International Car Registration Codes

Array of 1-3 letter codes assigned by the United Nations (UN) for international vehicle registration. Also known as International Vehicle Registration (IVR) codes or oval stickers. Based on the 1949 Geneva Convention on Road Traffic and 1968 Vienna Convention. Displayed as white letters on blue oval (EU standard) or black letters on white oval. Extracted from REST Countries API car.signs field.

Car registration codes identify a vehicle's country of registration when traveling abroad, required for cross-border driving in many regions. Essential for international road trips in Europe (Schengen Area), Africa, and other regions with cross-border road travel. Help police, customs, and toll systems identify foreign vehicles. Required on rental cars crossing borders. Some codes are intuitive (USA, CAN, MEX), others less obvious (E = Spain, P = Portugal, NL = Netherlands). Failure to display proper code can result in fines.

Standard codes (1-3 letters): - Single letter (rare, assigned early): D (Germany - Deutschland), E (Spain - España), F (France), I (Italy), J (Japan), P (Portugal) - Two letters (most common): US (USA), CA (Canada), GB (Great Britain/UK), CH (Switzerland - Confoederatio Helvetica), NL (Netherlands), BR (Brazil), ZA (South Africa), AU (Australia), NZ (New Zealand), CN (China), IN (India), RU (Russia) - Three letters: USA (alternative to US), MEX (Mexico), CAN (Canada alternative), AFG (Afghanistan), PAK (Pakistan), IRN (Iran) Regional variations: - EU members: Blue oval with EU flag stars + country code (e.g., D, F, GB, NL, PL) - Non-EU Europe: White oval with black letters (CH, NO, IS) - UK post-Brexit: Still uses GB (or UK alternative) - Disputed territories: Often use unofficial codes (e.g., Kosovo uses RKS, not universally recognized) Historical changes: - SU (Soviet Union) → RU (Russia), LT (Lithuania), UA (Ukraine), etc. after 1991 - DDR (East Germany) + DBP (West Germany) → D (unified Germany) 1990 - CS (Czechoslovakia) → CZ (Czech Republic) + SK (Slovakia) 1993 - YU (Yugoslavia) → SRB (Serbia), HR (Croatia), SLO (Slovenia), etc. 1990s Special cases: - Great Britain: Uses "GB" (includes England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland). "UK" also used but GB is official. - Netherlands: "NL" (Nederland), not "NET" or "HOL" - Switzerland: "CH" (Confoederatio Helvetica - Latin name to avoid favoring German/French/Italian) - Spain: "E" (España), not "ES" - Greece: "GR" (Greece), not "EL" (despite Hellenic Republic) Diplomats/International orgs: - CD (Corps Diplomatique) - diplomatic vehicles - UN - United Nations vehicles

Coverage: 217 countries (not all have assigned codes) Update frequency: Static (changes only with new countries or political changes) Source: REST Countries API (based on UN IVR code registry) Limitations: Not all countries have assigned codes (small island nations, micro-states). Codes required only for international travel - domestic-only vehicles don't need them. Some countries use multiple codes (historical vs modern, e.g., USA vs US). Enforcement varies - some regions strictly require display (EU), others rarely check. Oval stickers becoming obsolete in EU with license plate country indicators. Codes don't indicate vehicle type or use (passenger vs commercial). Temporary import vehicles may display incorrect codes.