White, black, red, blue, or green; here is what they all mean.
The background colour of number plates (also known as licence plates) enables authorities and the public to identify the type of vehicle without having to look closely at the actual numbers, and act quickly when needed.
White: Standard passenger cars
Black: Classic vehicles over 30 years old, without major modifications
Red: Vehicles in temporary transit, valid for three weeks to six months
Blue: French military vehicles in border areas, particularly French forces in Germany
Green: Diplomatic vehicles, with specific letters depending on function
Since July 1, 2004 white plates have been compulsory for most standard passenger vehicles in France.
White replaced the old yellow plates, in a move that was intended to make it easier to read registration numbers.
The Système d'Immatriculation des Véhicules (SIV) which came into force in 2009 further standardised the appearance of the plates, adding blue borders and black numbers on a white background. Vehicle owners must ensure that their plates comply with these standards.
Diplomatic vehicles have plates with a green background and orange numbers (seen here in Strasbourg, France)Hadrian / Shutterstock
Other peculiarities for different-coloured plates include:
White: Can have ‘WW’ at the start, which denotes a temporary plate, valid for four months and non-renewable
Black: Some vintage vehicles can benefit from specific insurance cover and exemption from air pollution norms
Red: Vehicles in temporary transit, or used by owners who do not live permanently in France, such as diplomats or foreign students. They are exempt from VAT and customs duties
Green: Reserved for diplomatic workers. They also have orange letters that show the precise function of the owner, e.g. a consul (C), ambassador (CMD) or member of the administrative staff (K). These vehicles also have special privileges, such as exemption from the contrôle technique.
