Vehicle registration plates of Estonia

Vehicle registration plates of Estonia are divided into 18 categories, the most common of these (A1) is composed of three numbers and three letters (e.g. 123 ABC). Most registration plate types have black letters on a white background, and the plates are the same size and length as other European plates (520 × 113 mm). Previously the first of the three letters indicated the region of Estonia in which the car was registered; however, as of 2013, this is no longer the case. The third digit from the numbers indicated states when the car is due an inspection. It can be inspected up to 2 months after that digit. The registration plates are printed on an aluminium sheet with minimum thickness of 1 mm and must fulfil the requirements of ISO 7591:1982. All plates are issued with the blue European Union identification label, except types A9 and B2.

Current Estonian license plate type A1

Types of plates

These are the different types of plates in use in Estonia:[1]

Diplomatic license plate
  • A1 - Plates for general use on cars and trailers (vehicle categories M, N and O).
  • A2 - Special-order plate. Must contain at least one letter and one number up to a total of 9 characters. Numbers and letters may not alternate.
  • A3 - Plates for general use with reduced size. Usually used on cars with American origin, contains two numbers and three letters (historically beginning with Z).
  • A4, A5 - General diplomatic plates with white letters on a blue background. A4 plates consist of two letters (usually CD) and four numbers, A5 are restricted to heads of diplomatic missions and consists of three letters (usually CMD) and three numbers.
  • A6, A7 - Diplomatic plates with reduced size. A6 plates consist of two letters (usually CD) and three numbers, A7 are restricted to heads of diplomatic missions and consist of three letters (usually CMD) and two numbers.
  • A8 - Transferable plates, used by car dealers. Consist of the letters PROOV (Estonian for test) and four numbers.
  • A9 - Plates for classic and antique cars and trailers. Old vehicles are specifically defined vehicles (at least 35 years old) that have been granted an official old vehicle status. The plates consist of one letter and three numbers in white on a black background.
  • A10 - Plates for racing cars, two letters and four numbers in white on a red background.
  • A11 - Transferable plates with reduced size.
  • B1 - Plates for motorbikes and terrain vehicles (ATV's, snowmobiles and similar), consist of two numbers and two letters.
  • B2 - Plates for classic and antique motorbikes, mopeds and terrain vehicles, similar to A9 but consist of one letter and three numbers.
  • B3 - Plates for mopeds. Mopeds are two to four-wheeled vehicles with engine displacement of 50 cm³ or less and maximum speed of 45 km/h or less. The plates consist of three numbers and one letter in black on a green background.
  • D1 - Transit plates for cars, consist of two letters, a dash and four numbers in red on a white background.
  • D2 - Transit plates for motorbikes, mopeds, tractors and special-purpose vehicles and their trailers, similar to D1 but with three numbers instead of four.
  • E1 - Plates for tractors, special-purpose vehicles and their trailers, consist of two letters and four numbers on the next line.

Diplomatic codes

These are the two-digit codes used on Estonian diplomatic plates, beginning in 1992.

Code Country Code Country Code Country Code Country
10Sweden20Australia30USA49European Union
11Germany21Norway3150Nordic Council
12Iceland22Diplomatic Transport32
13Canada23Hungary33China
14Finland24Spain34Poland
15France25Latvia35Japan
16Denmark26New Zealand36Ukraine
17United Kingdom27Austria39Georgia
18Netherlands28Russia43Azerbaijan
19Italy29Lithuania44Brazil

History
Former Estonian plate, issued in 1998
Pre-1991 Estonian registration plate

The first, post-Soviet, Estonian registration plates (1991) were composed of three numbers, with a licence label in the middle of the plate. The labels were dropped in 2004.

Only two suffixes were used on Soviet era plates: ЕА and ЭС. Neither identified any specific town or city, but rather served to inform that the vehicle had been registered in the Estonian SSR. There were plans to introduce an additional ЕС suffix, but as this occurred just before the collapse of the Soviet Union, the mark was subsequently allocated to the Russian city of St. Petersburg.[2]

Car designations (1991–2004)

Special plates
Plate used on a Defense Forces vehicle
Plate used on the car of the President
  • Temporary license plates are printed on a yellow background.[1]
  • For vehicles registered in Estonian Defense Forces vehicle register, white characters on a black background are used. Two letter combinations start with K, three letter combinations with EK.[3]
  • On the President's vehicle, although having an official plate number, it is not used and the plate bears the coat of arms instead.[4]

References
  1. "Riiklikele registreerimismärkidele ja nende valmistamisele esitatavad nõuded". Act No. 49 of 21 June 2011 (in Estonian). Retrieved 21 March 2017.
  2. ru:Индекс автомобильных номеров СССР#Факты
  3. "Kaitseväe ja Kaitseliidu sõidukite ja haagiste registreerimistunnistuse vorm ning riikliku registreerimismärgi valmistamise nõuded". Act No. 101 of 11 November 2011 (in Estonian). Retrieved 21 March 2017.
  4. "Nõuded alates 1. jaanuarist 1997. a liiklusregistrisse kantud või kantavale sõidukile, välja arvatud enne 1. jaanuari 1987. a valmistatud või esmaregistreeritud sõidukid ning 30-aastased ja vanemad sõidukid". Lisa No. 1 of 13 June 2011 (PDF) (in Estonian). Retrieved 21 March 2017.
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