When it comes to cars, people in Cyprus often judge a vehicle by its number plate. If you've lived on the island for a while, you've probably noticed that the color, letters, and numbers on a license plate can reveal a lot about the driver. From white and yellow to red, black, or even plates featuring the Cypriot flag, Cyprus offers a wide variety of number plate types. In this post, we’ll break down what each plate means and how vehicle registration works on the island.
What Does a Cyprus Number Plate Look Like?
From 1956 to 2004, Cyprus followed the UK license plate format. After joining the European Union, Cyprus adopted EU-wide standards:
Plate size: 520 x 120 mm
Blue EU strip on the left with country code "CY"
Combination: three letters + three numbers
Vehicle registration year (small print)
Today, all front and rear plates are white, following a 2013 law update. Before that, front plates were white and rear plates yellow. Prior to 2004, plates were made of plastic; now they're made of metal.
💡 Note: Vehicle plates in Cyprus do not indicate the district of registration.
History of License Plate Design in Cyprus
1956–1973: First British-style plates introduced
1973–1990: Plastic plates, yellow rear with black text
1990–2004: Style changes, more serial combinations
2004–2013: Metal plates with EU strip introduced
2013–Present: White metal plates front and back, EU-compliant
How Are License Plates Issued?
When purchasing a used car, the plates stay with the vehicle. You can't change them. But if you’re buying a new car, you can choose from available codes within the current alphabetical series.
If you want a custom or memorable plate, you’ll need to participate in an official government auction.
🔍 Fun fact: In the early 1900s, plates started with a letter representing the city — N (Nicosia), LL (Limassol), K (Kyrenia), L (Larnaca), F (Famagusta), and P (Paphos). As cars became more common, the system evolved to letters and numbers.
Forbidden License Plate Numbers in Cyprus
Some number combinations are never issued due to religious or cultural sensitivity. These include:
13 (unlucky number)
69 (suggestive connotation)
666 (associated with evil)
Additionally, only 12 Latin letters are used (matching Greek equivalents):
A, B, E, H, K, M, N, P, T, X, Y, Z
You won’t see Greek-specific characters like Ω or Ξ.
Special Types of Number Plates in Cyprus
Let’s break down the different categories of license plates and who uses them:
🔴 Red Plates – Rental Cars
Used for rental vehicles across southern Cyprus.
Older plates (pre-2013) start with Z
Newer ones don’t use this prefix
🟡 Yellow Plates – Taxis
Issued to licensed taxi operators
Yellow on both sides
Format: 3 letters + 3 numbers
Older plates (pre-2013) may include T
⚫ Black Plates – Classic Cars
Issued to vintage vehicles over 40 years old
Black background with white text
Introduced in 2013
Additional Special Plate Categories
| Plate Type | Description |
|---|---|
| Buses & Public Trucks | Feature Greek abbreviations: ΛΔΧ (public bus), ΦΔΧ (public truck) |
| Trailers & Trucks | Numbers ending in CT (pre-2013) or beginning with P (post-2013) |
| Dealer Plates | Red word ΔΟΚΙΜΗ (test) + dealer ID + vehicle number |
| UN Peacekeepers | Blue plates with UN/UNF-### in white |
| British Bases | Format: SBAA-##, standard UK style |
| National Guard | Plates with old Greek flag + letters ΕΦ |
| President of Cyprus | Unique plates featuring the Cyprus national flag |
Diplomatic & Temporary Plates
🌍 Diplomatic Plates
Format: [Country Code] CD ####
Pre-1990: Green background
Now: White plates with blue EU stripe
🕒 Temporary Plates
Old format: ####V## (issued until 2004)
Current format: 3 letters + 3 numbers, red stripe with expiration info
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