Luxembourg

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L

Groussherzogtum Lëtzebuerg / Grand Duchy of Luxembourg / Grand-Duché du Luxembourg / Großherzogtum Luxemburg

Current Series

Since 1st July 2003 all Luxembourg plates, except trade plates and military, have been black on reflective yellow. They measure 520×110 mm (single line) or 340×200 mm (two lines), 270×80 or 200×140 mm for motorcycles. To the left of the plate is a blue euroband with the circlet of stars above the letter L. The registration is of two letters and four numerals: AA, CD and ZZ being reserved for official, diplomatic and limited use vehicles respectively, and 0010 to 0099 for mopeds. Commercial and agricultural vehicles and trailers no longer have reserved codes. Letters I and O are not used. Official information is that registrations are issued in a pattern of small blocks: firstly BA 4001 to BA 4999, then CA 5001 to CA 5999, then DA 6001, etc., Table 3. However, FB 8nnn then GB 9nnn were erroneously issued first. Owners may obtain personalised combinations in the two letter, four numeral format. Numbers lower than 4000 (except 0010 to 0099) are reserved for personalised registrations. Plates of four or five numerals and other plates of the former series may be remade in this new style.

Note that as of August 2022 there are no special plates for electrically powered vehicles.

Vehicles of State Officers and Official Vehicles

Senior officers of state have similar plates but the registration is simply numeric or with a CD prefix, see Table 1. Parliamentary deputies, since July 2003, have had P and one or two numerals. Official vehicles, including police, have AA and four numerals.

Official Vehicles of the Grand Duke

The official vehicle of the Grand Duke bears, on the front, a white plate with a multicoloured crown and, on the rear, a plate in the Grand Ducal colours of an orange band above a blue band. On state occasions vehicles used by the grand-ducal family and visiting dignitaries have their normal plates replaced by yellow bordered black plates with an orange over blue panel in the centre.

Accompanying police escort motorcycles have smaller plates with just this orange and blue colouring.

Diplomatic Vehicles

Diplomatic plates are also yellow with black lettering: CD and the seal of the Ministry of Transport above or before two pairs of numerals separated by a hyphen, the first denoting the embassy; 00 as the last pair of numerals denotes an ambassador.

Export Plates

Vehicles purchased for subsequent export have normal colour plates: a serial number of four digits (since July 2003, three previously) prefixed by the date of expiry (the month number above the last two digits of the year) and suffixed by EXP vertically aligned. Plates were only available in a short format of 340 × 110 mm. Since October 2023 the plate size was changed to 520 × 110 mm. The registration number still consists of a four digit serial followed by the letters EX in full size, that are not part of the registration number.

Dealer Plates

Plates used by garages differ from all the above in that they are red with white lettering: 1000 to 9999 before the last two digits of the last year of validity on 340×110 mm plates.

Since October 2023 the format was changed to 520 × 110 mm. The registration number consists now of a four digit serial number followed by two letters suffixed the last two digits of the last year of validity. Short format plates are no longer issued but can be used until they expire.

Military Vehicles

The armed forces have plates with a simple serial number of four digits (originally, up to four) in white on a black background. To the left of the serial is a horizontally striped blue and white field with a red heraldic lion facing left. In about 2010 the style was changed a little and a yellow border incorporated.

Currently military trailers are similar but with only three digits.

Mopeds

Moped plates measure 130×90 or 90×130 mm and, in black on reflective yellow, have a serial of two letters and two numerals. On the taller plates the euroband is, unusually, across the top of the plate.

Former Series

From 1st January 1974 all Luxembourg plates, except trade plates and military, had been black on reflective yellow and sized 340×110 mm. The international oval had to be carried on the rear of all vehicles and frequently formed an integral part of the plate. Most classes were issuing two letters and three numerals, although some were still issuing one letter and four numerals formerly used by all series. Table 4 includes these issues.

Note that for private vehicles the pairs aK to aZ were issued first and on reaching JZ the codes AA-AJ, BA-BJ, etc. were then issued. Registrations with four or five numerals only were commonly reissued. Taxis additionally had a small circular yellow plate with T in black, usually fixed centrally above the front plate.

From 1st January 1988 all new rear normal series plates measured 520×110 mm and had the European flag of twelve gold stars on a blue background to the left of the registration; the flag could be omitted if a shorter plate was needed for space reasons. Previously issued plates could also be remade in this style.

From 1993 buses had been using B and four numerals, a reissue of a much earlier car series.

For historic vehicles with a two letter, three numeral registration, the plates could be made in pre-1972 style, without the flag and coloured white on black.

When this series was introduced in 1945 the colours were originally white on black. In February or March 1972 reflective plates were introduced in black on yellow at the rear, but with black on white at the front. The white plates were not considered a success and from January 1974 both front and rear plates had to be black on reflective yellow for new registrations.

All vehicles were originally registered in a single series from 500 to 99999, which was reached in 1966; lower numbers were reserved for the Royal Household, Ministers and diplomats. The new series commenced with a single letter and four numerals see Table 4.

Diplomatic Vehicles

Diplomatic plates were also yellow with black lettering: CD and a number between 40 and 999, which were issued in blocks to embassies (see Table 5). These plates differed from the normal series in that they had between the letters and the serial a large white seal bearing a crest.

Motorcycles

Before July 2003 plates for large motorcycles were 230×200 mm and had a simple serial number up to 19999 or C or D (or A for police motorcycles) followed by four digits, beneath which was the international oval.

Small motorcycles and scooters had yellow two line or, rarely, one line plates. A black oval containing L in yellow was followed by the letters CMA (cycle à moteur auxiliaire) below which was a serial of two letters and two numerals, all in black.

Mopeds had black on yellow plates with the small letters CMA above a five digit serial number, with the letter L at the bottom.

Historical Notes

1895-1940
Number 1 in white on black reportedly issued on 10th August 1895 (see introductory article) to a Benz, but no other information is available.
Various styles are reported to have been used but always in white on black apart from trade plates which were white on red. A simple serial number had a semi-circular extension to the plate usually above (front) or below (rear) bearing the letters LUX.
-1919
Luxembourg was in customs union with Germany and, reputedly, used the international identification letter D from 1910 and certainly used the German oval customs plates with serials in the range 3851 to 4000.
1940-1945
During the period of German occupation plates were issued which were black on white and had the letters Lux followed by a seal and then a serial number from 18001 to 27000.


1945-1966
Former series in white on black: a simple serial number; 19000 reached in 1949, 25000 in 1953, 55000 in 1959, 69000 in 1962 and 87000 in 1965. Diplomatic plates had a CD prefix.
1945-1955?
Military vehicles initially used an M prefix before changing to the lion symbol.
1966-1978
Former series with one letter and four numerals; C reached in 1967, H in 1971, M in 1976.
1972
Reflective series introduced but with white front plates.
1 Jan 1974
Black on reflective yellow front and rear plates compulsory for all new registrations.
Plates used by garages were red with white lettering: to the left was a large white seal followed by a three digit serial number. The rear plate also incorporated an L oval to the right of the number.
1978
Former series of two letters and three numerals, cars starting from AK onwards.
1 Jan 1979
BU series introduced for buses.
-mid 1980s
Persons temporarily resident for up to one year had black on yellow plates (originally white on black) with the last two digits of the year vertically aligned prefixing a three digit serial.
1985
Cars reached JZ 999 and reverted to AA 001 to AJ 999, etc.
1 Jan 1988
European flag introduced on rear plates.
1997
During the Luxembourg presidency of the E.U. special plates were issued to senior officials with only one letter and one numeral.
Jun 1999
JL reached; LA reached in December 2000.
-Jul 2003
Traffic Police motorcycles had black on yellow plates in the range 80 to 99, below which was an L oval.
1 Jul 2003
Current plates adopted the euroband and extended to six characters; format of diplomatic, garage and moped plates also changed: [[#Former|Former Series}}.
Oct 2023
Format of export and dealer plates changed to 520 × 110 mmm.

Tables and Lists

Table 1 : Registration Number of State Officers and Official Vehicles (from 1 Jun 2003)

1 the Grand Duke
20 the Prime Minister
219
CD 1CD 19
Royal Household
2150
CD 20CD 50
senior government ministers
CD 10-00CD 99-99 Diplomatic Corps and senior officers of European organizations
P 1P 99 Chamber of Deputies
AA-1000AA-9999 official vehicles (including police and ambulances)
ZZ-1000ZZ-9999 limited use vehicles


Table 2 : Diplomatic Codes

10 France 20 Austria 29 Greece 70 European Parliament
11 United Kingdom 21 Switzerland 30 Romania 72-01 to 72-08 European Commission
12 Belgium 22 Ireland 31 Finland 72-09 + European Parliament
14 USA 23 Turkey 32 Cape Verde 73 European Court of Justice
15 Italy 24 Denmark 33 Czechia 74 E.U. Civil Service Tribunal
16 Netherlands 25 Japan 34 Hungary 75 European Court of Auditors
17 Germany 26 Portugal 35 Poland 77 Court of First Instance
18 Russia 27 China 79 European Investment Bank (EIB)
19 Spain 28 Sweden 82, 85, 86 N.A.T.O. Maintenance and Supply Agency
84 E.F.T.A. Court

Table 3 : Order of Issue (from top left reading down)

BA JJ TS XZ NR DH FA RJ YS PZ DR GH QB ZK QS
CA GJ RS YZ PR EH EB QK ZS QZ ER FH PB YK RT
DA FJ QT ZY QR FG DB PK ZT RY FQ EG NB XK ST
EA EK PT YY RQ GG CB NK YT SY GQ DG MB WK TT
FB DK NT XY SQ HG BB MK XT TY HQ CG LB VL UT
GB CK MT WY TQ JG AB LK WT UY JQ BG KC UL VT
HB BK LT VX UQ KG AC KL VU VY KQ AG JC TL WU
JB AK KU UX VQ LF BC JL UU WX LP AF HC SL XU
KB AL JU TX WP MF CC HL TU XX MP BF GC RL YU
LC BL HU SX XP NF DC GL SU YX NP CF FC QM ZU
MC CL GU RX YP PF EC FL RU ZX PP DF ED PM ZV
NC DL FU QW ZP QF FD EM QV ZW QP EF DD NM YV
PC EL EV PW ZN RE GD DM PV YW RN FE BD MM XV
QC FM DV NW YN SE HD CM NV XW SN GE AD LM WV
RD GM CV MW XN TE JD BM MV WW TN HE AE KN VW
SD HM BV LW WN UE KD AM LV VV UN JE BE JN UW
TD JM AV KV VM VE LE AN KW UV VN KE CE HN TW
UD KM AW JV UM WD ME BN JW TV WM LD DE GN SW
VD LN BW HV TM XD NE CN HW SV XM MD EE FN RW
WE MN CW GV SM YD PE DN GW RV YM ND FF EP QX
XE NN DW FV RM ZD QE EN FW QU ZM QD GF DP PX
YE PN EW EU QL ZC RF FP EX PU ZL RC HF CP NX
ZE QN FX DU PL YC SF GP DX NU YL SC JF BP MX
ZF RP GX CU NL XC TF HP CX MU XL TC KF AP LX
YF SP HX BU ML VB UF JP BX LU WL UC LG AQ KY
XF TP JX AU LL UB VF KP AX KT VK VC MG BQ JY
WF UP KX AT JK TB WG LQ AY JT UK WB NG CQ HY
VG VP LY BT HK SB XG MQ BY HT TK XB PG DQ GY
UG WQ MY CT GK RB YG NQ CY GT SK YB QG EQ FY
TG XQ NY DT FK QA ZG PQ DY FT RK ZB RH FR EZ
SG YQ PY ET EJ PA ZH QQ EY ES QJ ZA SH GR DZ
RG ZQ QY FS DJ NA YH RR FZ DS PJ YA TH HR CZ
QH ZR RZ GS CJ MA XH SR GZ CS NJ XA UH JR BZ
PH YR SZ HS BJ LA WH TR HZ BS MJ WA VH KR AZ
NH XR TZ JS AJ KA VJ UR JZ AS LJ VA WJ LS
MH WR UZ KS AH JA UJ VR LZ AR KH UA XJ MS
LH VS VZ LR BH HA TJ WS MZ BR JH TA YJ NS
KJ US WZ MR CH GA SJ XS NZ CR HH RA ZJ PS


Table 4 : Registration Sequences and Prefixes (until 30 Jun 2003)

Sequence or Prefix Vehicle Type
1 the Grand Duke
2 - 19
CD 1 - CD 19
Royal Household
20 the Prime Minister
21 - 39
CD 20 - CD 39
senior government ministers
CD 40 - CD 999 Diplomatic Corps (Table 5 )
P 1 - P 19 Chamber of Deputies
01 MC - 99 MD motocoupés
01 MY - 99 MY vehicles for the handicapped
150 - 499
E 0001 - E 5000
European Union personnel (obsolete)
A official vehicles (including police and ambulances)
B buses 93-
BU buses 79-93
C, D motorcycles
E, F tricycles
G, H quadricycles
J, K, L hire cars
Q, R, S trailers
RA-RZ trailers (and cars)
T, U, V commercial vehicles
TA-TZ
UV-ZU
commercial vehicles (until early 1990s)
W, X agricultural tractors
Y self-propelled machinery
Z limited use vehicles
others private cars


Table 5 : Diplomatic Codes (Until 30 Jun 2003)

1-19 Royal Household 120-129 Germany 220-224 Finland
20-39 senior government ministers 130-139 Russia 241-248 Greece
40-49 ambassadors (various) 140-149 Spain 250-256 Portugal
60-69 France 160-169 Switzerland 300-599 international organizations
70-79 United Kingdom 170-178 Portugal, Turkey 600-699 not issued
80-89 Belgium 179-180 Denmark 700-704 Sweden
90-99 USA 181-199 Portugal 705+ other embassies
100-109 Italy 200-299 other embassies
110-119 Netherlands 210-214 China

See Also

Parent Jurisdictions


External links