Vehicle registration plates of Vietnam

{{short description|Vietnam vehicle license plates}}

{{more citations needed|date=February 2023}}

{{Infobox vehicle registration plate

| name = Socialist Republic of Viet Nam

| image = 2020 Vietnamese vehicle reg. plate - Cars.jpg

| image2 = 2020 Vietnamese vehicle reg. plate - Motorbikes.jpg

| caption = For automobiles (5-digit, uncolored)

| caption2 = For motorbikes (5-digit, uncolored)

| country = {{VNM}}

| countrycode = VN {{small|(GMS CBTA)}}

| material = Aluminium

| serial_format = Motorbikes: DDLL-DDD.DD
Automobiles: DDL-DDD.DD

| current_start_date = 2003
5-digit serial plates: 2010
Current template with yellow plates for commercial operations: 2020
Latest format revision: 2023

| issuer = {{flagicon image|Flag of the People's Public Security of Vietnam.svg}} Ministry of Public Security

| manufacturer = {{flagicon image|Flag of the People's Public Security of Vietnam.svg}} H08

}}

Vehicle registration plates of Vietnam generally take the form DDLL-DDD.DD for vehicles. Standard license plates have black characters on white background. Front plates measure 47 × 11 cm, rear ones are 27 × 20.{{citation needed|date=April 2022}} In 2020 and 2021, both plates measure 6 x 12. The current scheme for civilian vehicles omits the letters I, J, O, Q and W, with the letter R reserved for trailers, and includes the Vietnamese character Đ.

File:Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) 1980s government license plate.jpg

History

=French protectorate=

In French Indochina, license plates were white-on-black on XXX1111 type, XXX is location code. 1111 can be anything (serial numbers).

=1978–1984=

Vietnamese plates in 1978–1984 were white-on-black and similar to previous one, but had 4 digits then 3 letters. 3 letters are city name, but based on Vietnamese language.

=1984–2003=

From 1984 to 2003 (current version) is black-on-white, then later green-on-white, with city name. Plates were A 1111 format, then 1A 1111 format, then AA 1111 format, then was going to switch to AAA 111 format, but the plan was cancelled. The leading two symbols are two digits, representing the province/municipality. The exact date of format changing is unknown. In 2012 a blue strip with a "VN" will be added on the left-hand side of the plates, as required by the new ASEAN licensing agreement.

The leading two numerals refer to the various provinces and major municipalities of Vietnam, unless they are letters (AA, AB, AC, and so on) which signify that the car belongs to the Ministry of Defence – in which case the plate will be red. Some plates also carry a red two-letter code following the provincial numerals, with "NG" (for ngoại giao) used for a diplomatic or NGO plate and "LD" for a vehicle belonging to a company which is 100% foreign-owned. If a colored letter (A, B, or C) follows the province code, the vehicle belongs to the local government.

== Colors ==

File:Vietnam Goverment plate 02.jpg (65) city authorities.]]

  • President's cars, Government's cars, law enforcement cars – White on blue{{Cite news|url=http://www.thanhniennews.com/society/vietnamese-official-had-stateowned-car-with-fake-license-plate-31586.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141204224637/http://www.thanhniennews.com/society/vietnamese%2Dofficial%2Dhad%2Dstateowned%2Dcar%2Dwith%2Dfake%2Dlicense%2Dplate%2D31586.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=December 4, 2014|title=Vietnamese official had state-owned car with fake license plate|last=Nguyen|first=Dung|date=2014-09-28|newspaper=Thanh Nien Daily|quote=In Vietnam, blue-colored plates designate cars used by government officials.|access-date=2016-11-02}}
  • Private vehicles – Black on white
  • Commercial vehicle, construction vehicles – Black on yellow{{Cite web|url=https://tuoitre.vn/1-6-trieu-xe-kinh-doanh-van-tai-phai-doi-sang-bien-so-mau-vang-20200708073940211.htm|title = 1,6 triệu xe kinh doanh vận tải phải đổi sang biển số màu vàng|date = 8 July 2020}}
  • Military's cars – White on red{{Cite web|url=http://tuoitrenews.vn/society/33570/trailer-trucks-using-fake-military-license-plates-confiscated-in-southern-vietnam|title=Trailer trucks using fake military license plates confiscated in southern Vietnam|website=tuoitrenews.vn|date=26 June 2015|access-date=2016-11-02|quote=In Vietnam, license plates are color-coded to identify vehicles’ registered use, with white for individuals or businesses, dark blue for civilian administrative bodies, red for military units, and yellow for construction units or border commands.}}
  • Diplomat's cars – Black on white with red NG code{{Cite news|url=http://www.thanhniennews.com/society/vietnam-tries-to-clamp-down-on-illegal-use-of-diplomatic-cars-1162.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161104000847/http://www.thanhniennews.com/society/vietnam-tries-to-clamp-down-on-illegal-use-of-diplomatic-cars-1162.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=November 4, 2016|title=Vietnam tries to clamp down on illegal use of diplomatic cars|date=2013-09-23|newspaper=Thanh Nien Daily|quote=Foreigners and diplomats are allowed to import cars tax-free for personal use, and they must use license plates marked NN (in black) and NG (in red), respectively.|access-date=2016-11-02}}
  • Foreigner-owned cars – Black on white with black NN code

Formats

= Regular plates =

File:Vietnamese plate for Ho Chi Minh City.jpg

File:Newone - White VinFast VF 5, Blue VinFast VF 9 and Neptune Grey VinFast VF 8 02.jpg

The format for regular plates began in 1984, with a modification made in 2010 to increase registration capacity. The system itself resembles an inverted FNI system of France. The registration format of the 2010 system is 12A-345.67, where 12 is the regional code, A is the serial letter, and 345.67 is the registration number. Regular plates have black lettering on white background.

Double-letter serials for special uses also exist for regular plates:

File:2020 Vietnamese reg plate for specialised vehicles template.jpg

class="wikitable"

!Serial

!Used for

DA

|Foreign investment companies

HC

|Vehicles allowed to work in limited time of day only

KT

|Civilian-purposed vehicles of military enterprise

LA

|Construction machinery (Note: This comes with a yellow background and follows 12AB-3456 format.)

LD

|Joint ventures with foreign entities, and vehicles rented by foreigners

MA

|Three-wheeled light transport vehicles

|Two-wheeled vehicles with electric power source

MK

|Tractors

{{unbulleted list

| SA

| XA

}}

|Large-size equipment, e.g. combine harvesters, etc. (Note: This also comes with a yellow background.)

|Vietnam-made vehicles

MK

|Tractor

RM

|Semi-trailer and semi-trailer truck

= Other formats =

== Commercial format ==

After 1 August 2020, all commercial vehicles in Vietnam must change to a yellow color vehicle plate.

class="wikitable" style="background:gold; color:black; text-align:center;""

| style="border:1px solid black; | NNL
N N N N

| style="border:1px solid black; |NNL
NNN.NN

class="wikitable" style="background:gold; color:black; text-align:center;" "

| style="border:1px solid black; " | NNL-N N N N

style="border:1px solid black; " |NNL-NNN.NN

== State-owned format ==

Vehicles of state organizations receive plates with white lettering on blue backgrounds. The format is either NNL-NNN.NN or NNL-NNNN, where NN is the regional code, L is the serial, NNN.NN/NNNN is the number.

class="wikitable" style="background:blue; color:white; text-align:center;"

| style="border:1px solid white;" |NNL
N N N N

| style="border:1px solid white;" |NNL
NNN.NN

class="wikitable" style="background:blue; color:white; text-align:center;"

| style="border:1px solid white;" |NNL-N N N N

style="border:1px solid white;" | NNL-NNN.NN

== Motorcycles ==

Motorcycles receive two-line plates of the NN-LL/NNN.NN (or equivalently NNLL-NNN.NN on registration certificate), which replaced the previous NN-LN/NNNN and NN-LN/NNN.NN format (which are still effective in circulation), with black lettering on white backgrounds.

class="wikitable" style="background:white; color:black; text-align:center;"
style="border:1px solid black;" |NN-LN
N N N N

| style="border:1px solid black;" |NN-LN
NNN.NN

| style="border:1px solid black;" | NN-LL
NNN.NN

Two-wheel vehicles registered before August 15, 2023, with electric power source use the NN-MĐN/NNN.NN format.

class="wikitable" style="background:white; color:black; text-align:center;"
style="border:1px solid black;" | {{Nowrap|NN-MĐN}}
NNN.NN

== Diplomatic plates ==

File:В’ЄТНАМСЬКИЙ НОМЕР QT.gif.]]

Diplomatic plates have their status codes in red, and the numbers in black on a white background.

  • Diplomatic personnel based in Hanoi receive the 80-123-NG-45 format, where the red NG stood for ngoại giao, or "diplomatic", 123 being the country/organization code (e.g. 636 for South Korea), and 45 the registration the number. 01 is reserved for the head of the diplomatic mission, while the rest are given numbers from 02 to 99. Diplomatic mission based outside Hanoi received standard region codes instead of the 80 reserved for Hanoi. For example, diplomatic vehicles based in Da Nang would have a 43-123-NG-45 plate.
  • International organizations based in Hanoi receive the 80-123-QT-45 format, where 80 is the code signifying national importance (i.e. being stationed in Hanoi), the red QT for quốc tế or "International", 123 the country code, and 45 the number (01 for the head of the organization, 02-99 for other members).
  • International organizations based outside Hanoi receive a slightly different format of 12-QT-345-67, where 12 is the regional code, 345 being the country code, and 67 the number.

class="wikitable"

!Status code

!Meaning

NG (ngoại giao)

|Diplomatic

NN (nước ngoài)

|Foreigners without diplomatic status

QT (quốc tế)

|International organizations

class="wikitable" style="background:white; color:black; text-align:center;"
style="border:1px solid black;" | 12-NN
345.67

class="wikitable" style="background:white; color:black; text-align:center;"
style="border:1px solid black;" | 12-NN-345.67
File:2020 Vietnam temporary vehicle reg plate sample.png

== Temporary plates ==

Temporary plates are two-line plates with the TNN-NNN.NN format, where T signifies the temporary nature of the plate, NNN.NN being the regional code and NNN.NN being the number.File:Militair plate Vietnam.jpg

File:2021 Vietnam Ministry of National Defence military vehicle plate templates (colorized).jpg emblem on the plate.]]

== Military format ==

Military vehicles bear red plates with white lettering in the format of AB-12-34, where AB is the unit code, and 12-34 being the number.

Military motorcycles receive the two-line AB/123 format, where AB is the unit code, and 123 the number. Mopeds receive an additional letter A after the number.

Codes

The provincial/municipal codes are listed here:

width=33% valign=top|

{|class=wikitable width=100%

!Number

width=70%|Province/municipality
11Cao Bằng
12Lạng Sơn
14Quảng Ninh
15, 16Hải Phòng
17Thái Bình
18Nam Định
19Phú Thọ
20Thái Nguyên
21Yên Bái
22Tuyên Quang
23Hà Giang
24Lào Cai
25Lai Châu
26Sơn La
27Điện Biên
28Hòa Bình
29–33, 40Hà Nội
34Hải Dương
35Ninh Bình
36Thanh Hóa
37Nghệ An
38Hà Tĩnh

|width=33% valign=top|

class=wikitable width=100%

!Number

width=70%|Province/municipality
39, 60Đồng Nai
41, 50–59Hồ Chí Minh City
43Đà Nẵng
47Đắk Lắk
48Đắk Nông
49Lâm Đồng
61Bình Dương
62Long An
63Tiền Giang
64Vĩnh Long
65Cần Thơ
66Đồng Tháp
67An Giang
68Kiên Giang
69Cà Mau
70Tây Ninh
71Bến Tre
72Bà Rịa-Vũng Tàu
73Quảng Bình
74Quảng Trị
75Huế
76Quảng Ngãi

|width=33% valign=top|

class=wikitable width=100%

!Number

width=70%|Province/municipality
77Bình Định
78Phú Yên
79Khánh Hòa
80National Authorities (Government, CPV CC,...), President and Vietnam People's Public Security*
81Gia Lai
82Kon Tum
83Sóc Trăng
84Trà Vinh
85Ninh Thuận
86Bình Thuận
88Vĩnh Phúc
89Hưng Yên
90Hà Nam
92Quảng Nam
93Bình Phước
94Bạc Liêu
95Hậu Giang
97Bắc Kạn
98Bắc Giang
99Bắc Ninh

|-

| * Note 1: These agencies also use regularly licensed vehicles

|}

Foreign Countries Codes

class="wikitable sortable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"
Country Code (Organization)

! County (Organization)

001-005{{flag|Austria}}
006-010{{flag|Albania}}
011-015{{flagu|United Kingdom}}
016-020{{flag|Egypt}}
021-025{{flag|Azerbaijan}}
026-030{{flagu|India}}
031-035{{flag|Angola}}
036-040{{flag|Islamic Republic of Afghanistan|name=I.R. Afghanistan}}
041-045{{flag|Algeria}}
046-050{{flag|Argentina}}
051-055{{flag|Armenia}}
056-060{{flag|Iceland}}
061-065{{flagu|Belgium}}
066-070{{flag|Poland}}
071-075{{flag|Portugal}}
076-080{{flag|Bulgaria}}
081-085{{flag|Burkina Faso}}
086-090{{flag|Brazil}}
091-095{{flag|Bangladesh}}
096-100{{flag|Belarus}}
101-105{{flag|Bolivia}}
106-110{{flag|Benin}}
111-115{{flag|Brunei}}
116-120{{flag|Burundi}}
121-125{{flag|Cuba}}
126-130{{flag|Ivory Coast}}
131-135{{flag|Congo-Brazzaville}}
136-140{{flag|Congo-Kinshasa}}
141-145{{flag|Chile}}
146-150{{flag|Colombia}}
151-155{{flag|Cameroon}}
156-160{{flagu|Canada}}
161-165{{flag|Kuwait}}
166-170{{flag|Cambodia}}
171-175{{flag|Kyrgyzstan}}
176-180{{flag|Qatar}}
181-185{{flag|Cape Verde}}
186-190{{flag|Costa Rica}}
191-195{{flagu|Germany}}
196-200{{flag|Zambia}}
201-205{{flag|Zimbabwe}}
206-210{{flag|Denmark}}
211-215{{flag|Ecuador}}
216-220{{flag|Eritrea}}
221-225{{flag|Ethiopia}}
226-230{{flag|Estonia}}
231-235{{flag|Guyana}}
236-240{{flag|Gabon}}
241-245{{flag|The Gambia}}
246-250{{flag|Djibouti}}
251-255{{flag|Georgia}}
256-260{{flag|Jordan}}
261-265{{flag|Guinea}}
266-270{{flag|Ghana}}
271-275{{flag|Guinea-Bissau}}
276-280{{flag|Grenada}}
281-285{{flag|Equatorial Guinea}}
286-290{{flag|Guatemala}}
291-295{{flag|Hungary}}
296-300, 771-775{{flagu|United States}}
301-305{{flagu|Netherlands}}
306-310{{flag|Greece}}
311-315{{flag|Jamaica}}
316-320{{flag|Indonesia}}
321-325{{flag|Iran}}
326-330{{flag|Iraq}}
331-335{{flagu|Italy}}
336-340{{flag|Israel}}
341-345{{flag|Kazakhstan}}
346-350{{flag|Laos}}
351-355{{flag|Lebanon}}
356-360{{flag|Libya}}
361-365{{flag|Luxembourg}}
366-370{{flag|Lithuania}}
371-375{{flag|Latvia}}
376-380{{flag|Myanmar}}
381-385{{flag|Mongolia}}
386-390{{flag|Mozambique}}
391-395{{flag|Madagascar}}
396-400{{flag|Moldova}}
401-405{{flag|Maldives}}
406-410{{flag|Mexico}}
411-415{{flag|Mali}}
416-420{{flag|Malaysia}}
421-425{{flag|Morocco}}
426-430{{flag|Mauritania}}
431-435{{flag|Malta}}
436-440{{flag|Marshall Islands}}
441-445{{flagu|Russia}}
446-450, 776-780{{flagu|Japan}}
451-455{{flag|Nicaragua}}
456-460{{flagu|New Zealand}}
461-465{{flag|Niger}}
466-470{{flag|Nigeria}}
471-475{{flag|Namibia}}
476-480{{flag|Nepal}}
481-485{{flag|South Africa}}
486-490{{flag|Yugoslavia}}
491-495{{flag|Norway}}
496-500{{flag|Oman}}
501-505{{flagu|Australia}}
506-510{{flagu|France}}
511-515{{flag|Fiji}}
516-520{{flag|Pakistan}}
521-525{{flag|Finland}}
526-530{{flag|Philippines}}
531-535{{flag|Palestine}}
536-540{{flag|Panama}}
541-545{{flag|Papua New Guinea}}
546-550International Organizations
551-555{{flag|Rwanda}}
556-560{{flag|Romania}}
561-565{{flag|Chad}}
566-570{{flag|Czech Republic}}
571-575{{flag|Cyprus}}
576-580{{flagu|Spain}}
581-585{{flag|Sweden}}
586-590{{flag|Tanzania}}
591-595{{flag|Togo}}
596-600{{flag|Tajikistan}}
601-605{{flagu|China}}
606-610{{flag|Thailand}}
611-615{{flag|Turkmenistan}}
616-620{{flag|Tunisia}}
621-625{{flag|Turkey}}
626-630{{flagu|Switzerland}}
631-635{{flag|DPR Korea}}
636-640{{flag|South Korea|name=Korea (ROK)}}
641-645{{flag|United Arab Emirates}}
646-650{{flag|Samoa}}
651-655{{flag|Ukraine}}
656-660{{flag|Uzbekistan}}
661-665{{flag|Uganda}}
666-670{{flag|Uruguay}}
671-675{{flag|Vanuatu}}
676-680{{flag|Venezuela}}
681-685{{flag|Sudan}}
686-690{{flag|Sierra Leone}}
691-695{{flag|Singapore}}
696-700{{flag|Sri Lanka}}
701-705{{flag|Somalia}}
706-710{{flag|Senegal}}
711-715{{flag|Syria}}
716-720{{flag|Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic|name=Sahrawi}}
721-725{{flag|Seychelles}}
726-730{{flag|São Tomé and Príncipe}}
731-735{{flag|Slovakia}}
736-740{{flag|Yemen}}
741-745{{flag|Liechtenstein}}
746-750{{flag|Hong Kong}}
751-755{{flag|East Timor}}
756-760{{flag|European Union}}
761-765{{flag|Saudi Arabia}}
766-770{{flag|Liberia}}
781-785{{flag|Haiti}}
786-790{{flag|Peru}}
791{{flag|Andorra}}
792{{flag|Anguilla}}
793{{flag|Antigua and Barbuda}}
794{{flag|Bahamas}}
795{{flag|Bahrain}}
796{{flag|Barbados}}
797{{flag|Belize}}
798{{flag|Bermuda}}
799{{flag|Bhutan}}
800{{flag|Bosnia and Herzegovina}}
801-805{{flag|Ireland}}
806{{flag|Kenya}}
807{{flag|Botswana}}
808{{flag|Comoros}}
809{{flag|Dominican Republic}}
810{{flag|North Macedonia}}
811{{flag|Central African Republic}}
812{{flag|Croatia}}
813{{flag|Curaçao}}
814{{flag|Dominica}}
815{{flag|El Salvador}}
816{{flag|Honduras}}
817{{flag|Kiribati}}
818{{flag|Lesotho}}
819{{flag|Micronesia}}
820{{flag|Malawi}}
821{{flag|Mauritius}}
822{{flag|Monaco}}
823{{flag|Montenegro}}
824{{flag|South Sudan}}
825{{flag|Nauru}}
826{{flag|Niue}}
827{{flag|Palau}}
828{{flag|Paraguay}}
829{{flag|Cook Islands}}
830{{flag|Puerto Rico}}
831{{flag|Northern Mariana Islands}}
832{{flag|Solomon Islands}}
833{{flag|Saint Kitts and Nevis}}
834{{flag|Saint Lucia}}
835{{flag|Saint Vincent and the Grenadines}}
836{{flag|San Marino}}
837{{flag|Slovenia}}
838{{flag|Suriname}}
839{{flag|Eswatini}}
840{{flag|Tonga}}
841{{flag|Trinidad and Tobago}}
842{{flag|Tuvalu}}
843{{flag|Holy See}}
885-890{{flag|Taiwan|name=Chinese Taipei}}

References