Vehicle registration plates of Armenia

New Armenian Vehicle Registration Plate (License Plate)

Vehicle registration plates of Armenia have black characters on a rectangular white background. They are composed of two or three numbers, two letters (smaller than the digits) in the middle, and two (or three) other numbers. By left side is located the international code "AM" with a circular car plaque and, sometimes, the national flag. Starting from the 6th of August 2014 a new design of license plates was implemented.^[1] The license plates have a national flag on the left side, a security hologram and a machinery readable Data Matrix Code.

Overview

A private car with an Armenian license plate in Stepanakert (Nagorno-Karabakh). The number "16" indicates that the vehicle is from Gegharkunik Province.

Back view of a police car in Yerevan with an Armenian license plate. The city is indicated by the number "01".

Some police vehicles in Yerevan with Armenian license plates.

Formerly, Armenia used to have license plates issued as part of the Soviet Union system. The republic had Cyrillic codes АД and АР. Starting from 1996, after the independence of Armenia (due to the collapse of the Soviet Union), the system for the license plates was created. However, motorcycles and trailers were licensed under the former soviet format with the code АР. In 2010, finally, motorcycles and trailers started receiving Armenian format.

Style

From the beginning of the issuance of license plates, Armenian plates had the same style as Russia. Same fonts, and same differing font size for letters and digits were used. On the lower left hand side, the code AM was printed. In 2014, the style changed to the one used in Germany. The country's flag was added above AM on the top left hand side. The fonts were changed to FE-Schrift, and the letters and digits now have the same font size. Also a silver identifier band has been added on the right side of the flag and code.

Letters

Currently the following 17 letters are used: A, C, D, F, G, I, L, M, N, Q, Օ, P, R, Տ, Ս, V, Z. The letters used on license plates have been added over a period of time. The following is the timeline.

• Originally four letters were used on the plates:
  • • Latin letter L, looking similar to Armenian letter Լ, transilated as l
    • Armenian letter Ս, transilated as s, looking similar to Latin letter U
    • Armenian letter Տ, transilated as t, looking similar to Latin letter S
    • Armenian letter Օ, transilated as ô, looking similar to Latin letter O
  • The Armenian letter Ո, transilated as o, looking similar to lowercase Latin letter n, and the Latin letter P, looking similar to Armenian letter Ք, transilated as k were used on special plates.
• Starting from December 2008, the letters Ո and P were being used on all plates.
• From November 2010, the Latin letters D, N, T, and V were allowed to be used, requiring an additional fee, with no Armenian counterpart. At the same time, the letter Ո fell out of disuse for not having a strong enough correlation with the Latin letter n.
• From May 2012, the Latin letters A, M, Q, and R were allowed to be used, requiring an additional fee, with no Armenian counterpart.
• Starting from July 2012, the letters D, N, T, and V, alongside the initial L, Օ, Տ, and Ս, have been used on a general basis.

• From October 2013, the Latin letters C, F, and Z were allowed to be used, requiring an additional fee, with no Armenian counterpart.
• Since the beginning of 2015, the Latin letters G and I have been used, however in the form of G G or I I, and only on vehicle's belonging to the Police or the Procesutor's office.

Military vehicles have white characters on a black background.

Special Combinations

Public vehicles have the format ### LL ##, where the first three digits are assigned in an increasing order, and the two letters and the last two digits are predefined. The following are the special combinations used on public vehicles.

• Constitutional Court: ### ՕՏ 01
• Presidential Administration: ### ՍՍ 01
• National Assembly: ### ՕՕ 01 to ### ՕՕ 11
• Government: ### FF 01, ### LL 03, ### ՏՏ 03, ### LL 50, ### LL 55, ### LL 60, ### LL 70, ### ՏՏ 60, ### VV 01
• Security Council: ### NN 01
• General Prosecutor's office: ### GG 01
• Police: ### ՈՍ 01 to ### ՈՍ 14, ### II ##
• Banks: ### ՏL 01 to ### ՏL 33
• The Court of Cassation: ### ՏՏ 01
• National Security Service: ### ՏՏ 02

Regional codes

Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh)

Armenian registration plates with region codes 22 and 90 are used in Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (for example, "(AM) 90 SO 123").

Notes and references

See also

• List of international vehicle registration codes

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to License plates of Armenia.

• Armenian page at World License Plates