Netherlands

Current plate formats

• StandardSince 2024
  NLGBB-01-B

  Three letters, two digits, one letter (sidecode 11 in Dutch usage, used for cars from 4 June 2024; mopeds had it from 2015). Black on yellow with the EU strip. Only consonants are used (no vowels, C, M, Q or W), and the number stays with the vehicle, not the owner.

  black on yellow

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Older formats

No longer issued, but some may still be on the road.

• Standard2019–2024
  G-001-BB

  Sidecode 10, one letter, three digits, two letters. First car plate (G-001-BB) issued on 19 August 2019.

  black on yellow

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• Standard2015–2019
  GB-001-B

  Sidecode 9, two letters, three digits, one letter. First car plate (GB-001-B) issued on 30 March 2015.

  black on yellow

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• Standard2013–2015
  1-KBB-00

  Sidecode 8, one digit, three letters, two digits. First car plate issued on 5 March 2013. Only K, S, T, X and Z are used as the first letter on cars.

  black on yellow

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• Standard2008–2013
  00-GBB-1

  Sidecode 7, two digits, three letters, one digit. Issued to cars from 19 May 2008 (sidecode 6 ran out); the same layout was used for mopeds from 2005.

  black on yellow

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• Standard1999–2008
  01-DB-BB

  Sidecode 6, two digits, two letters, two letters. Issued from 1999 until 19 May 2008. Since the controlled-issue (GAIK) plates of 2000 they carry the EU strip.

  black on yellow

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• Standard1978–1999
  DB-01-BB

  Sidecodes 4 (XX-99-XX, from mid-1978) and 5 (XX-XX-99, from 1991). Yellow reflective plates became mandatory on 1 January 1978. Plates remade since 2000 carry the EU strip.

  black on yellow

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• Standard1951–1978
  AB-12-34

  Sidecodes 1 (XX-99-99, 1951 to 1965), 2 (99-99-XX, 1965 to 1973) and 3 (99-XX-99, 1973 to 1978), in three pairs of two characters. White on dark blue; light blue plates followed in 1976 and 1977, and yellow reflective plates were optional from October 1975. Vehicles registered before 1 January 1978 may still use dark-blue plates.

  white on blue

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History

1. 1898

   First plates, introduced on 26 April. The Netherlands was the third country to introduce them.

2. 1906

   Province code plus serial number (xx-ddddd).

3. 1951

   The current national system, numbered in strict time order and tied to the vehicle.

4. 1978

   Yellow reflective plates become mandatory on 1 January; dark blue plates stay allowed for vehicles registered earlier.

5. 2000

   The blue EU strip with NL becomes mandatory on new plates.

Related countries

EU-style plates

• Austria
• Belgium
• Bulgaria
• Croatia
• Cyprus
• Czechia
• Denmark
• Estonia
• Finland
• France
• Germany
• Greece
• Hungary
• Ireland
• Italy
• Latvia
• Lithuania
• Luxembourg
• Malta
• Norway
• Poland
• Portugal
• Romania
• Slovakia
• Slovenia
• Spain
• Sweden