Car license plate colors in Northern Cyprus — what they mean

In Northern Cyprus, you can see vehicles with license plates of different colors — this is not just a design choice, but an important element indicating the status and purpose of the vehicle. Below, we explain what each color of license plate means.

• White plates
• Red plates
• Black plates
• Green plates
• Blue plates
• Yellow plates
• White plates with red characters

White plates

The most common type of license plate. They are issued when registering a car purchased in the TRNC — new or used. Usually, they consist of two letters and three numbers, e.g., AB123, or two letters, three numbers, and one letter, e.g., AB123Y. There are also service plates with three letters and four numbers.

Red plates

These plates belong to rental vehicles (rent a car). They help the police and insurance companies identify vehicles provided to tourists. In the southern part of Cyprus, similar rules apply, with the addition of the “CY” symbol on a blue strip on the left.

Tip: when renting a car with red plates, drive carefully — local drivers immediately recognize that a tourist is behind the wheel and do not always behave courteously on the road.

Black plates

1. Used on military vehicles. They are smaller in size, have no letters, and the numbers are printed in small font.
2. Sometimes you may see old civilian cars with black plates — these are retro vehicles that have retained their original plates from before the legislation changed.
3. Black plates are also used on police vehicles.

Green plates

Green plates are issued to vehicles of diplomatic missions and international organizations. Such vehicles enjoy certain privileges, including exemptions from some fees and inspections.

Blue plates

Plates with the UN prefix belong to vehicles of the United Nations (UN). The abbreviation stands for United Nations. These vehicles are used by UN mission staff monitoring the buffer zone between the northern and southern parts of the island.

Yellow plates

Until 2013, rear plates in Northern Cyprus were yellow while the front plates remained white. Today, such plates are seen mostly on old cars or taxis in the southern part of the island, where yellow plates are used both front and back.

White plates with red characters

These plates are issued to vehicles temporarily imported into the TRNC. This can include personal vehicles of foreign students, contract workers, or tourists planning an extended stay. They are usually valid for the permitted duration of stay of the vehicle on the island (up to 12 months).

If the owner extends their residence permit, the validity of these plates may also be extended. Read more about temporary import of vehicles in our article.

Summary: the color of vehicle license plates in Northern Cyprus indicates the owner’s status and the purpose of the vehicle. White — for private individuals, red — for rentals, green and blue — for diplomatic missions and the UN, and white with red characters — for temporarily imported vehicles.