is still in use and has not been reregistered since. So it was still possible, if rare, to see a classic car with registration codes of administrative units that have not existed for over 30 years.

thumb|right|Überlingen licence plate, reintroduced in [[Bodenseekreis in 2020]]

A study conducted in 2010–12 produced the result that 72% of the German population would welcome the possibility to use again these abolished area codes whereas only 13% opposed the idea.

It was regarded as remarkable that even young people who had never driven a car with such an "old" prefix favoured the idea of this so-called (licence plate liberalization). For one, their chances at receiving a personalized license plate would improve if the aspired combination was available not once but several times within their district. Yet the main reason mentioned was a pride in their home town and their own roots, in times of globalization.

The police, however, warned against introducing further codes, as it had turned out that observant citizens would easily notice a car with a number plate from a distant district, thus assisting the police in solving crimes. Plates from the vicinity, on the other hand, would be easier to remember in full, and this would also help to find offenders. More opposition came from local politicians who maintained they had at last succeeded in unifying their merged districts and healed the wounds of those inhabitants who had to give up "their" prefix. If that prefix was available again, they feared, it might lead to old feuds within districts flaming up anew – or, as the district of Westerwaldkreis put it, "reopen the old trenches between former Oberwesterwaldkreis (WEB) and former Unterwesterwaldkreis (MT)."

Nonetheless, the Federal Ministry of Transport complied with the majority of citizens. Beginning in November 2012 in some districts, and meanwhile nationwide, most of these expired prefix codes have been reintroduced, e.g. in the district of Wesel, it has again become possible to register vehicles with MO as used for the former district of Moers and DIN as used for the former district of Dinslaken, additionally to the standard WES which had been the only code issued since 1975. As of September 2024, the liberalization has led to 328 previously abolished codes being reintroduced. The reactions by the political bodies responsible for an implementation of this idea were restrained but varied.

Slackening of rules

Furthermore, it has become possible to "take one's number along", i.e. to keep a licence plate issued at the previous address after moving away from that district. For that reason, the area code and the respective state seal on a licence plate do not necessarily mean that the vehicle's owner really lives there.

In 2023, the city of Munich applied for a second code, as the remaining free combinations with M, which the city has to share with the district of Munich, were becoming scarce. The code MUC, which is also the IATA code for Munich Airport, was granted by the Federal government on 21 September.

Insurance plates

thumb|Insurance plates; the colour of the letters alternates yearly.

thumb|Car with maximum speed reduced to , hence using an insurance plate

thumb|E-Scooter

Light motorised vehicles such as mopeds, motorized wheelchairs and other small, low-power vehicles (such as vehicles for the physically handicapped, with a maximum speed of ) are required to have a registration plate of a different kind. This (insurance plate) uses a system of three digits on the top and three letters beneath. Those plates are sold by insurance companies, so the fee includes both the registration and the cost of one year's insurance for the vehicle. There are four colours used: black, blue, green for normal plates, and red for temporary use, such as testing (very rare). The first three colours alternate annually in order to make it easy to see whether the vehicle has the correct plate and insurance.

:{| class="wikitable"

|+ Colours of the insurance plates from 1 March onwards of each year

! colspan="2" style="text-align: center;" | Colour

! colspan="15" style="text-align: center;" | Year

| style="background-color: #0a0a0d;" |

| RAL 9005 (, Jet black)

| 1990

| 1993

| 1996

| 1999

| 2002

| 2005

| 2008

| 2011

| 2014

| 2017

| 2020

| 2023

| 2026

| 2029

| 2032

| style="background-color: #3481b8;" |

| RAL 5012 (, Light blue)

| 1991

| 1994

| 1997

| 2000

| 2003

| 2006

| 2009

| 2012

| 2015

| 2018

| 2021

| 2024

| 2027

| 2030

| 2033

| style="background-color: #3E753B;"|

| RAL 6010 (, Grass green)

| 1992

| 1995

| 1998

| 2001

| 2004

| 2007

| 2010

| 2013

| 2016

| 2019

| 2022

| 2025

| 2028

| 2031

| 2034

Annotations

Notes

Examples

References

External links

FZV law, officially announced in Bundesgesetzblatt Nr. 199
The complete list, edited by ADAC
Kraftfahrt-Bundesamt (≈Federal Office of Road Traffic) , official website, English page
German Number Plates, Also shows how they are made (saved 2011-12-21)
History of German licence plates
Editable licence plates graphics, back to series from 1956
More information about German car number plates and their history
German City Codes, Complete City Code List
German plates information updated. Types and codes

Legal

Typeface

Material

Constituent elements

Area code

Development of the area code

The Büsingen exclave

List of area codes

Stickers

Personalised plates

Company cars

Prohibited combinations

Registration

Procedures

Costs

Special types of registration

Special codes, colours and formats

Public sector

Diplomatic plates

Military

Different colours

Green on white

Seasonal

Temporary registration

Nazi Germany

Postwar Germany

Vehicles of occupation/NATO forces

US Forces vehicles

East Germany, DDR

West Germany

First changes

Germany reunited

Liberalized registration rules

Slackening of rules

Insurance plates

See also

Annotations

Notes

Examples

References

External links