Vehicle registration plates of Colombia

Colombia vehicle license plates

Colombia requires its residents to register their motor vehicles and display vehicle registration plates. The current plate design was introduced in the 1990s, but some of the previous 1972 through 1990 design remain in use.

All vehicles are required to display plates on the front and back. Peculiarly, in Colombia commercial vehicles are also required to display plates on the sides. This is usually done not with actual metal plates, but by a large decal of the license plate. This practice can also be found on taxis in neighboring Panama and Peru, but in Colombia all commercial vehicles and public transport vehicles must display them.

Current plate types

Category Image Type Colors Serial format Legends
English Spanish
Passenger Private Particular black on yellow ABC·123[1][2] The municipality of issuance is embossed at the bottom of the plate.[1][2]

Plates issued in Bogotá until 1991 read "BOGOTA D.E." for Distrito Especial (Special District). In 1991 the city's name was changed to Santa Fé de Bogotá and plates began to read "STFE DE BOGOTA." In 2000 the city's name was changed yet again Bogotá, D.C. and those issued since read "BOGOTA D.C.". As of 2017 plates that say "BOGOTA D.E." are becoming quite rare and somewhat of a collectors' item. Santa Fe plates are still somewhat common but are beginning to go the same way.

Commercial Comercial black on white[1][2]
Non-passenger Official Oficial white on green OAB·123
Antique car Auto antiguo black on white with vertical blue stripes at left and right and blue graphic of an antique car at center[2] ABC·123[2] "ANTIGUO" is screened at the top of the plate and the municipality of issuance is embossed at the bottom of the plate.
Motorcycle Motocicleta black on yellow ABC·12F (current);
ABC·12 without letter and A to E (previous, still in use).
"COLOMBIA" is embossed at the bottom of the plate.
Auto rickshaw private Mototaxi privado black on yellow 123·ABC
Auto rickshaw commercial Mototaxi commercial black on white 123·ABC
Trailer Remolque white on green R·12345
Tank truck Carrotanque white on red[1][2] T·1234[1][2]
Diplomatic Consular corps Cuerpo consular white on blue[1][2] CC·1234[1][2]
Diplomatic corps Cuerpo diplomático A-Z country initials ·123 FE-Schrift
International organization Organización internacional OI·1234
Non-diplomatic staff Servicio Administrativo y Técnico AT·1234
Armed Forces Colombian Air Force Fuerza Aérea Colombiana yellow on black FAC
123456
National Police Policía Nacional green on white 12-3456 "COLOMBIA" is screened at the top of the plate and "POLICIA NACIONAL" is screened at the bottom of the plate.

Previous plate types

Category Image Type Years Colors Serial format Legends
English Spanish
Passenger Private Particular 1972-1990 white on black A
B
1234
"COLOMBIA" is embossed at the bottom of the plate
Commercial Comercial white on purple
Non-passenger Official Oficial yellow on black O
A
1234

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g Ortiz, María Luisa (September 16, 2015). "¿Sabes cuántos tipos de placas existen en Colombia?" (in Spanish). Escuela Andina de Automovilismo. Retrieved August 16, 2017.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i García, Gilbert. "Tipos de placas en Colombia". pruebaderuta.com (in Spanish). Retrieved August 16, 2017.

External links

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Vehicle registration plates of South America
Sovereign states
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