Malaysian vehicle number plates
Encyclopedia
Malaysian vehicle license plates are license plates displayed on all motorized road vehicles in Malaysia, as required by law. The issuing of license numbers is regulated and administered by the Malaysian Road Transport Department
, but the Department is not largely in charge of the production of license plates. Instead, vehicle dealers and specialised businesses produce the vast majority of license plates in the country.
The current international vehicle registration code for Malaysia, adopted 1967, is MAL, but was formerly known as FM (named after the Federated Malay States
) before 1957, and PTM (named after the Federation of Malaya
, or Perseketuan Tanah Malayu) between 1957 and 1967. MAL sticker is needed to drive to Thailand
, but is seldom, if ever, used.
The most common form of Malaysian license plates are derived from early iterations of license plate designs in the United Kingdom, and were introduced after the introduction of motorised vehicles in the early 20th century, during British rule of territories in present-day Malaysia, as well as Singapore and Brunei, which inherit the same license plate system. Minimally, the license plate format consists of one or more letters (the first letter(s) serving as a vehicle or location prefix) followed by up to four numerical digits with no leading zeros. Accordingly, the configuration of a common Malaysian number plate may be in the form of ABC 1234, as depicted with two examples on the right. Early license plates originally included a dash
or interpunct
between the letters and the numbers; this element was dropped shortly after the 1920s.
The current sequence of licensed numbers issued begins with xAA 1 ("x" being the prefixes of the vehicle's registered location and vehicle type) to xAA 9999, followed by xBA 1 to xBY 9999, and so on. Motorcycles are now counted to 99999 from 1 August 2011. The newer motorcycle registered gets license plate xAA 10000. (Citation needed)
The format is used in virtually all classes of vehicles with engines, including, unless stated later:
In standard regulation, all vehicle license plates in Malaysia, other than those issued to diplomats, dealers and taxis (see below), have white characters on a black background, regardless of the vehicle type, a colour scheme unchanged since the introduction of the plates by the British. All vehicles must also display the same license plate number in the same colours at the front and rear of the vehicles.
The shape and size of Malaysian license plates on cars are not restricted so long as the colours, layout, and size of letterings adhere to license plate guidelines. Arial Bold
is normally preferred as the typeface
of the letterings, but other readable fonts are also used occasionally. While the rear number plates of motorcycle
s are required to be displayed in standard fashion, there are fewer restrictions on number plates displayed at the front, allowing them to be placed on the front mudguard or fairing of the vehicle, with or without a black license plate. Early license plates were largely pressed metal, but have been largely replaced by plastic plates and characters since the 1970s.
, "P", "M" and "W" series of plates, along with the "S" series, were originally created by the British colonial government for the four early Straits Settlements
license plate prefixes during the 1900s. P denotes Penang
island, M denotes Malacca
, W denoted "Wellesley" of Province Wellesley
, and S denotes Singapore
. The Province Wellesley code W was issued until 1957 when it was combined with the Penang Island "P" series.
The "S" series is no longer administered by the Malaysian Road Transport Department following Singapore's secession from Malaysia
in 1965. In the years that followed, the Singaporean license number system began to change with the modification and reintroduction of its "S" prefix and inclusion of a checksum digit as a suffix, in the addition to new prefixes and colour schemes for different classes of vehicles (See vehicle registration plates of Singapore).
Vehicles registered in the states of Sarawak
are allocated vehicle number plates commencing with the letter Q. Presently, Sarawakian license numbers follow either the new version of the letter Q followed by the regional code and then the serial number e.g. "QKA 1234" or the older version of the regional code followed by the serial number and the letter Q e.g. "KA 1234 Q". When the serial number reaches 9999, a serial letter is used, in alphabetical order, before the serial number.
The license number format is the result of extensive modifications in the decades following the states' entry into the Malaysia federation in 1963, in an effort to prevent conflicts with license numbers in Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore. The current system is:
Before Sarawak's entry into Malaysia in 1963, the license numbers did not include a "Q" suffix (thus reading "KA 1234"), and were originally distinguished only by "xD" prefixes, with "x" as a number representing any one of the then five Administrative Divisions in the state, followed by a number of up to four digits (i.e. "3D 5690"). For examples, the "1D" prefix was used to represent the First Division of Sarawak, present-day Kuching Division
.
The original prefix series is as follows:
In time, single letters began to replace the original "xD" series, but after new Divisions were formed in the state, new series of xD license numbers were also issued. During the 1970s, Sarikei Division
and Kapit Division
were formed and split from the Third Division to become the Sixth and Seventh Divisions, and were therefore assigned the 6D and 7D prefixes, respectively.
By the 1980s, the following license number prefixes were issued in the state:
However, Sarawak's entry into Malaysia presented a problem: Its "B", "K", "L", "M", and "S" license plates conflicted with various license numbers prefixes for states in Peninsular Malaysia (namely Selangor
, Kedah
and Malacca
), Labuan
and Singapore). In response, the Malaysian Road Transport Department amended vehicle license number regulations in 1988 by introducing a suffix "Q" identification letter for the then-current Sarawak license numbers (i.e. "KE 8192 Q").
This format was then changed to placing the "Q" in front of the regional letters in 1991, which is in use till today. The 1988 format was retained for vehicles registered earlier than 1991 but new license numbers were started e.g. "QK 1" when the change over took place. The remaining two "xD" prefixes issued were discontinued and replaced with letters, though many are still to be seen and owners an apply to transfer them to new vehicles.
When the change over took place, the SG prefix had exhausted and an "A" was placed in front of the Q suffix, resulting in a format that reads "SG **** AQ". Kuching Division registration plates were the most numerous to be issued in the state and the "KT **** Q" series was issued halfway when the new "QA" and "QK" started. The "B", "L", "6D" and "7D" plates ended with the "A" serial letter (i.e. "6DA 4401 Q").
Vehicles registered in Sabah
are allocated vehicle number plates commencing with the letter S, followed by the regional code and a serial number. When 9999 is reached, a serial letter is used after the serial number. Like the license number format in Sarawak, the system in Sabah was the result of extensive modifications in the decades following the states' entry into the Malaysia federation in 1963, in an effort to prevent conflicts with license numbers in Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore. Inadvertently, there will be a group of not exceeding 500 vehicles that bear the exact registration numbers. The current system is:
's (Sabah
) entry into Malaysia, its license numbers were already following a similar format as those in Malaya and Sarawak, but were defined by its own set of regional prefixes based on capitals of the state's then current divisions:
because the Sabah J coincided with the Johor J, e.g.: J 1234, an 'S' suffix was added, so sometimes you can see the plate number e.g.: J111S,B88S,T7S..
Between Sabah's entry into Malaysia in the 1960s and the 1980s, an "E" was added as a prefix to indicate the vehicle was registered in East Malaysia, followed by a second letter denoting the region in the state (i.e. from "J 1234" and "JA 1234" to "EJ 1234" and "EJA 1234"). The change aimed to overcome confusion with license numbers from Peninsular Malaysia, but such plates then became identical to Singaporean licence plates, which were issued with "E" and "EA" to "EZ" prefixes between 1972 and 1984.
Beginning the 1980s, all new Sabahan vehicle license numbers were issued in a "SA 1 A" format, the "S" and "A" being the regional prefixes while the suffix "A" was a serial letter, changing at 9999 until Y was reached. The second prefix indicates the region — in this case, "A" refers to vehicles registered in Kota Kinabalu
or in the West Coast Division
. For example, in Tawau
, the number plates follow the series "ST 1 A". Since 2000, vehicles registered in Kota Kinabalu are issued a "SAA 1 A" format of license numbers after the exhaustion of the "SA 9999 Y" format in 1999.
Labuan
, having been separated from the state as a Federal Territory in 1984 and is no longer subject to changes in Sabah's license number format, revert to using "L" as its prefix followed by one serial letter (presently (2011) LD), retaining its L* 1234 format as the prefix does not conflict with prefixes of other states.
Unlike standard vehicles, taxi number plates have black characters on a white background; an example of a taxi license plate is illustrated at the right. Whilst older taxicab
number plates had previously use the exact normal number plate formats as standard vehicles, most newer Malaysian taxi assume an H (Hire) prefix at the start of its plate, followed by its respective location affix, to form any one of the following:
Another new license plate format, LIMO **** W (or B), was introduced for Kuala Lumpur International Airport
(KLIA) limousine
s following the opening of the airport in 1998. The format is dramatically different from standard Malaysian license plates, opting to designate "LIMO" as the prefix, following by the usual maximum of four digits of numbers and a location affix denoting location. As service of the limousines are restricted to Selangor (where the airport is located) and Kuala Lumpur, only the B or W letterings are used.
The local Road Transport Department
allows sales of personalised numbers for taxis. Prefixes and suffixes are dependent on the location the taxi was registered in, with a single digit license numbers available for only around RM
100-200. This applies to all types of taxis except KLIA limousines.
Diplomats' number plates also use white on a black background and Consular Corps personnel have white on red plates. Unlike other licence plates, which have the format of (typically) ABC 1234, diplomatic licence plates are formatted (for example) 11-22-DC for (11 for Thailand,15 for Australia, 23 for the Netherlands, 49 for China, 52 for Slovakia, 54 for Kuwait, 58 for Brunei, 100 for European Union) Diplomatic corps or ending CC for Consular Corps (for Commonwealth countries). United Nations
uses UN and some international organizations have the code PA. UN plates may be seen at UN headquarters at Damansara Heights
, while a few PA plates can be spotted at the WorldFish Center in Penang.
The DC plates can be most commonly seen in Jalan Ampang
in Kuala Lumpur, as there are many international embassies located in the area.
Royal Malaysian Police
Malaysian police has its own plates as well. The plate of police is PDRM, with 4 random letters.
PDRM stands for Polis Di-Raja Malaysia.
Trade plates carry significant amounts of restrictions. Applications for trade plates require deposits and monthly renewals. In addition, vehicles bearing trade plates are only allowed to be driven on public roads during certain hours of the day. As are typical license plates, vehicles registered to vehicle dealers are usually required to display trade plates at the front and rear, but are either hung outside or placed within the vehicles.
Trade plates are also used by foreign vehicles without proper permits or document from their countries of origin to gain permission of entry into Malaysia, when clearance is authorised by customs
. In special cases, such as the transfer of show car
s, trade plates may also be borrowed from the Transport Department.
Trade plates are made from pressed alloy, with a blue ground and the digits unpainted, so taking the silver of the alloy. These are probably officially issued by the authorities as they take an invariable form.
Articulated lorries
, known also as semi-trailer
s, feature two license plates placed at the rear of the trailer. One is designated for the tractor unit
, and another for the following trailer itself. The tractor unit's license plate follows that of a normal ABC 1234 arrangement in accordance to those of the tractor unit itself, while the trailer's own license plate features a T/ prefix, followed by the trailer's own registration number in the same format as normal registration numbers. As a result, an example of a trailer's license plate tends to read as follows: T/BA 1234. In a handful of cases, the T/ prefix is superscripted.
(JCorp), however, is a notable exception, using license plates bearing only the numbers "2692" or "2962".
Special plates, i.e. plates using special, distinctive prefixes, are available at extra cost. These special prefixes, depicted in their originally stylised form when possible, may denote the brand of the car (such prefixes are often used, for example, on Proton
and Perodua
cars) or special events. Among the more commonly used special prefixes are:
As Malaysian plates are basic, making confuse when driving outside Malaysia. The international plate is used for driving outside Malaysia. For example plate WDP 3194 is converted to DP 3194 MALAYSIA 14. (14=Kuala Lumpur
)
Sometimes, DP 3194 KUL is used. (Citation needed)
International plate is required when driving into Thailand
, but not to Brunei
, Singapore
and Indonesia
as they are dead ends, but entering Thailand can be continued to Laos/Burma/Cambodia, and to China, and all over Asia via the AH2 highway. MAL sticker is needed as well.
Malaysian Road Transport Department
The Malaysian Road Transport Department ' ' is a government department under the Malaysian Ministry of Transport...
, but the Department is not largely in charge of the production of license plates. Instead, vehicle dealers and specialised businesses produce the vast majority of license plates in the country.
The current international vehicle registration code for Malaysia, adopted 1967, is MAL, but was formerly known as FM (named after the Federated Malay States
Federated Malay States
The Federated Malay States was a federation of four protected states in the Malay Peninsula—Selangor, Perak, Negeri Sembilan and Pahang—established by the British government in 1895, which lasted until 1946, when they, together with the Straits Settlements and the Unfederated Malay...
) before 1957, and PTM (named after the Federation of Malaya
Federation of Malaya
The Federation of Malaya is the name given to a federation of 11 states that existed from 31 January 1948 until 16 September 1963. The Federation became independent on 31 August 1957...
, or Perseketuan Tanah Malayu) between 1957 and 1967. MAL sticker is needed to drive to Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
, but is seldom, if ever, used.
Fundamental design
Dash
A dash is one of several kinds of punctuation mark. Dashes appear similar to hyphens, but differ from them primarily in length, and serve different functions. The most common versions of the dash are the en dash and the em dash .-Common dashes:...
or interpunct
Interpunct
An interpunct —also called an interpoint—is a small dot used for interword separation in ancient Latin script, which also appears in some modern languages as a stand-alone sign inside a word. It is present in Unicode as code point ....
between the letters and the numbers; this element was dropped shortly after the 1920s.
The current sequence of licensed numbers issued begins with xAA 1 ("x" being the prefixes of the vehicle's registered location and vehicle type) to xAA 9999, followed by xBA 1 to xBY 9999, and so on. Motorcycles are now counted to 99999 from 1 August 2011. The newer motorcycle registered gets license plate xAA 10000. (Citation needed)
The format is used in virtually all classes of vehicles with engines, including, unless stated later:
- Private vehicles (cars, motorcycles, vans, trucks and other vehicles of similar design).
- Commercial and industrial vehicles (vans, trucks - light or heavy, buses, road-legal vehicles for construction and excavation and other vehicles of similar design).
- Service vehicles (police cars, ambulances, fire engines, public utility vehicles and other vehicles of similar design).
In standard regulation, all vehicle license plates in Malaysia, other than those issued to diplomats, dealers and taxis (see below), have white characters on a black background, regardless of the vehicle type, a colour scheme unchanged since the introduction of the plates by the British. All vehicles must also display the same license plate number in the same colours at the front and rear of the vehicles.
The shape and size of Malaysian license plates on cars are not restricted so long as the colours, layout, and size of letterings adhere to license plate guidelines. Arial Bold
Arial
Arial, sometimes marketed or displayed in software as Arial MT, is a sans-serif typeface and set of computer fonts. Fonts from the Arial family are packaged with Microsoft Windows, some other Microsoft software applications, Apple Mac OS X and many PostScript 3 computer printers...
is normally preferred as the typeface
Typeface
In typography, a typeface is the artistic representation or interpretation of characters; it is the way the type looks. Each type is designed and there are thousands of different typefaces in existence, with new ones being developed constantly....
of the letterings, but other readable fonts are also used occasionally. While the rear number plates of motorcycle
Motorcycle
A motorcycle is a single-track, two-wheeled motor vehicle. Motorcycles vary considerably depending on the task for which they are designed, such as long distance travel, navigating congested urban traffic, cruising, sport and racing, or off-road conditions.Motorcycles are one of the most...
s are required to be displayed in standard fashion, there are fewer restrictions on number plates displayed at the front, allowing them to be placed on the front mudguard or fairing of the vehicle, with or without a black license plate. Early license plates were largely pressed metal, but have been largely replaced by plastic plates and characters since the 1970s.
Peninsular Malaysia
Vehicle license plates used in Peninsular Malaysia start with a letter of the alphabet defining one of its states where the vehicles are registered. Following an ABC 1234 format, none of the license numbers use a checksum digit. The regional codes include:| Peninsula Malaysia registration plates | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Letter | State/Territory | Notes | Image |
| A | Perak Perak Perak , one of the 13 states of Malaysia, is the second largest state in the Peninsular Malaysia bordering Kedah and Yala Province of Thailand to the north, Penang to the northwest, Kelantan and Pahang to the east, Selangor the Strait of Malacca to the south and west.Perak means silver in Malay... |
||
| B | Selangor Selangor Selangor also known by its Arabic honorific, Darul Ehsan, or "Abode of Sincerity") is one of the 13 states of Malaysia. It is on the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia and is bordered by Perak to the north, Pahang to the east, Negeri Sembilan to the south and the Strait of Malacca to the west... |
Includes plates registered in Kuala Lumpur Kuala Lumpur Kuala Lumpur is the capital and the second largest city in Malaysia by population. The city proper, making up an area of , has a population of 1.4 million as of 2010. Greater Kuala Lumpur, also known as the Klang Valley, is an urban agglomeration of 7.2 million... before the city separated as a Federal Territory in 1974. |
my vehicles.13408.1.jpg |
| C | Pahang Pahang Pahang is the third largest state in Malaysia, after Sarawak and Sabah, occupying the huge Pahang River river basin. It is bordered to the north by Kelantan, to the west by Perak, Selangor, Negeri Sembilan, to the south by Johor and to the east by Terengganu and the South China Sea.Its state... |
||
| D | Kelantan Kelantan Kelantan is a state of Malaysia. The capital and royal seat is Kota Bharu. The Arabic honorific of the state is Darul Naim, .... |
||
| J | Johor Johor Johor is a Malaysian state, located in the southern portion of Peninsular Malaysia. It is one of the most developed states in Malaysia. The state capital city and royal city of Johor is Johor Bahru, formerly known as Tanjung Puteri... |
Includes Johor Government (JDT 1 to JDT 10) and Johor Military Force (Askar Timbalan Setia Negeri) (JMF) | |
| K | Kedah Kedah Kedah is a state of Malaysia, located in the northwestern part of Peninsular Malaysia. The state covers a total area of over 9,000 km², and it consists of the mainland and Langkawi. The mainland has a relatively flat terrain, which is used to grow rice... |
Except for cars registered in Langkawi. | |
| KV | Langkawi Langkawi Langkawi, officially known as Langkawi, the Jewel of Kedah is an archipelago of 104 islands in the Andaman Sea, some 30 km off the mainland coast of northwestern Malaysia. The islands are a part of the state of Kedah, which is adjacent to the Thai border... , Kedah Kedah Kedah is a state of Malaysia, located in the northwestern part of Peninsular Malaysia. The state covers a total area of over 9,000 km², and it consists of the mainland and Langkawi. The mainland has a relatively flat terrain, which is used to grow rice... |
Langkawi has duty free status and the KV series began after it achieved duty free status. | |
| L | Labuan Labuan Labuan is a federal territory in East Malaysia. It is an island off the coast of the state of Sabah. Labuan's capital is Victoria and is best known as an offshore financial centre offering international financial and business services via Labuan IBFC since 1990 as well as being an offshore support... |
Formerly part of the Sabah registration system using the prefix SL, Labuan reverted to using the letters "LA" and on, when it became a Federal Territory in 1984. | |
| M | Melaka (Malacca Malacca Malacca , dubbed The Historic State or Negeri Bersejarah among locals) is the third smallest Malaysian state, after Perlis and Penang. It is located in the southern region of the Malay Peninsula, on the Straits of Malacca. It borders Negeri Sembilan to the north and the state of Johor to the south... ) |
||
| N | Negeri Sembilan Negeri Sembilan Negeri Sembilan, one of the 13 states that constitutes Malaysia, lies on the western coast of Peninsular Malaysia, just south of Kuala Lumpur and borders Selangor on the north, Pahang in the east, and Malacca and Johor to the south.... |
||
| P | Pulau Pinang (Penang Penang Penang is a state in Malaysia and the name of its constituent island, located on the northwest coast of Peninsular Malaysia by the Strait of Malacca. It is bordered by Kedah in the north and east, and Perak in the south. Penang is the second smallest Malaysian state in area after Perlis, and the... ) |
||
| Putrajaya | Putrajaya Putrajaya Putrajaya is a planned city, located 25km south of Kuala Lumpur, that serves as the federal administrative centre of Malaysia. The seat of government was shifted in 1999 from Kuala Lumpur to Putrajaya, due to the overcrowding and congestion in the Kuala Lumpur areas... federal administrative area |
Stylised in oblique Oblique type Oblique type is a form of type that slants slightly to the right, used in the same manner as italic type. Unlike italic type, however, it does not use different glyph shapes; it uses the same glyphs as roman type, except distorted... Calisto Calisto (typeface) Calisto MT is an old style serif typeface designed in 1986 for the Monotype foundry by Ron Carpenter, British typographer, born 1950.The Calisto face is intended to function as both a text and display face. Stroke contrast is minimal and maintenance of even color, especially in smaller point sizes,... as the lead text. Putrajaya's regional prefix is the only kind in the country where the region's name is spelled out in full. |
|
| R | Perlis Perlis Perlis is the smallest state in Malaysia. It lies at the northern part of the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia and has Satun and Songkhla Provinces of Thailand on its northern border. It is bordered by the state of Kedah to the south... |
||
| T | Terengganu Terengganu Terengganu is a sultanate and constitutive state of federal Malaysia. The state is also known by its Arabic honorific, Darul Iman... |
||
| W | Kuala Lumpur Kuala Lumpur Kuala Lumpur is the capital and the second largest city in Malaysia by population. The city proper, making up an area of , has a population of 1.4 million as of 2010. Greater Kuala Lumpur, also known as the Klang Valley, is an urban agglomeration of 7.2 million... |
Plates with letter W, which stands for Wilayah Persekutuan, began in 1974 when the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur was created. To date, the W series plate is the most numerous license plate issued |
History of Peninsula Malaysia plates
In then British MalayaBritish Malaya
British Malaya loosely described a set of states on the Malay Peninsula and the Island of Singapore that were brought under British control between the 18th and the 20th centuries...
, "P", "M" and "W" series of plates, along with the "S" series, were originally created by the British colonial government for the four early Straits Settlements
Straits Settlements
The Straits Settlements were a group of British territories located in Southeast Asia.Originally established in 1826 as part of the territories controlled by the British East India Company, the Straits Settlements came under direct British control as a crown colony on 1 April 1867...
license plate prefixes during the 1900s. P denotes Penang
Penang
Penang is a state in Malaysia and the name of its constituent island, located on the northwest coast of Peninsular Malaysia by the Strait of Malacca. It is bordered by Kedah in the north and east, and Perak in the south. Penang is the second smallest Malaysian state in area after Perlis, and the...
island, M denotes Malacca
Malacca
Malacca , dubbed The Historic State or Negeri Bersejarah among locals) is the third smallest Malaysian state, after Perlis and Penang. It is located in the southern region of the Malay Peninsula, on the Straits of Malacca. It borders Negeri Sembilan to the north and the state of Johor to the south...
, W denoted "Wellesley" of Province Wellesley
Seberang Perai
Seberang Perai / Beseran Darul Hidayah, formerly Province Wellesley, is a narrow hinterland opposite Penang island on the Malay Peninsula, which together with the island forms the Malaysian state of Penang. Its principal town is Butterworth...
, and S denotes Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
. The Province Wellesley code W was issued until 1957 when it was combined with the Penang Island "P" series.
The "S" series is no longer administered by the Malaysian Road Transport Department following Singapore's secession from Malaysia
Singapore in Malaysia
On 16 September 1963, which was also Lee Kuan Yew's 40th birthday, Singapore merged with the Federation of Malaya alongside Sabah and Sarawak to form Malaysia...
in 1965. In the years that followed, the Singaporean license number system began to change with the modification and reintroduction of its "S" prefix and inclusion of a checksum digit as a suffix, in the addition to new prefixes and colour schemes for different classes of vehicles (See vehicle registration plates of Singapore).
Sarawak
| QSM 6390 |
Vehicles registered in the states of Sarawak
Sarawak
Sarawak is one of two Malaysian states on the island of Borneo. Known as Bumi Kenyalang , Sarawak is situated on the north-west of the island. It is the largest state in Malaysia followed by Sabah, the second largest state located to the North- East.The administrative capital is Kuching, which...
are allocated vehicle number plates commencing with the letter Q. Presently, Sarawakian license numbers follow either the new version of the letter Q followed by the regional code and then the serial number e.g. "QKA 1234" or the older version of the regional code followed by the serial number and the letter Q e.g. "KA 1234 Q". When the serial number reaches 9999, a serial letter is used, in alphabetical order, before the serial number.
The license number format is the result of extensive modifications in the decades following the states' entry into the Malaysia federation in 1963, in an effort to prevent conflicts with license numbers in Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore. The current system is:
| Sarawak registration plates | ||
|---|---|---|
| Letter | Division | Image |
| QA or QK | Kuching Kuching Kuching , officially the City of Kuching, and formerly the City of Sarawak, is the capital and most populous city of the East Malaysian state of Sarawak. It is the largest city on the island of Borneo, and the fourth largest city in Malaysia.... |
|
| QB | Sri Aman Sri Aman Sri Aman is a market town and port, and the capital of Sri Aman District and Sri Aman Division in Sarawak, east Malaysia.Sri Aman is also called Bandar Sri Aman, and was formerly known as Simanggang. Sri Aman in the Malay language means "town of peace ." Located on the Lupar River, it is... |
|
| QC | Samarahan and Betong Betong, Sarawak Betong is a town and administrative district of the Betong Division in Sarawak, Malaysia, lying in the Saribas area. It was formerly placed under the district of Sri Aman.... |
|
| QL | Limbang Limbang Limbang is a border town and the capital of Limbang District in the Limbang Division of northern Sarawak, East Malaysia, on the island of Borneo. The division has an area of 3,978.1 square kilometers, and a population of 42,600... |
|
| QM | Miri Miri Miri is a city in northern Sarawak, Malaysia, on the island of Borneo. It is the second largest city in Sarawak, with a population of about 300,000, and the government administrative centre of Miri District in Miri Division.... |
|
| QP | Kapit Kapit The town of Kapit is the capital of the Kapit District in the Kapit Division, Sarawak, east Malaysia on the south bank of the Rajang River. The district comprises 15,595.6 square kilometers and as of 2002 has a population of 60,200.... |
|
| QR | Sarikei Sarikei Sarikei is a town, and the capital of the Sarikei District in Sarikei Division, Sarawak, east Malaysia. It is located on the Rajang River, near where the river empties into the South China Sea. The district population was 56,798... |
|
| QS | Sibu Sibu Sibu may refer to:*Sibu, Sarawak in Eastern Malaysia*Sibu Division*Sibu , an impact crater on Mars*Pulau Sibu, an island off the eastern coast of peninsular Malaysia*Sibu , name of a goddess in the Bribri tribe, in Costa Rica... and Mukah Mukah Mukah, Sarawak, Malaysia, is a coastal town which serves as the administrative center of the Mukah District in Mukah Division, Sarawak. It is located by the South China Sea, about 2.5 hours by road from the town of Sibu. Mukah is also accessible by air by MASwings from Kuching and Miri. The... |
|
| QSG | Sarawak government | |
| QT | Bintulu Bintulu Bintulu is a coastal town, and the capital of Bintulu District in the Bintulu Division of Sarawak, Malaysia. It is about 650 kilometers from Kuching and about 215 kilometers from either Sibu or Miri.... |
Until 1991
Before Sarawak's entry into Malaysia in 1963, the license numbers did not include a "Q" suffix (thus reading "KA 1234"), and were originally distinguished only by "xD" prefixes, with "x" as a number representing any one of the then five Administrative Divisions in the state, followed by a number of up to four digits (i.e. "3D 5690"). For examples, the "1D" prefix was used to represent the First Division of Sarawak, present-day Kuching Division
Kuching Division
Kuching Division is one of the eleven administrative divisions in Sarawak, east Malaysia, on the island of Borneo. Formerly called the "First Division", it is the center and the starting point of modern Sarawak...
.
The original prefix series is as follows:
| Sarawak registration plates | ||
|---|---|---|
| Code | Division | Image |
| 1D | 1st Division (Present-day Kuching Division Kuching Division Kuching Division is one of the eleven administrative divisions in Sarawak, east Malaysia, on the island of Borneo. Formerly called the "First Division", it is the center and the starting point of modern Sarawak... ) |
|
| 2D | 2nd Division (Present-day Simanggang (Sri Aman Sri Aman Sri Aman is a market town and port, and the capital of Sri Aman District and Sri Aman Division in Sarawak, east Malaysia.Sri Aman is also called Bandar Sri Aman, and was formerly known as Simanggang. Sri Aman in the Malay language means "town of peace ." Located on the Lupar River, it is... ), Samarahan Samarahan Division Samarahan Division is one of the eleven administrative divisions in Sarawak, east Malaysia, on the island of Borneo. Formerly part of the First Division, which included Kuching, it became a separate Division in 1985. Samarahan Division has a total area of 4,967.4 square kilometers.Samarahan... and Betong Division Betong Division Betong Division, formed on March 26, 2002, is the 11th and newest of the eleven administrative divisions in Sarawak, east Malaysia, on the island of Borneo. Formerly part of Sri Aman Division, Betong is in the Saribas area... s) |
|
| 3D | 3rd Division (Present-day Sibu Sibu Division Sibu Division is one of the eleven administrative divisions of Sarawak, east Malaysia, on the island of Borneo. It has a total area of 8,278.3 square kilometers, and is the third largest division after Kuching Division and Miri Division.... , Bintulu Bintulu Division Bintulu Division is one of the eleven administrative divisions of Sarawak, east Malaysia, on the island of Borneo. It has a total area of 12,166.2 square kilometers, and is the third largest division after Kapit Division and Miri Division. Bintulu Division consists of two districts which is Bintulu... , Kapit Kapit Division Kapit Division, formed on April 2, 1973, is the seventh of eleven administrative divisions in Sarawak, east Malaysia, on the island of Borneo. It has a total area of 38,934 square kilometers, and is the largest of the administrative divisions of Sarawak.... and Sarikei Division Sarikei Division Sarikei Division is one of the eleven administrative divisions in Sarawak, east Malaysia, located on the island of Borneo. Formerly part of the Third Division, which included Sibu and Kapit, Sarikei Division has a total area of 4,332.4 square kilometers, and is the second smallest of the... s) |
|
| 4D | 4th Division (Present-day Miri Division Miri Division Miri Division is one of the eleven administrative divisions of Sarawak, east Malaysia, on the island of Borneo. It has a total area of 26,777.1 square kilometers, and is the second largest division after Kapit Division.... ) |
|
| 5D | 5th Division (Present-day Limbang Division Limbang Division Limbang Division is one of the eleven administrative divisions of Sarawak, east Malaysia, on the island of Borneo. It has a total area of 7,788.50 square kilometers, and is the fourth largest division after Kapit Division, Miri Division and Bintulu Division. Limbang Division consists of two... ) |
In time, single letters began to replace the original "xD" series, but after new Divisions were formed in the state, new series of xD license numbers were also issued. During the 1970s, Sarikei Division
Sarikei Division
Sarikei Division is one of the eleven administrative divisions in Sarawak, east Malaysia, located on the island of Borneo. Formerly part of the Third Division, which included Sibu and Kapit, Sarikei Division has a total area of 4,332.4 square kilometers, and is the second smallest of the...
and Kapit Division
Kapit Division
Kapit Division, formed on April 2, 1973, is the seventh of eleven administrative divisions in Sarawak, east Malaysia, on the island of Borneo. It has a total area of 38,934 square kilometers, and is the largest of the administrative divisions of Sarawak....
were formed and split from the Third Division to become the Sixth and Seventh Divisions, and were therefore assigned the 6D and 7D prefixes, respectively.
By the 1980s, the following license number prefixes were issued in the state:
| Sarawak registration plates | ||
|---|---|---|
| Code | Division | Image |
| B | Simanggang Division (Sri Aman Division Sri Aman Division Sri Aman Division is one of the eleven administrative divisions in Sarawak, east Malaysia, on the island of Borneo. Formerly part of the First Division, which included Kuching, Sri Aman Division has a total area of 5,466.7 square kilometers. It was formerly known as Simanggang District.Sri Aman... ) |
|
| K | Kuching Division Kuching Division Kuching Division is one of the eleven administrative divisions in Sarawak, east Malaysia, on the island of Borneo. Formerly called the "First Division", it is the center and the starting point of modern Sarawak... |
|
| L | Limbang Division Limbang Division Limbang Division is one of the eleven administrative divisions of Sarawak, east Malaysia, on the island of Borneo. It has a total area of 7,788.50 square kilometers, and is the fourth largest division after Kapit Division, Miri Division and Bintulu Division. Limbang Division consists of two... |
|
| M | Miri Division Miri Division Miri Division is one of the eleven administrative divisions of Sarawak, east Malaysia, on the island of Borneo. It has a total area of 26,777.1 square kilometers, and is the second largest division after Kapit Division.... |
|
| S | Sibu Division Sibu Division Sibu Division is one of the eleven administrative divisions of Sarawak, east Malaysia, on the island of Borneo. It has a total area of 8,278.3 square kilometers, and is the third largest division after Kuching Division and Miri Division.... |
|
| SG | Sarawak government vehicles | |
| 6D | 6th Division (Sarikei Division Sarikei Division Sarikei Division is one of the eleven administrative divisions in Sarawak, east Malaysia, located on the island of Borneo. Formerly part of the Third Division, which included Sibu and Kapit, Sarikei Division has a total area of 4,332.4 square kilometers, and is the second smallest of the... ) |
|
| 7D | 7th Division (Kapit Division Kapit Division Kapit Division, formed on April 2, 1973, is the seventh of eleven administrative divisions in Sarawak, east Malaysia, on the island of Borneo. It has a total area of 38,934 square kilometers, and is the largest of the administrative divisions of Sarawak.... ) |
However, Sarawak's entry into Malaysia presented a problem: Its "B", "K", "L", "M", and "S" license plates conflicted with various license numbers prefixes for states in Peninsular Malaysia (namely Selangor
Selangor
Selangor also known by its Arabic honorific, Darul Ehsan, or "Abode of Sincerity") is one of the 13 states of Malaysia. It is on the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia and is bordered by Perak to the north, Pahang to the east, Negeri Sembilan to the south and the Strait of Malacca to the west...
, Kedah
Kedah
Kedah is a state of Malaysia, located in the northwestern part of Peninsular Malaysia. The state covers a total area of over 9,000 km², and it consists of the mainland and Langkawi. The mainland has a relatively flat terrain, which is used to grow rice...
and Malacca
Malacca
Malacca , dubbed The Historic State or Negeri Bersejarah among locals) is the third smallest Malaysian state, after Perlis and Penang. It is located in the southern region of the Malay Peninsula, on the Straits of Malacca. It borders Negeri Sembilan to the north and the state of Johor to the south...
), Labuan
Labuan
Labuan is a federal territory in East Malaysia. It is an island off the coast of the state of Sabah. Labuan's capital is Victoria and is best known as an offshore financial centre offering international financial and business services via Labuan IBFC since 1990 as well as being an offshore support...
and Singapore). In response, the Malaysian Road Transport Department amended vehicle license number regulations in 1988 by introducing a suffix "Q" identification letter for the then-current Sarawak license numbers (i.e. "KE 8192 Q").
After 1991
This format was then changed to placing the "Q" in front of the regional letters in 1991, which is in use till today. The 1988 format was retained for vehicles registered earlier than 1991 but new license numbers were started e.g. "QK 1" when the change over took place. The remaining two "xD" prefixes issued were discontinued and replaced with letters, though many are still to be seen and owners an apply to transfer them to new vehicles.
When the change over took place, the SG prefix had exhausted and an "A" was placed in front of the Q suffix, resulting in a format that reads "SG **** AQ". Kuching Division registration plates were the most numerous to be issued in the state and the "KT **** Q" series was issued halfway when the new "QA" and "QK" started. The "B", "L", "6D" and "7D" plates ended with the "A" serial letter (i.e. "6DA 4401 Q").
Sabah
| SS 6666 C |
Vehicles registered in Sabah
Sabah
Sabah is one of 13 member states of Malaysia. It is located on the northern portion of the island of Borneo. It is the second largest state in the country after Sarawak, which it borders on its southwest. It also shares a border with the province of East Kalimantan of Indonesia in the south...
are allocated vehicle number plates commencing with the letter S, followed by the regional code and a serial number. When 9999 is reached, a serial letter is used after the serial number. Like the license number format in Sarawak, the system in Sabah was the result of extensive modifications in the decades following the states' entry into the Malaysia federation in 1963, in an effort to prevent conflicts with license numbers in Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore. Inadvertently, there will be a group of not exceeding 500 vehicles that bear the exact registration numbers. The current system is:
| Sabah registration plates | ||
|---|---|---|
| Letter | Division | Image |
| SA | Kota Kinabalu Kota Kinabalu Kota Kinabalu , formerly known as Jesselton, is the capital of Sabah state in East Malaysia. It is also the capital of the West Coast Division of Sabah. The city is located on the northwest coast of Borneo facing the South China Sea. The Tunku Abdul Rahman National Park lies on one side and Mount... |
|
| SB | Beaufort Beaufort, Sabah Beaufort which was named after former British Governor L.P. Beaufort is a town and a district located in Interior Division of Sabah in east Malaysia on the island of Borneo. Its population was estimated to be around 61,698 in 2000... |
|
| SD | Lahad Datu Lahad Datu Lahad Datu is a town and district located in Tawau Division, in the east of Sabah, eastern Malaysia on the island of Borneo. It occupies the peninsula on the north side of Darvel Bay. Its population was estimated to be around 118,000 in 1991 and 156,059 in the 2000 census. Lahad Datu is surrounded... |
|
| SK | Kudat Kudat Kudat is a town in Sabah, East Malaysia, on the northern tip of Borneo island. It serves as the administrative center for the Kudat Division, which includes the towns of Kudat, Pitas, Kota Marudu, and some offshore islands.... |
|
| SS | Sandakan Sandakan Sandakan is the second-largest city in Sabah, East Malaysia, on the north-eastern coast of Borneo. It is located on the east coast of the island and it is the administrative centre of Sandakan Division and was the former capital of British North Borneo... |
|
| ST | Tawau Tawau Tawau is the administrative center of Tawau Division, Malaysia and the third largest town of Sabah after Kota Kinabalu and Sandakan.-Geography:... |
|
| SU | Keningau Keningau Keningau is a sprawling timber and agricultural town and district located in the Interior Division of Sabah, east Malaysia on the island of Borneo... |
|
| SG | Government (No longer used as all current government vehicles bear Kota Kinabalu plates, since about 2007) | |
| SL | Labuan Labuan Labuan is a federal territory in East Malaysia. It is an island off the coast of the state of Sabah. Labuan's capital is Victoria and is best known as an offshore financial centre offering international financial and business services via Labuan IBFC since 1990 as well as being an offshore support... (Until 1984, before Labuan became part of the Federal Territory) |
History of Sabah plates
Before North BorneoNorth Borneo
North Borneo was a British protectorate under the sovereign North Borneo Chartered Company from 1882 to 1946. After the war it became a crown colony of Great Britain from 1946 to 1963, known in this time as British North Borneo. It is located on the northeastern end of the island of Borneo. It is...
's (Sabah
Sabah
Sabah is one of 13 member states of Malaysia. It is located on the northern portion of the island of Borneo. It is the second largest state in the country after Sarawak, which it borders on its southwest. It also shares a border with the province of East Kalimantan of Indonesia in the south...
) entry into Malaysia, its license numbers were already following a similar format as those in Malaya and Sarawak, but were defined by its own set of regional prefixes based on capitals of the state's then current divisions:
| Pre-1963 registration plates | ||
|---|---|---|
| Letter | Division | Image |
| D | Lahad Datu Lahad Datu Lahad Datu is a town and district located in Tawau Division, in the east of Sabah, eastern Malaysia on the island of Borneo. It occupies the peninsula on the north side of Darvel Bay. Its population was estimated to be around 118,000 in 1991 and 156,059 in the 2000 census. Lahad Datu is surrounded... e.g.: D88 - now D88S |
|
| J | Kota Kinabalu Kota Kinabalu Kota Kinabalu , formerly known as Jesselton, is the capital of Sabah state in East Malaysia. It is also the capital of the West Coast Division of Sabah. The city is located on the northwest coast of Borneo facing the South China Sea. The Tunku Abdul Rahman National Park lies on one side and Mount... , then named Jesselton - e.g.: J88 - now J88S |
|
| K | Kudat Kudat Kudat is a town in Sabah, East Malaysia, on the northern tip of Borneo island. It serves as the administrative center for the Kudat Division, which includes the towns of Kudat, Pitas, Kota Marudu, and some offshore islands.... e.g.: K88 - now K88S |
|
| L | Labuan Labuan Labuan is a federal territory in East Malaysia. It is an island off the coast of the state of Sabah. Labuan's capital is Victoria and is best known as an offshore financial centre offering international financial and business services via Labuan IBFC since 1990 as well as being an offshore support... - now Labuan Federal Territory |
|
| S | Sandakan Sandakan Sandakan is the second-largest city in Sabah, East Malaysia, on the north-eastern coast of Borneo. It is located on the east coast of the island and it is the administrative centre of Sandakan Division and was the former capital of British North Borneo... e.g.: S88 - now S88S |
|
| T | Tawau Tawau Tawau is the administrative center of Tawau Division, Malaysia and the third largest town of Sabah after Kota Kinabalu and Sandakan.-Geography:... e.g.: T88 - now T88S |
|
| U | Keningau Keningau Keningau is a sprawling timber and agricultural town and district located in the Interior Division of Sabah, east Malaysia on the island of Borneo... |
because the Sabah J coincided with the Johor J, e.g.: J 1234, an 'S' suffix was added, so sometimes you can see the plate number e.g.: J111S,B88S,T7S..
Between Sabah's entry into Malaysia in the 1960s and the 1980s, an "E" was added as a prefix to indicate the vehicle was registered in East Malaysia, followed by a second letter denoting the region in the state (i.e. from "J 1234" and "JA 1234" to "EJ 1234" and "EJA 1234"). The change aimed to overcome confusion with license numbers from Peninsular Malaysia, but such plates then became identical to Singaporean licence plates, which were issued with "E" and "EA" to "EZ" prefixes between 1972 and 1984.
Plates since 1980s
Beginning the 1980s, all new Sabahan vehicle license numbers were issued in a "SA 1 A" format, the "S" and "A" being the regional prefixes while the suffix "A" was a serial letter, changing at 9999 until Y was reached. The second prefix indicates the region — in this case, "A" refers to vehicles registered in Kota Kinabalu
Kota Kinabalu
Kota Kinabalu , formerly known as Jesselton, is the capital of Sabah state in East Malaysia. It is also the capital of the West Coast Division of Sabah. The city is located on the northwest coast of Borneo facing the South China Sea. The Tunku Abdul Rahman National Park lies on one side and Mount...
or in the West Coast Division
West Coast Division
West Coast Division is an administrative division of Sabah, east Malaysia, on the island of Borneo. It occupies the northwest portion of Sabah. With an area of 7,588 square kilometres, it occupies 10.3% of Sabah's territory...
. For example, in Tawau
Tawau
Tawau is the administrative center of Tawau Division, Malaysia and the third largest town of Sabah after Kota Kinabalu and Sandakan.-Geography:...
, the number plates follow the series "ST 1 A". Since 2000, vehicles registered in Kota Kinabalu are issued a "SAA 1 A" format of license numbers after the exhaustion of the "SA 9999 Y" format in 1999.
Labuan
Labuan
Labuan is a federal territory in East Malaysia. It is an island off the coast of the state of Sabah. Labuan's capital is Victoria and is best known as an offshore financial centre offering international financial and business services via Labuan IBFC since 1990 as well as being an offshore support...
, having been separated from the state as a Federal Territory in 1984 and is no longer subject to changes in Sabah's license number format, revert to using "L" as its prefix followed by one serial letter (presently (2011) LD), retaining its L* 1234 format as the prefix does not conflict with prefixes of other states.
Taxi
| HKB 7708 |
Unlike standard vehicles, taxi number plates have black characters on a white background; an example of a taxi license plate is illustrated at the right. Whilst older taxicab
Taxicab
A taxicab, also taxi or cab, is a type of vehicle for hire with a driver, used by a single passenger or small group of passengers, often for a non-shared ride. A taxicab conveys passengers between locations of their choice...
number plates had previously use the exact normal number plate formats as standard vehicles, most newer Malaysian taxi assume an H (Hire) prefix at the start of its plate, followed by its respective location affix, to form any one of the following:
- HA: IpohIpohIpoh is the capital city of Perak state, Malaysia. It is approximately 200 km north of Kuala Lumpur on the North-South Expressway....
& TaipingTaiping, PerakTaiping is a town located in northern Perak, Malaysia. With a population of 191,104 , it is the second largest town in Perak after Ipoh, the state capital. Taiping took over Kuala Kangsar's role as the state capital from 1876 to 1937, but was then replaced by Ipoh...
in Perak - HB: Klang ValleyKlang ValleyKlang Valley is an area in Malaysia comprising Kuala Lumpur and its suburbs, and adjoining cities and towns in the state of Selangor. An alternative reference to this would be Kuala Lumpur Metropolitan Area or Greater Kuala Lumpur. It is geographically delineated by Titiwangsa Mountains to the...
, Selangor - HC: KuantanKuantanKuantan is the state capital of Pahang, the 3rd largest state in Malaysia. It is situated near the mouth of the Kuantan River and faces the South China Sea. If one measures the distance along the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia, it is located roughly halfway between Singapore and Kota Bharu...
, MentakabMentakabMentakab is a main town in Pahang, Malaysia, originally known as Pasir Rawa. It is close to Temerloh, Lanchang, Kampung Tualang, Kampung Gantok, Mengkarak and Kerdau. Mentakab was once considered by the State Government in the year 1901 to be the new centre of all administrative works in the...
& TemerlohTemerlohTemerloh is a town in Central Pahang, Malaysia in Temerloh district. Located about from Kuala Lumpur along the Kuantan-Kuala Lumpur trunk road, Temerloh is the second largest town in Pahang after Kuantan. It is situated at the junction of the Pahang River and the Semantan River...
in Pahang - HD: Kota BharuKota BharuKota Bharu is a city in Malaysia, is the state capital and Royal City of Kelantan. It is also the name of the territory in which Kota Bharu City is situated. The name means 'new city' or 'new castle/fort' in Malay. Kota Bharu is situated in the northeastern part of Peninsular Malaysia, and lies...
, Kelantan - HJ: Johor BahruJohor BahruJohor Bahru is the capital city of Johor in southern Malaysia. Johor Bahru is the southernmost city of the Eurasian mainland...
, Batu PahatBatu PahatBatu Pahat is a district in the state of Johor, Malaysia. It lies south-east of Muar, south-west of Kluang, north-west of Pontian, and south of Segamat and the new Ledang district. The capital of the district is Bandar Penggaram, Batu Pahat....
, MuarMuar (district)Muar District is a district in the state of Johor, Malaysia. The name "Muar" is also used for the name of its district, which formerly sub-divided between the Town of Muar and the sub-district of Tangkak. Tangkak sub-district has been upgraded into a full district known as Ledang District in year...
, KluangKluangKluang is a town and district located roughly in the middle of the state of Johor in Malaysia. Kluang lies about 110 km north of Johor Bahru, east-southeast of Batu Pahat, west of Mersing and south of Segamat...
& KulaijayaKulaijayaKulaijaya District is a district in the state of Johor in peninsular Malaysia around the town of Kulai. It covers Kulai Town, Ayer Bemban, Bukit Batu, Kangkar Pulai, Kelapa Sawit, Saleng, Sedenak, Seelong, Senai, and Sengkang.- Administration :...
in Johor - HK: Alor StarAlor StarAlor Setar, known as Alor Star between 2004 and 2008, is the state capital of Kedah, Malaysia, and Kota Setar District's Administrative Centre. It is also a distribution center for manufacturing and agricultural products such as paddy, and the royal seat of the Kedah state since the establishment...
& Sungei Petani in Kedah - HL: LabuanLabuanLabuan is a federal territory in East Malaysia. It is an island off the coast of the state of Sabah. Labuan's capital is Victoria and is best known as an offshore financial centre offering international financial and business services via Labuan IBFC since 1990 as well as being an offshore support...
- HM: Malacca
- HN: SerembanSerembanSeremban is the capital of the Malaysian state of Negeri Sembilan, located within the district of Seremban, one of the seven districts of Negeri Sembilan. The town's administration is run by the Seremban Municipal Council or Majlis Perbandaran Seremban...
, Negeri Sembilan - HP: Penang & Prai
- HQ: KuchingKuchingKuching , officially the City of Kuching, and formerly the City of Sarawak, is the capital and most populous city of the East Malaysian state of Sarawak. It is the largest city on the island of Borneo, and the fourth largest city in Malaysia....
, MiriMiriMiri is a city in northern Sarawak, Malaysia, on the island of Borneo. It is the second largest city in Sarawak, with a population of about 300,000, and the government administrative centre of Miri District in Miri Division....
, SibuSibuSibu may refer to:*Sibu, Sarawak in Eastern Malaysia*Sibu Division*Sibu , an impact crater on Mars*Pulau Sibu, an island off the eastern coast of peninsular Malaysia*Sibu , name of a goddess in the Bribri tribe, in Costa Rica...
& BintuluBintuluBintulu is a coastal town, and the capital of Bintulu District in the Bintulu Division of Sarawak, Malaysia. It is about 650 kilometers from Kuching and about 215 kilometers from either Sibu or Miri....
in Sarawak - HS: Kota KinabaluKota KinabaluKota Kinabalu , formerly known as Jesselton, is the capital of Sabah state in East Malaysia. It is also the capital of the West Coast Division of Sabah. The city is located on the northwest coast of Borneo facing the South China Sea. The Tunku Abdul Rahman National Park lies on one side and Mount...
, SandakanSandakanSandakan is the second-largest city in Sabah, East Malaysia, on the north-eastern coast of Borneo. It is located on the east coast of the island and it is the administrative centre of Sandakan Division and was the former capital of British North Borneo...
& TawauTawauTawau is the administrative center of Tawau Division, Malaysia and the third largest town of Sabah after Kota Kinabalu and Sandakan.-Geography:...
in Sabah - HT: Kuala TerengganuKuala Terengganu-Transport:The city is connected to other towns via a good network of roads and also some ferries that ply the Terengganu River. The Sultan Mahmud Bridge, a bridge over the Terengganu River, provides a road link to both banks of the river...
, Terengganu - HW: Kuala Lumpur
| LIMO 914 B |
Another new license plate format, LIMO **** W (or B), was introduced for Kuala Lumpur International Airport
Kuala Lumpur International Airport
Kuala Lumpur International Airport , or KLIA serves the capital city of Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, and is one of Southeast Asia's largest airports. It is also Malaysia's main international airport. It is situated in the Sepang district, in the south of the state of Selangor, about from Kuala Lumpur...
(KLIA) limousine
Limousine
A limousine is a luxury sedan or saloon car, especially one with a lengthened wheelbase or driven by a chauffeur. The chassis of a limousine may have been extended by the manufacturer or by an independent coachbuilder. These are called "stretch" limousines and are traditionally black or white....
s following the opening of the airport in 1998. The format is dramatically different from standard Malaysian license plates, opting to designate "LIMO" as the prefix, following by the usual maximum of four digits of numbers and a location affix denoting location. As service of the limousines are restricted to Selangor (where the airport is located) and Kuala Lumpur, only the B or W letterings are used.
The local Road Transport Department
Malaysian Road Transport Department
The Malaysian Road Transport Department ' ' is a government department under the Malaysian Ministry of Transport...
allows sales of personalised numbers for taxis. Prefixes and suffixes are dependent on the location the taxi was registered in, with a single digit license numbers available for only around RM
Malaysian ringgit
The Malaysian ringgit is the currency of Malaysia. It is divided into 100 sen...
100-200. This applies to all types of taxis except KLIA limousines.
Diplomatic vehicle
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
uses UN and some international organizations have the code PA. UN plates may be seen at UN headquarters at Damansara Heights
Bukit Damansara
Bukit Damansara or Damansara Heights is a western suburb in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, located less than 5 kilometres from the city centre. It is a much sought-after residential and commercial address in the Klang Valley...
, while a few PA plates can be spotted at the WorldFish Center in Penang.
The DC plates can be most commonly seen in Jalan Ampang
Jalan Ampang
Jalan Ampang is a major road in Klang Valley region, Selangor and Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.-Proposal to rename Jalan Ampang to Jalan Tun Dr Mahathir Mohammad:...
in Kuala Lumpur, as there are many international embassies located in the area.
Military vehicle
The Malaysian military uses Z as the starting prefix of licence plates for their vehicles, followed by a second prefix letter to denote the branch of the military. The Z prefix is not used as suffixes in any other type of Malaysian plate.- Z : Malaysian ArmyMalaysian ArmyThe Malaysian Army is the land component of the Malaysian Armed Forces. Steeped in British Army traditions, the Malaysian Army does not carry the title ‘royal’ as do the Royal Malaysian Air Force and the Royal Malaysian Navy...
- ZA to ZD: ArmyMalaysian ArmyThe Malaysian Army is the land component of the Malaysian Armed Forces. Steeped in British Army traditions, the Malaysian Army does not carry the title ‘royal’ as do the Royal Malaysian Air Force and the Royal Malaysian Navy...
- ZL: Royal Malaysian NavyRoyal Malaysian NavyThe Royal Malaysian Navy is the naval arm of Malaysian Armed Forces. All commissioned ships of the RMN have the prefix KD , which means Royal Ship.-Straits Settlement Naval Volunteer Reserve:...
- ZU: Royal Malaysian Air Force
- ZZ: Ministry of DefenceMilitary of MalaysiaThe Malaysian Armed Forces , the military of Malaysia, consists of three branches; the Royal Malaysian Navy , the Malaysian Army and the Royal Malaysian Air Force...
(MINDEF) staff - JMF: Johor Military Force (Askar Timbalan Setia Negeri), used exclusively on vehicles registered to Johor state's military arm.
Royal Malaysian PoliceRoyal Malaysian PoliceThe Royal Malaysia Police is a part of the security forces structure in Malaysia. The force is a centralised organization with responsibilities ranging from traffic control to intelligence gathering. Its headquarters is located at Bukit Aman, Kuala Lumpur. The police force is led by an...
| PDRM 1234 |
Malaysian police has its own plates as well. The plate of police is PDRM, with 4 random letters.
PDRM stands for Polis Di-Raja Malaysia.
Vehicle of royalty
The Sultans, Rulers of States and their immediate Royalties uses a plate of their own, usually just bearing their official title e.g. "Tengku Mahkota Johor" is used by the Regent of Johor. This is limited to their official vehicle. The plates are usually coloured in Royal Yellow.Trade plates
Similar to those issued in the United Kingdom, Motor Dealers' (Trade) plates, or temporary license plates, are typically carried by unregistered vehicles or vehicles without proper documents (i.e. a road tax and insurance). While the plate is most commonly utilised by authorised vehicle dealers and local vehicle companies with approvals and permits from the Transport Department, a small number of trade plates are used on private vehicle, typically luxury vehicles, to evade government taxes & duties for imported vehicles.Trade plates carry significant amounts of restrictions. Applications for trade plates require deposits and monthly renewals. In addition, vehicles bearing trade plates are only allowed to be driven on public roads during certain hours of the day. As are typical license plates, vehicles registered to vehicle dealers are usually required to display trade plates at the front and rear, but are either hung outside or placed within the vehicles.
Trade plates are also used by foreign vehicles without proper permits or document from their countries of origin to gain permission of entry into Malaysia, when clearance is authorised by customs
Customs
Customs is an authority or agency in a country responsible for collecting and safeguarding customs duties and for controlling the flow of goods including animals, transports, personal effects and hazardous items in and out of a country...
. In special cases, such as the transfer of show car
Show car
A show car, sometimes called a dream car, is a custom-made automobile created specifically for public display, rather than sale. They are shown at auto shows and other exhibitions.Show cars generally fall into one or more of three categories:...
s, trade plates may also be borrowed from the Transport Department.
Trade plates are made from pressed alloy, with a blue ground and the digits unpainted, so taking the silver of the alloy. These are probably officially issued by the authorities as they take an invariable form.
- In Peninsular Malaysia, trade plates are coloured blue with silver characters. The format consists of the state code letter, three numerals which include leading zeroes, and the letter A for all vehicles except motorcycles, or 'S' for motorcycles.
- In Sabah, trade plates are coloured white with red characters, with a format consisting of a number of four digits, followed by the district prefix, except in the case of Kota Kinabulu which retains the 'J' district code issued to KK when it was named Jesselton after WW2.. These all use leading zeroes,
- In Sarawak, trade plates are coloured red with white characters, but follow the same license plate system as normal plates in Sarawak, both current and former series.
Trailer plates
| T/PA 1582 |
Articulated lorries
Semi-trailer
A semi-trailer is a trailer without a front axle. A large proportion of its weight is supported by a road tractor, a detachable front axle assembly known as a dolly, or the tail of another trailer...
, known also as semi-trailer
Semi-trailer
A semi-trailer is a trailer without a front axle. A large proportion of its weight is supported by a road tractor, a detachable front axle assembly known as a dolly, or the tail of another trailer...
s, feature two license plates placed at the rear of the trailer. One is designated for the tractor unit
Tractor unit
A tractor unit, prime mover , road tractor, or traction unit is a heavy-duty commercial vehicle within the large goods vehicle category, usually with a large displacement diesel engine, and several axles. The tractor unit serves as a method of moving trailers...
, and another for the following trailer itself. The tractor unit's license plate follows that of a normal ABC 1234 arrangement in accordance to those of the tractor unit itself, while the trailer's own license plate features a T/ prefix, followed by the trailer's own registration number in the same format as normal registration numbers. As a result, an example of a trailer's license plate tends to read as follows: T/BA 1234. In a handful of cases, the T/ prefix is superscripted.
Company vehicle
Companies often have no use of specialised license numbers, adopting normal license numbers on vehicles they own. The Johor CorporationJohor Corporation
Johor Corporation is a Malaysian state corporation, formerly known as the "Johor State Economic Development Corporation" . Formed in 1968, it is part of the government’s affirmative action programs to restructure its multi-ethnic society by eradicating the economic imbalance between the Malays and...
(JCorp), however, is a notable exception, using license plates bearing only the numbers "2692" or "2962".
Special plates
| Proton 1234 |
Special plates, i.e. plates using special, distinctive prefixes, are available at extra cost. These special prefixes, depicted in their originally stylised form when possible, may denote the brand of the car (such prefixes are often used, for example, on Proton
Proton (company)
Proton is a Malaysian automobile manufacturer headquartered in Subang Jaya and Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia, with a manufacturing plant in Tanjung Malim, Perak. Founded in 1983, it was Malaysia's only carmaker until the establishment of its competitor and arch-rival, Perodua, in 1993...
and Perodua
Perodua
The ' , usually abbreviated to Perodua , is Malaysia's second largest automobile manufacturer after Proton. It was established in 1992 and launched their first car, the Perodua Kancil in August 1994. 'M2’ was refers to the codename which was used when the project to establish Perodua was still Top...
cars) or special events. Among the more commonly used special prefixes are:
- Proton: Issued for certain ProtonProton (company)Proton is a Malaysian automobile manufacturer headquartered in Subang Jaya and Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia, with a manufacturing plant in Tanjung Malim, Perak. Founded in 1983, it was Malaysia's only carmaker until the establishment of its competitor and arch-rival, Perodua, in 1993...
cars. - Perodua: Issued for certain PeroduaPeroduaThe ' , usually abbreviated to Perodua , is Malaysia's second largest automobile manufacturer after Proton. It was established in 1992 and launched their first car, the Perodua Kancil in August 1994. 'M2’ was refers to the codename which was used when the project to establish Perodua was still Top...
cars. - WAJA: Issued for Proton WajaProton WajaThe Proton Waja is a saloon car designed in-house by Malaysian automotive company, Proton, first released in August 2000. The Waja is the first Malaysian-designed car. The name Waja, which means "the king", meaning it is the "king" of all of the previous models. The name was chosen partly to...
cars. - Chancellor: Issued for Proton Chancellor cars.
- Persona: Issued for Proton PersonaProton PersonaThe Proton Persona is a compact car introduced by Proton in 2007 for the same model year. Being an in-house design by Azlan Othman, the Persona replaced the saloon variant of the successful Proton Wira, whose export name is not confused with this model's same name, as Proton's compact car.It is...
cars. - Satria: Issued for Proton SatriaProton SatriaThe Proton Satria was a hatchback produced by Proton. Production started in 1995 for the first generation and ended in 2005. The new Satria Replacement Model , known as Proton Satria Neo was launched on 16 June 2006...
cars. - Tiara: Issued for Proton TiaraProton TiaraThe Proton Tiara was a Malaysian automobile based on the Citroën AX, built under licence by the automobile manufacturer Proton between 1996 and 2000.-History:...
cars. - Perdana: Issued for Proton PerdanaProton PerdanaThe Proton Perdana is an intermediate-size automobile produced by Proton. It is a badge engineered version of the seventh-generation Mitsubishi Eterna. Perdana is a Malay word for "Prime".- Perdana SEi :...
cars. - LOTUS : Issued for LotusLotus CarsLotus Cars is a British manufacturer of sports and racing cars based at the former site of RAF Hethel, a World War II airfield in Norfolk. The company designs and builds race and production automobiles of light weight and fine handling characteristics...
cars. - KRISS: Issued for Modenas Kriss motorcycle.
- Jaguh: Issued for Modenas Jaguh motorcycle.
- NAZA: Issued for NazaNazaNaza Group of Companies is a Malaysian business conglomerate associated with motor trading, automotive franchises and property development, which began operations in 1974...
vehicles. - SUKOM: Issued only during the 1998 Commonwealth Games1998 Commonwealth GamesThe 1998 XVI Commonwealth Games were held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia from 11 September to 21 September 1998 making it the first Asian country to act as host and the last Commonwealth Games for the 20th century. A record 70 nations supplied 3638 athletes...
, which was held in Kuala Lumpur at that year. - XIII NAM: Issued only during the 2003 NAM SummitNon-Aligned MovementThe Non-Aligned Movement is a group of states considering themselves not aligned formally with or against any major power bloc. As of 2011, the movement had 120 members and 17 observer countries...
which was held in Kuala Lumpur at that year. - X OIC: Issued only during the 2003 OIC SummitOC-Language and country:* Root of the name for the Occitan language or for its territory, Occitania.-People:* O.C. , an American rapper* the Officer Commanding a military unit* Officer Candidate in the United States Navy's STA-21 program...
which was held in Kuala Lumpur at that year. - XI ASEAN: Issued only during the 2005 ASEAN Summit which was held in Kuala Lumpur at that year.
- BAMbee: Issued only during the 2000 Thomas and Uber CupThomas CupThe Thomas Cup, sometimes called the World Men's Team Championships, is an international badminton competition among teams representing member nations of the Badminton World Federation , the sport's global governing body...
which was held in Kuala Lumpur at that year. - XXX IDB: Issued to members and participants of the Islamic Development BankIslamic Development BankThe Islamic Development Bank is a multilateral development financing institution located in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. It was founded by the first conference of Finance Ministers of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference , convened 23 Dhu'l Qa'dah 1393 AH.The bank officially began its activities on...
conference. - G1M: Issued to symbolize 1Malaysia1Malaysia1Malaysia is an on-going programme designed by Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak on September 16, 2010, calling for the cabinet, government agencies, and civil servants to more strongly emphasize ethnic harmony, national unity, and efficient governance....
concept.
International plate
| DP 3194 MALAYSIA 14 |
As Malaysian plates are basic, making confuse when driving outside Malaysia. The international plate is used for driving outside Malaysia. For example plate WDP 3194 is converted to DP 3194 MALAYSIA 14. (14=Kuala Lumpur
ISO 3166-2:MY
ISO 3166-2:MY is the entry for Malaysia in ISO 3166-2, part of the ISO 3166 standard published by the International Organization for Standardization , which defines codes for the names of the principal subdivisions of all countries coded in ISO 3166-1.Currently for Malaysia, ISO 3166-2 codes are...
)
Sometimes, DP 3194 KUL is used. (Citation needed)
International plate is required when driving into Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
, but not to Brunei
Brunei
Brunei , officially the State of Brunei Darussalam or the Nation of Brunei, the Abode of Peace , is a sovereign state located on the north coast of the island of Borneo, in Southeast Asia...
, Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
and Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
as they are dead ends, but entering Thailand can be continued to Laos/Burma/Cambodia, and to China, and all over Asia via the AH2 highway. MAL sticker is needed as well.
See also
- Vehicle identification numberVehicle identification numberA Vehicle Identification Number, commonly abbreviated to VIN, is a unique serial number used by the automotive industry to identify individual motor vehicles. VINs were first used in 1954...
- Malaysian expressway systemMalaysian Expressway SystemThe Malaysian Expressway System , which begins with the North-South Expressway , is currently in the process of being substantially developed...
- Numbers in Chinese culture
- Vehicle registration plates of Singapore and BruneiVehicle registration plates of BruneiLicense plates are displayed on all motorized road vehicles in Brunei, as required by law. The issue of license plates is regulated and administered by the Brunei Land Transport Department. All vehicles must also display two of the same license plates numbers of the same colours at the front and...
, which share similar histories and license plate formats as Malaysia.