CENTRAL EUROPE

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Switzerland

Schweiz · Suisse · Svizzera

Swiss control plates are issued by the cantons to the keeper, not permanently to one vehicle. The rear combines the federal shield, a canton code and local number, and the issuing canton’s coat of arms; the compact front carries only the code and number.

CURRENT STANDARD

Canton + digitsIntroduced 1933

THE SYSTEM

How the numbering works

Each of the 26 cantons runs independent sequences for ordinary vehicles and again for the different colour and special categories.

Two canton letters precede a serial normally containing one to five or six digits; seven-digit numbers became legally possible in 2026 for future capacity.

The long rear plate places the Swiss shield at left, then the canton code, a separator dot and the number, with the canton coat of arms at right.

The 300 × 80 mm front plate has neither coat of arms nor separator dot; the alternative 300 × 160 mm rear stacks the canton identity above the number.

The plates belong to the keeper and may move to a replacement vehicle; moving residence to another canton requires registration in the new canton.

BEYOND THE STANDARD

Special & distinctive series

Colour and suffixes can completely change a plate's meaning.

Long rear

The 500 × 110 mm rear carries both coats of arms and the separator dot.

Front plate

The 300 × 80 mm front is smaller and carries no shields or dot.

High rear

A Bern example of the optional 300 × 160 mm rear, with the matching bear shield.

Work vehicle

A Basel-Stadt blue plate for working vehicles such as construction and fire-service machinery.

Agricultural

A Fribourg agricultural registration on the single narrow green plate.

Exceptional vehicle

A Graubünden brown plate marking exceptional size, mass or operating characteristics.

Light vehicle

A Ticino yellow plate for a light vehicle or motorcycle limited to 45 km/h.

Carrier duplicate

A Vaud example of the optional red third plate for a rear bicycle carrier.

ARCHIVE FORMATS

How Switzerland's plates evolved

4 reconstructed milestones show how colour, geography and numbering changed before the present system.

1905–1911

Intercantonal number blocks

White-on-black plates use a number drawn from the issuing canton’s allocated block, with the Swiss and cantonal shields at the sides.

1911–1922

Letter-suffix expansion

A suffix letter extends exhausted allocations while the black background remains.

1922–1933

Black on white

Some cantons reverse the colours because the pale surface is less sensitive to visible dirt.

1933–1972

The modern canton grammar

The federal law introduces the two-letter canton code, independent local serial and shielded rear layout still recognised today.

1894

Basel’s bicycle marks

Basel-Stadt requires bicycle identifiers to be fitted to motor vehicles.

1901–02

Lucerne and Zürich begin

Lucerne issues motor plates; Zürich then requires plates at both front and rear.

1905

Intercantonal concordat

Standard shields, dimensions and canton-specific numeric blocks appear in white on black.

1911

Suffix letters

Letters extend cantons whose original numeric allocation has been exhausted.

1922

Black on white

Cantons begin issuing the more dirt-tolerant pale plate.

1933

Current canton system

Two canton letters and an independent serial replace the national block allocation.

1960–61

Customs and colour classes

Z customs plates arrive, followed by separate white, blue, green, yellow and brown vehicle classes.

1972

Present compact sizes

The front becomes 300 × 80 mm and the high rear becomes 300 × 160 mm.

1977–79

U plates and Jura

Dealer plates adopt U; the new canton of Jura receives JU plates on entering sovereignty.

1987

Long rear returns

The optional reflective 500 × 110 mm oblong rear format is introduced.

2000–04

V and federal series retire

Rental suffix V ends in 2000; most A administration and P postal fleets move to cantonal registration in 2004.

2022

Red carrier plate

An optional third red plate becomes available for rear-mounted equipment such as bicycle carriers.

2026–27

Seven digits authorised

Seven-digit plates become legally possible in 2026, with first issue expected from 2027 as large cantons near capacity.

BEYOND THE EVERYDAY

More plates worth knowing

Special status, vehicle class or use can change the colour, prefix, suffix or even the entire registration logic.

Interchangeable plates

One set may be authorised for two vehicles, but only one can use it at a time.

Short-term temporary

A month/year control mark identifies a time-limited issue; ordinary temporary plates do not carry Z.

Customs Z

A red expiry field and final Z identify a temporarily admitted, duty-unpaid vehicle.

Dealer U

A final U marks professional plates for eligible dealers and workshops.

Daily plate

One-to-four-day registrations look ordinary; cantons commonly reserve recognisable number ranges.

Rental V · historic

Rental vehicles carried V from 1977 through 2000.

Military M

The Swiss Armed Forces use a national M series rather than canton letters.

Diplomatic CD · embassy

A green CD field precedes canton, mission serial and the country code after the dot.

Diplomatic CD · mission

A blue CD field identifies permanent missions and international organisations; 03 is WHO.

Consular CC / technical AT

CC covers professional consular posts; AT covers administrative and technical mission staff.

FORMATE · FORMATS

Six physical layouts

The number is the same, but the shape and heraldry depend on where the plate is mounted and the vehicle class.

Passenger front300 × 80 mm

One line, canton code and serial only—no Swiss shield, canton arms or separator dot.

Long rear500 × 110 mm

One line with Swiss shield left, canton arms right and a dot between canton code and serial.

High rear300 × 160 mm

Two lines; the upper row carries both shields and the canton code, with the serial below.

Motorcycle180 × 140 mm

A single rear plate also used for certain three-wheelers and military trailers.

Small / moped100 × 140 mm

Used for light motorcycles, mopeds, faster e-bikes and related small vehicles.

Agricultural300 × 80 mm

Only one green plate is issued, mountable at the front or rear.

FARBEN · COULEURS

Colour is a legal vehicle class

Since 18 July 1961, the background identifies use; each colour and special family has an independent sequence that may restart at 1.

WhiteOrdinary

Cars, motorcycles, lorries, coaches and trailers.

BlueWork

Construction, snow-clearing, fire-service and other working vehicles.

GreenAgricultural

Agricultural vehicles, normally with a single narrow plate.

YellowLight / 45 km/h

Light vehicles and motorcycles limited to 45 km/h; mopeds use a yearly validity vignette.

BrownExceptional

Oversize, overweight or unusual vehicles such as mobile cranes, excavators and snowmobiles.

RedCarrier duplicate

Optional third rear plate since 2022; valid only together with the matching white registration.

STATUS MARKERS

Letters, control marks and diplomatic grammar

Small additions carry precise meanings and should not be confused with the ordinary canton serial.

UProfessional

Dealer/workshop plate used for permitted test, transfer, inspection and recovery journeys.

Control tabTemporary

Shows the expiry month and year; a short-term temporary plate has no special suffix.

Z + red tabCustoms

Marks temporary Swiss registration for a vehicle on which customs duty has not been paid.

CD / CC / ATDiplomatic

Status, canton, internal serial, dot and a country/organisation code; mission CD uses blue while embassy CD uses green.

MMilitary

White-on-black federal series with the Swiss shield; numbers follow vehicle type and procurement batch.

CH ovalInternational mark

Switzerland is outside the EU plate-band system, so a separate CH distinguishing sign is still required abroad.

OWNERSHIP & RESERVED RANGES

The number follows the keeper

Cantons issue the plates, keep separate category pools and may reserve ranges for local purposes.

InterchangeableUp to two

The same removable set can cover two vehicles of the same category, but only one may be driven at a time.

Trailers / veteransUp to fourteen

Under the relevant conditions, one interchangeable plate may cover a larger group.

SamnaunGR 90001–94999

Reserved for duty-unpaid vehicles in the Graubünden customs-free area.

GenevaSeveral blocks

GE 1–2999 covers taxis; GE 900000–949999 includes duty-unpaid ICRC vehicles.

ZürichReserved blocks

ZH 801000–859999 is used for trailers, 860000–869999 for temporary plates and 797000 for daily plates.

CampioneEnded 2020

The Italian enclave left the Swiss customs area and its vehicles moved from Ticino to Italian registration.

KANTONSKÜRZEL · CODES CANTONAUX

All 26 canton codes & flags

The square flag identifies each canton in the directory; the same heraldic design appears inside the shield on a rear plate. The entries follow Switzerland’s constitutional order of precedence.

26 of 26 entriesFront: no shields or dotRear: matching canton shield

ZürichCanton · six-digit series

Bern / BerneCanton · six-digit series

LuzernCanton · six-digit series

UriCanton · five-digit series

SchwyzCanton · six-digit series

ObwaldenCanton · five-digit series

NidwaldenCanton · five-digit series

GlarusCanton · five-digit series

ZugCanton · six-digit series

Fribourg / FreiburgCanton · six-digit series

SolothurnCanton · six-digit series

Basel-StadtCanton · six-digit series

Basel-LandschaftCanton · six-digit series

SchaffhausenCanton · five-digit series

Appenzell AusserrhodenCanton · five-digit series

Appenzell InnerrhodenCanton · five-digit series

St. GallenCanton · six-digit series

Graubünden / Grigioni / GrischunCanton · six-digit series

AargauCanton · six-digit series

ThurgauCanton · six-digit series

TicinoCanton · six-digit series

VaudCanton · six-digit series

Valais / WallisCanton · six-digit series

NeuchâtelCanton · six-digit series

GenèveCanton · six-digit series

JuraCanton · five-digit series

Sources & further readingEnglish Wikipedia Deutsch Wikipedia Wikipédia français Wikipedia italiano Canton flags & arms · English Kantonswappen & Fahnen · Deutsch

GOOD TO KNOW

Three road-side clues

One interchangeable set may normally cover two vehicles of the same category.

The plate follows its keeper within the canton and may be transferred to a replacement vehicle.

Low and memorable canton numbers are often retained, allocated specially or sold at auction.

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