License Plate Region Codes

Tool Guide

Introduction to the National License Plate Abbreviation and Region Lookup Tool

The National License Plate Abbreviation Lookup Tool provides a reference chart of license plate abbreviations nationwide and a plate region lookup feature, supporting quick lookup of the province and prefecture-level region represented by a plate's letter code.

For example, entering "渝F" tells you it represents Wanzhou District, Chongqing. It is suitable for identifying a vehicle's region, data processing, plate-related business analysis, and more.

A license plate is a symbol of a vehicle's identity. Different provinces and cities have their own exclusive plate abbreviations (such as 京A for Beijing and 粤B for Shenzhen), with legal effect and regional identification functions.

How to Use the National License Plate Abbreviation Lookup Tool

Browse the list of plate abbreviations or use Ctrl+F to quickly search for a plate; based on the plate prefix (such as "鲁A", "川C", "桂K"), quickly locate the province and city it belongs to;

it can be used for driving test study, traffic police work, logistics plate region analysis, data standardization, and more.

Basic Structure of a License Plate

An ordinary motor vehicle plate in mainland China generally consists of one Chinese character + one English letter + five letters or digits. For example: 京A12345, 粤BA8X96, 浙C12D3F.

Meaning of Each Part of a License Plate

The first Chinese character: indicates the abbreviation of the provincial-level administrative region where the vehicle is registered.

For example: "京" is Beijing, "沪" is Shanghai, "粤" is Guangdong, "川" or "蜀" is Sichuan, "鲁" is Shandong, "湘" is Hunan, "浙" is Zhejiang, and so on.

The second English letter: indicates the prefecture-level city or region within the province. Usually "A" represents the provincial capital or the main urban area of a municipality.

For example: "京A" is the central area of Beijing, "粤A" is Guangzhou, "川A" is Chengdu, and "苏A" is Nanjing.

Other letters such as B, C, D correspond to other cities or regions within the province—for example, "粤B" is Shenzhen and "粤C" is Zhuhai.

The last five letters or digits: this is the vehicle's unique number. This part may be all digits (such as 12345) or a combination of letters and digits (such as A8X96).

Some letters that are easily confused with digits, such as "I" and "O," are generally not used.

Notes on Special Types of License Plates

New energy vehicle plates: green in color, with a slightly different format—for example, "京AD12345," with one extra letter in the middle.

Police vehicle plates: such as "京A1234警," ending with the character "警" (police).

Driving school vehicle plates: such as "粤B2345学," ending with the character "学" (learner).

Military and armed police vehicle plates: prefixed with a service branch name or "WJ," for example "空军12345" (Air Force) or "WJ京12345."

Temporary plates: not metal plates but paper plates affixed inside the car window, valid for temporary road use within the validity period.

Frequently Asked Questions About License Plate Abbreviations and Regions (FAQ)

What is a license plate abbreviation?

A license plate abbreviation is the first one or two letters of a plate, such as "京" or "粤A," used to indicate where the vehicle is registered.

Where does 渝F belong?

渝F represents Wanzhou District, Chongqing, one of the several vehicle administration jurisdictions in Chongqing.

How do I identify a plate's region?

Generally, the plate prefix letter determines the province, and the specific letter combination identifies the prefecture-level city. For example: 川A → Chengdu, 川B → Mianyang, 川C → Zigong.

Is the plate data accurate?

The plate abbreviation information is compiled according to the official standards of the traffic management department of the public security authorities and is continuously updated—new plate segments will be added promptly.