Girish Mahajan (Editor)

Vehicle registration plates of Greece

Updated on
Edit
Like
Comment
Share on FacebookTweet on TwitterShare on LinkedInShare on Reddit

Greek vehicle registration plates are composed of three letters and four digits per plate (e.g. ΑΑΑ-1000). The letters represent the district (prefecture) that issues the plates while the numbers begin from 1000 to 9999. Similar plates with digits beginning from 1 to 999 are issued for motorcycles which exceed 50 cc.

Contents

With the exception of Athens and Thessaloniki, all districts are represented by the first 2 letters. The final letter in the sequence changes in Greek alphabetical order after 9,000 issued plates. For example, Patras plates are ΑΧΑ-1000, where ΑΧ represents the Achaia prefecture of which Patras is the capital. When ΑΧΑ-9999 is reached the plates turn to ΑΧΒ-1000 and this continues until ΑΧΧ is finished. Only the letters from the intersection between the Latin and Greek alphabets by glyph appearance are used, namely Α, Β, Ε, Ζ, Η, Ι, Κ, Μ, Ν, Ο, Ρ, Τ, Υ, Χ (in Greek alphabetical order). This is because Greece is a contracting party to the Vienna Convention on Road Traffic, which in Annex 2 requires registration numbers to be displayed in capital Latin characters and Arabic numerals. The rule applies in a similar way in Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Bulgaria.

Combinations used for overseas residents are L-NNNN (where L = letter and N = number) and are limited. Until 2003, taxis used L-NNNN; the plate was aligned with the prefecture and the letters were colored red.

1952-1955

When number plates were introduced to Greece, they were numbered and in the late 1950s the system was L-NNN and LL-NNN. The letters were Greek letters and Latin letters, respectively.

1956-1971

In 1956, the system was NNNNNN.

1972–1982

In 1972, they became lettered and the system was LL-NNNN while trucks used L-NNNN.

1983–2003

In 1983, the system was LLL-NNNN and the first two letters are prefecture letters.

2004 to present

In 2004, the euroband was added.

Prefectures (in Greek alphabetical order)

The first 2 of 3 letters (which are listed below) of a licence plate usually represent the prefecture (nomos) where the car was registered. The almost full list of plates in Greece is below (next to the prefecture / district is its capital or an area within the prefecture that the plates are issued; some prefectures have more than one combination):

  • ΑA Achaia prefecture - Patras
  • ΑΒ Kavala prefecture - Kavala {motorcycles}
  • ΑΕ Lasithi prefecture - Agios Nikolaos (future use)
  • ΑΖ Achaia prefecture - Patras
  • ΑΗ Xanthi prefecture - Xanthi (ΑΗΗ is omitted)
  • ΑΙ Aitoloakarnania prefecture - Agrinio area (ΑΙΙ is omitted)
  • ΑΚ Laconia prefecture - Sparti
  • ΑΜ Phokida prefecture - Amfissa
  • ΑΜ [Ο, Ρ, Τ, Υ, Χ] (red letters) tax free cars
  • ΑΝ Lasithi prefecture - Agios Nikolaos
  • ΑΟ Achaia prefecture - Patras {motorcycles}
  • AO also used in Mount Athos in style of AO-NNN-NN.
  • ΑΡ Argolis (Argolida) prefecture - Nafplio
  • ΑΤ Arta prefecture - Arta
  • ΑΧ Achaia prefecture - Patras
  • ΒA Magnesia prefecture - Volos
  • ΒΒ Magnesia prefecture - Volos {motorcycles}
  • ΒΕ Piraeus prefecture {motorcycles}
  • BZ Piraeus prefecture {motorcycles}
  • ΒΗ Piraeus prefecture {motorcycles}
  • ΒΙ Boeotia (Viotia) prefecture - Livadeia
  • ΒΚ East Attica prefecture - Pallini (future use)
  • ΒΜ East Attica prefecture - Pallini (future use)
  • ΒΝ West Attica prefecture - Elefsina (future use)
  • ΒΟ Magnesia prefecture - Volos (ΒΟΡ plates were also issued for cars in Pella Prefecture due to lack of ΕΕΚ plates at that time)
  • ΒΡ West Attica prefecture - Elefsina (future use)
  • ΒΤ Magnesia prefecture - Volos (future use)
  • ΒΥ Boeotia (Viotia) prefecture - Livadeia (future use)
  • ΒΧ Piraeus prefecture {motorcycles}
  • ΕΑ Dodecanese prefecture - Kos island {motorcycles}
  • ΕΒ Evros prefecture - Alexandroupoli (ΕΒΒ is omitted)
  • ΕΕ Pella Prefecture - Edessa (ΕΕΕ is omitted)
  • ΕΖ Cyclades prefecture - Ermoupoli {motorcycles}
  • ΕΗ Euboea (Evia) prefecture - Chalkida {motorcycles}
  • EI Euboea (Evia) prefecture - Chalkida {motorcycles}
  • EK Trucks
  • ΕΚ [Α, Β, Ε] (introduced maybe in 2003/2004, yellow colored) trucks and other vehicles used for national transport of goods
  • ΕΜ Cyclades prefecture - Ermoupoli
  • ΕΡ Serres prefecture - Serres
  • ΕΤ Corfu (Kerkyra) prefecture - Corfu {motorcycles}
  • ΕΥ Lefkada prefecture - Lefkada (ΕΥΑ plates were also issued in Rodos Island due to lack of ΡΟΝ plates at that time)
  • ΕΥ [Υ] tax free cars of offshore companies
  • ΕΧ Kilkis prefecture - Kilkis (future use)
  • ΖΑ Zakynthos prefecture - Zakynthos
  • ΖΒ Zakynthos prefecture - Zakynthos (future use)
  • ΖΕ Thessaloniki prefecture (future use)
  • ΖΖ Athens prefecture
  • ΖΗ Athens prefecture
  • ΖΙ Thessaloniki prefecture (future use)
  • ΖΚ Athens prefecture
  • ΖΜ Athens prefecture
  • ΖΝ Piraeus prefecture {motorcycles}
  • ΖΟ Thessaloniki prefecture (future use)
  • ΖΡ Piraeus prefecture {motorcycles}
  • ΖΤ West Attica prefecture - Elefsina {motorcycles}
  • ΖΥ East Attica prefecture - Pallini
  • ΖΧ East Attica prefecture - Pallini
  • ΗΑ Ilia prefecture - Pyrgos
  • ΗΒ Athens prefecture {motorcycles}
  • ΗΕ Ilia prefecture - Pyrgos (future use)
  • ΗΖ Heraklio prefecture - Heraklio {motorcycles}
  • ΗΗ Heraklio prefecture - Heraklio {motorcycles}
  • ΗΙ Heraklio prefecture - Heraklio (future use)
  • ΗΚ Heraklio prefecture - Heraklio (ΗΚΗ and ΗΚΖ plates were also issued in nearby Chania Prefecture due to lack of ΧΝΜ plates at that time)
  • ΗΜ Imathia prefecture - Veria
  • ΗΝ Thesprotia prefecture - Igoumenitsa
  • ΗΟ Xanthi prefecture - Xanthi {motorcycles}
  • ΗΡ Heraklio prefecture - Heraklio
  • ΗΤ Xanthi prefecture - Xanthi (future use)
  • ΗΥ Phthiotis (Fthiotida) prefecture - Lamia (future use)
  • ΗΧ Imathia prefecture - Veria (future use)
  • ΙΑ Trucks
  • ΙΑ [Α, Β, Ε] (yellow colored) trucks used for international transport
  • ΙΒ Athens prefecture
  • ΙΕ Athens prefecture
  • ΙΖ Athens prefecture
  • ΙΗ Athens prefecture (IHA plates were also issued for cars in Euboea Prefecture due to lack of XAI plates at that time)
  • ΙΙ Ioannina prefecture - Ioannina (future use)
  • ΙΚ Athens prefecture
  • ΙΜ Athens prefecture
  • ΙΝ Ioannina prefecture - Ioannina
  • ΙΟ Athens prefecture
  • ΙΡ Athens prefecture {not solely for motorcycles as previously stated, IPN 1604 was my own rental car in October 2014}
  • ΙΤ Athens prefecture {motorcycles}
  • ΙΥ Athens prefecture {motorcycles}
  • ΙΧ Serres prefecture
  • ΚΑ Karditsa prefecture - Karditsa (ΚΑΑ is omitted)
  • ΚΒ Kavala prefecture - Kavala (ΚΒΒ is omitted)
  • ΚΕ Kefalonia and Ithaca prefecture - Argostoli (KEE is omitted)
  • ΚΖ Kozani prefecture - Kozani (ΚΖΖ is omitted)
  • ΚΗ Evrytania prefecture - Karpenisi
  • ΚΗ [Ι, Ο, Υ] (orange colored) state cars
  • ΚΙ Kilkis prefecture - Kilkis
  • ΚK Rhodope prefecture - Komotini {motorcycles}
  • ΚΜ Messinia prefecture - Kalamata
  • ΚΝ Pieria prefecture - Katerini (ΚΝΖ is omitted)
  • ΚΟ Rhodope (Rodopi) prefecture - Komotini (exception: ΚΟΗ and ΚΟΚ --> Thessaloniki prefecture, ΚΟΡ --> Heraklio prefecture {motorcycles})
  • ΚΡ Corinthia prefecture - Corinth (Korinthos)
  • ΚΤ Kastoria prefecture - Kastoria
  • ΚΥ Corfu (Kerkyra) prefecture - Corfu
  • ΚΧ Dodecanese prefecture - Kos island (ΚΧΑ plates were also issued for cars in Rodos Island due to lack of ΡΟΖ plates at that time)
  • ΚΧ [Υ] (red letters) tax free cars
  • ΜΑ Chalkidiki prefecture - Polygyros (future use)
  • ΜΒ Samos prefecture - Samos (future use)
  • ΜΕ Aitoloakarnania prefecture - Messolongi
  • ΜΖ Messinia prefecture - Kalamata {motorcycles}
  • ΜΗ Lesvos prefecture - Myrina (Limnos island)
  • MH [Ι, Ο, Υ] (red letters) tax free cars
  • ΜΙ Phthiotis (Fthiotida) prefecture - Lamia
  • ΜΚ Karditsa prefecture - Karditsa (future use)
  • ΜΜ Pella Prefecture - Edessa (future use)
  • ΜΝ Kozani prefecture - Kozani (future use)
  • ΜΟ Samos prefecture - Samos (ΜΟΚ, ΜΟΜ and ΜΟΡ plates for motorcycles were also issued in Rodos Island due to lack of ΡΚΜ plates at that time)
  • ΜΟ [Ι, Ο, Υ] (red letters) {tax free cars}
  • ΜΡ Laconia prefecture - Sparti (future use)
  • ΜΤ Lesbos prefecture - Mytilini {motorcycles}
  • ΜΥ Lesbos (Lesvos) prefecture - Mytilini (ΜΥΖ plates were also issued for cars in Rodos Island due to lack of ΡΟΜ plates at that time)
  • ΜΧ Evros prefecture - Alexandroupoli (future use)
  • ΝΑ Thessaloniki prefecture - Thessaloniki
  • ΝΒ Thessaloniki prefecture - Thessaloniki
  • ΝΕ Thessaloniki prefecture - Thessaloniki
  • ΝΖ Thessaloniki prefecture - Thessaloniki
  • ΝΗ Thessaloniki prefecture - Thessaloniki
  • ΝΙ Thessaloniki prefecture - Thessaloniki
  • ΝΚ Thessaloniki prefecture - Thessaloniki {motorcycles}
  • ΝΜ Thessaloniki prefecture - Thessaloniki {motorcycles}
  • ΝΝ Thessaloniki prefecture - Thessaloniki {motorcycles}
  • ΝΟ Thessaloniki prefecture - Thessaloniki {motorcycles}
  • ΝΡ Thessaloniki prefecture (future use)
  • ΝΤ Thessaloniki prefecture (future use)
  • ΝΥ Thessaloniki prefecture (future use)
  • ΝΧ Trucks
  • ΝΧ [Α, Υ] (yellow colored) {trucks for transport of goods in a prefecture}
  • ΟΑ Athens {motorcycles}
  • ΟΒ Athens {motorcycles}
  • ΟΕ Athens {motorcycles}
  • ΟΖ Athens (future use)
  • ΟΗ Athens {motorcycles}
  • ΟΙ Athens {motorcycles}
  • ΟΚ Athens {motorcycles}
  • ΟΜ Athens {motorcycles}
  • ΟΝ Athens (future use)
  • ΟΟ Athens (future use)
  • ΟΡ Evros prefecture - Orestiada area
  • ΟΤ Athens (future use)
  • ΟΥ Athens (future use)
  • ΟΧ Athens (future use)
  • ΡΑ Florina prefecture - Florina (ΡΑΑ is omitted)
  • ΡΑ [Ι, Ο, Υ] (red letters) tax free cars
  • ΡΒ Corinthia prefecture - Corinth (future use)
  • ΡΕ Rethymno prefecture - Rethymno (ΡΕΕ appears not to have been omitted as previously stated, and was observed on a motorcycle in Rethymno in October 2014)
  • ΡΖ Preveza prefecture - Preveza (ΡΖΒ is omitted)
  • ΡΗ Rethymno prefecture - Rethymno (previously stated as "future use", was observed in use on motorcycles/scooters in October 2014)
  • ΡΙ Larissa prefecture - Larissa
  • ΡΚ Dodecanese prefecture - Rodos (Rhodes) {motorcycles}
  • ΡΜ Drama prefecture - Drama (ΡΜΖ is omitted)
  • ΡΝ Grevena prefecture - Grevena
  • ΡΝ [Ι, Μ, Ν, Ο, Ρ] (red letters) trucks
  • ΡΟ Dodecanese prefecture - Rhodes (Rodos)
  • ΡΡ Larissa prefecture - Larissa(New)
  • ΡΤ Larissa prefecture - Larissa (future use)
  • ΡΥ Dodecanese prefecture - Rodos (Rhodes) {motorcycles}
  • ΡΧ Dodecanese prefecture - Rodos (Rhodes) (future use)
  • ΤΑ Taxis
  • ΤΑ [Α, Β, Ε, Ζ, Η] (marked in yellow) taxis
  • ΤΒ Corfu (Kerkyra) prefecture - Corfu (future use)
  • ΤΕ Corfu (Kerkyra) prefecture - Corfu (future use)
  • ΤΖ Piraeus prefecture (future use)
  • ΤΗ Aitoloakarnania prefecture - Agrinio area (future use)
  • ΤΙ Pieria prefecture - Katerini (future use)
  • ΤΚ Trikala prefecture - Trikala
  • ΤΜ Argolis (Argolida) prefecture - Nafplio (future use)
  • ΤΝ Trikala prefecture - Trikala (future use)
  • ΤΟ Drama prefecture - Drama (future use)
  • ΤΡ Arcadia prefecture - Tripoli
  • ΤΤ Rhodope prefecture (future use)
  • ΤΥ Chania prefecture - Chania {motorcycles}
  • ΤΧ Preveza prefecture - Preveza (future use)
  • ΥΑ Athens prefecture
  • ΥΒ Athens prefecture
  • ΥΕ Athens prefecture
  • ΥΖ Athens prefecture
  • ΥΗ Athens prefecture (YHA plates were also issued for cars in Euboea Prefecture due to lack of XAN plates at that time)
  • ΥΙ Piraeus prefecture
  • ΥΚ Piraeus prefecture
  • ΥΜ Piraeus prefecture
  • ΥΝ Piraeus prefecture
  • ΥΟ West Attica prefecture - Elefsina
  • ΥΡ West Attica prefecture - Elefsina
  • ΥΤ West Attica prefecture - Elefsina
  • ΥΥ East Attica prefecture - Pallini
  • ΥΧ East Attica prefecture - Pallini
  • ΧΑ Euboea (Evia) prefecture - Chalkida (ΧΑΑ is omitted)
  • ΧΒ Chania prefecture - Chania {motorcycles}
  • ΧΕ Athens prefecture {motorcycles}
  • ΧΖ Athens prefecture {motorcycles}
  • ΧΗ Athens prefecture {motorcycles}
  • ΧΙ Chios prefecture - Chios
  • ΧΚ Chalkidiki prefecture - Polygyros (ΧΚΖ is omitted)
  • ΧΜ Athens prefecture (future use)
  • ΧΝ Chania prefecture - Chania (ΧΝΝ and ΧΝΟ were skipped for cars, but were used for motorcycles)
  • ΧΟ Chios prefecture - Chios (future use)
  • ΧΡ Athens prefecture {motorcycles}
  • ΧΤ Athens prefecture {motorcycles}
  • ΧΥ Athens prefecture {motorcycles}
  • ΧΧ Athens prefecture {motorcycles}
  • Special plates

    Vehicles that belong to public services and armed forces use special license plates with the following letter combinations followed by numbers:

  • ΑΙΑ (Athens International Airport service vehicles) — (blue coloured with white lettering)
  • ΑΝ.Π. (Ανάπηροι Πολέμου, Anapiroi Polemou) — Disabled in war (blue coloured)
  • ΔΟΚ (Δοκιμαστικές, Dokimastikes) — Test plates
  • ΔΣ (Διπλωματικό Σώμα, Diplomatiko Soma) — Corps Diplomatique or foreign delegation (e.g. ΔΣ 48 CD, ΔΣ 48-1 CD) (blue-coloured)
  • Ε.Α. or ΕΛ.ΑΣ. (Ελληνική Αστυνομία, Elliniki Astynomia) — Hellenic Police
  • ΛΣ (Λιμενικό Σώμα, Limeniko Soma) — Coast Guard
  • ΞΑ (Ξένες Αποστολές, Xenes Apostoles) — Foreign missions (yellow coloured)
  • ΕΣ (Ελληνικός Στρατός, Ellinikos Stratos) — Hellenic Army
  • ΠΑ (Πολεμική Αεροπορία, Polemiki Aeroporia) — Hellenic Air Force
  • ΠΝ (Πολεμικό Ναυτικό, Polemiko Naftiko) — Hellenic Navy
  • ΠΣ (Πυροσβεστικό Σώμα, Pyrosvestiko Soma) — Fire Guard
  • ΠΚ (Πρόεδρος της Κυβέρνησης, Próedros tis Kyvérnisis) — President of the Government, i.e. the Prime Minister of Greece
  • The following categories are conflicting: The same letter combinations are used for both public services and specific regions:

  • ΑΜ (Αγροτικά Μηχανήματα, Agrotika Mekhanemata) — Agricultural vehicles
  • ΚΥ (Κρατική Υπηρεσία, Kratiki Ypiresia) — State
  • ΜΕ (Μηχανήματα Έργων, Mekhanimata Ergon) — Public works vehicles (yellow coloured)
  • References

    Vehicle registration plates of Greece Wikipedia