License plate dimensions and sizes, by country and state
The exact size of a license plate in 124 jurisdictions, in millimetres and inches, from the regulations themselves. Including motorcycles, and including the places where the law doesn't set one.
The short answer: a US license plate is 12 × 6 inches (305 × 152 mm), and most European plates are 520 × 110 mm (20.5 × 4.3 inches). Canada uses the same 12 × 6 inch size as the US, and Australia mostly uses 372 × 134 mm.
That covers most people asking. But plate sizes are set by each country (and, in federations, each state or province), and plenty of them have more than one legal size. Below is every size we've sourced for 124 jurisdictions, from the regulation or authority that sets it, plus motorcycle plates and an honest note wherever the law doesn't actually fix a size.
US license plate size
Every US state uses the same standard passenger plate:
- Size: 12 × 6 inches (304.8 × 152.4 mm)
- Mounting holes: 2½ inches in from each side and ½ inch from the top and bottom edge, which puts the holes 7 inches apart
- Rim: ¼ inch wide
Those figures are from the AAMVA License Plate Standard (Edition 2, October 2020), which in turn points to SAE standard J686 for plate dimensions and bolt holes. Because every state uses the same size and hole spacing, any plate frame sold in the US fits any US car. (You'll often read that the size was fixed by an agreement in 1956; that story is commonly repeated, but we haven't found a primary source for it, so we don't rely on it.)
US motorcycle license plates are smaller and less uniform, but most states have settled on 7 × 4 inches (178 × 102 mm); California's motorcycle plate, for example, is exactly that.
European license plate sizes
Most of Europe uses the long single-row plate, 520 × 110 mm, usually with a blue band on the left. In our data, 22 jurisdictions list 520 × 110 mm as a standard size, including Germany, France, Spain, Italy, the Netherlands, Belgium, Ireland, Portugal, Sweden and Norway. The exceptions are worth knowing:
| Country | Standard plate | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Austria | 520 × 120 mm | Slightly taller than the common size |
| Switzerland | 500 × 110 mm | Also 300 × 160 and 300 × 80 mm |
| Denmark | 504 × 120 mm | |
| Finland | 442 × 118 mm | Shorter than the common size |
| Poland | 520 × 114 mm | Also 305 × 114 and 305 × 214 mm |
| Ukraine | 520 × 112 mm | Also 300 × 150 mm |
Most European countries also allow a two-row, squarer plate for cars whose rear doesn't fit a long plate: 340 × 200 mm in Germany, Greece and Cyprus, 300 × 210 mm or 275 × 200 mm in France, for example. The full table below lists every size in force.
The United Kingdom is a special case. The UK regulation for number plates (S.I. 2001/561) fixes the characters, 79 mm tall and 50 mm wide with a 14 mm stroke, and minimum margins of 11 mm, but it doesn't set an overall plate size. The plate itself is made to the British Standard BS AU 145e. The 520 × 111 mm you'll often see quoted for UK plates isn't a figure from the regulation, which is why our table doesn't state one.
Motorcycle license plate dimensions
Motorcycle plates vary much more than car plates, because each country picks its own shape for a small, near-square plate. A few common ones from our data:
| Jurisdiction | Motorcycle plate |
|---|---|
| United States (most states) | 7 × 4 in (178 × 102 mm) |
| Spain | 220 × 160 mm |
| France | 210 × 130 mm |
| Italy | 177 × 177 mm |
| Netherlands | 210 × 143 mm |
| Belgium | 210 × 140 mm |
| Austria | 210 × 170 mm |
| Switzerland | 180 × 140 mm |
| Japan | 230 × 125 mm |
| Argentina and Brazil | 200 × 170 mm |
45 of the 124 jurisdictions have a sourced motorcycle size in our data; they're in the last column of the full table.
Other countries at a glance
- Canada: 12 × 6 inches, the same as the US (Québec's is usually given in metric, 300 × 150 mm).
- Australia: 372 × 134 mm in most states.
- Japan: 330 × 165 mm for ordinary cars and 440 × 220 mm for larger vehicles.
- China: 440 × 140 mm.
- Brazil and Argentina: 400 × 130 mm, the Mercosur plate.
- Mexico: 300 × 150 mm.
- India: 500 × 120 mm, and 340 × 200 mm.
- South Korea: 520 × 110 mm, the European size.
Every jurisdiction in one table
Every current standard plate size we've sourced, by jurisdiction. Where a country allows several sizes (long, two-row, short), all of them are listed, largest first. Each name links to that jurisdiction's page, which draws the plate at its real proportions and lists its formats and sources.
| Jurisdiction | Standard plate sizes in force | Motorcycle plate |
|---|---|---|
| Andorra | 340 × 120 mm; 275 × 90 mm; 225 × 115 mm | 225 × 115 mm; 100 × 168 mm |
| Argentina | 400 × 130 mm; 294 × 129 mm | 200 × 170 mm |
| Australia, Australian Capital Territory | Not in our sourced data yet | |
| Australia, New South Wales | 372 × 134 mm (14.6 × 5.3 in) | |
| Australia, Northern Territory | Not in our sourced data yet | |
| Australia, Queensland | 372 × 134 mm (14.6 × 5.3 in) | |
| Australia, South Australia | 372 × 134 mm (14.6 × 5.3 in) | |
| Australia, Tasmania | 372 × 134 mm (14.6 × 5.3 in) | |
| Australia, Victoria | 372 × 134 mm (14.6 × 5.3 in) | |
| Australia, Western Australia | 372 × 134 mm; 254 × 100 mm; 253 × 99 mm; 190 × 100 mm | |
| Austria | 520 × 120 mm; 460 × 120 mm; 300 × 200 mm | 210 × 170 mm (250 × 200 mm until 2005) |
| Belgium | 520 × 110 mm; 340 × 210 mm; 210 × 140 mm | 210 × 140 mm |
| Brazil | 400 × 130 mm | 200 × 170 mm |
| Canada, Alberta | Not in our sourced data yet | |
| Canada, British Columbia | Not in our sourced data yet | |
| Canada, Manitoba | Not in our sourced data yet | |
| Canada, New Brunswick | 12 × 6 in (304.8 × 152.4 mm) (convention, not statute) | |
| Canada, Newfoundland and Labrador | 12 × 6 in (304.8 × 152.4 mm) (convention, not statute) | |
| Canada, Northwest Territories | Not in our sourced data yet | |
| Canada, Nova Scotia | 304.8 × 152.4 mm (convention, not statute) | 177.8 × 101.6 mm |
| Canada, Nunavut | Not in our sourced data yet | |
| Canada, Ontario | 12 × 6 in (304.8 × 152.4 mm) (convention, not statute) | |
| Canada, Prince Edward Island | 12 × 6 in (304.8 × 152.4 mm) (convention, not statute) | |
| Canada, Québec | 300 × 150 mm; 200 × 100 mm (both from a secondary source) | 200 × 100 mm (secondary source) |
| Canada, Saskatchewan | Not in our sourced data yet | |
| Canada, Yukon | Not in our sourced data yet | |
| China | 440 × 140 mm; 440 × 220 mm | 220 × 95 mm; 220 × 140 mm |
| Croatia | 520 × 110 mm; 280 × 200 mm | 180 × 180 mm |
| Cyprus | 520 × 110 mm; 340 × 200 mm; 240 to 280 × 200 mm; 240 to 280 × 110 mm | |
| Czechia | 520 × 110 mm; 340 × 200 mm; 320 × 160 mm; 280 × 200 mm | 200 × 160 mm |
| Denmark | 504 × 120 mm; 504 × 207 mm; 240 × 165 mm | 240 × 165 mm |
| Estonia | 520 × 113 mm; 302 × 152 mm | 177 × 101 mm |
| Finland | 442 × 118 mm; 397 × 118 mm; 338 × 118 mm; 300 × 112 mm | 165 × 200 mm; 280 × 118 mm |
| France | 520 × 110 mm; 300 × 210 mm; 275 × 200 mm | 210 × 130 mm |
| Germany | 520 × 110 mm; 340 × 200 mm; 255 × 130 mm | |
| Greece | 520 × 110 mm; 340 × 200 mm | 280 × 210 mm |
| Hungary | 520 × 110 mm (20.5 × 4.3 in) | |
| Iceland | 520 × 110 mm; 305 × 155 mm; 280 × 200 mm; 240 × 130 mm | |
| India | 500 × 120 mm; 340 × 200 mm; 285 × 45 mm; 200 × 100 mm | |
| Ireland | 520 × 110 mm; 340 × 220 mm | |
| Italy | 520 × 110 mm; 360 × 110 mm; 297 × 214 mm | 177 × 177 mm |
| Japan | 440 × 220 mm; 330 × 165 mm | 230 × 125 mm |
| Latvia | 520 × 110 mm; 280 × 200 mm | 177 × 130 mm; 240 × 130 mm |
| Liechtenstein | 500 × 110 mm; 300 × 80 mm; 300 × 160 mm | 180 × 140 mm |
| Lithuania | 520 × 110 mm; 300 × 150 mm | 250 × 150 mm; 185 × 210 mm |
| Luxembourg | 520 × 110 mm; 340 × 200 mm; 270 × 80 mm; 200 × 140 mm | |
| Malaysia | Not in our sourced data yet | |
| Malta | No size is set in Maltese law | |
| Mexico | 300 × 150 mm | 215 × 134 mm |
| Monaco | Not in our sourced data yet | |
| Netherlands | 520 × 110 mm; 340 × 210 mm; 310 × 110 mm | 210 × 143 mm |
| New Zealand | Not in our sourced data yet | |
| Norway | 520 × 110 mm; 470 × 110 mm; 340 × 210 mm; 303 × 85 mm | |
| Poland | 520 × 114 mm; 305 × 214 mm; 305 × 114 mm | 190 × 150 mm |
| Portugal | 520 × 110 mm; 340 × 220 mm | |
| Romania | 520 × 110 mm; 340 × 200 mm | 240 × 130 mm |
| San Marino | 390 × 120 mm; 300 × 100 mm | 165 × 165 mm |
| Slovakia | 520 × 110 mm; 340 × 200 mm; 240 × 150 mm; 145 × 110 mm | |
| Slovenia | 520 × 120 mm; 340 × 220 mm | 180 × 180 mm |
| South Africa | 520 × 113 mm; 250 × 205 mm; 250 × 165 mm | |
| South Korea | 520 × 110 mm; 440 × 200 mm; 335 × 155 mm | 210 × 115 mm; 210 × 150 mm |
| Spain | 520 × 110 mm; 340 × 220 mm; 340 × 110 mm; 132 × 96 mm | 220 × 160 mm |
| Sweden | 520 × 110 mm; 300 × 110 mm; 260 × 70 mm; 170 × 150 mm | 170 × 150 mm; 300 × 110 mm |
| Switzerland | 500 × 110 mm; 300 × 80 mm; 300 × 160 mm | 180 × 140 mm |
| Thailand | 440 × 220 mm; 340 × 150 mm | 220 × 172 mm |
| Ukraine | 520 × 112 mm; 300 × 150 mm | 220 × 174 mm; 140 × 114 mm |
| United Kingdom | No plate size is set in the regulation (characters and margins only) | |
| United States, Alabama | 12 × 6 in (304.8 × 152.4 mm) | 7 × 4 in (177.8 × 101.6 mm) |
| United States, Alaska | 12 × 6 in (304.8 × 152.4 mm) | |
| United States, American Samoa | 12 × 6 in (304.8 × 152.4 mm) | |
| United States, Arizona | 12 × 6 in (304.8 × 152.4 mm) | |
| United States, Arkansas | 12 × 6 in (304.8 × 152.4 mm) | |
| United States, California | 12 × 6 in (304.8 × 152.4 mm) | 7 × 4 in (177.8 × 101.6 mm) |
| United States, Colorado | 12 × 6 in (304.8 × 152.4 mm) | |
| United States, Connecticut | 12 × 6 in (304.8 × 152.4 mm) | 7 × 4 in (177.8 × 101.6 mm) |
| United States, Delaware | Not in our sourced data yet | |
| United States, District of Columbia | Not in our sourced data yet | |
| United States, Florida | 12 × 6 in (304.8 × 152.4 mm) | |
| United States, Georgia | 12 × 6 in (304.8 × 152.4 mm) | 7 × 4 in (177.8 × 101.6 mm) |
| United States, Guam | 12 × 6 in (304.8 × 152.4 mm) | |
| United States, Hawaii | 12 × 6 in (304.8 × 152.4 mm) | |
| United States, Idaho | 12 × 6 in (304.8 × 152.4 mm) | |
| United States, Illinois | 12 × 6 in (304.8 × 152.4 mm) | |
| United States, Indiana | Not in our sourced data yet | |
| United States, Iowa | 12 × 6 in (304.8 × 152.4 mm) | |
| United States, Kansas | Not in our sourced data yet | |
| United States, Kentucky | 12 × 6 in (304.8 × 152.4 mm) | |
| United States, Louisiana | 12 × 6 in (304.8 × 152.4 mm) | |
| United States, Maine | 12 × 6 in (304.8 × 152.4 mm) | 7 × 4 in (177.8 × 101.6 mm) |
| United States, Maryland | Not in our sourced data yet | 7 × 4 in (177.8 × 101.6 mm) |
| United States, Massachusetts | 12 × 6 in (304.8 × 152.4 mm) | |
| United States, Michigan | Not in our sourced data yet | |
| United States, Minnesota | Not in our sourced data yet | |
| United States, Mississippi | 12 × 6 in (304.8 × 152.4 mm) | 7 × 4 in (177.8 × 101.6 mm) |
| United States, Missouri | Not in our sourced data yet | |
| United States, Montana | 12 × 6 in (304.8 × 152.4 mm) | 7 × 4 in (177.8 × 101.6 mm) |
| United States, Nebraska | Not in our sourced data yet | |
| United States, Nevada | 12 × 6 in (304.8 × 152.4 mm) | |
| United States, New Hampshire | 12 × 6 in (304.8 × 152.4 mm) | 7 × 4 in (177.8 × 101.6 mm) |
| United States, New Jersey | Not in our sourced data yet | |
| United States, New Mexico | 12 × 6 in (304.8 × 152.4 mm) | |
| United States, New York | Not in our sourced data yet | |
| United States, North Carolina | 12 × 6 in (304.8 × 152.4 mm) | |
| United States, North Dakota | Not in our sourced data yet | |
| United States, Northern Mariana Islands | 12 × 6 in (304.8 × 152.4 mm) | |
| United States, Ohio | Not in our sourced data yet | |
| United States, Oklahoma | 12 × 6 in (304.8 × 152.4 mm) | |
| United States, Oregon | 12 × 6 in (304.8 × 152.4 mm) | |
| United States, Pennsylvania | Not in our sourced data yet | |
| United States, Puerto Rico | 12 × 6 in (304.8 × 152.4 mm) | |
| United States, Rhode Island | 12 × 6 in (304.8 × 152.4 mm) | 7 × 4 in (177.8 × 101.6 mm) |
| United States, South Carolina | 12 × 6 in (304.8 × 152.4 mm) | |
| United States, South Dakota | Not in our sourced data yet | |
| United States, Tennessee | 12 × 6 in (304.8 × 152.4 mm) | 7 × 4 in (177.8 × 101.6 mm) |
| United States, Texas | 12 × 6 in (304.8 × 152.4 mm) | |
| United States, U.S. Virgin Islands | 12 × 6 in (304.8 × 152.4 mm) | |
| United States, Utah | 12 × 6 in (304.8 × 152.4 mm) | |
| United States, Vermont | 12 × 6 in (304.8 × 152.4 mm) | 7 × 4 in (177.8 × 101.6 mm) |
| United States, Virginia | 12 × 6 in (304.8 × 152.4 mm) | |
| United States, Washington | 12 × 6 in (304.8 × 152.4 mm) | |
| United States, West Virginia | 12 × 6 in (304.8 × 152.4 mm) | |
| United States, Wisconsin | Not in our sourced data yet | |
| United States, Wyoming | 12 × 6 in (304.8 × 152.4 mm) | |
| Vatican City | Not in our sourced data yet | 177 × 177 mm (secondary source) |
"Not in our sourced data yet" means we haven't found the size in a regulation or an authority's own document for that jurisdiction; it doesn't mean there's no standard size. For the US states marked that way, the national 12 × 6 inch standard above applies in practice. Malta and the United Kingdom are the opposite case: Malta's law describes the plate by example diagrams with no dimensions, and the UK regulation fixes the characters and margins but not the plate, so there genuinely is no legal size to quote.
Where these numbers come from
Every size above comes from the plates dataset behind our license plates pages, which records each jurisdiction's plate formats, colours and dimensions with the regulation or authority it came from: Germany's Fahrzeug-Zulassungsverordnung, California's DMV handbook, Austria's Kraftfahrgesetz, and so on. When a size comes from convention or a secondary source rather than the regulation itself, the table says so. And when the regulation is silent, as in the UK and Malta, we record that silence instead of filling the gap with a commonly quoted number.
If you spot a size that has changed, the source for each one is on the jurisdiction's page; we'd rather be corrected than wrong.
Validate plate numbers, not just sizes
If you're building something that handles license plates (a parking app, a fleet tool, a form), the same dataset knows each jurisdiction's plate formats too, not only the size. One call tells you whether a registration is valid for a country and which series it belongs to:
curl "https://vehiclesdb.com/api/v1/plates/nl/match?plate=12-GB-BD" \
-H "Authorization: Bearer vdb_sk_YOUR_KEY"
Every account starts with 100 free credits, and a match costs 1. The car API page has the rest of what the API does, and you can browse every jurisdiction's plates for free.