Licence plates in Spain
Four numbers, three letters
A white plate with an E band and the format 1234 ABC is Spanish.
- Format 1234 ABC: four numbers, then three letters.
- Blue EU band with E on the left only.
- Plain white plate with no band on the right.
8 photos, grouped by the clue they show.
Key clue 1234 ABC format 8
Spain: what its plates look like
Spanish plates are white with the format 1234 ABC: four numbers, then three letters. The letters never use vowels.
There is a blue EU band with an E on the left and nothing on the right.
Since 2000 the same national format is used everywhere; older plates started with a province code like M for Madrid.
Look-alikes: how to tell them apart
Portugal
ItalyPortugal adds a yellow band on the right. Italy has a blue band on the right and puts the letters first.
Questions about plates in Spain
Why do Spanish plates start with numbers?
The national system introduced in 2000 uses four numbers followed by three consonants, so plates no longer show the province.
Do Spanish plates show the region?
Not on new plates. Old ones started with letters for the province.