In Vietnam, what are license plates made of? What are regulations on putting license plate number and the name of the agency or unit on vehicles?

In Vietnam, what are license plates made of?

Pursuant to Article 25 of the Circular 58/2020/TT-BCA stipulating as follows:

- The license plate is manufactured in metal, covered with a reflective paint and carved with a security symbol of the police by a unit licensed by the Ministry of Public Security to manufacture license plates, under management of the Department of Traffic Police; temporary license plate shall be printed on a piece of paper.

- Symbol and size of letters and digits on registered license plate, applied to various types of vehicle, shall adhere to legal regulations at Appendix 02, 03 and 04 attached to this Circular.

- An automobile requires 02 short license plates with the following size: 165 millimeters in height and 330 millimeters in length. In case the design of special-use vehicles or as the characteristics of the vehicle does not fit on 02 short signs, the vehicle registry shall conduct physical inspection and propose the Head of the Traffic Police Department (vehicles registered at the Traffic Police Department) or Head of Traffic Police (local registered vehicle) to change to 02 long license plates with the following size: 110 mm in height, 520 mm in length or 01 short license plate and 01 long license plate. Any cost incurred shall be at the vehicle owner's expenses.

+ 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: 165 millimeters in height and 330 millimeters in length; letters and numbers are arranged following the domestic license plate.

- Tractors must affix 01 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.

- 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 forth stands for the sequential order, consisting of 03 natural numbers ranging from 001 to 999.

What are regulations on license plate of domestic organizations and individuals in Vietnam?

- The license plate has the blue background, white letters and numbers, and a series of 11 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; (Vietnamese Fatherland Front, Vietnam Trade Union, Communist Youth Union of Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam Women's Union, Vietnam Veterans Association, Vietnam Farmers' Union); public sector entities, 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 (including joint stock companies of police and military), the project management board of these enterprises, social and socio-vocational organizations, private sector entities, 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 border gate zones in accordance with the Government’s legal regulations;

- 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 used in transport business;

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

+ “KT” is issued to vehicles of military enterprises, at the request of the Department of Vehicles affiliated to the Ministry of National Defense.

+ “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.

What are regulations on license plate of foreign organizations and individuals in Vietnam?

- 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 Consular 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 (the license plate 01 is re-issued upon registration of new vehicle);

- 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).

The manufacturing and supply of license plate must be carried out at the request of the registration authority. Enterprises are invested in a license plate production line by the Ministry of Public Security and are managed and accepted by the Traffic Police Department to check the quality of initial license plate products (size, quality, security) and have license plate manufacturing facilities checked periodically. License plates must be closely managed as regulated. Connect the data of the license plate manufacturer to the Traffic Police Department to unify the management, manufacture and supply of license plates.

The publication of a series of license plate, 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 Traffic Police.

03-digit license plates are changed to 05-digit license plates in the case of name registration, replacement or reissuance of license plates.

What are regulations on putting license plate number and the name of the agency or unit on vehicles?

Types of automobiles (except for automobiles with 09 seats or less), the vehicle owner must draw or stick the license plate number on the back and sides of the vehicle; inscribe the name of the agency or unit and weight of the cargo, the weight itself on both sides of the vehicle door (except for individual vehicles).

Best regards!