Vehicle registration plates of Cyprus

The vehicle registration plates of Cyprus are composed of three letters and three digits (e.g. "ABC 123"). A simple incremental numbering system is used; numbers run from 001 to 999 per letter sequence (alphabetic), so that, for example, the plate to be issued after "MAA 999" would be "MAB 001". However, registrants may be allowed to choose a number from available numbers in the extant letter sequence.
The dimensions of Cyprus plates were similar to their British counterparts, and until 2004, characters were printed in black and in the same typeface as used on British plates. Plates from 2004 onwards are made of metal; between 1973 and 2004, they were made of plastic.
A new law on vehicle registration plates came into force on 3 June 2013, altering the design. Plates made before that date are white on the front of the vehicle and yellow on the rear, whereas new plates are white both on the front and the rear and, in addition, carry the month and year the vehicle was first registered in any country. The new series began with the combination "MAA 001", skipping the remaining Lxx combinations. Replacing old plates with new ones has been made mandatory for motorcycles, taxis and lorries. Taxi plates are yellow on both sides and rental car plates are red on both sides, but no longer carry the "T" and "Z" prefix, respectively.
Following Cyprus' entry to the European Union in 2004, plates produced since have a blue band on the left edge with the Union's circle and stars in the top half and the country's international vehicle registration code "CY" in the bottom half and using FE-Schrift as the typeface after 2013, replacing the DIN 1451 typeface previously in use as mandatory.
Style and numbering.
before 1930
1930 - 1948
1948 - 1950
1950 - 1956
1956 - 1973
1973 - 1990
1990 - 2003
2003 - 2013
2013 - today
Special plates.
Car dealer.
1973 - 1990
1990 - today
Dealer plates show the letters "ΔΟΚΙΜΗ", which means "Test", on a white plate, followed by two sets of numerals, the first being the number of the dealer and the second is a serial number. The only officially-made plates in Cyprus. Formerly, they had the same format as the civilian vehicles, but used the code "DL" and the characters were written in red colour.
Rental cars.
1973 - 1990
1990 - 2013
2013 - today
Composed of three letters and three numerals, on a dark red plate. The initial "Z" prefix was omitted after 2013.
Taxi.
1973 - 1990
1990 - 2003
2003 - 2013
2013 - today
Composed of three letters and three numerals, on a yellow plate. The initial "T" prefix was omitted after 2013.
Trailers.
1973 - 2013
Composed of up to five numerals with the suffix "CT", on yellow plates. Since 2013, some numbers have been reissued on white plates.
2013 - today
Composed of five numerals and the prefix "P", on white plates. Some early numbers were printed on remaining yellow plates.
Commercial trucks.
1973 - 1990
1990 - 2003
2003 - 2013
2013 - today
Composed of three letters and three numerals, on yellow plates. White front plates were omitted after 2013.
Temporary / Visitors.
1973 - 2003
Up to four numerals followed by the letter "V", followed by two numerals indicating the year of registration. <br>After 2004, you cannot register a car as visitor, but visitor cars registered before 2004 can still get road tax.
Diplomatic plates.
1973 - 1990
1990 - 2004
2004 - 2017
2017 - today
Composed of a two-digit code for the country (e.g. "29" for Russia or "49" for the Netherlands, followed by two letters ("CD", "CC" or "AT") and a serial number with up to three digits. Low serial numbers are used for vehicles of the ambassador of each country. Previously these plates had the same format as civilian plates, on a green base and the prefixes "CD", "CC" or "AT".
Historical Vehicles.
2013 - today
White-on-Black euroband plates for vehicles older than 40 years.
Other special plates.
Public service trucks and buses display secondary plates similar to the Spanish "SP" plates.<br>
• "ΦΔΧ" - Φορτηγό Δημοσίας Χρήσης (public service truck) for trucks.<br>
• "ΛΔΧ" - Λεωφορείο Δημοσίας Χρήσης (public service bus) for buses.
UNFICYP plates have a blue background and display the prefixes "UN" or "UNF" followed by three numerals.
Sovereign Base Areas plates are prefixed "SBAA" followed by two digits, and have adopted the same new colour and typeface as the Republic of Cyprus.
Export plates, from 1973 until 1990, showed the letter "E" followed by four numerals.
The president's car does not have a number on its plate, it displays the coat of arms of Cyprus instead.
Cypriot National Guard plates are composed of an old version of the Greek flag followed by the letters "ΕΦ" and up to five digits.
Northern Cyprus.
Style and numbering.
Northern Cyprus civilian number plates still use the old format (1973–1990) of Cyprus number plates ("AB 123"). <br>Until 2018 front plates were white, rear plates yellow, both bordered in red. Two sizes are available: 300×150 mm or 520×110 mm. 
From 2018 both front and rear number plates are white with embossed black letters and numbers, and a blue stripe on the left. The stripe must contain the stamp of the Motor Vehicles Registrar and the registration number of the number plate manufacturers. Number plates had to be changed before the end of January 2019. 
1973 - 2018
2018 - today
Special plates.
Taxis
Taxi plates show the prefix "T", followed by two letters and three digits, formerly one letter only.
Trailer
Trailer plates show three numerals and the letter "R".
Rental vehicles
1973 - 2018
2018 - today
Rental car plates have black signs on a red base, they show a prefix "Z", followed by two letters and three digits.
Government / Police
Government and council vehicle registrations show black signs on a white base, composed of the three letters "RHA" and up to four numerals.
Police and Fire Brigade number plates follow the same format, but with inversed colours, with white signs on a black base.
Army
number plates of vehicles of the Cypriot armed forces are composed of seven numerals, with white signs on a small black plate.
Diplomatic plates
Diplomatic plates have the same format as civilian plates, but on a green base and with a "CD" prefix. Consulates follow the same format but uses "CC" instead of "CD".
Visitor
Visitor plates have blue characters with the prefix "ZZ" and up to four numerals. Since 2004 they are no longer issued.
Temporary
Temporary plates have red characters and border with the prefix "ZT", and up to four numerals followed by one letter. Until 2018 they had blue characters.
President
Previously, the presidential plate did not have a number, just the abbreviation of KKTCB (). <br>
This was changed in 2015, with the coat of arms being displayed in gold on a red plate.