Vehicle registration plates of Taiwan
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.
![]() Taiwanese regular legal standard number plate. | |
Country | ![]() |
---|---|
Country code | RC[1] |
Current series | |
Size | 320 mm × 150 mm 12.6 in × 5.9 in |
Colour (front) | Black on white |
Colour (rear) | Black on white |
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![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/48/Taiwan_ROC_1992_license_plates.gif/220px-Taiwan_ROC_1992_license_plates.gif)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/6d/Taiwan_ROC_2014_license_plates.gif/220px-Taiwan_ROC_2014_license_plates.gif)
Types of number plate
editTaiwan'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.
- 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
editThe 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
editThe 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
editPattern 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
editPattern | 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A00001
機臨10001 |
Temporary plate | Printed on paper, for a vehicles before registration, or vehicles transiting the territory of Taiwan. |
試0001 試A0001 |
Testing | For testing recently manufactured or imported vehicles. |
機械ZA-01 | Large heavy power machines | For power machines weight more than 75 tons. |
機械MA-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
editThe 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)[2][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
edit- ^ Also unofficially used by the Republic of the Congo
- ^ ASS、G8開上街 不雅車牌滿街跑
- ^ CAT、SEX…怪車牌 不准上路
- ^ "Kennzeichen Reservieren".
External links
editMedia related to License plates of the Republic of China (Taiwan) at Wikimedia Commons