Facts
New Zealand number plates: 100 years of facts, rules and rejected plates
New Zealand's first number plates were green, made in America and replaced every year. A century later, about one vehicle in fourteen carries a plate its owner chose. Here's how we got here.
A short history
| Year | What changed |
|---|---|
| 1925 | Annual steel plates arrive [1]. The first were US-made, green with white numbers and an NZ prefix [2]. |
| 1964 | Permanent aluminium plates replace the yearly swap [1]. |
| 1986 | Reflective black-on-white plates arrive in November [1]. |
| 1988 | Personalised plates are introduced, with the income going to road safety [1]. |
| Early 1990s | The slashed zero appears on personalised plates so 0 and O can't be confused [1]. |
| 2001 | The three-letter series begins at AAA104 [1]. |
| 2016 | Personalised Plates NZ closes after 28 years, and KiwiPlates takes over selling plates on NZTA's behalf [4]. |
By the numbers
The rules
- Six characters, five for bikes. A personalised car plate can have no more than six letters and/or numbers. Motorcycles, mopeds and trailers are limited to five [6].
- Nothing offensive or confusing. The Registrar must not allocate a combination if "the Registrar considers it is likely to cause offence or confusion" [6]. KiwiPlates can decline applications on NZTA's behalf [5].
- Confusing counts too. Combinations such as MVVVVV, O33333 and 00Q0 have been turned down because they're hard to read, and NZTA also checks how a plate reads upside down [5].
- Plates can be recalled. Under section 265, the Registrar can order offending plates to be surrendered or seized [5].
Plates that didn't make it
Rejections are rising: The Spinoff reports just nine plates were disallowed in 2016, against 46 in 2026 [7]. They also make for entertaining reading. Recent refusals include PCOOK, HORNI and BASHED, and LUVBJ, which was turned down even though the applicant said it stood for Ben & Jerry's [5]. Plates containing "ho" or "hoe" have been off the menu since 2020 [7].
Reading a plate
With only six characters, Kiwis have become fluent in plate-speak. Numbers stand in for letters (B055 for BOSS), for sounds (GR8 for GREAT, L8R for LATER) and for whole words (4 for FOR, 2 for TO). Vowels go missing (PLUMBR). Every Great Plates listing shows what the plate reads as, so nothing gets lost in translation.
Quick answers
How many characters can a New Zealand personalised plate have?
Up to six letters and numbers on a car, and up to five on a motorcycle, moped or trailer.
When did personalised plates start in New Zealand?
NZTA dates the introduction of personalised plates to 1988, with the income going to road safety.
Why do New Zealand plates have a slash through the zero?
A European-style zero with a stroke through it was introduced in the early 1990s to stop 0 and O being confused on personalised plates.
How many New Zealand vehicles have personalised plates?
334,789 registered vehicles carried personalised plates according to figures reported in March 2026, just under 7% of the fleet.
Sources
- NZTA: Fascinating facts, number plates
- AA: A history of NZ number plates
- Driven: Personalised Plates shuts up after losing NZTA licence
- 1News, 2018: Personalised plates are a monopoly (opinion)
- 1News, 8 March 2026: No, you can't have the licence plate PCOOK
- Land Transport (Motor Vehicle Registration and Licensing) Regulations 2011, reg 34
- The Spinoff, 16 March 2026: The personalised number plates deemed too rude for the road
Fees and rules were checked against these sources in October 2026. Spotted something out of date? Tell us and we'll fix it.