Unlike their British counterparts, the Irish number plate system follows different rules and regulations. To make sure your company is compliant, Dash Dynamics offers our guide to the rules and regulations.
Registration Format
The registration format for an Irish number plate includes similar information to that of a British one. A plate includes the year that the vehicle is registered and the county that it is registered in.
The year indicator is placed first. Current number plates utilize a three-digit format where the first two digits indicate the year and the last digit indicates the year half. For example, 131 represents a vehicle registered in the first half of 2013.
Following the year indicator is the county designation. County designations can be either one or two digits long depending on the locale.
Cork
C
Clare
CE
Cavan
CN
Carlow
CW
Dublin
D
Donegal
DL
Galway
G
Kildare
KE
Kilkenny
KK
Kerry
KY
Limerick
L
Longford
LD
Louth
LH
Leitrim
LM
Laois
LS
Meath
MH
Monaghan
MN
Mayo
MO
Offaly
OY
Roscommon
RN
Sligo
SO
Tipperary
T
Waterford
W
Westmeath
WH
Wexford
WX
Wicklow
WW
These marks are separated by hyphens rather than spaces. At the end of the plate is anywhere between one to six digits which are specific to the vehicle in the order that it was registered in.
Additional Plate Marks
In addition to the registration, each number plate must also include Irish and county marks. The Irish mark, which includes a blue background and stars for the European Union, is found on the left-hand side of the plate. It includes the IRL designation for Ireland.
Across the top of the plate is the county identifier. Ireland has twenty-six county identifiers in total, with each identifier appearing on the number plate in the native Gaelic language.
Not all counties are represented by their own designation as some are shared by a common name. For example, Cork designation Corcaigh is shared by both Cork City and Cork County.
Corcaigh
Cork City
Cork County
An Clár
Clare County
An Cabhán
Cavan County
Ceatharlach
Carlow County
Baile Átha Cliath
Dublin City
Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County
Fingal County
South Dublin County
Dún na nGall
Donegal County
Gaillimh
Galway City
Galway County
Cill Dara
Kildare County
Cill Chainnigh
Kilkenny County
Ciarraí
Kerry County
Luimneach
Limerick City and County
An Longfort
Longford County
Lú/Lughbhaidh
Louth County
Liatroim
Leitrim County
Laois
Laois County
An Mhí
Meath County
Muineachán
Monaghan County
Maigh Eo
Mayo County
Uíbh Fhailí
Offaly County
Ros Comáin
Roscommon County
Sligeach
Sligo County
Tiobraid Árran
Tipperary County
Port Láirge
Waterford City and County
An Iarmhí
Westmeath County
Loch Garman
Wexford County
Cill Mhantáin
Wicklow County
Additional Requirements
Unlike British number plates, both the front and back of an Irish number plate utilize white reflective backings. There is also no standardized font for the digits, though the most common is known as Irish Metro font.
Dash Dynamics offers this font in both 3D and 4D formats as well as a number plate jig formatted for Irish plates. To inquire contact us here.
