Italian car number plates
Encyclopedia
Present Italian
car number plates have black characters on a rectangular white background, with small blue side-fields on the right and left (see European vehicle registration plates
). The current numbering scheme, in use from 1994, is unrelated to the geographical provenance of the car.
.
From 1927 to 1932, the progressive code was before the provincial designator. Then, the progressive code was before the provincial designator in front plates and after it in rear plates.
The progressive code for the first 999999 cars of the provinces was just a progressive number, not filled with initial zeroes; in the rear plate the last four digits are in the second row and the first ones (when present) in the first row.
For cars from 1000000, it was A00000-A99999, B00000-B99999 etc. Possible letters were, in this order, A B D E F G H K L M N P R S T U V W X Y Z. After that, it was 00000A-99999A, 00000D-99999D etc; then, the letter was moved to the second position, and then to third (same range as in second position).
except I, O, Q, U and is treated as a base
-22 digit; ‘9’ can be any decimal digit
. e.g. AX 848 LK. The three-digit number changes first, then the letters from right to left. So, first plate is AA 000 AA, followed by AA 001 AA...AA 999 AA, then AA 000 AB etc.
Rear plates are no more in two pieces. Instead, a square plate can be chosen instead of the ordinary long one. If the rear plate is square, the numbering scheme starts from ZA 000 AA.
In 1999, the plates were redesigned. The digits are thicker. The last decimal digit is now very close to the third letter. The standard European blue band has been added on the left side, with the European flag motif (12 yellow stars) and the country code I. Another blue band was added, on the right side, bearing a yellow circle with the year of registration.
The two-letter provincial code is optionally present on the right band in capital letters (90% of circulating vehicles bear such code). For the capital city of Rome, the word Roma replaces the two-digit provincial code.
Provincial codes are in capital letters except for three cases, where the second letter is expressed in small caps for the provincial codes of the autonomous province of Bolzano/Bozen
(Bz), for the autonomous province of Trento (Tn) and for the autonomous region Aosta Valley (Ao), that are surmounted by the local coat of arms.
The reintroduction of the provincial code (although no longer as a compulsory element of the plate) was implemented because the 1994 suppression of the two-letter provincial codes proved extremely unpopular. Unlike before, the provincial code is not part of the registration number, which is the same for the whole nation.
Motorbikes and trucks' trailers have plates formed by two letters and five digits, starting from AA 00000. For these vehicles the provinces' codes are not used to avoid confusion (for example, the plate after AF 99999 is AH 00000, because AG means Agrigento
).
These abbreviation
s for the names of provinces
are extensively used in contexts other than vehicle registration. For example, "Trino (VC)", to indicate a place called Trino
in the province of Vercelli, could appear in a postal address or in a guide book
. The abbreviations even count as valid words in Scarabeo, the Italian version of the board game Scrabble
. Sometimes, the code RM is used instead of Roma for the province of Rome, in postal addresses or documents.
Sardinia
formed four new provinces in its territory in 2001, but this act was recognized by national authorities only in 2008; these provinces gained the right to put their codes on cars, which are VS for the Province of Medio Campidano
(from its capital cities Villacidro
and Sanluri
), CI for the Province of Carbonia-Iglesias
, OG for the Province of Ogliastra
and OT for the Province of Olbia-Tempio
.
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
car number plates have black characters on a rectangular white background, with small blue side-fields on the right and left (see European vehicle registration plates
European vehicle registration plates
A European vehicle registration plate is a vehicle registration plate, a metal or plastic plate or plates attached to a motor vehicle or trailer for official identification purposes. The registration identifier is a numeric or alphanumeric code that uniquely identifies the vehicle within the...
). The current numbering scheme, in use from 1994, is unrelated to the geographical provenance of the car.
1903-1905
The very first Italian number plates gave the unabbreviated name of the place of origin, followed by a number, as GENOVA 83.1905-1927
Plate was white. The registration number was a numeric code (in red), different for each province, and a progressive number, unique for that province (in black). E.g. 63 – 2993, where 63 is the code for TurinProvince of Turin
The Province of Turin is a province in the Piedmont region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Turin.It has an area of 6,830 km², and a total population of 2,277,686 . There are 315 comuni in the province – the most of any province in Italy...
.
1927-1976
Plate was black with white digits. Rear plate was 25 × 17.5 cm, front plate was 26.2 × 5.7 cm. The registration number was the provincial designator, which is a two-letter code (exception: Rome's code is Roma), and a progressive code, unique for that province, up to 6 characters long.From 1927 to 1932, the progressive code was before the provincial designator. Then, the progressive code was before the provincial designator in front plates and after it in rear plates.
The progressive code for the first 999999 cars of the provinces was just a progressive number, not filled with initial zeroes; in the rear plate the last four digits are in the second row and the first ones (when present) in the first row.
For cars from 1000000, it was A00000-A99999, B00000-B99999 etc. Possible letters were, in this order, A B D E F G H K L M N P R S T U V W X Y Z. After that, it was 00000A-99999A, 00000D-99999D etc; then, the letter was moved to the second position, and then to third (same range as in second position).
1976-1985
Front plate was identical as in the period 1927-1976. Rear plate, instead, came in three pieces. One, size 10,7 × 33 cm, black with white digits, contains the progressive code and, very small, the provincial designator). The other two were black with orange letters, and contained the provincial designator. One was 10,7 × 33 cm, the other one was 10,7 × 20 cm. Only one of the latter two was used: for a long plate, the small province code piece is put left of the progressive code, for a roughly square plate, the big province code piece is put above the progressive code.1985-1994
Plates become white with black digits. Front plate becomes larger (32.5 × 10.7 cm) and the progressive code on it is moved after the provincial designator, as it was already for rear plates.1994-present
An entirely new numeration system was introduced which omitted any explicit reference to the place of origin. A simple alpha-numeric serial code takes the form AA 999 AA. Here ‘A’ can be any letter of the Latin alphabetLatin alphabet
The Latin alphabet, also called the Roman alphabet, is the most recognized alphabet used in the world today. It evolved from a western variety of the Greek alphabet called the Cumaean alphabet, which was adopted and modified by the Etruscans who ruled early Rome...
except I, O, Q, U and is treated as a base
Radix
In mathematical numeral systems, the base or radix for the simplest case is the number of unique digits, including zero, that a positional numeral system uses to represent numbers. For example, for the decimal system the radix is ten, because it uses the ten digits from 0 through 9.In any numeral...
-22 digit; ‘9’ can be any decimal digit
Numerical digit
A digit is a symbol used in combinations to represent numbers in positional numeral systems. The name "digit" comes from the fact that the 10 digits of the hands correspond to the 10 symbols of the common base 10 number system, i.e...
. e.g. AX 848 LK. The three-digit number changes first, then the letters from right to left. So, first plate is AA 000 AA, followed by AA 001 AA...AA 999 AA, then AA 000 AB etc.
Rear plates are no more in two pieces. Instead, a square plate can be chosen instead of the ordinary long one. If the rear plate is square, the numbering scheme starts from ZA 000 AA.
The two-letter provincial code is optionally present on the right band in capital letters (90% of circulating vehicles bear such code). For the capital city of Rome, the word Roma replaces the two-digit provincial code.
Provincial codes are in capital letters except for three cases, where the second letter is expressed in small caps for the provincial codes of the autonomous province of Bolzano/Bozen
South Tyrol
South Tyrol , also known by its Italian name Alto Adige, is an autonomous province in northern Italy. It is one of the two autonomous provinces that make up the autonomous region of Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol. The province has an area of and a total population of more than 500,000 inhabitants...
(Bz), for the autonomous province of Trento (Tn) and for the autonomous region Aosta Valley (Ao), that are surmounted by the local coat of arms.
The reintroduction of the provincial code (although no longer as a compulsory element of the plate) was implemented because the 1994 suppression of the two-letter provincial codes proved extremely unpopular. Unlike before, the provincial code is not part of the registration number, which is the same for the whole nation.
Motorbikes and trucks' trailers have plates formed by two letters and five digits, starting from AA 00000. For these vehicles the provinces' codes are not used to avoid confusion (for example, the plate after AF 99999 is AH 00000, because AG means Agrigento
Province of Agrigento
Agrigento is a province in the autonomous island region of Sicily in Italy. It has an area of 3,042 km², and a total population of 454,370...
).
List of provincial designators on present day
| AG | Agrigento Province of Agrigento Agrigento is a province in the autonomous island region of Sicily in Italy. It has an area of 3,042 km², and a total population of 454,370... | AL | Alessandria Province of Alessandria The Province of Alessandria is an Italian province, with a population of some 430,000, which forms the southeastern part of the region of Piedmont. The provincial capital is the city of Alessandria.... | AN | Ancona Province of Ancona The Province of Ancona is a province in the Marche region of central Italy. Its capital is the city of Ancona. The province has an area of 1940 km² and a 2006 population of 465,906 in 49 comuni , see Comunes of the Province of Ancona.... | AO | Aosta | AP | Ascoli Piceno Province of Ascoli Piceno The Province of Ascoli Piceno is a province in the Marche region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Ascoli Piceno.It has an area of 1,228 km², and a total population of 212,846 . There are 33 comuni in the province, see Comunes of the Province of Ascoli Piceno.-External links:**... | ||
| AQ | L'Aquila Province of L'Aquila thumb|left|200px|Map of the province.The Province of L'Aquila is the largest, most mountainous and least densely populated province of the Abruzzo region of central Italy. It comprises about half the landmass of Abruzzo and occupies the western part of the region... | AR | Arezzo Province of Arezzo The Province of Arezzo or Arretium is the easternmost province in the Tuscany region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Arezzo.It has an area of 3,232 km², and a total population of 323,288 in 39 comuni . At June 30, 2005, the main comuni by population are:- External links :... | AT | Asti Province of Asti The Province of Asti is a province in the Piedmont region of northern Italy. Its capital is the city of Asti. To the north west it borders on the province of Turin; to the south west it borders on the province of Cuneo. To the east it borders on the province of Alessandria, while in the south it... | AV | Avellino Province of Avellino The Province of Avellino is a province in the Campania region of Italy. The area is typified by many small towns and villages scattered across the province; in fact only two towns have a population over 20,000; its capital city Avellino and Ariano Irpino.... | BA | Bari Province of Bari The Province of Bari is a province in the Apulia region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Bari.It has an area of 5,138 km², and a total population of 1,594,109 . There are 48 comuni in the province, see Comuni of the Province of Bari... | ||
| BG | Bergamo Province of Bergamo The Province of Bergamo is a province in the Lombardy region of Italy. It has a population of 1,098,740 , an area of 2,722.86 square km, and contains 244 comuni... | BI | Biella Province of Biella The Province of Biella is a province of Italy located in Piedmont. It was created in 1992 and its capital is the city of Biella.It has an area of 913 km², and a total population of 187,249... | BL | Belluno Province of Belluno TheThe Province of Belluno is a province in the Veneto region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Belluno.It has an area of 3,678 km², and a total population of 214,026 .-Geography:... | BN | Benevento Province of Benevento The Province of Benevento is a province in the Campania region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Benevento.It has an area of 2,071 km², and a total population of 289,455... | BO | Bologna Province of Bologna The Province of Bologna is a province in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Bologna.-Geography:It has an area of 3,702 km², and a total population of 991,647 . There are 60 comuni in the province, see Comuni of the Province of Bologna... | ||
| BR | Brindisi Province of Brindisi The Province of Brindisi is a province in the Apulia region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Brindisi. Surrounded by vineyards and artichoke fields, Brindisi is a major sailing port for the southern part of Italy.... | BS | Brescia Province of Brescia The Province of Brescia is a Province in Lombardy, Italy. It borders with the province of Sondrio in the N and NW, the province of Bergamo in the W, province of Cremona in the SW and S, the province of Mantova to the S, and to the east, the province of Verona and Trentino .Source for statistical... | BT | Barletta-Andria-Trani Province of Barletta-Andria-Trani The Province of Barletta-Andria-Trani is a province of Italy in the Apulia region. The establishment of the province took effect in June 2009, and Andria was appointed as its seat of government on May 21, 2010.... | BZ | Bolzano/Bozen South Tyrol South Tyrol , also known by its Italian name Alto Adige, is an autonomous province in northern Italy. It is one of the two autonomous provinces that make up the autonomous region of Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol. The province has an area of and a total population of more than 500,000 inhabitants... | CA | Cagliari Province of Cagliari Cagliari is a province in the autonomous island region of Sardinia in Italy. Its capital is the city of Cagliari.It has an area of 4,470 km², and a total population of 543,310 . There are 71 comuni in the province.... | ||
| CB | Campobasso Province of Campobasso The Province of Campobasso is a province in the Molise region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Campobasso.It has an area of 2,909 km², and a total population of 230,692... | CE | Caserta Province of Caserta The Province of Caserta is a province in the Campania region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Caserta. The former royal palace of Caserta is located near to the city.It has an area of 2,639 km², and a total population of 879,342... | CH | Chieti Province of Chieti The Province of Chieti is a province in the Abruzzo region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Chieti.It has an area of 2,588 km², and a total population of 381,993... | CL | Caltanissetta Province of Caltanissetta The Province of Caltanissetta is a province in the southern part of Sicily, Italy... | CN | Cuneo Province of Cuneo ayr is a province in the southwest of the Piedmont region of Italy. To the west it borders on the French region of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur .... | ||
| CO | Como Province of Como The Province of Como is a province in the north of the Lombardy region of Italy and borders the Swiss cantons of Ticino and Grigioni to the North, the Italian provinces of Sondrio and Lecco to the East, the Province of Milan to the south and the Province of Varese to the West... | CR | Cremona Province of Cremona The Province of Cremona is a province in the Lombardy region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Cremona.The province has an area of 1,771 km² and in 2008 census, had a population of 358,628. There are 115 comuni... | CS | Cosenza Province of Cosenza The Province of Cosenza is a province in the Calabria region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Cosenza.It has an area of 6,650 km², and a total population of 733,797 . It is the biggest Calabrian Province... | CT | Catania Province of Catania Catania is a province in the autonomous island region of Sicily in Italy. Its capital is the city of Catania.It has an area of 3,552 km², and a total population of 1,073,881 . There are 58 comunes in the province, see Comunes of the Province of Catania... | CZ | Catanzaro Province of Catanzaro The Province of Catanzaro is a province of the Calabria region, in Italy. The city of Catanzaro is capital both of the province and of the region.- Demographics :The following is a list of the province of Catanzaro comunes with population over 5,000:... | ||
| EN | Enna Province of Enna Enna is a province in the autonomous island region of Sicily in Italy. Its capital is the city of Enna.It has an area of 2,562 km², and a total population of 177,200 . There are 20 comunes in the province, see Comunes of the Province of Enna... | FC | Forlì-Cesena Province of Forlì-Cesena The Province of Forlì-Cesena is a province in the Emilia–Romagna region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Forlì.It has an area of 2,377 km², and a total population of 371,318 . There are 30 comuni in the province, see Comuni of the Province of Forlì-Cesena... | FE | Ferrara Province of Ferrara The Province of Ferrara is a province in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Ferrara.It has an area of 2,632 km², about two thirds of the area of the U.S. State of Rhode Island, and a total population of about 350,000 . There are 26 comuni in the province , see... | FG | Foggia Province of Foggia The Province of Foggia is a province in the Apulia region of Italy.This province is also known as Capitanata, originally Catapanata, because during the Middle Ages it was governed by a catapan, as part of the Catapanate of Italy... | FI | Florence (Firenze) Province of Florence The Province of Florence is a province in the Tuscany region of Italy. It has an area of 3,514 sq. km and a population of 933,860 in 44 comuni.... | ||
| FM | Fermo Province of Fermo The Province of Fermo is a province in the Marche, central Italy, constituted in 2004. The province came into existence in 2009. The administrative centre is the city of Fermo... | FR | Frosinone Province of Frosinone The Province of Frosinone is a province in the Lazio region of Italy, with 91 comuni . Its capital is the city of Frosinone. It has an area of 3,244 km², and a total population of 489,042 .The Province was established by Royal Decree on 6 December 1926 with territories belonging to Lazio... | GE | Genoa (Genova) Province of Genoa The Province of Genoa is a province in the Liguria region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Genoa.It has an area of 1,838 km², and a total population of about 900,000... | GO | Gorizia Province of Gorizia The Province of Gorizia is a province in the autonomous Friuli–Venezia Giulia region of Italy.-Overview:Its capital is the city of Gorizia. It belonged to the Province of Udine between 1924 and 1927 and the communes of Sonzia, Plezzo, Bergogna, Caporetto, Tolmino, Circhina, Santa Lucia d'Isonzo,... | GR | Grosseto Province of Grosseto The Province of Grosseto is a province in the Tuscany region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Grosseto.-Geography:It has an area of 4,504 km², and a total population of 227.498... | ||
| IM | Imperia Province of Imperia The Province of Imperia is a mountainous and hilly province, in the Liguria region of Italy, situated between the Maritime Alps to the north and the Ligurian Sea, an arm of the Mediterranean Sea to the south... | IS | Isernia Province of Isernia The Province of Isernia is a province in the Molise region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Isernia.... | KR | Crotone Province of Crotone The Province of Crotone is a province in the Calabria region of Italy. It was created in 1996 out of part of the Province of Catanzaro. The capital is the city of Crotone.It has an area of 1,717 km², and a total population of 172,970... | LC | Lecco Province of Lecco The Province of Lecco is a province in the Lombardy region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Lecco.On 1 January 2001 the province had a population of 311,452 on a surface of 816 km² divided in 90 communes... | LE | Lecce Province of Lecce The Province of Lecce is a province in the Apulia region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Lecce. Totally included in the Salento peninsula, it is the second most populous province in Apulia and the twenty-first most populous in Italy.... | ||
| LI | Leghorn (Livorno) Province of Livorno The Province of Livorno or Leghorn is a province in the Tuscany region of Italy. It includes several islands of the Tuscan Archipelago, including Elba and Capraia. Its capital is the city of Livorno.... | LO | Lodi Province of Lodi The Province of Lodi is a province in the Lombardy region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Lodi.It has an area of 782 km², and a total population of 209,874 . There are 61 comuni in the province . As of May 31, 2005, the main comuni by population are:- External links :... | LT | Latina Province of Latina The Province of Latina is a province in the Lazio region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Latina.It has an area of 2,251 km², and a total population of 519,850... | LU | Lucca Province of Lucca The Province of Lucca is a province in the Tuscany region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Lucca.It has an area of 1,773 km², and a total population of 372,244... | MB | Monza and Brianza | ||
| MC | Macerata Province of Macerata The Province of Macerata is a province in the Marche region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Macerata.It has an area of 2,774 km², and a total population of 301,701 . There are 57 comunes in the province, see Comunes of the Province of Macerata.-External links:*... | ME | Messina Province of Messina Messina is a province in the autonomous island region of Sicily in Italy. Its capital is the city of Messina.-Geography and demography :... | MI | Milan (Milano) Province of Milan The Province of Milan : /) is a province in the Lombardy region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Milan. The provincial territory is highly urbanized, resulting in the third highest population density among the Italian provinces with more than 2,000 inhabitants/km2, just behind the provinces of... | MN | Mantua (Mantova) Province of Mantua The Province of Mantua is a province in the Lombardy region of northern Italy. Its capital is the city of Mantua.-Communes:It includes 70 comuni , ranging in area from Viadana, with 102.19 km², to Mariana Mantovana, with 8.81 km².... | MO | Modena Province of Modena The Province of Modena is a province in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Modena.It has an area of 2,689 km², and a total population of 659,925 . There are 48 comuni in the province, see Comuni of the Province of Modena.At May 31, 2005, the main comuni by population... | ||
| MS | Massa-Carrara Province of Massa-Carrara The Province of Massa and Carrara , until 2009 Province of Massa-Carrara, is a province in the Tuscany region of Italy. It is named after the two main towns in its territory: Carrara and Massa, its capital.-History:... | MT | Matera Province of Matera The Province of Matera is a province in the Basilicata region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Matera.It has an area of 3,447 km², and a total population of 203,837 . There are 31 comunes in the province . The main comunes by population are:- External links :* **... | NA | Naples (Napoli) Province of Naples The Province of Naples is a province in the Campania region of Italy. Its capital city is Naples, within the province there are 92 Comuni of the Province of Naples.-Demographics:... | NO | Novara Province of Novara Novara is a province in the Piedmont region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Novara.It has an area of 1,339 km², and a total population of 365.156 . There are 88 communes in the province.-External links:*... | NU | Nuoro Province of Nuoro The Province of Nuoro is a province in the autonomous island region of Sardinia, Italy. Its capital is the city of Nuoro.It has an area of 3,934 km², and a total population of 161,444. The province is divided into 52 comuni, the largest of which are Nuoro , Siniscola , Macomer , and Dorgali... | ||
| OR | Oristano Province of Oristano Oristano is a province in the autonomous island region of Sardinia in Italy. Its capital is the city of Oristano.It has an area of 3,040 km², and a total population of 167,971 . There are 88 municipalities in the province ). As of June 2005, the main communes by population are:-Politics:-External... | PA | Palermo Province of Palermo The Province of Palermo is a province in the autonomous region of Sicily, a major island in Southern Italy. Its capital is the city of Palermo. The Province of Palermo has 82 comuni , 1,239,272 inhabitants, and is 4,992 km² .-External links:... | PC | Piacenza Province of Piacenza The Province of Piacenza is a province in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Piacenza.The province has 273,689 inhabitants . Its total area is 2,589 km². There are 48 comuni in the province, see Comuni of the Province of Piacenza... | PD | Padua (Padova) Province of Padua The Province of Padua is a province in the Veneto region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Padua.-History and territory:... | PE | Pescara Province of Pescara The Province of Pescara is a province in the Abruzzo region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Pescara.It has an area of 1,225 km², and a total population of 295,463 . There are 46 comunes in the province. At May 31, 2005, the main communes by population are:For a complete list, see Comunes of... | ||
| PG | Perugia Province of Perugia The Province of Perugia is the larger of the two provinces in the Umbria region of Italy, comprising two-thirds of both the area and population of the region. Its capital is the city of Perugia... | PI | Pisa Province of Pisa The Province of Pisa is a province in the Tuscany region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Pisa.It has an area of 2,448 km², and a total population of 394,101 . There are 39 comuni in the province .... | PN | Pordenone Province of Pordenone The Province of Pordenone is a province in the autonomous Friuli-Venezia Giulia region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Pordenone. The territory was carved out of the Province of Udine in 1968.... | PO | Prato Province of Prato The Province of Prato is a province in the Tuscany region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Prato. It was formed from part of the province of Florence in 1992.The province has an area of 365 km², and a total population of 227,886... | PR | Parma Province of Parma The Province of Parma is a province in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Parma.It has an area of 3,449 km², and a total population of 413,198... | ||
| PT | Pistoia Province of Pistoia The Province of Pistoia is a province in the Tuscany region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Pistoia. It has an area of 965 km², and a total population of 268,503 . There are 22 communes in the province .-External links:... | PU | Pesaro-Urbino | PV | Pavia Province of Pavia The Province of Pavia is a province in the region of Lombardy in northern Italy. Pavia is the capital.It has an area of 2,965 km², and a total population of 493,753... | PZ | Potenza Province of Potenza The Province of Potenza is a province in the Basilicata region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Potenza.-Geography:It has an area of 6,545 km² and a total population of 387,107 . There are 100 comuni in the province .-History:In 272 B.C. the province was conquered by the Greek army... | RA | Ravenna Province of Ravenna The Province of Ravenna is a province in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Ravenna.It has an area of 1,858 km², and a total population of 365,369 . There are 18 comuni in the province , Comuni of the Province of Ravenna. As of May 31, 2005, the main comuni by... | ||
| RC | Reggio Calabria Province of Reggio Calabria The Province of Reggio Calabria is a province in the Calabria region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Reggio., it has an area of 3,183 km², and a total population of 565,866. There are 97 comuni in the province, see Comuni of the Province of Reggio Calabria.- Economy :The region is... | RE | Reggio Emilia Province of Reggio Emilia The Province of Reggio Emilia is one of the eight provinces of the Italian Region of Emilia-Romagna. The capital city, which is the most densely populated comune in the Province, is Reggio Emilia.... | RG | Ragusa Province of Ragusa The Province of Ragusa is a province in the autonomous region of Sicily in Italy, located in the south-east of the island. Its capital is the city of Ragusa, which is the most southerly provincial capital in Italy.-Geography:... | RI | Rieti Province of Rieti The Province of Rieti is a province in the Lazio region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Rieti.It has an area of 2,749 km², and a total population of 153,258 . There are 73 comuni in the province, see Comuni of the Province of Rieti.It was founded in 1927.-External links:*... | RN | Rimini Province of Rimini The Province of Rimini is a province in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Rimini. It borders the state of San Marino.-History:... | ||
| RO | Rovigo Province of Rovigo The Province of Rovigo is a province in the Veneto region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Rovigo.It borders on the north with the provinces of Verona, Padua and Venice, on the south with the province of Ferrara, on the west with the province of Mantua, and on the eastwith the Adriatic Sea.-... | Roma | Rome (Roma) Province of Rome The Province of Rome , is a province in the Lazio region of Italy. The province can be viewed as the extended metropolitan area of the city of Rome, although in its more peripheral portions, especially to the north, it comprises towns surrounded by rural landscape.-Geography:The Province of Rome... | SA | Salerno Province of Salerno The Province of Salerno is a province in the Campania region of Italy.-Geography:The largest towns in the province are: Salerno, the capital, which has a population of 139,579; Cava de' Tirreni with a population of 53,488; Battipaglia with a population of 51,115; and Nocera Inferiore which has a... | SI | Siena Province of Siena The Province of Siena is a province in the Tuscany region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Siena.It has an area of 3,821 km² , and a total population of 252,288 . There are 36 comuni in the province... | SO | Sondrio Province of Sondrio The Province of Sondrio is in the Lombardy region of Italy. Its capital is the town of Sondrio.It has an area of 3,212 km², and a total population of 176,856... | ||
| SP | La Spezia Province of La Spezia The Province of La Spezia is a province in the Liguria region of Italy. Its capital is the city of La Spezia.It has an area of 881 km², and a total population of 223,606 inhabitants... | SR | Syracuse (Siracusa) Province of Syracuse The Province of Syracuse is a province in the autonomous island region of Sicily in Italy. Its capital is the city of Syracuse.It has an area of 2,109 km², and a total population of 396,167 .... | SS | Sassari Province of Sassari The Province of Sassari is a province in the autonomous island region of Sardinia in Italy. Its capital is the city of Sassari.-Geography:It has an area of 4,282 km², and a total population of 322,326 . There are 66 municipalities in the province, the largest of which are Sassari The... | SV | Savona Province of Savona The Province of Savona is a province in the Liguria region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Savona.-Overview:... | TA | Taranto Province of Taranto The Province of Taranto is a province in the Apulia region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Taranto.It has an area of 2,437 km², and a total population of 580,588... | ||
| TE | Teramo Province of Teramo The Province of Teramo is located in the Abruzzo region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Teramo. The province has an area of 1,948 km², a population of 296,063 , and is subdivided into 47 comunes , see Comunes of the Province of Teramo... | TN | Trento | TO | Turin (Torino) Province of Turin The Province of Turin is a province in the Piedmont region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Turin.It has an area of 6,830 km², and a total population of 2,277,686 . There are 315 comuni in the province – the most of any province in Italy... | TP | Trapani Province of Trapani Trapani is a province in the autonomous island region of Sicily in Italy. Its capital is the city of Trapani.It has an area of 2,460 km², and a total population of 425,121... | TR | Terni Province of Terni The Province of Terni is the smaller of the two provinces in the Umbria region of Italy, comprising one-third of both the area and population of the region. Its capital is the city of Terni... | ||
| TS | Trieste Province of Trieste The Province of Trieste is a province in the autonomous Friuli-Venezia Giulia region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Trieste.It has an area of 212 km², and a total population of 236,520... | TV | Treviso Province of Treviso The Province of Treviso is a province in the Veneto region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Treviso.The province has an area of 2,477 km², and a total population of 886.886 . There are 95 municipalities in the province .-Municipalities:-External links:*... | UD | Udine Province of Udine The Province of Udine is a province in the autonomous Friuli-Venezia Giulia region of Italy, bordering Austria and Slovenia. Its capital is the city of Udine.... | VA | Varese Province of Varese The Province of Varese is a province in the Lombardy region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Varese but its largest city is Busto Arsizio.... | VB | Verbania Province of Verbano-Cusio-Ossola Verbano-Cusio-Ossola is the northernmost province in the Italian region of Piedmont. It was created in 1996 through the fusion of three distinct regions which had previously been part of the Province of Novara... | ||
| VC | Vercelli Province of Vercelli Vercelli is a province in the Piedmont region of northern Italy. Its capital is Vercelli., it has an area of 2,088 km², and a total population of 176,829... | VE | Venice (Venezia) Province of Venice The Province of Venice is a province in the Veneto region of northern Italy. Its capital is the city of Venice.It has an area of 2,467 km², and a total population of 829,418 . There are 44 comuni in the province . As of 2005, the main comuni by population are:-External links:* * : photos of... | VI | Vicenza Province of Vicenza The Province of Vicenza is a province in the Veneto region of northern Italy. Its capital city is Vicenza.The province has an area of 2,723 km², and a total population of 840,000 . There are 121 comuni in the province... | VR | Verona Province of Verona The Province of Verona is a province in the Veneto region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Verona.-Overview:The province has an area of 3,109 km², and a total population of 912,981... | VS | Medio Campidano Province of Medio Campidano Medio Campidano is a province in the autonomous region of Sardinia, Italy.It was created in 2005 from part of the province of Cagliari. It contains 28 communities, the largest of which by population are :-Politics:... | ||
| VT | Viterbo Province of Viterbo The Province of Viterbo is a province in the Lazio region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Viterbo. It is bordered to the north by the Province of Grosseto and Siena, by the north-east with the Province of Terni and Rieti, in the west by the Tyrrhenian Sea and south by the Province of Rome.It... | VV | Vibo Valentia Province of Vibo Valentia The Province of Vibo Valentia is a province in the Calabria region of Italy, set up by a national law of 6 March 1992 which came into effect on 1 January 1996, and formerly part of the Province of Catanzaro... | ||||||||
These abbreviation
Abbreviation
An abbreviation is a shortened form of a word or phrase. Usually, but not always, it consists of a letter or group of letters taken from the word or phrase...
s for the names of provinces
Provinces of Italy
In Italy, a province is an administrative division of intermediate level between a municipality and a region .-Overview:...
are extensively used in contexts other than vehicle registration. For example, "Trino (VC)", to indicate a place called Trino
Trino
Trino is a comune in the Province of Vercelli in the Italian region Piedmont, located about 50 km northeast of Turin and about 15 km southwest of Vercelli, at the foot of the Montferrat hills....
in the province of Vercelli, could appear in a postal address or in a guide book
Guide book
A guide book is a book for tourists or travelers that provides details about a geographic location, tourist destination, or itinerary. It is the written equivalent of a tour guide...
. The abbreviations even count as valid words in Scarabeo, the Italian version of the board game Scrabble
Scrabble
Scrabble is a word game in which two to four players score points by forming words from individual lettered tiles on a game board marked with a 15-by-15 grid. The words are formed across and down in crossword fashion and must appear in a standard dictionary. Official reference works provide a list...
. Sometimes, the code RM is used instead of Roma for the province of Rome, in postal addresses or documents.
Sardinia
Sardinia
Sardinia is the second-largest island in the Mediterranean Sea . It is an autonomous region of Italy, and the nearest land masses are the French island of Corsica, the Italian Peninsula, Sicily, Tunisia and the Spanish Balearic Islands.The name Sardinia is from the pre-Roman noun *sard[],...
formed four new provinces in its territory in 2001, but this act was recognized by national authorities only in 2008; these provinces gained the right to put their codes on cars, which are VS for the Province of Medio Campidano
Province of Medio Campidano
Medio Campidano is a province in the autonomous region of Sardinia, Italy.It was created in 2005 from part of the province of Cagliari. It contains 28 communities, the largest of which by population are :-Politics:...
(from its capital cities Villacidro
Villacidro
Villacidro is a town and comune in the province of Medio Campidano, Sardinia, Italy. From 2005 it is the administrative seat, with Sanluri, of this new province.-Geography:...
and Sanluri
Sanluri
Sanluri is the capital town of the province of Medio Campidano, Sardinia, Italy....
), CI for the Province of Carbonia-Iglesias
Province of Carbonia-Iglesias
Carbonia-Iglesias is a province in the autonomous region of Sardinia, Italy which includes the historical region of Sulcis-Iglesiente, the southwestern part of Sardinia.-Overview:...
, OG for the Province of Ogliastra
Province of Ogliastra
Ogliastra is a province in eastern Sardinia, Italy. Ogliastra is the most mountainous province in Sardinia. With only some 58,000 inhabitants, it is also the least populous province of Italy. It corresponds roughly to the medieval Giudicato of Agugliastra...
and OT for the Province of Olbia-Tempio
Province of Olbia-Tempio
Olbia-Tempio is the name of a province in the autonomous region of Sardinia, Italy.The territory includes the historical region of Gallura , the northeastern coast of Sardinia , and the island of La Maddalena ....
.
List of provincial designators from 1905 to 1927
| 1 | Alessandria | 2 | Ancona | 3 | L'Aquila | 4 | Arezzo |
| 5 | Ascoli Piceno | 6 | Avellino | 7 | Bari | 8 | Belluno |
| 9 | Benevento | 10 | Bergamo | 11 | Bologna | 12 | Brescia |
| 13 | Cagliari | 14 | Caltanissetta | 15 | Campobasso | 16 | Caserta |
| 17 | Catania | 18 | Catanzaro | 19 | Chieti | 20 | Como |
| 21 | Cosenza | 22 | Cremona | 23 | Cuneo | 24 | Ferrara |
| 25 | Florence (Firenze) | 26 | Foggia | 27 | Forlì | 28 | Genoa (Genova) |
| 29 | Agrigento | 30 | Grosseto | 31 | Lecce | 32 | Leghorn (Livorno) |
| 33 | Lucca | 34 | Macerata | 35 | Mantua (Mantova) | 36 | Massa and Carrara |
| 37 | Messina | 38 | Milan (Milano) | 39 | Modena | 40 | Naples (Napoli) |
| 41 | Novara | 42 | Padua (Padova) | 43 | Palermo | 44 | Parma |
| 45 | Pavia | 46 | Perugia | 47 | Pesaro | 48 | Piacenza |
| 49 | Pisa | 50 | Imperia | 51 | Potenza | 52 | Ravenna |
| 53 | Reggio di Calabria | 54 | Reggio nell'Emilia | 55 | Rome (Roma) | 56 | Rovigo |
| 57 | Salerno | 58 | Sassari | 59 | Siena | 60 | Syracuse (Siracusa) |
| 61 | Sondrio | 62 | Teramo | 63 | Turin (Torino) | 64 | Trapani |
| 65 | Treviso | 66 | Udine | 67 | Venice (Venezia) | 68 | Verona |
| 69 | Vicenza | 70 | Pola | 71 | La Spezia | 72 | Taranto |
| 73 | Trento | 74 | Trieste | 75 | Zara | 76 | Fiume |
List of abandoned provincial designators (post-1927)
| AU | Apuania | Province renamed back to Massa-Carrara. | 1939-1949 |
| CG | Castrogiovanni | City renamed to Enna. | 1927-1928 |
| CU | Cuneo | Code changed to CN. | 1927-1928 |
| FM | Fiume Rijeka Rijeka is the principal seaport and the third largest city in Croatia . It is located on Kvarner Bay, an inlet of the Adriatic Sea and has a population of 128,735 inhabitants... | City no longer in Italy. | 1930-1945 |
| FU | Fiume | Code changed to FM. | 1927-1930 |
| GI | Girgenti | City renamed to Agrigento. | 1927-1928 |
| LB | Lubiana Ljubljana Ljubljana is the capital of Slovenia and its largest city. It is the centre of the City Municipality of Ljubljana. It is located in the centre of the country in the Ljubljana Basin, and is a mid-sized city of some 270,000 inhabitants... | City no longer in Italy. | 1941-1945 |
| PL | Pola Pula Pula is the largest city in Istria County, Croatia, situated at the southern tip of the Istria peninsula, with a population of 62,080 .Like the rest of the region, it is known for its mild climate, smooth sea, and unspoiled nature. The city has a long tradition of winemaking, fishing,... | City no longer in Italy. | 1927-1945 |
| PU | Perugia | Code changed to PG. | 1927-1933 |
| ZA | Zara Zadar Zadar is a city in Croatia on the Adriatic Sea. It is the centre of Zadar county and the wider northern Dalmatian region. Population of the city is 75,082 citizens... | City no longer in Italy. | 1927-1945 |
| PS | Pesaro | Province renamed to Pesaro and Urbino. | 1927-1994 |
| FO | Forlì | Province renamed to Forlì-Cesena (FC). | 1927-1994 |
External links
- Plates in Rome provides detailed coverage of Italian number plates from 1903 onwards.