From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Austrian car number plates are license plates found on Austrian cars.

Example of a license plate in Austria

License plate from Austria - W stands for Vienna.

The license plates are made of metal. On the left there is a blue bar like in other EU countries; the text is in black letters on a white background. Two plates have to be present on each car- one on the front and one on the rear.

The text format on the plates is "xx state number letters" or "xx state letters number";

• xx - one or two letters denoting the county of main residence of car holder. State capitals have one letter, all other counties have two letters.
• state - insignia depicting the state the district is in; diplomatic cars have a dash (–)
• number/letters - incrementing

there are several numbering schemes:

• Until the year 2000, the plates were issued by the county administrations and a variety of numbering schemes have been used, such as one digit and three letters (eg FK 1 ABC for a car from Feldkirch county, Vorarlberg), two digits and two letters (eg WL 12 AB for a car form Wels county in Upper Austria) etc.
• Since 2000, the plates are issued by car insurance companies and normally show three digits and two letters (eg xx 123 AB) in each county.
• Cars in Vienna spot up to 5 digit numbers + 1 letter (eg W 12345 A) or 4 digit numbers + 2 letters (eg W 1234 AB)

• • moreover the letters are standardized for special types of cars:
    • RD - Rettungsdienst (ambulances)
    • BE - Bestattung (funeral services)
    • TX - Taxi (cabs)
    • LO - Linienomnibus (public buses)
    • GT - Gütertransport (trucks)
• Army, diplomats, police etc. just have a number (starting with 1, incrementing)

For a fee it is possible to customize license plates; the format on those is "xx state custom_letters custom_number". These plates can easily be distinguished from standard plates because here the letters are followed by the number. (eg. G TOMMY 1)

• State capitals
  • W - Vienna
  • S - Salzburg
  • P - St. Pölten
  • E - Eisenstadt
  • G - Graz
  • I - Innsbruck
  • L - Linz
  • K - Klagenfurt
  • B - Bregenz

• Other cities and counties (usually counties; autonomous cities and their surrounding counties were indicated)
  • AM - Amstetten (Lower Austria)
  • BA - Bad Aussee
  • BL - Bruck an der Leitha
  • BM - Bruck an der Mur
  • BN - Baden
  • BR - Braunau am Inn
  • BZ - Bludenz
  • DL - Deutschlandsberg
  • DO - Dornbirn
  • EF - Eferding
  • EU - Eisenstadt-Umgebung (Eisenstadt surrounding area)
  • FB - Feldbach
  • FE - Feldkirchen
  • FF - Fürstenfeld
  • FK - Feldkirch
  • FR - Freistadt
  • GB - Gröbming
  • GD - Gmünd
  • GF - Gänserndorf
  • GM - Gmunden
  • GR - Grieskirchen
  • GS - Güssing
  • GU - Graz-Umgebung (Graz surrounding area)
  • HB - Hartberg
  • HL - Hollabrunn
  • HO - Horn
  • IL - Innsbruck-Land (Innsbruck countryside area)
  • IM - Imst
  • JE - Jennersdorf
  • JO - St. Johann im Pongau
  • JU - Judenburg
  • KB - Kitzbühel
  • KI - Kirchdorf an der Krems
  • KF - Knittelfeld
  • KO - Korneuburg
  • KR - Krems an der Donau-Land (Krems an der Donau countryside area)
  • KS - Krems an der Donau (City of Krems an der Donau)
  • KU - Kufstein
  • LA - Landeck
  • LB - Leibnitz
  • LE - Leoben (City of Leoben)
  • LF - Lilienfeld
  • LI - Liezen
  • LL - Linz-Land (Linz countryside area)
  • LN - Leoben-Land (Leoben countryside area)
  • LZ - Lienz
  • MA - Mattersburg
  • MD - Mödling
  • ME - Melk
  • MI - Mistelbach
  • MU - Murau
  • MZ - Mürzzuschlag
  • ND - Neusiedl am See
  • NK - Neunkirchen
  • OP - Oberpullendorf
  • OW - Oberwart
  • PE - Perg
  • PL - St. Pölten-Land (St. Pölten countryside area)
  • RA - Bad Radkersburg
  • RE - Reutte
  • RI - Ried im Innkreis
  • RO - Rohrbach
  • SD - Schärding
  • SE - Steyr-Land (Steyr countryside area)
  • SL - Salzburg-Land (Salzburg countryside area)
  • SP - Spittal an der Drau
  • SR - Steyr (city of Steyr)
  • SV - St. Veit an der Glan
  • SW - Schwechat
  • SZ - Schwaz
  • TA - Tamsweg
  • TU - Tulln
  • UU - Urfahr-Umgebung
  • VB - Vöcklabruck
  • VI - Villach (City of Villach)
  • VK - Völkermarkt
  • VL - Villach-Land (Villach countryside area)
  • VO - Voitsberg
  • WB - Wiener Neustadt-Bezirk (Wiener Neustadt countryside area)
  • WE - Wels (City of Wels)
  • WL - Wels-Land (Wels countryside area)
  • WN - Wiener Neustadt (city of Wiener Neustadt)
  • WO - Wolfsberg
  • WT - Waidhofen an der Thaya
  • WU - Wien-Umgebung (Vienna surrounding area)
  • WY - Waidhofen an der Ybbs
  • WZ - Weiz
  • ZE - Zell am See
  • ZT - Zwettl

• Other
  • WD - Diplomatic corps in Vienna
  • GK - Consular officials in Styria
  • BB - Bundesbahn (Federal Railways)
  • BD - Kraftfahrlinien Bundesbus (Bus Service)
  • BG - Gendarmerie (local police) - obsolete since 2005 when Gendarmerie and Police merged, but still valid on Gendarmerie/police cars registrated before 2005
  • BP - Bundespolizei (state police) - since 2005 the only prefix for all newly registered police cars
  • BH - Bundesheer (Federal Army)
  • PT - Post & Telekom Austria
  • JW - Justizwache
  • ZW - Zollwache
  • FV - Finanzverwaltung (Financial Administration)