Vehicle registration plates of Iceland
Encyclopedia
Vehicle registration plate
Vehicle registration plate
A vehicle registration plate is a metal or plastic plate 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 issuing region's database...

s in Iceland
Iceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...

are issued by the The road traffic directorate (Umferðarstofa) and are made in the state penitentiary. The plates are made of aluminum with reflective base and embossed characters.
The current registration system uses three letters and two digits or two letters and three digits. The plates are issued randomly, they are not issued sequentially and they do not have any geographic coding. There are no special letters or number series for special vehicle types (this may vary depending on type of plates, see chart below.)
All plates have validation sticker that indicates the year the vehicle is due for safety inspection.
The current registration system was introduced on the 1st of January 1989. The system replaced the old decentralized system that had been in use for decades.
From 1989-2007 the system consisted of two letters and three digits. In 2007 the system ran out of combinations and the third character was changed to letter.
Vehicles in Iceland keep the same registration number for life. If a vehicle is e.g. changed to commercial vehicle it gets commercial plates but they have the same registration number.
Early 2004 a country identifier (IS) and the Icelandic flag was added on the left side of all standard plates. The country identifier is mandatory and all plates issued Between 1989 and 2004 are required to get a national identifier sticker so they look like the new plates. although this law is not widely enforced.

The plates are available in 4 sizes:
Sizes for cars are 3: European standard(520x110mm), US standard(305x155mm) and European square(280x200mm).
Motorcycle plates are (240 x 130)

Safety inspection

All vehicles registered in Iceland are required to have safety inspection.
The law requires owners to keep their motor vehicle in safe operating condition. Safety inspections alert any items that need to be addressed; if a vehicle fail a safety inspection, the owner gets about 30 days to have the problem repaired and present the vehicle to any inspection station for a retest.
The frequency of inspection depends on the age of the car. New car is due for its first safety inspection after 4 years, then again after 2 years.. (4-2-2-1). When it gets 8 years old it has to go every year.
Antique cars (over 25years old) go every second year.
The last digit on the plate indicates the month for inspection (e.g. 1 for January through 0 for October). This is a rather inaccurate system because the plates are issued randomly causing some cars go for their first inspection after 4 years and 10 months and other cars to go after 3 years and 1 month. It is also causing no cars to be requested for inspection in November and December.

Type of plates

The colour of the license plate varies depending on the purpose of the vehicle (see chart below.)
Image Type Serial format Design Notes
Standard AB 123 or AB C12 Reflective white background, blue frame, and blue characters. Current system since 1 st of January 1989 (with minor changes like described above)
Commercial AB 123 or AB C12 Reflective white background, red frame, and red characters. Vehicles with commercial plates cannot be used for private purposes.
Diplomat
Diplomat
A diplomat is a person appointed by a state to conduct diplomacy with another state or international organization. The main functions of diplomats revolve around the representation and protection of the interests and nationals of the sending state, as well as the promotion of information and...

ic
CD A12 Reflective green background, white frame, and white characters. Diplomatic vehicles, owned by embassies. The first two letters are always "CD" the third book letter indicates the nationality of the embassy.
Government
“Oil” AB 123 or AB C12 Reflective dark yellow background, black frame, and black characters. Vehicles with "oil" plates are allowed to use tax free Diesel oil. Those plates are issued to vehicles that burn fuel in a stationary position (e.g. fire trucks, rescue teams, construction vehicles.
Temporary RN 123 Reflective red background, black frame, and black characters. Mainly used by dealers. This type of plates always starts with RN, the sticker indicates the of validation year of the plate.
Former version, issued before 1st of January 1989. A12345 Black background, silver frame and silver characters. Those plates had district codes and were issued sequentially e.g. R stands for Reykjavík, and this is plate number 29040 issued in that district. The plates followed the owner and he could re-use them e.g. when he bought a new or used vehicle. If he moved to another district the plates had to be replaced. From 1st of January 1989 all further use of those plates were forbidden (except for vehicles that already had them on).

Old district plates

this system was used from 1938 until 31.12.1988 and consisted of a black plate with silver letters. the 1st letter denominated the district where the plate was issued as follows:

A: Akureyrarkaupstaður og Eyjafjarðarsýsla

B: Barðastrandasýsla

D: Dalasýsla

E: Akraneskaupstaður

F: Siglufjarðarkaupstaður

G: Hafnarfjarðarkaupstaður og Gullbringu- og Kjósarsýsla

H: Húnavatnssýsla

Í: Ísafjarðarkaupstaður og Ísafjarðarsýsla

J: Íslenskir starfsmenn á Keflavíkurflugvelli

JO: Erlendir starfsmenn á Keflavíkurflugvelli

VL: Varnarliðið

VLE: Ökutæki hermanna

K: Sauðárkrókskaupstaður og Skagafjarðarsýsla

L: Rangárvallasýsla

M: Mýra- og Borgarfjarðarsýsla

N: Neskaupstaður

Ó: Ólafsfjarðarkaupstaður

P: Snæfells- og Hnappadalssýsla

R: Reykjavík

S: Seyðisfjarðarkaupstaður og Norður-Múlasýsla

T: Strandasýsla

U: Suður-Múlasýsla

V: Vestmannaeyjakaupstaður

X: Árnessýsla

Y: Kópavogur

Z: Skaftafellssýsla

Þ: Þingeyjarsýsla

Ö: Keflavíkurkaupstaður

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