The registration number of cars in Norway is maintained by the
Norwegian
Ministry of Transport and Communications. As in most countries,
cars are identified only by number plates read visually. Due to the
large installed base of automatic road toll systems, there is a
significant number of cars that also carry an electronic identity
chip that may be read remotely. Up to now, these chips have only
been used for purposes of toll collection and traffic
statistics.
Number plate design
The number plates can have one of the following designs:
A - White plate, black print
For cars, lorries, buses, etc. taxed and fit to drive on public
roads. Plates of this type will also carry a tax stamp; see below.
Most cars in Norway have these plates.
B - Black plate, yellow print
These are for all vehicles that are approved and deemed safe but
never drive on public roads. This includes forest tractors, mining
trucks, off-road snow-mobiles, various mobile gear in airports and
quays, etc. Such vehicles are tax exempt and do not carry a tax
stamp.
Vehicles registered on Svalbard
also use
these plates.
C - Orange plates, black print
Military cars, trucks, buses, tanks etc. Such vehicles are
tax-exempt and do not carry a tax stamp.
D - Green plate, black print
For cars, vans, small trucks, etc. taxed and fit to drive on public
roads. Vehicles with this plate are not for passenger use. They can
carry only one or two passengers and are intended for craftsmen and
courier usage. Such cars have lower taxes than the same model ones
with plate type A. They will also carry a tax stamp, and will never
have a back seat. Anyone may own a car with green number plates.
E - Blue plate, yellow print
These are Corps Diplomatique plates; they are used on official cars
of foreign embassies and consular services. These plates always use
prefix CD. They are tax exempt, but do carry a tax stamp.
F - Red plate, white print
Temporary number plates. This kind of plate is often provided by
car sales show rooms for test driving a car. They may also be used
for driving between border control and road authority when
importing a car from abroad. People who need to temporary register
a car for other reasons may acquire such number plates from the
local road authority office.
G - Yellow plate, black print
Used by military vehicles
Tax stamp
A tax stamp is sent out annually by mail to every car owner who has
paid the road tax, insurance and is in compliance with any MOT
control. The tax stamp has a bar code for non-disclosed usage. The
tax stamp changes colour each year. The palette is red - blue -
yellow. A car with a number plate of a wrong colour is likely to
have its number plate removed by police or customs staff.
Nationality stripe
Norwegian plates manufactured after November 1, 2006 have a
nationality stripe on the left end of the plates. This stripe is
blue with a
Norwegian flag and the
letter "N", in the style used by many central European countries
before they became EU members.
A license plate from Fredrikstad
Manufacture of number plates
The production of number plates is strictly controlled by the
authorities. Number plates are provided when application of
registration is accepted. If plates are stolen, new ones will not
be produced until a police enquiry is completed. Number plates for
all types except some kinds of F plates were previously produced in
aluminium. As of January 1, 2009 newly produced plates are made out
of plastic, which makes the plates slightly thicker than the older
aluminium ones.
Car number prefixes and sequence numbers
All Norwegian car number plates have a prefix of two letters,
followed by a sequence of numbers.
Special prefixes are:
Normal number plates have a prefix based on the geographic location
for the first registration, and will not be changed later.
The letters G, I, M, O, Q, Æ, Ø and Å are not used due to their
similarity with other letters or numbers.
Additionally, the
combinations "NS" and "SS
"
have been omitted because of their connotations to World War II.
Sequence numbers for cars, trucks, busses etc. are between 10000
and 99999. For other vehicles, like motor cycles, the sequence 1000
to 9999 is used. Number plates of type F use numbers between 10 and
99.
Corps Diplomatique Identifiers
The diplomatic fleet has is identified by a code built up by
CD where is the country identifier as described
below and is a sequence number.
Other issues
Norway does not have any particular numbering scheme or plate kind
to indicate vehicle usage such as police, taxi, ambulance or
others, except for type E plates used by foreign diplomats.
The numbers for all plates except type C have a code consisting of
two letters and a serial number. Class C only carries a sequence
number. The letters identify the traffic station that issued the
registration number. For example, in Stavanger, prefixes like RE,
RH and RJ are used. The car registration number is not altered when
the owner moves to another town, or if it is sold.
The registration number is assigned to a vehicle's chassis number
(often etched into the wall, or on a plaque inside the engine room
(older cars), or on a small plate in the lower corner of the
windscreen (newer cars)) when its first imported to Norway.
Example;
A Toyota Corolla from 1972 imported and first-time registered in
Oslo
would have
the letters DA assigned to its chassis number (KE20-XXXXX) + the
five numbers that makes the car unique. Also, registration
numbers are usually assigned to groups of cars imported into
Norway.
Another example; If a car dealer imports 15
cars to Hamar
in one
shipment, the entire shipment would, as an example, be registered
as FS10000, FS10001, and so on, up to FS10015. A way of
seeing how old a car is from its registration number is noticing
the car's age and compare it to the registration number, as a
1970-1973 model car registered in Oslo will have the DA-prefix.
This is not always the cause, as it depends on when the car is
imported into Norway. Oslo began in 1970 with "DA", and proceeded
to "DB" around 1974, to DC in 1977, DD around 1981, DE around 1984,
DF around 1987, DH in 1991, DJ around 1995, DK around 2000 and DL
around 2006. As of autumn 2008, DN is also in use.
When a vehicle is condemned, the registration number/chassis is
tagged as "condemned", and the vehicle is no longer allowed to
travel by road. Neither can the registration number be reused.
Example; BL50000 will
always be the real-life
version of the legendary "Il Tempo Gigante" from the
Flåklypa Grand Prix movie.
References
- List of prefixes
and Bærum
Wikis
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