Vietnam: Regulations of Circular 15 on license plates for each type of vehicle

LawNet would like to answer Mr. Quang’s question as follows:

According to current regulations of Circular No. 15/2014/TT-BCA and Clauses 5, 6 Article 1 of Circular No. 64/2017/TT-BCA of the Ministry of Public Security of Vietnam, the license plate is manufactured in metal, covered with a reflective paint and inscribed with a security symbols; temporary license plate shall be printed on a piece of paper. Specific regulations for license plates for each type of vehicle are as follows:

1. License plate for automobile

An automobile requires two license plates with the following size: a long one designed with 110 millimeters in height and 470 millimeters in length; a short one designed with 200 millimeters in height and 280 millimeters in length. One is mounted at the front and the other at the back of the vehicle. If the vehicle is not designed to mount 1 short and 1 long license plate, it shall be replaced with 2 long or 2 short license plates where applicable. All incurred costs shall be paid by the owners.

- The arrangement of letters and numbers on domestic license plate: Two first numbers represent for the residential location where the vehicle is registered and the next is a series of registered characters (letters); the second numeric group stands for the numerical order of registered vehicles, including 05 natural numbers ranging from 000.01 to 999.99.

- The arrangement of letters and numbers on the license plate of foreign automobiles: Two first numbers represent for the residential location where the vehicle is registered; the second group symbolizes the country name and international organization, consisting of 03 natural numbers; the third group is arranged in a series referring to foreign individuals and organizations; the forth group stands for the numerical order of registered vehicles, consisting of 02 natural numbers ranging from 01 to 99.

- Trailers and semi-trailers must affix 1 license plate at the back end of the vehicle with the size of 200 millimeters in height and 280 millimeters in length; letters and numbers are arranged following the domestic license plate.

2. License plate for motorcycle

Motorcycles mount 1 license plate at the back with the size of 140 millimeters in height and 190 millimeters in length. The first numerical group represents the residential location where the vehicle is registered and a registered series. The second is the sequential order of registered vehicles, consisting of 05 natural numbers ranging from 000.01 to 999.99.

In respect of those owned by foreign organizations and individuals, the first numeric group represents the residential location where the vehicle is registered, the second group symbolizes the country name of the legal owner, the third is arranged in a registered series, and the fourth stands for the sequential order, consisting of 03 natural numbers ranging from 001 to 999.

3. License plate for tractors and electric-powered vehicles

Tractors and electric-powered vehicles must affix 1 license plate at the back with the size of 140 millimeters in height and 190 millimeters in length. The first numeric group symbolizes the residential location where the vehicle is registered and a registered series, and the second stands for the numerical order of registered vehicle, consisting of 05 natural numbers ranging from 000.01 to 999.99.

4. License plate of domestic offices and organizations

- The license plate has the blue background, white letters and numbers, and a series of 20 successive letters, such as A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, K, L, M, N, P, S, T, U, V, X, Y, Z, granted to the vehicles owned by the Communist Party’s regulatory bodies; Office of the President and the National Assembly and other regulatory bodies of the National Assembly; Office of the National Assembly’s Delegation; the People’s Council at all administrative levels; Central Directing Committees; the People’s Public Security, Court, and Procuracy; ministries, ministerial bodies and the Government’s bodies; National Traffic Safety Committee; the People’s Committee at all administrative levels and other professional bodies of the People’s Committee of a province and district; political and social organizations; public non-business units except a state-owned center of driving training and examination; the project management board with state administrative function.

- The license plate has the blue background, white letters and numbers along with the symbol “CD”, issued to dedicated vehicles of the People’s Public Security for the purpose of security.

- The license plate has the white background, black letters and numbers, and a series of 20 successive letters, such as A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, K, L, M, N, P, S, T, U, V, X, Y, Z, issued to vehicles owned by enterprises, the project management board of these enterprises, social and socio-vocational organizations, private non-business units, the public center of driving training and examination, and personal vehicles.

- The license plate has the yellow background, red letters and numbers with a symbol of a residential location where the vehicle is registered and two-letter abbreviation of special economic – commercial zones, issued to vehicles used at special economic – commercial or international bordergate zones in accordance with the Government’s legal regulations.

- Certain license plates inscribed with a particular series of signs:

+ “KT” is issued to vehicles of the Military for the purpose of economic activities.

+ “LD” is issued to vehicles of foreign-invested companies, foreign rented vehicles and foreign selected bidders.

+ “DA” is issued to vehicles owned by the management board of foreign-invested projects.

+ “R” is issued to towed vehicles (trailers and semi-trailers).

+ “T” is issued to temporarily registered vehicles.

+ “MK” is issued to tractors.

+ “MĐ” is issued to electric-powered vehicles.

+ “TĐ” is issued to motor vehicles that are manufactured, assembled, and enabled to be piloted by the Government.

+ “HC” is issued to automobiles operating in certain restricted areas.

+ Those that have the similar specifications to a single vehicle shall receive the registered license plate identical to the latter.

5. License plate of foreign organizations and individuals

- Designed with a white background, black numbers and a red series of the symbols “NG”, which shall be issued to diplomatic missions, consular posts and foreign staff members who take possession of the diplomatic identity card at these entities. In particular, the license plate of the Ambassador and Consul General shall be inscribed with the registered number “01” inclusive of a red dash crossing over in the middle of letters showing the nationality and registered numeric order.

- Designed with a white background, black numbers and a red series of the symbols “QT”, which shall be issued to representative offices of international organizations and foreign staff members who take possession of the diplomatic identity card at these entities. In particular, the license plate of heads of representative offices of United Nations’ organizations shall additionally include a red dash crossing over in the middle of letters showing their specific symbols and registered numeric order.

- Designed with a white background, black letters and numbers, and a series of the symbols “CV”, which shall be issued to technical and administrative staff who takes possession of official identity cards granted by diplomatic missions, consular posts and international organizations.

- Designed with a white background, black letters and numbers, and the symbol “NN”, which shall be issued to vehicles of representative offices or organizations and foreign individuals (except for those who have been regulated at Point a,b and c mentioned above).

Note: 

- The manufacturing and supply of license plates must be carried out at the request of the registration authority. If license plate producers and the Police at certain localities are able to invest in an assembly line of license plates of which the quality assurance has been tested and approved by the General Department of Administrative Police for Social Order and Safety directly under the Ministry of Public Security.

- The publication of a series of license plates, made by the local Police, must be carried out in a successive manner and ascending order, which entirely uses 20 consecutive series of one categorized symbol before changing to a new one. This publication at a single locality shall be carried out only on receipt of a written consent from the Department of Roadway – Railway Traffic Police.

Nguyen Trinh

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