North Cyprus (TRNC) number plate guide
Which letters are new plates on, what do the colours mean, and how much does a personalised plate cost? Facts about TRNC number plates, checked against official sources.
- AA 001 A
- New plate format: two letters, three digits, one letter.
- White background
- The general rule; official vehicles use different colours.
- 31,600 TL
- Highest chosen-number plate fee in 2026.
New number plate format
New plates consist of two letters, three digits and one letter: AA 001 A. Vehicles carrying fare-paying passengers get a “T” at the front: TAA 001 A.
Under the regulation of 28 May 2025, the new plate measures 520×110 mm. On the left of the plate there is a blue strip, a seal and the manufacturer’s registration number.
Number plate letter sequence
Series listed in the Traffic Department’s (Trafik Dairesi) personalised plate announcements:
| Announcement date | Series |
|---|---|
| July 2025 | AA … C |
| August 2025 | AA … E |
| September 2025 | AA … F |
| November 2025 | AA … P |
| December 2025 | AA … R, AA … S |
| January 2026 | AA … U |
| February 2026 | AA … Y |
| March 2026 | AB … A |
| April 2026 | AB … D, AB … E, AB … F |
No plate series announcement has been published since April 2026. Vehicle inspection (MOT) dates are also allocated by the first letters of the plate: inspection dates.
What do plate colours mean?
| General rule | White background on front and rear plates |
|---|---|
| Government (civil service) vehicles | White background, black characters; starts with “RHA” |
| Police service vehicles | Black background, white characters; starts with “RHA” |
| Official state cars (for office holders) | White background, red characters |
| Vehicles carrying fare-paying passengers | “T” in front of the letters and digits |
| Turkish Cypriot Security Forces | Special plate issued by its own command |
From the regulation that came into force on 1 June 2017. Vehicles registered before that date were given 10 years to bring their plates into line, which is why old-style plates can still be seen on the roads.
Personalised and chosen-number plate fees
| 2026 | Fee |
|---|---|
| Three identical digits, 001–009, or a number ending in 00 | 31,600 TL |
| Other chosen numbers | 10,470 TL |
| Name or title plate (per year) | 27,900 TL |
| Transfer of a name or title plate | 6,970 TL |
If more than one person applies for the same number, the Traffic Department sells the plate at auction. The starting price is the fee above; application and auction dates are announced on the website of the Ministry of Public Works and Transport (Bayındırlık ve Ulaştırma Bakanlığı).
From the fee schedule in the Official Gazette of 30 April 2026.
Can you check who a plate belongs to?
The Traffic Department’s e-Government (e-Devlet) services do not include a search that shows a vehicle’s owner by plate. The Vehicles Registered in My Name (Adıma Tescilli Araç Sorgulama) service there only shows vehicles registered to you.
A vehicle’s debts, inspection and insurance can be checked with the plate and the owner’s ID number: vehicle check.
Left-hand-drive vehicle emblem
Left-hand-drive vehicles registered in North Cyprus or brought in on temporary entry must display the emblem obtained from the Registrar’s office (Mukayyitlik) in the bottom right corner of the front and rear windows. In 2026 a pair of emblems costs 348 TL; government-owned vehicles are exempt.
Last updated: 18.10.2026
Sources: Official Gazette (Resmî Gazete), 30 April 2026, No. 82 – Motor vehicle fee schedule (PDF, in Turkish), Official Gazette, 28 May 2025, No. 109 – Number plate regulation (PDF, in Turkish), Official Gazette, 2 July 2025, No. 136 – Personalised plate auction (PDF, in Turkish), Motor Vehicles and Road Traffic (Amendment) Regulation, Official Gazette 11 January 2017 (KTTO copy, PDF, in Turkish), Ministry – Chosen personalised plate announcement, 29 April 2026 (in Turkish), e-Devlet – Traffic Department services (in Turkish)