Vehicle registration plates of Macau
Encyclopedia
In Macau
, vehicle registration numbers are issued by the Instituto para os Assuntos Cívicos e Municipais (IACM) - the Macau Civic and Municipal Affairs Department. The Department does not provide the number plates itself, but are made by shops which provide this kind of service to car owners.
in the 1950s, which, in turn, was based in the system introduced in metropolitan Portugal
in 1937.
Each vehicle must display two number plates: one at the front and one at the rear of the vehicle. Both the front and the rear plates bear the same format - white prints on black background. For commercial vehicles, yellow prints are used instead of white ones. Plates can be either in a standard rectangle or in a square format according to the space available in different types of vehicle for number plates.
The very first numbers ever allocated have no second prefix. "M-dd-dd" was the format. When the numbers had run out, "MA-dd-dd" followed.
As in Jun 2009, the current allocated prefix is "MO".
As for mopeds, the format is "CM-ddddd" where CM stands for Ciclomotor" - "moped" in Portuguese
and "d" are digits in sequence without leading zeros.
The plates are in black prints on white background.
Macau car number plates are based on the Portuguese plates
and are one of three types used in China
. The first plates were issued in the 1930s with current number issued at 35,000.
The plates consists of white letters on a black background.
The first character uses "M" as Portugal
assigned license format according to the name of their overseas territory (or province).
Buses use the same plates are cars, but buses have been assigned characters are in yellow instead of white since 2000.
Macau
Macau , also spelled Macao , is, along with Hong Kong, one of the two special administrative regions of the People's Republic of China...
, vehicle registration numbers are issued by the Instituto para os Assuntos Cívicos e Municipais (IACM) - the Macau Civic and Municipal Affairs Department. The Department does not provide the number plates itself, but are made by shops which provide this kind of service to car owners.
Overview
The Macau vehicle number plates follow the common system adopted for all the Portuguese overseas territoriesPortuguese Empire
The Portuguese Empire , also known as the Portuguese Overseas Empire or the Portuguese Colonial Empire , was the first global empire in history...
in the 1950s, which, in turn, was based in the system introduced in metropolitan Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
in 1937.
Each vehicle must display two number plates: one at the front and one at the rear of the vehicle. Both the front and the rear plates bear the same format - white prints on black background. For commercial vehicles, yellow prints are used instead of white ones. Plates can be either in a standard rectangle or in a square format according to the space available in different types of vehicle for number plates.
Vehicles other than motorcycles and mopeds
Registration numbers are in a format "Mx-dd-dd". The first prefix "M" stands for "Macau" and the "x" is a letter in sequence starting from "A". The "d"s are digits and consist of a number between 1 and 9999 with leading zeroes. Numbers with leading zeros are reserved for government vehicles. For example, M-00-01 is allocated to the vehicle of the Chief Executive of the Macau SAR.The very first numbers ever allocated have no second prefix. "M-dd-dd" was the format. When the numbers had run out, "MA-dd-dd" followed.
As in Jun 2009, the current allocated prefix is "MO".
Motorcycles and mopeds
There are two separate types of registration numbers for motorcycles (with engine capacity more than 50cc) and mopeds (less than 50cc). Motorcycle plates bear the same format as the numbers for cars.As for mopeds, the format is "CM-ddddd" where CM stands for Ciclomotor" - "moped" in Portuguese
Portuguese language
Portuguese is a Romance language that arose in the medieval Kingdom of Galicia, nowadays Galicia and Northern Portugal. The southern part of the Kingdom of Galicia became independent as the County of Portugal in 1095...
and "d" are digits in sequence without leading zeros.
The plates are in black prints on white background.
Special number plates
- "EX" (for Experiência - "experience" in Portuguese) plates are for vehicles which do not have vehicle registration numbers for the time being, such as new cars which are pending for formal examination and registration. It is followed by a number in sequence up to 4-digits without leading zeros. Unlike normal plates, "EX" plates have a format of white characters on red background, and are issued by IACM only.
- "ES" (for Especial - "special" in Portuguese) plates are issued to car dealers who have to move their vehicles on public roads, such as test run of unregistered cars, or moving between showrooms and storage, etc. It is followed by a number in sequence up to 3-digits without leading zeros. Unlike normal plates, "ES" plates are in red print on white background, and are issued by IACM only.
- "ZA" (for ZhuAo which means "stationed in Macau") plates are reserved for the People's Liberation Army in Macau. "ZA" plates are not issued with the standard fonts seen on civilian plates. The font used is the same as that of Mainland Chinese plates. However, the plates are still in white print on black background.
- "T" (for Trânsito - "transit" in Portuguese) plates are for vehicles registered outside the Macau SAR and are driven on public roads for a limited period of time. It is normally followed by a 3-digit number in sequence. Unlike normal plates, "T" plates are in black prints on yellow background, and are issued by IACM only.
Auction of registration numbers
The IACM will occasionally auction registration numbers which have special combinations considered to be good luck by the Chinese community. For example "8" and "9" are regarded as "wealth" and "long life" since they have similar pronunciations in cantonese. So numbers with a combination of 8 and 9, such as 8888, 9999, 9988, etc. will normally be reserved for auctions. Numbers with the same four digits are also popular in auctions.Macau car number plates
Vehicle registration plates of Portugal
The Portuguese Car number plate system for automobiles and motorcycles is simple and sequential. The system has no link to geographical locations or similar. It is an incremental numbering system consisting of three groups of two characters, separated by dashes. This system started in 1937 with...
and are one of three types used in China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
. The first plates were issued in the 1930s with current number issued at 35,000.
The plates consists of white letters on a black background.
- 1960s plate format was: M-01-12
- Current (since 1980s) plate format was: MX-01-23
The first character uses "M" as Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
assigned license format according to the name of their overseas territory (or province).
Buses use the same plates are cars, but buses have been assigned characters are in yellow instead of white since 2000.
See also
- Vehicle registration plates of the People's Republic of China
- Vehicle registration plates of PortugalVehicle registration plates of PortugalThe Portuguese Car number plate system for automobiles and motorcycles is simple and sequential. The system has no link to geographical locations or similar. It is an incremental numbering system consisting of three groups of two characters, separated by dashes. This system started in 1937 with...