Vehicle registration plates of Taiwan

Taiwan
Taiwanese regular legal standard number plate.
Country Republic of China (Taiwan)
Country codeRC[1]
Current series
Size320 mm × 150 mm
12.6 in × 5.9 in
Colour (front)Black on white
Colour (rear)Black on white
1992 examples of available plates
2014 examples of available plates

In Taiwan, all motor vehicles are required to register and display its vehicle registration plates. The plates are issued and managed by the Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MoTC). Vehicle registration numbers in Taiwan contain letters of the Latin alphabet (A to Z), Arabic numerals (0 to 9) and dashes (–); some special types also contain Chinese characters and used Agency FB typeface or typeface resembles Garage Gothic typeface like several American countries, Nigeria and Liberia for alphanumeric.[2]

Types of number plate

Taiwan's current number plate system uses Latin letters with Arabic numerals. There are many types of number plate used in Taiwan, they are:

Ordinary vehicles Temporary or testing Special usage
No. Name Chinese No. Name Chinese No. Name Chinese
1 Plate of heavy
vehicles		 大型汽車號牌 6 Temporary plate
of vehicles		 汽車臨時號牌 11 Plate of embassies 使字汽車號牌
2 Plate of light
vehicles		 小型汽車號牌 7 Temporary plate
of motorcycles		 機車臨時號牌 12 Plate of consulates 領字汽車號牌
3 Plate of heavy-duty
motorcycles		 重型機車號牌 8 Temporary plate
of trailers		 拖車臨時號牌 13 Plate of
foreign affairs		 外字汽車號牌
4 Plate of light-duty
motorcycles		 輕型機車號牌 9 Testing plate
of vehicles		 汽車試車號牌 14 Plate of
power machines		 動力機械牌證
5 Plate of trailers 拖車號牌 10 Testing plate
of motorcycles		 機車試車號牌
  • The plates of military vehicles and agricultural machines are not managed by the MoTC.
  • Until 1 January 2007, plates were identified as having been issued under the jurisdiction of either Taiwan Province, Taipei City, Kaohsiung City, Kinmen County or Lienchiang County. Since that time, the legends identifying the place of issuance have been removed—plates display only registration numbers—but the plates are still issued separately by each jurisdiction.
  • 1992-Series License Plate is similar to North American plates: The size (320 × 150 mm) and the format. However it used "Mexico Mode" rather than "US Mode": One national numbering system, such that serials are not duplicated in multiple Jurisdiction: Taipei City issued "AD-3608", the other four jurisdiction would not issue "AD-3608" anymore. There won't be the problem that two or more jurisdictions all have "AD-3608". So the legends identifying the place of issuance is not so important. And License Plate Scanning and Identifying Systems in Taiwan also ignore it. Actually, there's a rule of numbering of different jurisdiction: such as "XY-****" can only be issued by Kaohsiung City, "WZ-****" can only be issued by Lienchiang County.
Plates issued prior to 1 January 2007, carried a legend indicating the jurisdiction of issuance—here Taiwan Province (台灣省).
Motorcycle plate of the province of Taiwan
  • On 17 December 2012, Taiwanese government started issuing new registration plates. The main changes are: add an additional digit and enhance the security features of the plate. Also, the numeral 4 is no longer used, as it is considered unlucky.

Light vehicles

The definition of light vehicles in Taiwan is: Motor vehicles having a permissible maximum weight NOT exceeding 3,500 kg and NOT more than nine seats including the driver's seat.

Pattern 1 Pattern 2 Class Notes
ABC-5678 AB-0001
0001-AB 		Ordinary light
vehicles		 Private cars or light trucks not for commercial uses.
EBC-5678 Ordinary light
electrical vehicles		 Private electrical cars or light trucks not for commercial uses.
This kind of plate has green ridges on the top and bottom sides, with white words "電動車" on the top side.
RAA-5678 AA-6688
8866-AA 		Rental light
vehicles		 Cars or light trucks for rental uses.
REA-5678 Rental light
electrical vehicles		 Electrical cars or light trucks for rental uses.
This kind of plate has green ridges on the top and bottom sides, with white words "電動車" on the top side.
WAB-5678 Ordinary light
vehicles for
the disabled		 Private cars for the disabled.
WEA-5678 Ordinary light
electrical vehicles
for the disabled		 Private electrical cars for the disabled.
This kind of plate has green ridges on the top and bottom sides, with white words "電動車" on the top side.
TBC-567
TDA-5678 		YA-001
001-YA 		Business light
passenger
vehicles		 Taxis.
ETC-567
EAM-5678 		Electrical business
light passenger
vehicles		 Electrical Taxis.
This kind of plate has green ridges on the top and bottom sides, with white words "電動車" on the top side.
QAB-123
KPA-5678 		HA-001
001-HA 		Business light
trucks		 Small trucks, cargo vehicles for commercial uses.
The same pattern also applied to the heavy trucks.

Heavy vehicles

The definition of heavy vehicles in Taiwan is: Motor vehicles having a permissible maximum weight exceeding 3,500 kg and/or more than nine seats including the driver's seat.

Pattern 1 Pattern 2 Class Notes
PAA-567
KJA-5678 		TA-001
001-SA 		Ordinary heavy
passenger vehicles		 Private buses not for commercial uses.
AAA-123
KEA-5678 		Ordinary heavy
trucks		 Private heavy trucks not for commercial uses.
CA-123
HAA-5678 		SA-01
01-SA 		Ordinary Trailers Coupling with a truck.
KAA-123
KAA-5678
JYA-567
PSA-5678 		AA-001
001-AA
DD-001
001-PP 		Business heavy
passenger vehicles		 Tour buses.
FAB-123
KKA-5678 		AB-001
001-AB 		Business heavy
passenger vehicles		 Highway buses, city buses.
LAA-123
KLA-5678
HAA-567 		HA-001
001-HA 		Business heavy
trucks		 Large trucks, cargo vehicles for commercial uses.
The same pattern also applied to the light trucks.
XA-123
HBA-5678 		XA-01
01-XA 		Business Trailers Coupling with a truck.
EAA-123
EAL-5678 		168-FN Electrical heavy
passenger vehicles		 Electrical buses for commercial or private uses.
This kind of plate has green ridges on the top and bottom sides, with white words "電動車" on the top side.

Motorcycles

Pattern 1 Pattern 2 Class Notes
AB-123

LGA-1001

AA-01 Large heavy-duty
motorcycle		 Motorcycles with a cubic capacity exceeding 550 cm³.
LAB-5678 001-AAA Large heavy-duty
motorcycle		 Motorcycles with a cubic capacity between 250 cm³ and 550 cm³,
or electric motorcycles with power more than 40 HP.
MAB-5678 AAA-001
001-HAA 		Ordinary heavy-duty
motorcycle		 Motorcycles with a cubic capacity between 50 cm³ and 250 cm³,
or electric motorcycles with power between 5 HP and 40 HP.
QAA-5678 TAA-001
001-TAA 		Ordinary light-duty
motorcycle		 Motorcycles with a cubic capacity not exceeding 50 cm³,
or electric motorcycles with power between 1.34 HP and 5 HP,
or electric motorcycles with power not exceeding 1.34 HP (1 kW)
and the fastest speed more than 45 km/h.
SAA-5678 AAA-001
001-AAA 		Small light-duty
motorcycle		 Electric motorcycles with power not exceeding 1.34 HP (1 kW)
and the fastest speed not exceeding 45 km/h.

Special use plates

Pattern Class Notes
使 001
外 0001 		Diplomatic Vehicle For the vehicles belonging to the foreign diplomatic missions in Taiwan.
軍A-00001 Military Vehicle For military uses.
臨-00001 Temporary plate Printed on paper, for a vehicles before registration, or vehicles transiting the territory of Taiwan.
試-0001 Testing For testing recently manufactured or imported vehicles.
機械AA-01 Large heavy power machines For power machines weight more than 75 tons.
機械AA-01 Heavy power machines For power machines weight more than 42 tons, not exceeding 75 tons.
機械AA-01 Ordinary power machines For power machines weight less than 42 tons.
A1-0001 Agricultural machines Machines for agricultural uses.

Banned combinations of characters on registration plates

The following table shows the status of the ban on certain combinations of letters and numbers on vehicle registration plates currently in circulation: (Bold text indicates that the combination has been banned)[3][4]

Type 1992

[Out of I/O with number (example：I2-0001)]

2012/2014

[Out for I/O/4]

Possible
Foul language *-G8（生殖器）註：G8-*未禁用、
FOP（愚蠢）、
FUC、FUG、FUK、FUQ、FUT（Fuck）、BC（白痴）、FK（Fuck） 		AGG、AGY（生殖器）、
ASS（屁股） 		TMD（他媽的）、WTF（What The Fuck）
Sex BJ（口交）、BT（變態） SEX（性） AV（成人影片）、GM（肛門）、GT（龜頭）、HC（花痴）、LP（生殖器）、MC（月經）、ML（做愛）、SJ（射精）、SL（色狼）、SM（虐戀）、TT（保險套）、YD（陰道）、YJ（陰莖）
Gender, occupation and Disability discrimination IQO（同IQ0，沒智商)、
SEX（性）、TIT（乳房） 		GAY（同志）、ASD（自閉症） BRA（女性內衣）、NUN（修女、比丘尼）、SJB（神經病）
Country or Political Party abbreviation KMT-*（國民黨）註：*-KMT未禁用、
PRC（中華人民共和國）註：*-PRC未禁用、
ROK（大韓民國）
NP（新黨） 		KMT（國民黨）、DPP（民進黨）、FTP（自由台灣黨）MKT（民國黨）、CPA（國會政黨聯盟）、YSP（青年陽光黨）、PDF（人民民主黨）、TSP（台灣基進黨）、SDP（社會民主黨）、FHL（信心希望聯盟） CCP（中國共產黨）、GPT（綠黨）、
NPP（時代力量）、PFP（親民黨）、TSU（台灣團結聯盟）、PKK（庫德工人黨）
Intelligence agency FBI（美國聯邦調查局）、
GPU（俄羅斯聯邦國家政治保衛局） 		(無) KGB（俄羅斯聯邦國家安全委員會）
Racism FOE（敵人）、GOD（神） KKK（3K黨） HEZ（真主黨）、NAZ（納粹）
Animal FOX（狐狸）、HOG、PIG（豬）、
PUG（哈巴狗）、PUP （小動物） 		ANT（螞蟻）、APE（猿） BUG（蟲子）、CAT（貓）、DOG（狗）、
Other (including negative words) IO、OI（與五代純數字格式相似）、
AC（閩南語：會死）、
MC（月經）、WC（廁所）、
LIE（騙子）、SLY（奸詐）、
SON（兒子）、SOS（求救訊號）

原因不明：POW(P.O.W.)(Prisoners of War) 、SDX

ASS（屁股）、
BAD（糟糕）、MAD（瘋子）、
SAD（傷心）、
FAT（肥胖） 		BUM（無賴）、CKK（死翹翹）、LKK（老扣扣）、RIP（息止安所）、BC（白痴）、CD（閩南語：死豬）、FK（接近髒話fuck）、JC、JS（閩南語：擠死）、KC、KS（閩南語：氣死）、MP（沒品）、WC（廁所）、ZT（豬頭）、DIE-911（影射911事件）。


References

  1. ^ Also unofficially and illegally used by the Republic of the Congo
  2. ^ "Garage Gothic typeface". Fonts In Use. Retrieved 25 March 2024.
  3. ^ ASS、G8開上街　不雅車牌滿街跑
  4. ^ CAT、SEX…怪車牌 不准上路

External links

Media related to License plates of the Republic of China (Taiwan) at Wikimedia Commons

  • License plate rules of the issuing office in Taipei City
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